With the wyvern’s unexpected speed, Adyr felt the wind strike his face like a wall. The only thing keeping him from being thrown off was his firm grip on one of the jagged spines along the creature’s back.
But the discomfort didn’t last long. Once the creature reached a sufficient altitude, it shifted into a steady, balanced glide. The flight beca noticeably smoother, though still incredibly fast.
"How much would it cost to buy a Spark like this?" Adyr asked, speaking to Malrik, who sat silently in front of him. He was now certain he needed sothing similar. And flying like this... was surprisingly enjoyable.
"This one?" Malrik replied, running a hand along the wyvern’s cold, rugged skin. "It’d cost you around 250 to 300 level 2 crystals. It ranks among the top 30 flying mounts under Rank 2 Sparks."
He added, "It’s also easy to feed. It lives off cold. Just make sure you’ve got a very cold space set up in your Sanctuary."
That detail shifted Adyr’s perspective. Sanctuary design wasn’t just about aesthetics. It was essential. If he wanted a Frost Wyvern, he’d need to reshape the Dawn Land into an environnt cold enough to sustain it. And that ant every future Spark he subdued would need to survive in those sa conditions.
As the journey continued, Adyr sat in silence, taking in the landscape below.
From this height, the Valeri Kingdom looked even smaller. At the center stood the capital city, its periter ringed by crumbling walls, and beyond that, the land was scattered with small villages as far as the eye could see.
He also noticed signs of destruction outside the city walls. In one area, a village looked as if it had been crushed flat, like sothing massive had rolled right over it. The damage suggested the Rank 4 Spark had been responsible.
"Can you tell what this Rank 4 Spark looks like?" Adyr asked.
Judging by the scale of the destruction, he imagined it must have been enormous. Yet even from the sky, he couldn’t spot anything that resembled such a creature.
Malrik didn’t suspect or ask anything about his lack of knowledge, as in their circle, all kinds of practitioners were there. And even among them, Adyr was young and looked very new to this life.
"Its na is Colossith. You can call it a rare Spark from the Astra path," Malrik said, his voice tinged with a mix of fear and resentnt. "Most of the ti, its body is no larger than your hand. It lives underground, which makes it incredibly difficult to detect. But when it’s hungry, it grows to hundreds of ters in size."
"What does this thing feed on?" Adyr asked, his curiosity piqued.
Malrik let out a short laugh before answering. "Vibrations. The damn thing feeds on its own vibrations. It creates the tremors it needs to grow, and once it’s full, it shrinks back down and vanishes underground again."
When Adyr noticed the hint of anger in Malrik’s voice, he chose not to ask further. He’d get more details from Vesha later.
The wyvern glided over forests, rivers, and small villages. Tree canopies stretched below like a soft green sea, broken by glinting streams and scattered rooftops. Smoke rose gently from chimneys, and narrow roads wound through quiet farmland.
Before long, a large settlent appeared in the distance.
It was unlike any village Adyr had seen, and nothing like the Valeri Kingdom’s capital. From above, it looked more like an open trade field than a city. At its center stood a towering structure, resembling a massive tent woven from gleaming white fabric. Scattered around it were smaller versions of the sa design, arranged loosely like a market stitched into the landscape.
"I know it’s not much to look at," Malrik said, addressing the unspoken question, "but it was never ant to be. It’s built for purpose, not aesthetics."
"It was founded more than 120 years ago by a Rank 5 practitioner known as the Wanderer rchant. Purely for business."
"Rank 5?" Adyr asked with interest. He hadn’t even fully grasped the power of Rank 4 yet, and now Rank 5 was being added to his general knowledge.
"Relax, he’s not around," Malrik said, voice steady. "He hasn’t shown up in over a century. These days, the strongest you’ll find nearby are a few Rank 4s scattered across the neighboring kingdoms. Still, no one dares stir trouble here. His na alone keeps everything in check. So just be mindful while we’re here, and everything will go smoothly."
After saying this, the Frost Wyvern began a slow descent toward an open area within the settlent. Even its movents shifted as it drew closer, as if so instinct warned it to be respectful. That alone made Adyr even more curious about the Rank 5 practitioner behind this place.
Once they landed, and Malrik recalled the Spark, they made their way through the rows of small white tents toward the entrance of the massive central structure.
Just like from above, there wasn’t much to admire at ground level. The terrain was simple—short, vibrant grass underfoot, soft enough to silence footsteps. Patches of colorful fruit trees added life to the otherwise plain layout, their branches swaying gently in the breeze. The air slled faintly of citrus and wild herbs. A few people moved quietly between tents, so carrying goods, others engaged in hushed conversations.
What stood out most were their features. Aside from Malrik, Adyr didn’t spot a single Velari. So had fur-covered faces like beasts, others bore scaled skin that shimred in the light. A few had tall, pointed ears or ridged foreheads, while others resembled malnourished children with disproportionately large eyes and elongated limbs. He even caught sight of a silent giant whose head nearly brushed the tops of the tents. The variety was overwhelming—like the settlent had gathered every species that didn’t belong anywhere else, yet sohow, here, it all functioned.
"These small tents belong to individual practitioners," Malrik explained as they walked. "They rent the space for a fee. If you’re planning to buy sothing, these are usually the better spots to haggle. You might get a good deal, cheaper than inside. But don’t expect the sa quality you’d find in the main hall."
Adyr took note of the details, thinking they might be useful later. Then, the two of them made their way toward the open entrance of the grand tent—only to be caught off guard by what waited inside.
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