Ash and the others approached the grandest estate beyond the barrier—a towering palace of white jade and living crystal that rose like a mountain of light, its spires piercing the blue sky, gardens of glowing starlight flowers blooming along paths of polished moonstone.
As they walked the pristine streets, citizens and guards turned to stare. Many had known nothing but humans their entire lives. The sight of Ash's bronze skin, black wings with rose-pink veins, and flowing white hair drew gasps. Raven's black hair and bloody eyes, Summer's shadows curling at her feet, Katherine's blonde radiance—everything about them was alien, beautiful, dangerous.
Guards in silver-white armor gripped weapons tighter, but none moved to stop them. Whispers rippled through the crowds—curiosity, awe, faint fear.
After a few minutes, they found themselves before a First Calamity guard at the palace gates—tall and imposing, his armor engraved with ancient runes that pulsed with protective energy. His gaze fixed on Ash, unwavering and intense.
"State your purpose, outsiders," he said, voice like grinding stone.
Before Ash could respond, a subtle change rippled through the onlookers—citizens, guards, and even distant figures on balconies. Affection grew slowly but steadily, impossible to miss. Women's cheeks warmed, their eyes lingering on Ash with quiet admiration. Men straightened without thinking, respect shaping their stances as they regarded him favorably, despite not knowing why.
The guard's sternness softened a fraction. He received a silent message through a jade talisman at his ear, eyes flickering.
"Follow me," he said, turning without another word. "Carefully."
He led them inside, flanked by four additional guards who fell into step, their weapons sheathed but ready.
The palace halls stretched wide, with crystal pillars scattering light into soft rainbows and smooth white jade floors radiating warmth beneath bare feet. People paused to watch—maids in flowing robes halting mid-task, warriors in the training yards casting curious glances. A quiet admiration rippled through the crowd—women biting their lips, men offering respectful nods.
They stepped into the central throne hall—a vast, awe-inspiring space with its ceiling open to the bright blue sky, and thrones of shimmering starlight crystal raised high on a dais. At the center sat the Patriarch and Matriarch, their Sixth Calamity auras rumbling like far-off storms. Beside them stood the Fifth Calamity elders, the young Fourth Calamity heir Elias, and several ancestors whose very presence felt like dormant volcanoes...
All eyes turned to the intruders.
The Patriarch stood up slowly, his voice steady yet weighted. "You've slipped past our mythic barrier... With your cultivation, that shouldn't be possible. Now, tell me—why are you here?"
Ash stepped forward with a smirk, his wings folding neatly behind him. He didn't waste time with small talk or explain how he'd slipped past the barrier.
"I know your situation," he said evenly. "Sealed for two eras… even the outside world thinks Astralis is unclaimed."
At that, everyone tensed, their eyes narrowing with suspicion. But his next words struck them like heresy.
"What if I told you I could help you escape—without leaving anything behind?"
Silence.
Then doubt erupted.
A Fifth Calamity elder scoffed. "A Third Calamity whelp thinks he can free us? Ridiculous!"
Another elder added, "Not even the combined might of our ancestors could achieve that. And you?"
Elias, the heir, narrowed his eyes. "Tsk... he should be eliminated for such nonsense."
Raven's bloody eyes flashed, hand twitching. Summer's shadows coiled like angry serpents. Katherine's sound-forks hummed faintly, ready to sing.
Ash raised a hand, calming them with a glance.
The Matriarch's voice cut through like a blade. "Silence." The elders obeyed instantly.
She looked at Ash, gaze piercing. "Speak your offer."
Ash's blood-drop eyes gleamed.
"Ah, being desire is really helpful," he thought, savoring the feeling. Without the ability to passively increase affection, he was sure this estate would have turned into a bloodbath by now.
Then without waiting any further he activated a Talent.
|Desire's Manifestation|
The air shimmered.
In the center of the hall, an illusion manifested—perfect, tangible, glowing with the weight of their deepest shared craving.
A colossal spatial gate, wide enough to swallow the entire super-continent.
Through it, they saw Astralis's true surface: vast oceans under four suns, free skies, the world they had lost. The gate pulsed with stable, unbreakable energy—capable of transporting the entire enclave, every spire, every citizen, every ancestor vault, without leaving a single stone behind.
The illusion hovered, warm and real in their minds, bound to Ash's will.
The hall fell deathly quiet.
The Patriarch stared at the artifact floating in its illusory form, voice barely a whisper. "How…?"
The Matriarch's hand trembled as she reached toward the gate, feeling the promise of freedom brush her fingertips.
Elias, the heir, stood frozen, eyes wide with disbelief and hope.
An elder gasped. "The continent… whole…"
Ash smiled.
"Now… shall we negotiate?"
The Prime Humans looked at him in a new light—favorable, wary, and undeniably intrigued.
The meeting had begun.