“Are you alright, Victor? This is your first time visiting this Empire, right?
I can’t help but feel a little worried for you. You should avoid using the Arcane energy for now; it’s not safe,” Jack said in a tone heavy with concern as he walked beside Victor.
“I am fine… But tell me, how long do we need to keep walking?” Victor asked, his voice calm yet edged with seriousness.
“Ha~ always so serious,” Jack teased, smirking slightly before adding, “Don’t worry, I’ve arranged for my partner to take us the rest of the way… and what’s this? Do you hate walking with me that much? I am hurt~hurt~hurt~” Jack pouted slightly as if echoing.
Victor gave him a sharp glance before stating coldly, “I am not interested in wasting my time talking to puppets.”
Jack visibly flinched, his eyes widening in shock as he stammered, “H-How? W-What do you mean? Even the Sovereign would struggle to figure that out… how could you know?”
Victor didn’t bother to reply, walking ahead as though Jack—or rather, J1!
J1 sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping. “Looks like you’re as sharp as Master Jack said you’d be… Maybe even sharper. Thank goodness someone like you is on our side.”
Victor, as usual, said nothing…. He kept walking, his steady pace unbroken.
J1, unable to get a response, shrugged it off and continued following him. After some time, they arrived at a desolate area, completely barren and devoid of any signs of life—a vast, empty plain stretching as far as the eye could see.
“Hmm? Where is your partner? I see no one here,” Victor said, his brows furrowed in confusion as his gaze swept over the deserted land.
J1 grinned mischievously, “Ah, so you can’t see her either, huh? I was hoping you might,” he replied, his tone tinged with amusement. Without another word, he snapped his fingers.
“Krrrryyy!”
A ripple spread through the air, distorting the view as though reality itself had shifted. Moments later, a massive chameleon-like creature with sleek, black scales emerged from thin air, its presence both awe-inspiring and unsettling.
“How’s that for a partner?” J1 asked, clearly enjoying Victor’s momentary surprise as he patted the chameleon’s large, glossy head.
Victor narrowed his eyes at the creature but remained silent, processing what he was seeing.
J1 sighed in exasperation, “Always the quiet type, huh? I honestly don’t get what Master Jack sees in you. He speaks so highly of you, but all I get is this cold shoulder!” He laughed and inwardly thought, ‘Maybe that’s turning him on…’ before leaping onto the chameleon’s back, then gestured for Victor to join him.
Soon,
Swwwssss!
The chameleon’s ears unfurled like folded wings, flapping powerfully as it slowly lifted into the air before rocketing skyward with startling speed.
Meanwhile,
‘What in the world is that?’ Aether thought, stunned as he observed from a distance. He had never encountered a creature quite like this—a chameleon that didn’t just climb or leap between trees but actually soared through the air. It was as though it combined traits from multiple species.
“Something’s definitely off. They’re up to something,” Lia said, her tone laced with suspicion…. Just as she prepared to transform into a bat and follow, a voice interrupted her.
“Alaric!” the Principal called out, her commanding tone stopping Lia in her tracks.
Alaric gave a nod of understanding, raising his hand. The air around the group began to shift and swirl, creating an invisible force that lifted them gently off the ground as though carried by an unseen platform.
“KYYAA!!” Lia shrieked, startled by the sudden movement. Without thinking, she clung tightly to Aether’s arm trembling slightly.
Aether glanced at her, his lips curling into an amused smile. Lia’s face flushed red as she realized what she had done. Lowering her head in embarrassment, she refused to meet his gaze but also didn’t let go of his arm.
The Principal and Morgana’s eyes twitched visibily.
“Lia… your mother is watching,” Morgana said suddenly.
“!!!” Lia stiffened, her grip loosening as she quickly jumped away from Aether….. Realizing she had been tricked, she glared at Morgana with a mix of annoyance and embarrassment.
Morgana simply shrugged, her expression calm. “You shouldn’t go around clinging to random men. Remember your worth.”
“B-But Aunt, Aether is not just some random man! He’s a good person!” Lia protested, her voice rising slightly, but Morgana dismissed her words with a wave of her hand. Lia puffed her cheeks in a small pout but stayed silent.
The Principal snapped her fingers, casting a veil of invisibility over their group, creating a protective dome that concealed them from sight.
With that, they ascended into the sky, following the chameleon-like creature.
Meanwhile,
“Hahaha… So? How’s the ride, Victor? Enjoying it?” J1 asked, his hair whipping around his face from the wind.
Victor gave a nonchalant shrug. “It’s tolerable, I suppose.”
J1 turned to look at Victor, his curiosity piqued. “Ah, I see now. You must be used to riding creatures like this. I heard you have an army of dragons, kings of the skies. You must’ve travelled far and wide— Wait!” His tone shifted as his gaze snapped to the clouds behind them, which were rippling unnaturally. “Someone’s following us!” he growled, his expression darkening.
Victor glanced back, his sharp eyes catching the subtle disturbances caused by Alaric’s power. Although they were cloaked, the displaced clouds betrayed their presence.
