Dancing on the golden ashes

Suddenly, the entrance behind me slammed shut with an ominous finality, the sound reverberating through the celestial chamber. My chest tightened.

I was trapped.

It was either I was going home, or I was going to die here.

Can I actually trust this beast? My thoughts raced, spiraling into doubt. The elder's calm demeanor only added to the tension, making it impossible to gauge his true intentions. I couldn't shake the feeling that I was placing my fate in the hands of a stranger.

This wasn't the perfect decision—I knew that.

But what else could I do right now?

"I'm ready," I nodded, my voice steady despite the unease crawling up my spine. The old rat smiled faintly, his wrinkled face betraying the faintest hint of amusement.

In the next moment, the stars above us began to rotate, spiraling in an intricate, mesmerizing dance. The entire chamber transformed into what felt like a massive, celestial tunnel, its vastness both beautiful and suffocating.

"Good," the elder said, his voice calm yet carrying a weight that made the air feel heavier. "I like your courage. Anyone else might have fled, choosing to stay here forever rather than trust an old rat like me."

I couldn't read his face—it was as though he had locked away all emotion the moment the stars began their motion. That calm, calculated expression only deepened my uncertainty.

"So," I asked, curiosity outweighing my fear, "how will this work?"

He revealed a mysterious grin, his teeth barely visible beneath his aged lips. "Oh, you'll know soon enough. For now, close your eyes."

I hesitated, my instincts screaming at me to stay alert.

Close my eyes? In this situation?

But before I could protest, the eerie voice deep within me stirred from its dormant state, the one I hadn't heard in days.

"What kind of shithole did you end up in this time, Gaon?"

I scowled inwardly. Not now. Go back to sleep.

But, of course, it ignored me.

"Let me see... Ah... This place is saturated with the energy of the universe itself," it muttered, its tone both analytical and disdainful. "And the other part of the world? Ah... We're no longer in that plane."

My thoughts stumbled, taken aback by the voice's sudden insight.

You sure know a lot for something that spends most of its time napping, I thought bitterly.

"Close your eyes and comply with this beast," it replied, ignoring my jab. "You'll be home in no time."

I took a deep breath, forcing down my lingering doubt, and did as they both suggested. My eyelids fluttered shut, and I braced myself for whatever came next.

Suddenly, the world around me shifted. The stars that spun so peacefully before now roared to life, their hum turning into an ear-splitting crescendo. It felt like I was in a massive spinning tube—only I wasn't standing still. I was the cannonball about to be fired.

Wait a second... why did I need to close my eyes again?

I cracked them open just in time to catch a glimpse of the old rat, his small figure waving me off with a faint smirk.

"Hold your breath," he shouted, his voice echoing ominously. "And don't even think about opening your mouth!"

"What the he—"

Before I could finish, everything went to hell.

An invisible force yanked me upward, and I was launched with the speed of a missile. The world blurred around me as my body strained against the pressure. I wanted to scream, but my jaw locked tight as though bound by an unseen force. Explore hidden tales at My Virtual Library Empire

Then, as the stars around me stretched and twisted, the sight ahead stole my breath away.

The vast expanse of the true cosmos unfolded before me, its infinite beauty unmatched. Swirling galaxies, shining nebulas, and rivers of stars stretched out like a divine tapestry. For a brief, fleeting moment, I felt small, insignificant in the grand scheme of existence.

But that awe quickly gave way to panic as my body rocketed forward, untethered and utterly powerless. My speed defied comprehension, faster than anything I could have imagined, and with no control over my trajectory, I hurtled through the void.

Fuck this shit!

The thought screamed in my head as my mind raced. Even if this insane plan got me home, would I even survive the impact of landing?

I'm so fucking dead!

I couldn't tell how long I'd been flying, but traversing the vast universe as a human rocket was an experience that changed me. The sheer beauty of the cosmos was breathtaking, yet terrifying. Stars blurred past me, galaxies faded into the distance, and the incomprehensible scale of it all weighed heavily on my mind.

Still, I wasn't built to endure this forever. The air in my lungs grew thinner with every passing second, but thanks to my enhanced body, I managed to hold out longer than any ordinary being ever could. After what felt like an eternity—though it was likely no more than an hour—my journey finally reached its target.

