A cool breeze blew through the open courtyard of the palace, rustling the leaves beneath William and Rio's feet with every step. Rio, with his white hair fluttering like snow in the wind and his shimmering silver eyes, walked alongside his father toward the center of the courtyard. From a distance, he spotted Elian standing there; her red hair peeked out from under her hat, and her fiery red eyes gazed at Rio with a warm smile. Elian waved her hand, and Rio eagerly returned the gesture, his heart beating faster from this simple encounter.
Curiosity flared within Rio. His gaze shifted to his father, William, whose red hair and red eyes gleamed like smoldering flames under the sunlight. Rio stared at him for a moment before asking in a tone brimming with questions, "Father, why are you in such a hurry?"
William paused briefly, the shadow of the sun shifting across his face. He glanced at Rio and then answered in a calm yet weighty voice, "Things have changed, Rio. There are two things you need to know."
Rio raised his eyebrows and waited, the breeze gently tousling his hair. William continued, "First, Olivia has left the clan for an important mission and won't be back for a while."
The news hit Rio like a heavy weight on his shoulders. With surprise and a hint of turmoil in his heart, he asked, "What? Why so sudden? Why didn't she even say goodbye?"
But William responded in a cold, emotionless tone, "It was for the clan." This brief reply spread doubt and disappointment like a shadow across Rio's mind.
William didn't stop there, though. With the same seriousness, he said, "The second matter is that before training a young dragon, a special and sacred ceremony is required—a ceremony where the dragon chooses its life's path. That's why you, me, and Elian will leave the clan for a few hours."
Rio's silver eyes sparkled at these words. His disappointment faded, replaced by a wave of excitement. He had always dreamed of seeing the world beyond the clan, and now the opportunity was before him. His heart pounded faster, a mix of anxiety and thrill coursing through his veins, but he pressed his lips together and decided to wait.
His gaze drifted back to Elian, standing a little further away, calm and majestic under the faint sunlight. William gave a subtle nod, as if signaling something hidden. In that moment, magic swirled in the air. A halo of red and golden light formed around Elian, like flames rising from the earth. Her black armor and cloak shimmered in an enchanting glow before vanishing. Her body trembled, as if an ancient force had awakened within her. In the blink of an eye, Elian transformed into her true form. Massive wings streaked with gold emerged from her back, her eyes blazed like twin orbs of fire, her red scales gleamed under the sun, and her tail shook the ground with magical power.
Rio's breath caught in his throat. His eyes widened in awe, his hands trembling with excitement.
As Elian transformed, Rio stood stunned for a moment before rushing toward her with a shout of pure joy. "This is incredible!"
His silver eyes sparkled with excitement, and his heart pounded faster than ever. For the first time since he'd come into this world, he was witnessing a dragon transform into its true form. His feet carried him toward Elian's fiery eyes, and as he drew closer, he shouted in a loud voice filled with admiration:
"You're amazing, Elian!"
Elian, now a magnificent fire dragon more splendid than ever, grinned and replied in a deep, resonant voice, "Thank you, Master Rio."
Rio could no longer contain his excitement. He stretched his hands toward Elian and asked in a soft, trembling voice, "May I?"
Elian seemed momentarily surprised but then answered warmly, "Of course, Master Rio."
Rio gently placed his hand on Elian's red skin, shimmering scales. It was a strange sensation—cold yet warm, soft yet firm, as if magic flowed beneath his fingers. The wonder of the moment engulfed him. With eyes still wide with amazement, he whispered, "Does this mean I can transform like you someday?"
Before Elian could respond, William's voice rang out from behind, "Of course you will, one day. Now hurry up, we need to go."
At those words, Rio ran toward his father like a child who'd just been promised his greatest wish. William reached for Elian's massive wings, and Rio followed, climbing up with some effort to sit on her back. Moments later, Elian spread her colossal wings and soared into the sky with magical strength. The wind whipped fiercely against Rio's face as he looked down in awe. The floating island, where he'd spent his entire life, grew smaller and smaller beneath his feet for the first time.
Some time later, Elian flew over the vast, verdant forests of the Elven lands. Giant trees with intertwined branches and leaves that shimmered like emeralds under the sunlight captivated Rio. He kept pointing around, exclaiming to William with excitement, "Father, look over there! What's that?"
But William, with his red eyes and a cold, doubtful gaze, only occasionally glanced at him. Still, a faint smile would eventually curve his lips as he nodded.
Hours later, the scenery shifted. Elian left the forests behind and entered a volcanic region. A massive mountain with an active volcano at its center loomed ahead, smoke and steam rising into the sky from its crater. Rio, now slightly anxious, turned to his father with a shaky voice and asked, "Father, what are we doing here?"
William replied calmly but firmly, "As I said, you need to choose your life's path."
Elian flew toward the volcano's peak with her powerful wings and landed beside the crater. The ground trembled beneath her feet as Rio looked around with wide eyes. William scooped him up and leapt gracefully from Elian's back onto the ground. Molten lava bubbled in the crater like a fountain of fire, its red and orange glow dancing across Rio's face. He could hardly believe he was standing there, beside that immense, wild force.
William set him down and began removing his own clothes, leaving only his trousers. Then, with a serious look, he said to Rio, "You do the same."
Caught off guard by the command, Rio hesitated for a moment but obeyed his father. Soon, both stood shirtless, clad only in trousers, and sat cross-legged on the edge of the molten lava, facing each other. The heat caressed their skin, and the volcano's roar echoed in their ears.
