Alec gazed at the dark sky with a sigh. He and the people from Kingdom Escalante arrived in this place when the sun was burning brightly but now the sky was filled with dark clouds.
He tapped Carcel’s shoulder who was staring at the gate of the Secret Realm.
“How long do you think we need to wait?”
Carcel retracted his gaze and shrugged his shoulders.
“I don’t know but this gate leading to the secret Realm is giving me an unsettling feeling.”
Alec narrowed his eyes and looked at the system panel from the corner of his eyes.
______________________
System analysis;
‘An old sealed Realm’
‘Created by a few powerful individuals to train the younger generation’
‘Current status: Filled with impurities.’
-Error…
No more information provided.
______________________
He hummed and glanced up as another massive floating ship appeared in the distance, but his attention was diverted when Ratric clapped his hands in front of them.
“Kids, listen up! The Realm gate is going to open in a while but you won’t be teleported inside automatically. Instead, you have to pass through the gate to enter the Realm.”
Ratric gazed hardened for a second.
“Remember all of you are a team. If you happen to cross your fellow teammates in the Secret Realm don’t fight and try to help each other.”
The 200 youths looked at each other and nodded their heads with serious expressions. However, no one knew what was in their minds.
While Ratric was speaking Elder Han’s figure flashed behind him. The kids standing in front of him almost got heart attacks when they saw Elder Han’s haggard appearance.
Retric frowned and looked at Han.
“What are you doing here? Are not the Array masters responsible for the opening of the Secret Realm gate.”
Han clicked his tongue with a sour expression.
“They worked me so much that now even my bones had cracked. Also, why are you worried about my work? I know what to do no need to lecture me. Just tell me did you bring the kid’s storage rings?”
Ratric narrowed his eyes and looked inside his sleeves. He took out a pouch and handed it to Han.
“Here I bought them but where is Kyle? I did tell you to contact him and ask him to come back to Kingdom Escalante because we got an empty spot after Nine left. I would have given him that spot.”
A far contrast to his messy appearance, Han’s smile was brighter than any twinkling star when he heard Kyle’s name.
“Don’t worry my disciple is a genius who got a spot without your help. He is going to enter the Secret Realm but not through Kingdom Escalante. Hahaha.”
He laughed out loud and checked the pouch containing storage rings.
“I am adding a life-saving Artifact in the pouch and will return the storage rings back to him when he arrives.”
Alec and Carcel’s ears perked up when they heard Ratric. They looked at each other with smiles. Mia saw the duo’s happy faces and smiled as well.
“What a relief. He is fine and entering the secret Realm with us.”
At the same time, Lara who was standing at a distance gazed at Bia’s agitated figure. An hour ago, the little bird left Mia and sat down on her shoulder.
“What happened? Why do I feel like you are getting anxious?”
Lara patted her round head with a faint smile, completely unaware of Bia’s inner tremor.
-‘Damn Damn Why can’t I control my mana!? I can feel Kyle is almost here is it because my bond with him is reacting due to his presence? Or is it because of his bloodline?’
She opened her wings and under Lara’s surprise gaze started flying.
“Bia come down! It’s dangerous there are too many eyes here.”
Lara tried to grab her small figure but she avoided her hands and flew toward Elder Han. A frown appeared on Lara’s face, she looked around and saw a few more individuals who had bonded beasts with them.
‘It’s fine I guess.’
Alec gazed at Bia and tapped Lara’s shoulder.
“What happened to her? Don’t tell me she is excited after hearing about Kyle.”
With a sigh, Lara shook her head because she had no idea. Bia mostly stayed with her or Mia but even after a few months, it was hard for them to understand what was going on inside her mind.
Amidst the heated atmosphere, two more ships arrived in the sky. One big and one small.
For some reason, when the big ship landed opposite the crowd a loud announcement was made to tell everyone that the people from the Sea Continent arrived.
Almost all the heads snapped back to stare at the people who emerged from the ship. Especially the younger individuals. After all, they were all curious about the mermaid race.
An old man clad in silk clothes descended from the ship, and following behind him were 200 young individuals. Under the crowd’s eyes, the old man waved his hand and the ship vanished into his storage ring. He took the kids and quietly walked to an empty corner.
The other ship which was smaller compared to the first ship landed at a distance. The door slid open and a group of elves with a few humans and demi-humans stepped out from the ship.
Kyle’s eyes narrowed as he looked in the distance when he sensed Bia’s presence.
‘What happened? Wait I will come pick you up in a while.’
He spoke in his mind as he followed behind Anlee and Aira with the others. From the corner of his eyes, he caught sight of the people who arrived on the bigger ship.
‘So they are from the mermaid Kingdom?’
His eyes sparkled when he saw a familiar figure standing in the middle.
‘Oh, Nine is here? Good. I was feeling worried for him.’
Kyle’s thoughts were disturbed when he heard a loud shriek coming from the sky.
He mindlessly gazed up but froze in his spot because a majestic sight that sent chills down his spine greeted his contracted eyes.
Under the bright moon, casting a faint glow across the horizon, a huge majestic phoenix flapped its large wings with a loud cry.
Its huge breathtaking wings painted with red and blue shimmered under the night sky. Its feathers seem to catch fire because golden flames dance along its wings, creating a mesmerizing spectacle.
Just like Kyle, the crowd was stunned and their breath hitched in their throats when they saw the soaring phoenix.
Gasps of awe filled the air as the bird gracefully flew through the sky, leaving trails of golden flames behind.
Kyle’s eyes almost bulged out from his sockets. It took him a few seconds to realize it was Bia!
‘How? You were so small? And why now?’