Chapter 1747 Gaze <TOC> Chapter 1749 Night in the Resting Ground
Translator: SumTLMan
In the outer layers of the Abyss.
Under the dim horizon within a ghostly forest, a demon, over three meters long and crowned with curved horns resembling that of a goat, spread its elongated wings and soared deeper into the forest.
After only a short flight, it noticed the rising smoke in the distance.
“It’s there! My master should be in that location.” Thinking this, the horned demon ceased to flap its wings and glided smoothly downward instead.
The dense woods were largely comprised of dead trees. They bore no leaves, and their branches were covered in thorns. However, due to their unique material properties, they remained undecayed. Some warriors from native tribes even snapped these branches off to use as weapons, showcasing their immense destructive power. The demon’s wings were exceptionally broad, and as it descended, they inevitably brushed against the thorny branches, causing the delicate membrane of its wings to become tattered.
Only when the horned demon touched down did it belatedly feel the pain. Turning its head to inspect the ragged wings behind it, it muttered, “I forgot to retract my wings again. My master will surely scold me for my foolishness…”
“Why does the master choose to reside in this forest? It’s so eerie, dark, and… cold.” The horned demon glanced into the distance. Despite the thick forest cover, it could still faintly perceive the undulating snowy mountains. Fear flickered in its eyes upon seeing them.
It was a demon who had been taken in halfway through its journey by its master. Having no kin of its own, it had always led an exiled life on the outer layer of the Abyss. Having spent a long time there, it was well aware of the forbidden zones within the Abyss. The snowy mountain ahead was one such forbidden place.
Of course, what was truly terrifying was not the mountain itself, but rather what dwelled deep within the icy valleys of that mountain… a dragon!
The Great Dragon of the Abyss!
Though it had never truly witnessed it firsthand, merely hearing the rumors was enough to instill trepidation. She wondered about this new master she had pledged allegiance to. Would they reside here?
With a sigh, the horned demon shook its head and moved towards the glowing embers in the distance.
Soon, it arrived at a clearing. Void of any structures, only disarrayed rocks littered the ground along with a burning pyre in the center.
The horned demon’s gaze instinctively drifted to a particular large rock. On a regular basis, its master would perch upon this stone, staring intently at the distant snow-capped mountains, seemingly fixated on something specific.
However, what struck the demon as odd today was the absence of its master.
The horned demon surveyed its surroundings, its face etched with perplexity. “Where has the master gone?”
Unbeknownst to the demon, the very master it yearned for hovered in the void above.
She was a stunning figure with tanned skin, wearing only dark, blue-black scales to cover her vital areas. Her hair, a shade of ocher, was cut short and ragged, and her face bore an untamed beauty. Particularly, her heterochromatic eyes, one blue and one red, added an aura of mystery.
At first glance, she might seem human, but upon closer inspection, subtle distinctions arose. Two symmetrical, sharp horns protruded from her forehead, gleaming and radiating a faint luminescence.
If Angel were present, he would undoubtedly recognize this woman.
She hovered in the void, silently gazing in a particular direction. Despite the vast distances, spanning across countless spatial-temporal voids, she still sensed a familiar fluctuation. As if a chord within her was struck, memories began flooding her vision.
“It feels like… that one’s aura,” she suddenly remarked in the universal language of the Abyss, her tone exceedingly cold and detached.
Her voice echoed through the void, and after what seemed like an eternity, an emotionless male voice responded.
“Indeed, that one bears that distinct aura.” Even from a great distance, its foundation in the Abyss sends ripples that can still be perceived.
Upon hearing a male voice, the woman, who had previously been relaxed, suddenly tensed. She turned her head stiffly, and when she caught sight of a figure in the distance, a flurry of emotions flashed in her eyes — surprise mingled with a hint of apprehension.
“Ah… Odeklaes.” She softly voiced the name, one she had cherished in her heart for so long.
Odeklaes, the Abyssal Flame Dragon residing in the Eternal Ice Valley.
Odeklaes looked at the woman and remarked, “You never seemed concerned about it before. But now, it appears you’ve taken an interest?”
“It’s not it that I’m interested in. Its aura… it reminds me of someone.” An image of a golden-haired, blue-eyed human flashed across Fafnir’s mind.
“I never expected him to be alive after what he went through,” she paused, “but since he is, he never came to see me.”
The woman didn’t specify who ‘he’ was, but she knew Odeklaes understood whom she referred to.
“Fafnir, does it bother you that Angel didn’t come to see you?” Odeklaes uttered his name. Fafnir, like him, was a colossal Abyss Dragon, albeit of a younger generation.
“It doesn’t bother me,” Fafnir responded swiftly. But after saying it, she seemed to recall something and added, “Only, his shop assistant expected me to handle the aftermath. That did irritate me.”
Odeklaes reasoned, “However, remember he didn’t know your whereabouts at the time. It’s only natural he didn’t seek you out. He couldn’t possibly go searching for you in the ruins of La Sutherland.”
Furthermore, after the human conflicts in La Sutherland and the upheavals caused by the Flameless Lord, the place had become lost in the void. Even Odeklaes might not have been able to locate it.
“You seem to be speaking on Angel’s behalf?”
“After all, I’ve forged a friendship with him.” Odeklaes remarked with a hint of ambiguity.
“I recall that not too long ago, a human wizard named Mengke approached you. It appeared that Angel used you as an excuse to ward him off. Weren’t you upset about this?” Fafnir inquired, puzzled.
“There’s nothing to be upset about. It’s no major concern, merely some inconsequential words exchanged,” Odeklaes replied. His form gradually began to fade, “I must return now, Fafnir, you should depart as well.”
Upon hearing Odeklaes’s words, Fafnir’s expression instantly turned ashen.
Although it sounded as if Odeklaes was advising her to exit the void, Fafnir discerned his true intent: he was suggesting she leave the forest beyond the Eternal Ice Valley.
Fafnir remained rooted to the spot, lost in thought, wordless for a long time.
Odeklaes, on the other hand, seemed indifferent to Fafnir’s emotional state within the void. He proceeded to an ice palace nestled between the mountain cliffs. He strode purposefully to the main hall, where he paused before a massive mural.
The mural depicted an Abyss Dragon, its scales as pure white as jade, gleaming brilliantly like crystals. Even the horns, which on any other Abyss Dragon would look grotesquely tumorous, seemed irresistibly stunning on this particular creature.
Odeklaes gazed at the mural for a long while, his eyes revealing a rare moment of tenderness.
After what seemed like an eternity, Odeklaes lifted his gaze to the ceiling — or more accurately, through the ceiling into the distant, dark void.
Sensing the subtle disturbances emanating from it, a faint smile curled the corners of Odeklaes’s lips, “To whom is it transmitting these vibrations? Are there unresolved matters still…”
“Someday, you will return.”
Chapter 1747 Gaze <TOC> Chapter 1749 Night in the Resting Ground