“Are you ready?”
Kael questioned as he stared at the portal in front of him.
“Yes, Father.”
Igni nodded with a grim look on his face. Kael nodded back, satisfied. He then patted Cirri’s head, wanting to comfort her.
“I will take care of them, Father.”
Cirri answered obediently as she pointed at her two little sisters. Vitaria, who saw the opportunity, was about to make a remark, but then,
“You will stay silent, young girl.”
Imperia, who was sitting on her head, silenced her before she could say anything.
“You know you are younger than me, right…?”
Vitaria spoke in a low tone.
“Shh.”
Imperia shushed the ‘young girl’ before turning towards her Father and,
“We will take care of ourselves and hope for your swift return, Father.”
Kael smiled at the little creature, he crouched next to them as he said his goodbyes, but suddenly,
“Father…”
Igni called out.
“Hmm?”
Kael tilted his head.
“I… cannot enter the Portal.”
“Huh?”
Kael frowned as he turned towards his oldest. To show his father, Igni moved his tail towards the Portal but as if an invisible wall was blocking him from entering, his tail couldn’t move any further from a certain point, no matter how much strength he put in.
“It is similar to the shield that stopped me before.”
Igni explained and a frown appeared on Kael’s face.
“But why is it happening now? Is it because I haven’t entered yet?”
Kael came up with a theory.
Igni, however, shook his head.
“Only one who conquers the sky itself may ascend to the seat of dominion.”
Suddenly, the Dragon spoke some words.
“You said these were the words the screen showed you, correct?”
Kael nodded.
“The one who conquers the Sky.”
Igni then stared at Cirri and,
“Who else but the Sky Dragon can do that?”
The Primordial Fire Dragon questioned and in an instant, Cirri’s expression changed.
“But brother I…”
She tried to counter but,
“You failed before, yes. Meand Father failed three times as well, but that doesn’t make me any weaker.
Now if I gave up because I feared failure, that is what would have made me weak.”
The big brother then stared at his younger sister and,
“You are a Sky Dragon, Cirri.
This is your Throne,
Claim it.”
“…”
Cirri turned silent, looking into her older brother’s eyes. Kael stared at his daughter, waiting for her to make a decision, it all depended on her now. If she didn’t want it, Kael would simply not clear the Trial till she was ready, even if it meant that he had to skip the Trial for a few days.
Of course, that day would never come,
“I will go.”
Cirri spoke, her adorable face was full of determination. Her eyes burned intensely as she turned towards her father,
“Father, I will go with you.
And this time, I won’t fail you!”
She exclaimed bravely, still looking absolutely adorable.
Unable to control himself, Kael tightened his hug around her and,
“Are you sure?”
He questioned one last time.
“I am!”
The Dragon nodded confidently.
“Alright then.”
Kael learned from his daughter and his eyes shined in determination as well. He stood up and walked next to the Portal. He then glanced at his eldest and the two nodded at each other.
“I wish you luck, Father.”
Kael smiled and then, after taking a deep breath, he walked in.
Whoosh Whoosh Whoosh
The instant he entered, he was welcomed by the Tempest Sanctum’s strong environment. The heavy winds almost made him step back as if warning him to go away, an option no longer available to him since the Portal had already disappeared.
Once again, his body acted on instinct as he tightened his embrace around Cirri in order to protect her while he stared at the throne above.
The Throne still looked as unreachable as before.
All this while, Kael had been thinking of ways to clear the Trial together with Igni, so right now, with Igni not here, his mind was completely blank.
He didn’t have any plan at all, not when he had to constantly hold Cirri, else she would be blown away by these winds.
But then suddenly,
Cirri, who was in Kael’s arms, wiggled and freed herself.
“Cirri?”
Kael called out, his eyes however, widened in horror as Cirri flew away from him, into the wind.
“Cirri!”
He called out as he rushed towards her, but it was already too late,
Whoosh Whoosh Whoosh
Cirri’s body was taken away by the wind.
“Cirri!!!”
Kael tried to follow, just as he pushed the ground beneath him to run towards his daughter, his body jumped twenty-five meters high in the air, instantly losing all his momentum.
“Fuck!”
He cursed as he stared at Cirri, who was being carried around by the winds. The little Dragon turned her body in order to face him, then, with her eyes still shining in determination, she nodded at her father and,
Poof
She turned into her cloud form.
“CIRRII!!”
Kael’s eyes widened in horror as he saw her Cloud Form being dissipated by the wind till there was no Mist left.
And just like that…
Cirri was gone.
“…”
Kael fell silent, his eyes still wide open as he landed on the ground, his heart beating fast as he clenched his fists. In anger, he glared at the Throne above him.
He wanted to clear this stupid Trial as quickly as possible so his Cirri wouldn’t be hurt again.
‘Igni.’
He called out.
‘Father?’
‘Take care of Cirri, make sure she is okay.’
‘Hmm? What do you mean?’
The Primordial Fire Dragon tilted his head in confusion,
‘Is she not with you?’
‘Huh…?’
Kael’s expression changed.
He looked at the area where Cirri had disappeared and his frown deepened,
‘Does she not return till I die or clear the Trial?’
He wondered in his head, but then,
“Father!”
He heard a low, but extremely joyful voice, a voice he recognized in an instant.
“Cirri?”
“Father!!”
Cirri affirmed.
“Where are you?”
“I am right in front of you!”
Cirri answered, her sound was lower than usual, but it was definitely her.
“Huh…?”