Pillar of Yita

Fang Hong looked at the ring in his hand; it was heavy, plain, and felt significant in the palm of his hand. Its bright golden light had long since extinguished, the molten, lava-like heat no longer present. There were no inscriptions or patterns on it.

A snowflake drifted down from the sky, melting on his hand among the lines of his palm, turning into strands of coolness that intertwined with the ring, making it even colder.

He clenched it tightly, raised his head, and looked at the snowflakes scattering in the midair. It was the day after the Winter Solstice in North Colin, the snow fell later than in Tarun, the Ancient Tower, and the Westwood region, but the north wind crossing the Cloud Sea made the winter days linger longer, the long winter lasting until March of the following year.

Adventurers (Invokers) would often head to the warmer south to await the melting of the snow, or embark on adventures in the few snow-free areas of Ishurian, such as the dense forests of Nosnia, while they had no choice but to get through this long, snowy winter.

About the Dragon’s Golden Eyes, Duke had not told them much more, perhaps he also truly did not understand, but the Ring of Golden Flame indeed contained the power to restrain the Dark Giant Dragon. Thus, the old man only asked them to take the Ring of Golden Flame to those three places—

Yoshude’s last defeat of the Dragon Witch had occurred in the Ash Woods, the northern forest of Dulun which was once known as the Great Canyon, but it had become a desolate land after an evil dragon fell here, a sea of fire turning it into a barren land where no vegetation had grown to this day.

Then there was Idus—a name now seldom known, even the original location of this city could not be found on maps, only a shadow remained at the southern edge of the russet red forest, at the westernmost spur of the Kudi Mountain Range, now called Tais—the ”City of Death” according to the people of the desert.

Lastly, venturing into the Silver Sand Sea, traveling westward under moonlight, to find the oasis buried beneath the desert, the Oathkeeper’s final place of seclusion, the Dragon’s Land, but today perhaps only rubble remains, pale ghosts roaming for long in the harsh desert sands, echoing old lamentations within the silver ruins.

These three places were arranged from north to south, then turning westward, the route the Dragon’s Witch had taken years ago when she had moved north to approach the Royal Capital. The entire Colin-Ishurian shivered under her fiery wrath, even crawling under the shadow of dragon wings.

Until a hero emerged, wielding in his hand the Dragon Slaying Sword, Galapea, and saved the ancient Kingdom from its imminent fall.

The hero’s tale is still sung to this date.

But the legend of the Witch is known by few.

Fang Hong stood amidst the swirling snowflakes, silent for a moment, uncertain why he had accepted this mission—perhaps it was a quirky fate? Perhaps because these three places were precisely on their planned adventure route? Or perhaps because Miss Atira had given her consent?

Perhaps it was a stir within, driven by curiosity about the mission line under the advent of the third Star of Calamity? Or maybe due to the respect still held in Dolifen Fantasy for that noble lady from thirty years before.

Or maybe it was Nikopolas’s plaintive roar within his mind, the shadow of the Giant Dragon spreading its wings to rise again? Finally, Mazak’s stern gaze met his, warning him:

”Never forget the enemies who have passed—”

In the darkness, a snowflake landed on his neck, cold as needles piercing his skin, snapping Fang Hong back to the present. ”Never forget the enemies who have passed,” he muttered repeatedly, but what were the enemies who have passed, the Dark Giant Dragons?

They had returned—Toragotos had gone missing, but it was not dead; no one knew where it had hidden.

Miss Tata quietly watched her own Knight from his shoulder, truly quiet, with a faint worry in her pensive eyes. That heartbeat knocking on their shared Mind World felt like an approaching step, seemingly causing Mr. Knight to grow anxious.

She, being empathically connected to him, felt the same.

Fang Hong tucked the ring into his coat, the sense of imminence drawing closer, yet it was not unease, rather it felt like a question.

Dragon’s Golden Eyes indeed demonstrated characteristics that could seize power from a Dark Giant Dragon, but if not the hero Yoshude, who else could have forged it, and for what purpose?

Mazak should know everything about the Dragon Witch before she left Dragon’s Land, she had not lost her right eye before she turned into a dragon.

Whatever had happened in between, might remain an eternal secret.

The only one that could tell him the answer was this ring, which was precisely why he had finally decided to visit those places to find out for himself, but unlike Duke’s conviction, Fang Hong was not so sure.

”Still thinking about the Dragon Witch?”

Fang Hong turned around and saw Big Cat approaching him. The latter reached out a paw and caught a snowflake; the crystalline formation of the snowflake dissipated invisibly among the fine hairs of the paw.

Lion People have thick fur and manes, but their homeland, Rota, is a warm Kingdom accustomed to year-round lack of snow; he was not quite used to the winter in the north of Colin-Ishurian.

”Just suddenly remembered something, Mr. Reed.”

”Thinking too much might bring early wrinkles; look at your furrowed brow, little guy.”

Fang Hong shook his head, Miss Sicape had said he was empty-headed, not thinking about anything but pushing forward, but now, he was no longer that person from back then.