Once Arannis announced where they were going, the various Elves seemed very excited, immediately chattering, especially Princess Fade.

Arannis saw this and chuckled, "Ah, don't let the title fool you," he said with a wry grin, "It is indeed one of the most beautiful places in the entire Demon Kingdom, perhaps even the world. But as with all things touched by demonic essence, beauty and peril walk hand in hand."

He paced leisurely before them, his hands clasped behind his back. "Imagine a garden that breathes, petals that glow under moonlight, vines that hum in resonance with the souls of those who walk among them. There are roses whose thorns can inject euphoric dreams, lilies that bloom only when they hear your heartbeat, and moss that drinks tears instead of water."

Elara blinked, half in fascination, half in disbelief. "That sounds… oddly poetic for a place with agony in the name."

Arannis smiled at her, his green eyes gleaming. "It is both poetic and cruel, Miss Vance. Every flower in that place feeds on emotion, on pain, love, or longing. They are sustained by what we suppress. The agony of the garden is not in its thorns, but in its honesty."

He raised one hand and gestured toward the distance, "But the most famous flora there, the one that draws scholars, tourists, and nobles alike, is the Weeping Monarch."

At that moment, everyone was silent as they listened to him intently, waiting for his continuation.

"It is a great tree older than the Kingdom itself. Its bark glows with veins of blue light, and from its branches fall crystalline tears that shimmer like morning dew. The taste, they say, is unlike anything else, a blend of sorrow and salt. A delicacy so prized that a single vial can fetch a fortune."

"People eat that?" Zeus Duskbane blurted out, his golden eyes wide with incredulous amusement.

"Indeed," Arannis replied smoothly. "The Demon chefs harvest it as a seasoning. One drop is enough to turn a bland meal into an experience of the soul. But beware," he added with mock gravity, "too much of it and one might drown in one's own memories."

That earned a few nervous chuckles. Even Albedo's lips twitched faintly.

Miranda Starwind's expression, however, remained thoughtful. "So it's… a garden of sentient plants?" she asked.

"In a sense," Arannis said. "Sentient enough to recognize emotion, not thought. They react instinctively to what you carry within you. Walk in with fear, and the vines will shy away. Walk in with arrogance…" His voice trailed, the faintest smirk touching his lips. "And the thorns will remind you of humility."

Raphaeline, who had been quiet until now, folded her arms. "You should mention the real danger, Arannis," she said coolly. "The Garden has changed since the last cycle hundreds of years ago. Many of the flora has evolved, especially those closer to the Monarch's roots,"

Arannis inclined his head, conceding the point. "Quite true. That's why the interior area was mostly closed to the public until two decades ago. The path between here and the Garden passes through lowlands saturated with ambient demonic essence. The lesser creatures there—stray wisps, shadow bats, and occasionally a corrupted fae or two, have grown… restless of late."

At that, a ripple of unease passed through the gathered students.

Arannis, sensing it, clapped his hands together in a crisp sound that broke the tension. "Which is precisely why this next leg of the journey will serve as both travel and lesson. You will remain alert, rely on your instincts and companions, and remember—the danger is not a reason to fear, but a chance to grow."

He smiled again, bright and unshaken. "Now then, let us not waste daylight."

At his signal, everyone immediately entered their respective carriages and the Spectral Horses ran off, the runes across the carriages flaring as they took to the skies one by one, the wind whipping through the air as the landscape changed beneath them.

The endless black cliffs of the Demon Kingdom stretching out like the ribs of some ancient beast.

Below, rivers of molten mana snaked through the chasms, glimmering red and violet. Massive crystal growths jutted from the canyon walls, glowing faintly in response to the carriages' passage.

Inside the Human carriage, most students were staring out of the windows, admiring the strange beauty and allure of the Demon Kingdom.

As for Albedo, he had leaned back against the seat, eyes half-closed as he listened to the wind whistle past the windows. His thoughts were elsewhere, on the bridge's whispers and on the faint tremor he had felt in its mana.

The Bridge felt alive, and analyzing it through his Source Code, it was built on extraordinarily complicated and powerful Primordial Magic. Magic that existed long long before the current or even most prior eras.

It would probably take Albedo ages before he reached the level to actually break down that Bridge and how it worked, but he could guess it was related to powerful soul magic.

And then, his thoughts fractured as a siren tore through the air. It wasn't a normal sound; it was a piercing, magical shriek that reverberated inside their skulls, made the runes along the carriage flicker violently.

The humans jolted, Lucian swearing under his breath, Miranda's hands already rising as golden starlight shimmered around her. From outside came the unmistakable roar of something vast.

Then, Arannis's voice, clear and commanding, echoed across the carriages, his tone suddenly stripped of its usual calm charm.

"All students, prepare for combat!" The air trembled as the magic amplifying his voice spread through every carriage.

"We are under attack! The aerial wards have been breached, monsters incoming from the northern sky! Stay with your assigned groups and defend your transports. Do not abandon the carriages unless absolutely necessary!"

The warning had barely ended before the first shadow fell over them.

A massive winged beast, half wyvern, half carrion bird—descended with a scream that rattled the glass. Its wings were tattered, riddled with holes, black smoke pouring from its veins.

