Asher stood silently, watching the wind brush against his hair.
That quote echoed in his mind. It ca from an old saying, one rooted in how history kept repeating itself.
Mistakes, wars, collapses—different faces, sa patterns.
(You've seen the cycle yourself, haven't you? Every ti peace lasted too long, their guard dropped. And worst of all, they'd start fighting among themselves. It's just built into their nature.)
Asher couldn't help but agree.
"I know...That's why I won't make it too easy for them. I just don't want to throw them into an unlivable world before they're ready."
(Then what? You'll raise them like cubs, give them enough to live but not enough to get comfortable?)
He nodded slowly. "Sothing like that. I'll protect them from the environntal threats … but leave enough pressure so they keep adapting."
(And how will you decide when it's ti to stop holding their hands?)
Asher didn't answer right away. His gaze drifted to the horizon, where distant mountains cast long shadows under the sky.
"When they start feeling that the sanctuary is too small for them,"
(Ready to leave the nest, huh?)
"No. Ready to make their own."
(Brat, I acknowledge your resolve, so I'm going to transfer you a spell you'll need to build your sanctuary. It works on the sa concept as my Mirror World, but it uses far less power, so it won't drain much energy.)
Asher blinked, surprised by the sudden offer. "You changed your heart?"
(Don't get used to it. I'm only doing this because your half-baked plan has so good points.)
He felt a sudden pulse in his mind—a flow of information, complex but not overwhelming. Symbols, runes, sequences.
(You'll need to modify it to fit your own energy signature. Otherwise, it'll reject you.)
Asher focused, letting the structure of the spell settle into his thoughts. His hands moved instinctively, drawing the first sequence into the air.
"Sa concept as your Mirror World, huh?"
(Minus the endless illusions and infinite layers of defense. Think of this as a pocket reality, anchored to the land. You can alter the environnt inside. As long as the core holds, the sanctuary stays stable.)
"And the pillars?"
(Set them up at places with abundant natural energy. They'll feed the core and stabilize the flow. You won't have to keep fueling it constantly. As long as the land is alive, the sanctuary will be too.)
Asher nodded slowly. "This could work."
(It will work. If you don't screw it up.)
A half-smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Thanks..."
(Don't make it weird. Now find a good location.)
Asher didn't really mind the change in Pantheon's attitude, because at least now, it felt like he was talking to an actual person instead of an ancient dragon.
Oddly enough, that made their bond stronger.
BLINK!
He teleported back to Skyler first.
Without a word, he took her hand and brought her back to the main city.
The barrier surrounding it still held strong, but the tension in the air hadn't faded.
People were still worried. Even behind the safety of the barrier, fear lingered in their eyes.
They looked at him—not just as a protector, but as their last hope. The silence said more than words ever could.
They were waiting for him to fix everything.
Just like Pantheon predicted, humans wouldn't grow as long as he was always there to solve everything.
That sa belief was likely why Deuz, despite having advanced technology, never went out of its way to help humans beyond what was necessary.
He didn't waste any more ti.
Without a single word, he launched himself into the sky.
The force of his takeoff sent a shockwave rippling through the clouds above, and in seconds, he was gone from sight.
Higher and higher, he climbed—past the highest mountains, beyond the clouds.
The stars above shimred faintly as he reached the edge of the atmosphere.
Only at this altitude could he truly see the scale of the disaster.
The damage left behind by the Titan was on full display.
Entire stretches of the easter region had turned into a cold wasteland.
Snow covered the ruins, and thick sheets of frost crawled over whatever was left standing.
Entire rivers were frozen solid, their surfaces cracking from the sudden pressure.
The ocean wasn't safe either.
What used to be dark, endless water was now forming jagged ice fields. The coastline had turned pale, like it was being erased by winter itself.
Huge chunks of ice floated out to sea. Water creatures floated belly-up near the surface, caught in a cold they never had ti to escape.
Funny enough, the hole created by the APL wasn't completely covered in water.
Instead, the chill had set in way too fast, freezing the surface and leaving a perfectly round crater in its place.
'Sooner or later, the sa fate will reach the western region.'
'I need to move fast,'
Ti was slipping away, and the longer he waited, the more the environntal threat would tighten its grip.
After several seconds, he finally saw a good spot.
A wide basin ca into view, nestled between a ring of steep mountains that perfectly surrounded it on all sides, making it look like a sphere from space.
The basin's curvature created a natural bowl, a hidden refuge from the outside world, isolated but protected.
A massive lake sat at the center, fed by underground streams.
It would be a great place, and seeing that it had little to no damage after the earthquake, it ant it was far from areas prone to tectonic movents.
More importantly, the natural energy there was stable and abundant—it flowed beneath the surface in quiet, steady pulses.
It was perfect.
SWOOOOSH!
He dived down into the basin, the wind whipping past him as he descended rapidly.
Once his feet touched the ground, he closed his eyes and placed one hand on the soil.
Warmth rose up through his palm. It responded to him.
This was the place.
This was where he would build the sanctuary for humans.
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