The Box: Fate
Chapter 26 — The Road to Solis
The dawn air was crisp as the seventeen players gathered at the western gates of the city Before them stretched the vast rolling plains leading toward the Whispering Canyons and the distant spires of the second major city Solis
Zanaki stood at the front of the group his usual playful grin replaced by a momentary look of focus He raised his hand signaling the group to halt before they stepped onto the main trade road
Wait a second everyone Zanaki called out his voice ringing with a newfound authority Before we set foot outside these walls and head for Solis we need to be sure This isn't the forest near the start anymore The monsters between here and the next city are higher level Everyone open your status windows Check your experience points and read your skill descriptions again We can't afford any mistakes
The air hummed as seventeen blue screens flickered into existence
Akira looked at his blade the edge shimmering with a sharper pulse of energy Axel Hatanaki flexed his glowing fists his Titan Strike now radiating a deeper gold Murasaki and Hina stood together their magic swirling with increased density Even Kataki standing silently with his Void Sight blindfold gave a curt nod Their levels had stabilized after the battle at the mill and their combat synergy was finally beginning to harden into a true weapon
Good Zanaki said closing his own screen with a sharp flick Now let's move Solis is a three-day trek Stay in formation
As the group began the long march the terrain shifted from fertile fields to jagged rocky outcrops By the second night, they reached the edge of a dense fog-covered valley While the others were busy setting up camp and sharing the dried meat they had purchased at the Guild Zanaki noticed a high secluded ridge overlooking a waterfall further down the trail
I'm going to scout the perimeter Zanaki said casually to Akira Don't eat all the good stuff while I'm gone
He slipped away into the shadows his movements fluid and silent Once he was sure he was out of the range of Kataki Void Sight and Sharky Bee tracking he reached into the hidden pocket of his jacket and pulled out the metallic card
The Dragon Sovereign card pulsed against his skin like a living heart
It's time Zanaki whispered No more spectral forms Become one with me
He pressed the card directly against his chest
Instantly a roar that existed only in his mind shattered the silence A torrent of crimson and gold energy erupted from the card but instead of swirling around him it began to sink into his skin Zanaki veins turned a molten gold and a searing heat spread through his entire nervous system
He gripped a nearby rock his knuckles turning white as his body underwent a forced evolution On his forearms and shoulders faint translucent scales began to appear beneath the surface of his skin shimmering briefly before fading The card didn't just give him a skill it fused with his very biology
[SKILL INTEGRATION COMPLETE: DRAGON SOVEREIGN — PERMANENT BODY SYNC]
[PASSIVE ACTIVATED SCALES OF THE ANCIENT — PHYSICAL DEFENSE INCREASED BY 40%]
[ACTIVE ABILITY UNLOCKED: DRAGON'S BREATH REACTION]
Zanaki exhaled and a small puff of golden smoke escaped his lips His eyes flashed with a predatory draconic slit for a brief second before returning to their normal human shape He felt heavier stronger as if his bones were now forged from the same metal as the card He wasn't just a human using a beast skill anymore he was a host to the Dragon essence
He stood up wiped the sweat from his brow and felt the raw power vibrating in his chest He could feel the fire in his blood but he kept it suppressed burying it deep beneath his carefree persona
He walked back toward the campfire where the others were laughing and discussing their plans for Solis He sat down next to Kataki who turned his blindfolded head slightly toward him
You smell of ozone and heat Zanaki Kataki said quietly his voice neutral
Zanaki just laughed and grabbed a piece of bread Must be the mountain air Kataki It's a lot more intense out here than I thought
Kataki didn't press further He knew everyone was growing in their own way
The seventeen players continued their journey and by the evening of the third day the golden spires of Solis finally appeared on the horizon It was a city made of white stone and glass built high into the cliffs a beacon of civilization in a world falling to darkness
But as they approached the massive gates they saw the guards were on high alert Something was wrong in Solis
Welcome to the City of Sun a guard said his spear trembling If you are hunters report to the High Temple immediately The shadows have reached our streets
The next chapter of their journey was about to begin