William took a deep breath and fixed his red eyes on Rio. In a voice both calm and weighty, he said, "Today is the day you must make the most important decision of your life, my son. Just as I once stood before my father, and he before his. Today, beside this sacred volcano, you will choose your path as a warrior—a path you must follow forever. Once you choose, there's no turning back."
Rio stared at his father. Despite the volcano's heat beside him, a strange chill took root in his heart. This moment, this choice, would shape his future forever.
The volcano's heat seared Rio's skin, sweat dripping from his forehead. His silver eyes, filled with anxiety, locked onto William. With a trembling voice, he asked, "What do I have to do, Father?"
William inhaled deeply, his gaze fixed on the bubbling lava. In a steady yet quiet voice, he said, "There are two paths for a dragon warrior's life. You can stay with the clan, be with your family, and one day become a leader or soldier of the tribe. Or you can choose your own life. At the spring of your two-hundredth year, you'll leave the clan and forge your own path. Perhaps you'll become a renowned dragon in the world, or maybe you'll build your own clan. Whichever path you choose, I will always…"
Before he could finish, Rio interrupted with resolute determination, "I choose you, Father!"
William paused. His red eyes gleamed with pride, but in a fatherly tone, he said, "My son, you need to think more carefully."
Rio shook his head and replied firmly, "Nothing in this world is more valuable to me than you. My purpose is my family alone."
A warm smile spread across William's face. He glanced at Elian, still in her fire dragon form beside them, and said, "Bear witness as a warrior."
Elian responded in her deep voice, "I will bear witness."
William turned back to Rio and said, "From this day forward, you are not only my son but also a child of the Sun Clan."
Rio stood proud of his choice. The experiences of his past life, when he had neglected his family, had rooted this decision deep within him. He refused to repeat that mistake. For a moment, he thought it was all over, but William's expression suddenly shifted. A cold, terrifying look crossed his face, and his silence grew heavy. Then, in a low voice, he said, "Perhaps you've already realized, my son. I haven't treated you well lately. As the clan leader, I had to question your identity because you're an ice dragon. But I let my doubts affect my behavior as a father. Today, I want it all to end."
Rio, cold sweat beading on his forehead, asked weakly, "What do you mean, Father?"
William sighed and stared into the molten lava. "Is there something I should know, my son? Anything that might one day harm you or our family?"
Rio froze in place. His heart pounded like a drum. Should he tell the truth? That he had reincarnated from another world, that he was once known as Christopher Ryde? Should he mention X and his mission? William hesitated but continued, "Whatever your answer, I'll believe you. You'll always be my son, and nothing will change that. I just ask you to be honest with me, my son."
Those words calmed Rio's heart. He sank into his thoughts for a moment but decided to reveal everything. He opened his mouth, but in that instant, time stopped. His body locked up like stone, though his mind remained awake. Suddenly, a dark, terrifying shadow formed in the air. X appeared—his usual form, whiter than death, faceless, eyeless, mouthless, like an unfinished, eerie plaster statue. His presence turned the air cold and heavy, making breathing feel like a silent battle. He was tall and gaunt, his overly long arms dangling with sharp, withered fingers pointing toward the ground. No sound came from him, but his terror struck Rio like an invisible wave.
With slow steps, X approached Rio and leaned toward him. Suddenly, a deep, black rift tore open on his smooth, white face, revealing a mouth full of jagged, uneven teeth—like a wound splitting his skin. In a voice that seemed to rise from the depths of the earth, he whispered, "If you utter even a single word to him, I'll kill him instantly."
The words seeped into Rio's ears like poison, and X's mouth sealed shut as if it had never existed. Then, like white vapor in the wind, he vanished.
Time resumed. Rio, now paralyzed with fear, whispered in a trembling voice with a face as pale as death, "There's nothing to hide, Father. I promise you."
His eyes were fixed on the ground, his body quaking with terror. The image of X, with that nightmarish mouth, pierced his mind like a sword, burying his secrets in a deadly silence.
William nodded slowly, his voice carrying a deep calm. "I believe you, my son."
His tone was like a breeze that momentarily soothed the storm within Rio, but the shadow of X's terror lingered like a blade in his mind. Some time later, as the volcano's heat and the roar of the lava faded behind them, they all returned to the clan. William stood beside Rio, the sunset's light glinting off his red hair. In a serious tone, he said, "Your training begins tomorrow. Be in the palace courtyard before sunrise."
Rio, still reeling from X's terrifying presence, could only nod. His mind swirled with images of that unbelievable moment, his heart racing with fear. Without a word, he bolted toward the palace. His feet seemed to know the way, but inside, chaos reigned. As he reached the palace, he passed by Setia, his sister. With long hair and curious eyes, she looked at him and said playfully, "Hey, little hero! Where are you off to in such a hurry?"
But Rio didn't pause for even a moment. Without replying, he brushed past her like a breeze through branches and raced to his room.
He flung open his door and threw himself inside, slamming it shut before retreating to a corner. His body trembled, his breaths rapid and ragged. Tears streamed down his cheeks like silent rain; he couldn't hold them back. Grabbing the pillow from his bed, he staggered to the corner. Fury and fear twisted within him like fire and ice. He pressed the pillow to his mouth and screamed with all his might—a sound muffled by the fabric but roaring like a storm in his heart. In his mind, he shouted to himself,
"What the hell is going on in this damned world?"
The room was silent, but Rio's inner world was deafening. The image of X, with his white skin and nightmarish mouth, spun in his mind like a sinister shadow. He didn't know what this world had in store for him, but fear and anger had now become his constant companions. He gripped the pillow tighter and took a deep breath, as if trying to expel all the terror from his being—but he knew this was only the beginning.