Like clouds itself parting!
“Must be that bitchy Empress~” J1 muttered in annoyance. Then, with a sharp slap to the chameleon’s side, he said, “Come on, buddy, let’s disappear for a bit.”
“Kyrrrrr!”
The creature let out a guttural screech as its skin shimmered, blending seamlessly with the surroundings until it vanished from sight entirely.
Two figures glided silently through the vast expanse of the sky, moving as if seated upon something invisible.
The Principal’s sharp gaze landed on them, “Tsk, they’ve noticed us… Alaric, increase our speed and get closer before they slip away!”
Alaric gave a brisk nod, his movements swift and precise. The wind whistled around them as they surged forward, closing the distance.
Meanwhile, Jack leaned back with a confident smirk, “Do you have any idea what makes this monster so extraordinary?” he asked, his tone dripping with smug satisfaction. “Not only does it turn invisible to blend seamlessly with its surroundings, but it also hides the person who tames it from all detection.” He gave the chameleon’s smooth, gleaming skin an exaggerated tap to emphasize his point.
At his touch, the chameleon’s tail began to move, slithering back with serpentine grace. The appendage coiled tightly around Victor and Jack like a constrictor then shimmered out of sight…. taking both of them along with it.
Lia’s eyes widened in disbelief, her voice rising in frustration, “Damn it! They’ve completely vanished! We’ve lost them!”
Alaric brought their motion to an abrupt halt, his sharp eyes scanning the sky for any signs of the duo.
The Principal’s expression remained impassive as she stared intently at the spot where Victor and Jack had disappeared. After a tense moment, she finally broke the silence. “They’re heading in a straight line… Let’s follow the trajectory and stay on their path.”
Alaric nodded again and they resumed their pursuit, moving swiftly through the skies.
As the clouds dissipated around them…
J1 chuckled under his breath. “They’re long gone,” he muttered, his grin growing wider with satisfaction. The chameleon flickered momentarily back into view, its black scales reflecting the faint light. Perched upon the creature, J1 sneered, “Amateurs.” With a triumphant laugh, he commanded the creature to turn invisible once more, this time veering sharply to the left.
Back with the group, the Principal abruptly instructed, “Take a left.”
Alaric frowned, puzzled by the sudden direction. “A left? Are you sure—”
“Just do it,” the Principal interjected firmly.
With a resigned shrug, Alaric complied, steering them to the left. As he adjusted their course, the Principal cast a knowing glance at Aether.
….
….
Thud!
Victor and J1 landed heavily on the desolate ground below. The area was bleak, the barren rocky terrain smeared with patches of viscous, black fluid that shimmered under the dim, sunless light.
Victor stepped cautiously onto the sticky ground, the strange substance clinging to his boots with an unpleasant squelch. His eyes scanned the area warily before he spoke. “What is this place?” he asked, his tone calm.
J1 opened his mouth, ready to respond. “This place—”
Before he could continue, another voice interrupted, “This is called Void’s Cradle!”
Victor turned toward the source of the voice, spotting the real Jack Sparrow strolling toward them with a cheerful smile.
His movements were casual, almost as if he were greeting an old friend…. or whatever, “Sorry about that, my friend. I got a little tied up with the mission,” Jack said warmly, spreading his arms wide in welcome. He walked right up to Victor and pulled him into a friendly hug without hesitation. “Anyway, welcome!” he added, patting Victor on the back with an easy grin.
Victor glanced at Jack, his expression measured as he finally spoke. “Void’s Cradle? And what exactly is that?”
… Continue your journey at My Virtual Library Empire
A short distance away, Morgana’s expression darkened….
Her voice was low and serious, “Void’s Cradle… It’s a place where tormented souls, after enduring unimaginable suffering, are sent to linger in… Eternal nothingness. Even the Empress herself wouldn’t tread here without caution.” Her tone grew more sombre, and her piercing gaze shifted toward the distant scene, “What could they possibly be planning in a place like this?”
Lia frowned, her discomfort evident. “What are they even doing here?” she murmured, unease creeping into her voice.
Meanwhile, Alaric was quietly impressed by the Principal’s uncanny ability to navigate. ‘She’s truly unparalleled,’ he thought to himself, though he didn’t know who the real one it was.
Anyway,
Aether’s attention, however, was riveted on the strange black liquid coating the ground. His brows furrowed deeply as recognition dawned, his expression hardening. ‘The Ebon Stone,’ he thought grimly, the memory of a image Jack had once shown him flashing through his mind.
‘Are they planning to sacrifice Aqualina on the stone? Is this the start of the process they’ve hinted at?’ His frown deepened, his thoughts racing as unease gnawed at him. His heart skipped a beat, the gravity of the situation settling heavily on him.
Suddenly, a deep, commanding voice resonated through the air,
“Looks like you’ve brought guests, Jack.”
Before anyone could react, the invisible barrier surrounding Aether and his group crumbled in an instant, fragments scattering like shards of glass into the air.
The Principal’s eyes widened in shock, mirrored by the stunned faces of everyone around her…