Chapter 40 Visit (3)

Ethan's POVWe flew for two days and nights continuously. With my master's significantly powerful body and higher state of existence, she neither became tired nor she required sleep.

I, on the other hand was not yet that strong. I ate the jerky I had brought along in my spatial ring and rested leaning on Master as she sat upright on the wyvern's back.

On the third day, the endless expanse of the dark forest began to recede giving way to a vast red-black forest that contrasted sharply with the terrain we had traversed.

From above, the Stygian Woods stretched out like a sea of blood-drenched shadows. Strange, otherworldly beasts roamed below their movements barely visible through the dense canopy.

My attention was drawn to a massive serpent slithering through the forest below. Even at this height, I could tell it was enormous as it was easily ten to twenty meters long with two ash-grey horns curling menacingly from its head. Its pale yellow eyes glimmered with an unnatural light.

As if sensing my gaze, the snake abruptly looked up. Its unearthly eyes locked with mine, and I froze in place. My body refused to move as a cold, suffocating dread enveloped me.

The world around me dimmed, and my limbs stiffened in terror. A flash of dark light pierced through my vision, breaking the spell. I gasped for air and looked down at my hands, horrified to see an ash-grey stone layer had crept up my arms, covering them almost to my wrists.

I dared not look at the serpent again.

"That is a Dreadstone Basilisk," Master explained with a calm, almost amused smile. "That particular one is a grade 4 creature, as powerful as a Sky Realm being. You met its gaze and were petrified without even realizing it. If you were at the Crystal Formation Realm yourself, you could have resisted to some degree."

Her words made me shudder, and I nodded humbly, once again awestruck by the dangerous and unique creatures that inhabited this world.

Silently, I reached out to the Eterna Nexus glowing in my soul space, projecting the image of the basilisk to it. A moment later the familiar voice of the Auralis Prime resonated in my mind, providing detailed information,

[Dreadstone Basilisk: A fearsome serpent that prowls the depths of the Dark Forest and the Stygian Woods. They are born with innate abilities, born into the world as grade 1 creatures.

Its glowing yellow eyes can petrify any living being that meets its gaze, turning them to lifelike stone. Cloaked in obsidian scales and wielding venom as deadly as its curse, the basilisk is both a terror and a legend whispered among those who venture into the shadowed hearts of the forest.

It is said that the only way to counteract its petrification is by brewing a rare elixir crafted from the blood of the basilisk itself and an even rarer flower called the Moonshade Bloom that only grows and is found only in the deepest reaches of the forest under the light of the Blood Moon.]

The mention of the antidote left me stunned. I realized immediately how crucial this information was and how rare it must be.

My awe for the Eterna Nexus grew as it had effortlessly granted me knowledge I might have discovered on my own but with a lot of difficulties. For the first time, I truly grasped the artifact's immense value.

As we flew closer, the landscape shifted. Blood-red trees and towering mountains began to dominate the view. The air grew heavy with the metallic tang of blood, and a massive blackish-red castle loomed on the horizon, perched atop a stark, barren mountain range.

The mountain itself was riddled with caves of varying sizes, resembling an ancient hive of shadows and secrets.

Master's voice broke through my thoughts. "Judging by your expression, I can see you've guessed correctly.

Yes, this is one of the three great cities of the vampires, the Scarlet Hollow City, home to Duchess Althera Sangrial and her clan. It is here that your journey toward the Abyssal Sanctum will truly begin."

She turned her glowing golden eyes to me, her tone turning stern. "Remember Ethan, Duchess Althera is a very temperamental individual. Do not, under any circumstances act inappropriately or in a way that could jeopardize your chances of admission to the Abyssal Sanctum."

I nodded seriously, her words settling heavily on my shoulders. The enormity of this opportunity and the stakes involved were not lost on me.

The shadow wyvern let out a resonant roar to announce our arrival, and moments later, three enormous blood-red bats emerged from the lower caves.

Each carried a rider, two men and one woman who were adorned in peculiar armour that obscured their entire bodies save for their heads. Their faces betrayed vigilance as they approached, their eyes widening in astonishment at the sight of the shadow wyvern.

Without hesitation, they dismounted and fell to one knee, heads bowed in deep reverence.

"We welcome the Nightshade Dragoness to Scarlet Hollow, my lord," they intoned in unison, their voices trembling with a mix of awe and respect. None dared to lift their gaze.

The air around Master seemed to thrum with an imperceptible power, a tangible reminder of the authority and fear she commanded in this world.

"Rise," she said calmly, her voice carrying an edge of unchallengeable authority. "Inform the Duchess that I have arrived to discuss matters of importance."

The trio stood swiftly, nodding before one of them took to the air flying toward the imposing castle perched atop the highest peak.

Moments later, a messenger returned and gestured for us to follow. Our shadow wyvern soared toward the castle its leathery wings cutting through the air with precision. As we landed on the expansive castle courtyard I leapt down after Master taking in the sight before me.

The castle was both ancient and imposing. Its walls mottled with darkened centuries-old bloodstains that seemed to pulse with a fierce but unyielding energy.

Despite its ominous appearance, it exuded a regal elegance befitting its status as the ancestral home of a powerful vampire clan.

"This is Scarlet Hollow Castle", Master said her tone softer now, tinged with an air of history. "For thousands of years, it has stood as the generational stronghold of the Sangrial family."

Her words made the scene before me all the more striking. This place was steeped in history and power, a monument to the might of its rulers.

Yet, standing here, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched by the castle itself.