Atlas walked alongside Morganna toward the building’s parking area, where rows of vehicles gleamed under the evening lights. From sleek urban cars to high-tech hover bikes. Waiting beside one of them stood a man in a sharp black suit, who offered a respectful bow as they approached.
"Lord Atlas, I’m a representative from the Association," the man said politely. "I’m here to deliver this gift on their behalf."
Atlas raised a brow. "This is... really exciting for me. But seriously? You’re just giving it away?"
"It’s a gesture of goodwill," the man replied with a pleasant smile. "A way to build strong relationships with promising Lords. And I hear you’ve already secured a solid group of Awakeners? That’s quite the achievement."
He then guided Atlas through the bike’s features.
"Connect your Device here. It’ll sync automatically with your Awakener system. Also, I see you already hold a license for floating vehicles. That’s good."
"Yeah," Atlas admitted with a grin, "I registered a while back, just hoping I’d get the chance to ride one someday."
"This model is the civilian edition of the Dune Phantom," the man continued. "It doesn’t include the combat systems used by military units, but it is the latest release. I hope you’ll enjoy it. And please, reach out if you need any assistance."
He tapped the side of a compartment on the bike. "There’s also an emergency parachute stored here. Standard safety gear in case things go wrong mid-flight."
"Good to know. Thanks," Atlas replied, grabbing one and strapping it on.
With a final nod, the man turned and walked away, leaving Atlas alone with his brand-new hover bike.
He could barely contain his grin.
They really just gave this to me? For free?
If he’d tried to buy it outright, it would’ve cost a fortune. No doubt, the Empire was swimming in wealth, and apparently, more than happy to invest in the right people.
Atlas climbed onto the bike, activating the auto-drive with a light touch. A gentle hum rose from the vehicle, the unmistakable sound of a refined Monster Core at work.
Monster Cores, harvested from slain monsters, were carefully processed and converted into potent energy sources. Once fully charged, this bike could run uninterrupted for one to two months without needing a single recharge.
Sure, he had the Floating Throne too, a far more advanced craft, capable of carrying multiple passengers and responding directly to his mental commands. But this... this bike was different. It was something personal. A small dream from long before he ever became a Lord.
He turned to Morganna, who stood nearby with her arms crossed.
"Come on," he said, giving the back seat a light pat. The Dune Phantom began to lift smoothly into the air, hovering a few inches off the ground.
To his surprise, Morganna climbed on without a word, seating herself side-saddle behind him with quiet grace.
Maybe... This was his chance. He needed to talk to her more.
The Dune Phantom surged forward, the glide unbelievably smooth. The rush hit him all at once, and he couldn’t hold it in any longer.
"Woohoo! This is amazing! Hahaha!" he shouted, laughing freely as they soared through the city skyways.
He glanced back at Morganna, grinning. "Sorry, it’s my first time," he said with a chuckle.
But she didn’t answer. Not even a shift in expression.
The Dune Phantom zipped along the track before smoothly lifting onto one of the elevated lanes designated for hover vehicles.
In moments, the distant skyline was no longer below them, it stretched wide and close. Digital billboards flared with color, casting shifting light across their faces, while the hum of passing vehicles and the rush of wind filled the space around them.
At first, the altitude felt a little nerve-wracking. But honestly? Atlas had fallen from high places before, and now, he lived on a floating island in the sky. Heights didn’t have the same power over him anymore. It wasn’t nearly as terrifying as he expected.
He kept the bike at a steady, moderate pace. He wanted to enjoy this, hovering through a futuristic cityscape on a vehicle he’d always dreamed of riding.
The Dune Phantom veered gently onto a quieter route, an elevated loop with fewer vehicles and a scenic view, perfect for a calm cruise.
But silence hung between them.
Okay, he thought, how the hell do you start a conversation with an Overlord-ranked Vampire Queen?
"Hi," he said.
Morganna, seated side saddle, leaned her left shoulder ever so lightly against his back. He glanced over his shoulder, hoping to catch a hint of her expression. But all she gave him was a quick, unreadable sidelong glance.
"I’ve heard a bit from the others," he began. "About their pasts. Like how Lyrassa ruled her island for five hundred years... and their ranks, before they were summoned."
He paused briefly, choosing his next words with care.
"Were you... an Overlord? In your world?" he asked gently.
"Immortal," Morganna replied.
Damn.
Wait. What?!
Atlas’s mind scrambled to process that one, singular word.
First, yes, she had actually answered his question directly. That alone felt like a victory.
But second... holy hell.
Immortal? She was Immortal rank?! That was beyond anything even Edrik or Karian had speculated.
Atlas swallowed hard, his thoughts spinning as he tried to grasp the sheer scale of power Morganna must have held in her original world.
Supersonic flight? Shattering mountains with a flick of her hand?
Could she actually destroy New Earth on a whim if she wanted to?
Her true strength... it had to be something completely beyond what he could imagine. And suddenly, Atlas began to understand why this vampire queen had struggled so much with her situation when she was first summoned.
Immortal Rank. How many thousands of years had she lived to reach that level? How many battles had she fought? How many lives had she taken along the way?
And now, here she was, bound by contract to serve a freshly awakened Lord.
The system really knew how to show mercy to a fledgling Lord, didn’t it? Hah!
"Immortal..." Atlas repeated, his voice low. "That’s... so high. So godlike. So... magnificent."
He gave a slight shake of his head. "I honestly don’t know how else to put it. I’m in awe."
"It was a long journey," Morganna said quietly.
This was gold. Hearing Morganna open up, even just a little, was rare.
Atlas focused all his attention on her words.
"Five..." she began, then paused. "Five thousand years."
Atlas swallowed. Holy damn.
She was even older than Lyrassa. Ten times older, in fact. To Morganna, Lyrassa must’ve seemed like a child. And Atlas? Probably just an insect buzzing around her feet.
"You wouldn’t survive what I’ve been through," she said after a long silence.
"I won’t pretend I would," he replied softly.
"Humans are... fragile. Short-lived. Nothing remarkable about them," she continued. "No natural defenses."
She wasn’t wrong.
The average human lifespan barely reached sixty. Even Awakened might double that if they were lucky. But that still meant nothing in the face of someone who had walked the world for millennia.
"I can see where you’re coming from," Atlas said quietly.
Sure, some humans pushed the boundaries, some even reached two hundred years or more. But that often came at a cost, sacrificing humanity, altering their bodies in irreversible ways.
"Become a vampire," Morganna said, her tone calm. "And you’ll have more time to live."
Atlas turned toward her, caught off guard.