Faelix flicked her wrist, and with a single, elegant motion, she swung her golden fan toward them.
"Shit! Just fucking run!" Dante roared, already sprinting at full speed.
Stiles and SteelArm didn't need to be told twice. They bolted in different directions, pushing their bodies to their limits.
The moment the flames touched the ground, an eruption of fire roared to life, scorching through the golden battlefield. The very earth beneath them trembled as the grass melted into molten embers, the once-solid ground liquefying under the sheer heat. The spiraling orbs, which had momentarily scattered, drifted back toward Faelix, orbiting her once more. A smirk curled across Faelix's lips as she watched them scramble across the battlefield. Then, without a word, a massive white fox materialized in the sky above. She leapt effortlessly onto its back, crossing her legs as golden energy formed beneath her feet, solidifying into a platform. From her elevated perch, she looked down at them with an air of amusement.
"I think... this is enough," she murmured, her voice carrying an almost serene finality.
In an instant, the golden battlefield shattered like glass, dissolving into fragments of light. The dark chamber returned around them, the oppressive walls closing in once more as all traces of golden energy vanished.
Stiles, SteelArm, and Dante stood still, catching their breath as they lifted their gazes toward her floating form.
"What do you mean?" Dante asked warily, tightening his grip on his spear, his muscles coiled, ready to strike.
Faelix exhaled softly before a warm and soft smile crossed her face. "I mean, this is enough. I'm done." Her voice was calm, carrying neither malice nor exhaustion—just certainty.
Before any of them could respond, the ground trembled, and a set of stone stairs emerged from the floor, leading downward into the unknown. Faelix flicked her fan lazily in their direction. "Just follow me to your next trial. I've gotten what I wanted. There's no longer any reason to fight you."
The moment she finished speaking, the white fox beneath her vanished into thin air.
Gravity immediately took hold.
"W-Wait—!" Faelix barely had time to yelp before she plummeted unceremoniously to the ground, landing hard with a dull thud. A beat of silence followed.
"D-damn it... That wasn't supposed to happen…" she muttered, her cheeks tinged with an embarrassed blush as she quickly stood, dusting off her dress with forced composure.
She let out a quiet sigh, her golden tails expanding and curling around her, draping like a regal cloak that concealed her form from behind. The shimmering fur rippled with golden energy, flickered like embers in the dim chamber. Without another word, she turned and descended the staircase, her movements slow and deliberate. The soft rustle of her tails was the only sound accompanying her as she disappeared into the depths below.
Dante watched her descend, his grip on his spear slightly untightened before he exhaled sharply. He turned to Stiles and SteelArm, his expression unreadable.
"…Do we even trust this?" he asked, his voice low. "She just stopped fighting out of nowhere. What if it's a trap?"
Stiles crossed his arms, glancing at the staircase before letting out a dry chuckle. "We don't exactly have another option, considering the doors are still shut. So, we can't leave." He paused, his eyes flickering towards Faelix and back to them. A smirk crept onto his face. "Besides... I don't mind following her in the damn slightest."
SteelArm raised a brow. "The hell's that supposed to mean?"
Stiles coughed into his fist, straightening up. "Ahem, I mean… uh, you know, strategy and all that. We should see where this leads."
Dante rolled his eyes, "Right. Strategy." He turned back toward the descending figure. "You're acting like she didn't just try to kill us."
SteelArm let out a deep sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Honestly, I don't know what game she's playing... but either way, we're not going to get any answers by standing around here. We might as well follow and see where this leads."
Dante clicked his tongue, frustration clear in his eyes. "Fine, but if this goes sideways and I end up dead, I'm haunting both of you. You'll never get a peaceful night's sleep again. Got it?"
Stiles gave a nonchalant shrug, his smirk returning. "Hey, if you die, I'll at least take good care of your spear." He started down the staircase, his footsteps echoing softly in the dim light.
With no more words, SteelArm and Dante rolled his eyes and exchanged a quick glance with SteelArm before they followed suit, stepping down the stairs and into the unknown, their weapons still at the ready.
The group descended the staircase for nearly an hour, the air growing heavier with each step as the atmosphere shifted around them. The flickering torchlight cast long shadows on the walls, and the sound of their footsteps echoed through the narrow passageway. The silence between them felt unnerving, yet none of them spoke, each caught in their own thoughts.
Finally, they reached the end of the staircase. A heavy steel door stood before them, its surface etched with intricate patterns that seemed to shimmer faintly in the dim light. Faelix, having stopped just a few feet from the door, turned to face them with a serene, almost playful smile on her lips.
"Welcome to the Kingdom of Nebula," she said softly, her voice carrying a weight that matched the gravity of her words. "This is sacred ground. Treat the kingdom, and everyone within it, with the utmost respect. I can't, and won't, help any of you if you get into trouble."
Her smile remained, but her eyes held a cold finality, warning them of the delicate balance they were about to step into.
Without another word, Faelix reached for the door and, with a soft creak, pushed it open. She stepped out first, her golden figure disappearing into the light beyond.