The corruption of demonic essence dripped off its form in visible wisps, sizzling as it touched the air.

"Contact, starboard!" Zeus shouted, already launching himself toward the door. His arms flared with golden light, the mark of War God's Power igniting as he braced against the window frame. "Let's see how this thing likes a warm welcome!"

"Zeus, wait!" Miranda started, but too late. The man had already leapt.

The carriage shuddered as he landed on the beast's back mid-flight, slamming both fists down with a roar. Holy sparks erupted, scattering the corrupted mist like shrapnel. The creature screamed in agony, wings folding as Zeus drove it spiraling downward.

"Typical," Lucian muttered, already rising. His hand went to his sword, the steel ringing as he drew it free. "We can't let him hog all the fun."

Elara pressed against the side window, eyes wide. Through the swirling winds and magical light, dozens, no, hundreds, of winged shapes could be seen closing in. Fanged wyverns, spectral serpents, giant bats with veins of molten amber glowing through translucent skin. The air was thick with them, a storm of hungry forms converging on the carriages like vultures.

And yet, amidst the chaos, Albedo was calm.

He stood, and Ember was already gone from her tether, his bond to her a blazing tether of shared will. Outside, far below, a line of white-blue light streaked across the sky as the Solaris Equine erupted into being, wings of living flame spreading wide.

"Albedo!" Elara's voice called behind him as he opened the carriage door, the gale instantly blasting through the cabin.

He turned back just once, his eyes flicking to hers. "Stay close to Miranda," he said simply, his tone quiet but absolute. "If anything breaches the shield, prioritize defense."

Then he stepped off into the sky.

The wind roared as he fell, body outlined by violet runes that spiraled up from his boots. A flick of thought—and gravity reversed. Ember swept below him like a comet, the impact of his landing sending a burst of white-blue flame across her back.

Two wyverns broke formation, diving toward one of the carriages.

"Not today."

Albedo raised his hand, Fractal Casting ignited. Circles unfolded midair like blooming lotus patterns, runes aligning in cascading harmony.

"Aethernova."

The sky detonated.

A spiral of plasma tore through the heavens, searing two wyverns to ash. The shockwave rippled outward, sending waves of heated distortion across the battlefield. The other carriages swayed dangerously, stabilizing only as the enchantments adjusted.

From the nearest carriage, Fade leapt gracefully, wings formed of mana unfurling as crystalline spears of prismatic energy formed around her.

With a single sweeping gesture, she sent them arcing toward another cluster of beasts. Each lance struck true, detonating in flashes of color that painted the dark sky.

"Impressive," Arannis' voice echoed faintly from somewhere ahead. The Elven Headmaster stood calmly atop his own carriage, wind whipping through his silver hair, his hands moving in languid arcs as ribbons of emerald light spiraled from his fingertips.

Wherever they touched, monsters disintegrated into drifting petals of green flame. However, it was clear to everyone he wasn't trying. It seemed this was more like a test to all the students, and no-one wanted to learn what would happen if they failed.

"Maintain your altitude!" he called out. "Do not engage below the cloud line, there are more waiting there!"

Miranda extended her hand toward the Human carriage's barrier, and celestial light expanded like a dome, shielding it from a diving beast. Its claws screeched against the barrier as golden threads of time froze it mid-lunge.

Lucian moved through the opening before it could react, his sword cleaving upward in a burst of radiant arc. The creature's head vanished into motes of light.

"Next!" Lucian called, spinning to cover the flank.

Elara's eyes glowed with a faint green hue. Her Gift—Battle Map—spread across her perception, every ally and enemy marked in spectral overlay. "Three incoming from below, rotating counterclockwise!" she shouted, voice sharp, steady.

"On it!" Miranda answered, throwing her hand out. The barrier curved, intercepting the attack before the beasts breached their underbelly.

And above, Albedo and Ember moved as one.

The Solaris Equine streaked across the sky, her flames burning through the clouds. With every beat of her hooves against air, light ignited behind her, constellations born and dying in her wake.

Albedo drew his pistols, Havoc and Ruin, the runes along their barrels flaring crimson and azure.

Each shot echoed like thunder.

Each beam lanced through the air, cutting through wing and bone, leaving afterimages of blue fire where monsters fell. Ember twisted sharply, tail of flame cleaving through another. Together, they danced through the chaos, a duet of precision and destruction.

But still, the monsters kept coming, wave after wave of corrupted sky-beasts, their shrieks blending with the thunder of spellfire.

Then, in the distance, the clouds split, revealing something far greater, wings the size of houses unfurling as an ancient creature stirred from slumber.

The air grew heavy.

Elara froze mid-command. Miranda's eyes widened. Even Arannis went still for a heartbeat, sensing the enormous presence closing in.

From within the black clouds, two colossal eyes opened, amber and releasing immense unfathomable power.

"Professor," Lucian breathed. "What is that?"

Arannis' expression was strange, his eyes squinting as he stared at the monstrous beast, and then, his voice echoed throughout the minds of every student at once,

"Everyone, return to the carriages and remain still. I'll handle this!"

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