Returning to the real world felt so surreal after being used to the red sand and the red sun of the blood desert. The cool air and the sound of rain hitting the surface, the sound of machines, the hardness of the ground, and the dark red clouds…

  Rita was so gd to be back in the real world after being gone for so long. They had made it back to the dungeon entrance after weeks of constantly fighting monsters and hiding from the bck serpent whenever it emerged from the ground at night. Shin had pyed the huge role of warning them before even their enemies showed up. That advantage alone gave them time to prepare and fight strategically without losing more of their already low numbers.

  With Monic and a few other summoners, they even managed to fight off a horde of cursed soldiers with only Summons.

  She felt a hand grasp her shoulder. And looking over, Shin was giving her a kind smile. They didn’t exchange words because they were interrupted by the sudden excitement of soldiers.

  The ascenders raised their weapons while the mundane lifted their guns as others cpped to celebrate their return.

  Rita wanted to lift her rapier and celebrate with them. But the final beast had taken a huge toll on her so she had no strength left in her to fight.

  Just then, the celebrations stopped when another presence decided to join them. This specific presence was a powerful one despite being held back by the owner.

  Suddenly, Rita and the remaining soldiers raised their heads to witness a rge winged creature emerge from the dark red clouds. The sky fshed and its dark green serpentine scales were doused in brilliant red light.

  It then paused its descent, fpping its wings with intensity. The surprising fact behind its aerodynamics was that the wind created by its intense fpping didn’t affect the environment as expected. The massive wings beat with a strength that should have torn the air apart, yet the ground beneath remained undisturbed—a surreal dispy of restrained power.

  The dragon’s intelligent yellow eyes stared at Rita for a brief while and then studied everyone else who had made it back from the first-floor mission.

  Rita didn’t tremble under the dragon’s gaze. In fact, compared to the things they saw while in there, this dragon wasn’t enough to scare them with its form only.

  “Lord Kaigen.” Shin stepped forward and bowed before the menacing being.

  Kaigen was known to be one of the few humans to successfully merge with a summon. To many, he wasn’t even considered human anymore because he no longer belonged in the realm of what you could consider human.

  Before Shin could say something else, he was interrupted by Lord Kaigen’s powerful voice.

  “YOU HAVE ALL BEEN SUMMONED BY THE COUNCIL.”

  “War council? Since when do we have a council?”

  “A LOT HAS HAPPENED SINCE YOU LEFT TWO MONTHS AGO. PLEASE, PROCEED TO THE CENTRAL COMMAND IMMEDIATELY.”

  With those words, the dragon gave one st look at Rita and flew off till it disappeared in the clouds completely.

  Lord Kaigen left everyone stunned and overwhelmed by his crushing presence.

  “Wait. Did he just say two months?” Mira suddenly broke the silence. "I swear it felt much longer than that."

  Rita on the other hand, didn’t seem very surprised. Time inside the Tower felt very different compared to the time flow in the real world. Inside, it felt like five months or more had passed since they entered the dungeon.

  ***

  After refreshing up, Rita and Shin headed to command control which was the rgest building in the small town and where the generals held their meeting. They were no longer dressed in the messy armor they were in when they arrived. Instead, they were both in normal bck and navy blue army uniforms.

  “What do you think they want to know?” Rita asked, nervously.

  Shin who was surprisingly calm answered in a banced tone:

  “The truth. And also why our strongest ascenders are nowhere to be seen. Gods…I hope they’re okay, my foresight couldn’t see what’s beyond that circle.”

  “Wait…you don’t think they….”

  “They did.” Shin sighed sadly as they continued walking, the sounds of their footsteps echoing back to their ears.

  “If they haven’t returned already.” He paused, fighting to hide his genuine concern. “It's best to assume that they couldn’t find a way back to the desert so they’re already trying to conquer the second level.”

  As soon as Rita heard that, one person came to her mind.

  Lady Lunaris!

  How was she going to survive without powers because the second floor was meant to be deadlier in comparison to the desert?

  Was it even a desert on the other side?

  “Do you think they’ll make it?” she asked Shin.

  But he shrugged and said. “If they die. Then it's fate. If they live, then it's fate. We foreseers are told to trust the strings of fate.”

  ‘Fuck Fate.’ Rita retained her curse. She was a diviner like Shin. But unlike him, she wasn’t the type to keep up with all this trusting-the-universe nonsense most diviners had.

  The doors leading to the council room slid open once the facial scanners recognized the pair as they walked in—marking the end of their small discussion.

  Inside the room was a bck round table with twelve seats all pointing at the table. Occupying the seats were House rulers and highly ranked government officials who seemed to be staring at rge a hologram dispyed on the table’s surface.

  Their voices had died out the moment Rita and Shin entered the room and all eyes were now focused on them.

  The air in the room felt heavier than it should have. Each figure around the table exuded an aura of power and authority, their gazes sharp, dissecting as if they already knew the answers Rita and Shin carried.

  Immediately, Rita was sweating as she struggled to keep her eyes on the incredible figures before them.

  Shin must've noticed her anxiety because he whispered. “I will handle this…” then made a few steps forward and bowed at his superiors. Rita followed shortly after.

  In the room, she had noticed five powerful presences. One belonging to Lord Kaigen the Dragon who had now assumed his human form. He was in a jade green armor that resembled his scales when in the form of a dragon. The second one belonged to the Phoenix. The sapphire-eyed man was staring at Shin with a complicated expression of boredom.

  The third presence was Lord Astrid who was wearing her usual shades, despite being indoors. Her small pink lips had curled into a weak smile when the pair first stepped in.

  The fourth presence was that of Fme of Winter. Her gaze had just nded on them. The calmness on her face was arming considering they were experiencing hard times. Her silver hair was no longer held back by a hairpin, letting it fall past her shoulders.

  ‘She looks like her daughter. Or is it the other way around?’

  And the fifth presence belonged to a man Rita had never seen before. The man’s presence was suffocating, his golden-red armor glinting under the room’s light. Rita’s breath caught in her throat as her eyes fell on the crescent moon embzoned on his armor.

  And suddenly...

  Her mind raced—Lord Artemis, the head of House Artemis, sat right next to Mao Feng with a serious look.