Dante blinked, staring at the door for a moment before shaking his head in disbelief. "What the hell?" he muttered to Stiles and SteelArm, his voice laced with confusion.
SteelArm didn't say a word but followed the others through the door, stepping out into a vast, open space. His gaze immediately locked onto the distant building. The sight was awe-inspiring—an enormous structure that seemed to pierce the sky. Seven towering pillars stood around it, their size staggering, each crowned with a massive dragon that rested atop, their wings unfurled in a protective manner, taking up half the height of the pillar itself.
The air was thick with an ancient energy, and all three men stood in stunned silence as they took in the grandiose sight before them.
People—no, beings—of various races, many unlike anything they had seen before, gathered in groups around the pillars and the central structure. There were tall, lithe figures with glowing eyes, short, stocky creatures with fur-lined cloaks, and towering humanoids with armor that seemed to hum with power. Each seemed to be lost in their own worlds, engaged in quiet conversation or tending to tasks of their own.
Faelix's voice broke the silence, a soft but commanding presence.
"Here, at Kingdom Nebula, we welcome all races," she explained, turning to face the three of them as they surveyed the scene. "But to gain access to this place, you must first pass three trials. There's an additional fourth trial once you enter Nebula itself. However, I'm not sure why so many humans have been attempting lately... It's odd considering there's only a handful amount I've ever seen personally before you three."
She paused, her gaze distant as a heavy sigh escaped her lips. "One of those humans... I never want to encounter again," she murmured, her voice laced with a deep unease. "His mana... I can still feel it, lingering. I never want to hear his name or see his again." A flicker of terror flashed across her face, as if the mere thought of him brought back a haunting memory.
Stiles, intrigued, glanced over at her. "What... happened?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.
Faelix met his gaze, her eyes darkening, her tails ceasing their usual graceful sway. "It... was horrible," she began, her voice trembling slightly. "A single man, he wiped out over half the kingdom of Nebula. Seven dragons, every palace guard, men, women, children—it didn't matter. He passed the trials, entered, and slaughtered everyone who stood in his path before vanishing just as quick as he appeared."
She stood still for a long moment, her expression hardening as the memories threatened to resurface. Her eyes flickered with a brief, painful glow before she quickly shook herself free of it. Clearing her throat, she forced her composure back.
"But there's something else I need to tell you three," she continued, her tone shifting to something more playful, yet with a hint of mystery in her voice. A small giggle escaped her lips, her eyes glinting with a hidden truth. "Faelix is not my real name."
She took a slow breath, almost as if gathering the strength to share a piece of herself that had been hidden. Then, with a small but knowing smile, she continued, "My true name is Solara Vixara, Princess of the Golden Fox's royal family."
Dante, Stiles, and SteelArm exchanged confused glances, Stiles spoke up first.
Stiles let out a dry chuckle as he looked over at SteelArm and Dante. trying to ignore the sad story as he didn't have any words to say. "So... we've been brawling with a princess from some royal family, and now we're standing in... whatever this place is. Yeah, I see where this is going," he said, a half-smile tugging at the corner of his lips.
Dante shot him a quick look. "You know... we did make her bleed a bit too..." he muttered, tapping the hilt of his spear thoughtfully.
SteelArm crossed his arms and glanced between the two of them. "And we're outsiders here, so... are we all thinking the same thing?" His brow furrowed as he considered their situation.
"Royal punishment... death sentence?" All three of them spoke in unison, before their eyes locked, an unspoken understanding passing between them. Without another word, they spun on their heels and sprinted back toward the door they had just entered, hoping to escape whatever fate was surely waiting for them.
Suddenly, something shifted within Stiles. His movement halted, his body frozen in place as his eyes locked onto something in the corner of the rocks. A shadow. It stared at him for a moment before vanishing.
"Wait..." he murmured to himself, his voice barely a whisper. The others, still running ahead, stopped in their tracks and turned to look back at him.
"What's going on? Come on!" Dante called out impatiently, already looking to move on and leave any royal trouble behind.
Stiles didn't reply immediately. He was still staring into the shadows, something pulling at his instincts. "...Leave without me," he finally said, his tone serious, a strange urgency in his voice. Without another word, he changed direction, running off in the opposite way. "Was that... really what I saw?" he muttered to himself, his pace quickening.
Dante sighed heavily, his frustration clear. Closing his eyes briefly to gather his thoughts, he dashed away from the door, intent on catching up with Stiles. SteelArm let out a resigned sigh as well, but after a quick glance at Dante, he too shifted direction and followed them.
Solara stood still, her golden eyes narrowing in confusion as she processed what had just unfolded. A death sentence? She scoffed softly to herself, shaking her head in disbelief. "Why the hell would that happen?" she muttered, her voice tinged with frustration.
Solara tilted her head in confusion. After a moment, she let out a deep sigh, her posture relaxing as she turned away. "I see why Mother always warned me about getting involved with humans... they're very weird." She smirked, the edges of her lips curling slightly as she walked off, the soft swish of her golden tails trailing behind her. "I know what I'll be doing to keep myself entertained."