Snow rose up as a golden figure flew with great speed. With each flap, he crossed a great distance, causing trees to tilt, snow to rise, wind to burst outward, and other series of commotion, but the figure didn't stop.
He was kilometers away from Ashkelon and wore one of the most dignified armors in the wasteland.
The sight of him would make a civilian fall on their knees and bow, and this figure was none other than the Noble BloodBlade, Nero!
He could see ripples coming from afar and had been flying towards that place right from Silverleaf, and now he was in the midst of the Ash Mountains.
This place was deemed dangerous to saintly knights, but he had to check it out because it seemed like a battle.
He came to a screeching halt by tilting upward and flapping his wings like he wanted to go back. The force of his previous movement and the new force generated in the opposite direction caused him to stop but also made a loud sound.
Snow flew and began to rain down. It added to the snow slowly falling from the skies.
Nero reached out for his swords. "I had a feeling it was you."
Before his eyes was the very monster they had been searching for. It stood in the midst of mercenaries, most of whom were slain.
Staring right at the white-furred ape whose crimson eyes were strangely calm, Nero felt a threat he had never felt before.
Not even Slade made him feel this way. The force emanating from this giant ape was the tidal wave of the sea.
His eyes narrowed, yet he drew his swords.
The ape opened its mouth, and its razor-sharp fangs, tightly clenched together, were revealed. The air became turbulent as the intensity of the rage in its eyes multiplied.
Lifting up its leg, the giant ape stomped, creating a 300-yard crater, 2 meters deep!
Nero looked around, but the beast was gone. It was at this moment he realized his breathing was heavy.
Whatever that beast was, it definitely wasn't the average ones he had been facing. This beast held a grudge…
One that drilled deep into the bones…
It wanted His Lordship!
Nero didn't know how, but that thought sprouted out of his heart.
This only meant one thing…
The giant ape told him what it wanted without speaking!
Nero's arms trembled. "If it wanted His Lordship so badly, why doesn't it leave the forest in search of him?"
He muttered under his breath.
A soothing, feminine voice slithered into his ears, and his eyes widened. He felt it.
His heartbeat somehow synced with her voice. There was no doubting it; this voice belonged to the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.
The Heart of the Crimson Temple, Sapphira Cyrene.
The woman who saw death with her eyes just like him. They said had it not been for her fairy body and healing powers, she would have been nothing but ashes.
Nero turned and knelt without looking at her face.
"Lady Sapphira, it's an honor to see you once again."
"Nero, I know you can't see colors, so lift up your head."
Nero sighed and lifted up his head. His pupils trembled, causing him to take his head down again.
The truth as to why he didn't look straight at her was that his talent didn't work on Sapphira!
When he looks at her, he usually loses his Dreath Sight and sees her in all her glorious beauty.
For a young boy like him, it was too much. Especially when his loyalty was with his aunt, Eritrea.
Sapphira's lips curled downwards, and she floated down. When Nero was barefoot, he knew she was prepared for him this time.
In the next moment, her fingers touched his chin, and she lifted his head up.
Staring right at that face, Nero felt his resistance melting. His instincts were in chaos as one side vouched for Eritrea, but the other was like a fool bought over with a large amount of money.
Strong-headed and adamant.
Luckily, Sapphira spared him by donning the hood attached to her priestly garment.
Her beautiful wings came down, folding themselves at her slender back.
"What happened here?"
She asked, walking away from him. Nero felt like he lost something, a feeling that came from the depths of his spirit, but he composed himself.
Sapphira was a strange woman, like his father said. He should make sure he doesn't get too close... because no woman is more dangerous than her!
"A beast attack. This is the third hunting party it's slain this month. And…"
Sapphira turned her head to Nero. "And what?"
"I think it wants His Lordship."
Sapphira's eyes widened, but Nero couldn't see it as the hood covered everything excluding her lips and chin.
"It wants him, but it's not the evil force that I sensed. That force was much stronger and…"
Sapphira looked at the north.
"We need to get to His Lordship."
Her wings spread out. Although they looked beautiful, transparent, and reflected many lights when the sunlight shone on them, they looked inferior to Nero's feather wings, which were massive.
Yet Sapphira smiled when she saw Nero's wings.
Flying straight to Ashkelon would delete their force, and they would be rendered useless, so despite their strength, they had to take two days or use horses to conserve more force.
But Sapphira was in a hurry, so flying was the only way to get there faster.
Both of them shot into the sky, sending snow flying everywhere.
By the time Nero reached the peak of flying in a straight line and was about to fly toward Ashkelon, he discovered Sapphira was already 400 yards away.
Not just that, but her peak was even higher than his. He knew this before her dragonfly wings left colorful trails that were slowly disappearing.
Clad in a white top and black leather pants that clung to his lean, powerful physique, with Euodias attached to his belt, dangling as he walked, was Asher approaching the sacred hall in the evening hours of the day.
All of a sudden, he perceived the smell of blood, and the guards before the door were nowhere to be found.
Quickening his steps, he approached the door and reached out for the handle.
Meanwhile, far away, two figures were flying towards four tall mountains, and one of them was an enchanting beauty whose eyes were filled with hope threatening to die at any moment.
"Please, Asher… survive."