The chamber was vast, carved into the core of the Ethereal Peaks—sacred ground untouched by time. In its heart, a single golden crystal floated, pulsing like a heart between realms. Threads of divine essence coiled around it like serpents of light, slowly merging into the figure seated beneath.
Zhel-Vorah sat motionless, bathed in the radiant glow. His massive form shimmered between draconic majesty and something far more ethereal. His deep, resonant breaths stirred cyclones within the chamber. Then—
BOOM!
A massive shockwave cracked the air as Zhel-Vorah opened his eyes, and the crystal burst into fragments of celestial light. The surge of power flung his colossal body backward, wings flaring open like endless skies. Dust and sacred fog scattered, revealing him—changed.
His once-glimmering red scales now shimmered with an iridescent silver hue. His horns elongated, resembling streaks of lightning, and his red pupils thinned into slits of radiant intelligence.
Zhel-Vorah flexed his clawed hand, feeling the raw current of energy coursing through his new form.
"…So this is it," he murmured. "I have achieved the Nirvana Temper by the final trait of the True Dragon God…now the Crystal has also merged with me."
He slowly rose, standing like a celestial mountain.
"But I am no longer a dragon… not entirely. No, I have become a Spirit Beast—something rarer, born of anomaly and ascension." His gaze turned contemplative. "To be precise, I am now the Sky Azure Dragon, born under the twilight of storms and resurrection."
As he floated higher, his voice carried the weight of revelation. "Among Spirit Beasts, only a few ascend the Godhood. A "
He raised his claw, and four phantom images flickered behind him—each a titan of legend.
1. Heaven Devourer Python & Aqua Mirage
2. Sky Azure Dragon
3. Demon Beauty Rabbit
4. The Golden Butterfly
He lowered his hand, the images fading like mist.
Before him stood a strange relic—a stone pillar marked with ancient sigils and a terrifying mask mounted atop it. The White Stone Mask.
It was grotesquely serene—its white surface carved with elegant lines and geometric calm. Yet behind that stillness was something ancient and dreadful. The mask had no eyes—only emptiness—and a faint red thread crossed its mouth.
"This mask… is the Persona Seal," Zhel-Vorah whispered. "It embodies the fragments of what we cast away to become who we are. This mask has judged kings and monsters alike."
His gaze darkened.
"White means control… balance… a seer's calm. But if it ever turns red—if that crimson thread awakens—it means catastrophe. The true self behind it is awakened. Something even I fear to name."
Now the mask vanished. He turned toward the summit, where the Throne of Ascension waited—a blazing constellation of sigils in the air. "The time to ascend is now. If I fail… all of this—all I have fought for—will become vain."
But then—laughter.
A slow, mocking clap echoed in the chamber.
"Interesting… very interesting," came a voice like oil on fire. "You became a Mythical God in mere years. And now you plan to ascend the throne? You've reversed the order of the world."
A figure emerged from the shadows of the divine chamber. Cloaked in robes darker than midnight, with threads of the void flickering across his shoulders—Nyreth.
Zhel-Vorah's eyes narrowed, the light around him bristling.
"You…" His voice was low and dangerous. "What are you doing here?"
Nyreth grinned, a serpent's smile. "To achieve what I want, of course."
Zhel-Vorah raised his claw. "Speak clearly. What is it that you want?"
Nyreth stepped forward, shadows twisting beneath his feet. "You know that I was vanished… erased from the Vast Expansion, sealed in chains for eternity.
Zhel-vorah ignored him. "I am not here to listen your pathetic story."
Nyreth laughed.
"At least please listen. So where am I. Oh.... I remembered, dear Zhel… every prison has an end. Do you want to know how?"
Zhel-Vorah tensed. "How?"
Nyreth raised his hand dramatically, then paused, smirking. "I'll tell you. But first…" He raised a single finger. "Promise me—no punching me for the reward."
Zhel-Vorah sighed, wings folding slightly. "…Fine."
Nyreth leaned close, his smile widening into a mask of malice. "Then prepare yourself, Zhel-Vorah. Because what I'm about to reveal… will shatter the balance of your precious sky."