Moments later I crashed into something with a force I couldn't comprehend.

[You have died.]

[Proceeding to revive...]

[Death Dance Level 4 has been used. Cooldown period: 1,000 hours.]

For a moment, there was nothing. No thoughts, no pain—just emptiness. I didn't even have time to process what had happened. My body must have shattered into pieces upon impact. No trace of me was left.

After what felt like an eternity, I opened my eyes.

The sky above me felt... familiar. The colors, the heaviness in the air—I knew this place.

"Welcome home, Gaon! How was your flight? Hahaha!" The eerie voice in my mind mocked me gleefully, its laughter grating on my nerves.

I clenched my fists, seething at the memory of the old rat. "Lucky I had Death Dance ready, or that bastard would have erased me from existence entirely," I muttered bitterly.

"Don't be mad at the old beast, Gaon. Without his protective energy, you wouldn't have survived the journey. Hahaha! You should have seen your face when your feet left the ground—priceless!"

"How funny..." I growled, glaring at the empty horizon.

I glanced around, taking in my surroundings. The ground beneath my feet was charred black, barren, and lifeless. The air carried the unmistakable scent of death. Only ruins and decay remained.

I knew this place. I'm home. My heart stirred, a mix of relief and sorrow washing over me. There was no mistaking it—I was back in the world I had left behind.

This wasteland stretched far, but I knew my empire lay just beyond the horizon. At my speed, I'd reach it in no time.

"Home, sweet home..." I sighed, my voice carrying a weight of exhaustion and nostalgia. As strange as it was, this place felt more like home to me now than Earth ever did.

What surprised me most was that I was standing directly where the old city of the Goddess of Fire had once stood. The familiar mountain loomed ahead, with the iconic statue of the boy still standing tall. Memories of this place flooded back, painting an image of the past that had once been vibrant but now lay in ruins.

"Could it be... that tree is somehow connected to this place?" I muttered to myself, squinting at the landscape. "But I thought that tree only grew after the catastrophe... There are still so many holes in this vast history." The mysteries of this world ran deep, and I couldn't help but feel the weight of all the unanswered questions pressing down on me.

I shook my head, pushing the thoughts aside for now. I summoned my wings, their familiar energy surging through me. With a single leap, I took off into the sky. Before heading back to my empire, there was one more thing I needed to do.

One last beast to find.

One last fight to conquer.

I refused to return without that final power boost. This world had made me stronger, and I wasn't about to let an opportunity slip away.

It took me a few hours of flight, but I eventually arrived at a place I'd vowed to return to. The Blazelia tree—the enormous, fiery sentinel I'd once encountered with Malrang—rested inside a deep crevice. The sight of it brought a wicked smirk to my lips, memories of that first encounter flashing through my mind.

"Time to finish what I started," I murmured.

The tree stump stood closed, blocking the entrance. But that wasn't a problem. With a sharp motion, I carved a path of my own, cutting through the thick bark. The inside revealed a massive pool of glowing lava, its molten surface undisturbed. The heat radiating from within was intense, suffocating, and utterly oppressive.

It was still a mystery how such an enormous space existed within a tree that looked so much smaller from the outside. But after witnessing the World Tree on the other side, I was no longer so easily surprised by such phenomena.

I stepped closer to the edge of the lava pool, my voice booming as I called out.

"Hey!" My shout echoed through the cavern. "You shitty dragon! Come out here and face your new master, or die resisting!"

My tone carried unshakable confidence. I wasn't arrogant—I was certain I'd win.

That's how far I'd come... That's how strong I'd become.

Suddenly, the lava began to rise, swirling violently as the massive head of the dragon emerged from the molten pool. Its sheer size and presence made the air thick with heat and power, the molten scales on its face shimmering like liquid gold mixed with fire.

"You have lost your mind, human," the dragon's voice thundered, low and menacing, shaking the very ground beneath me.

"But fine," it continued, a mocking smirk appearing on its enormous face, revealing jagged teeth that gleamed in the fiery light, "I'll accept your challenge. After all, I no longer serve the useless goddess."