Chapter 57 – A Visit with the Pope

The sky howls around us as we cut through the upper currents.

Himmel flies ahead in full dragon form, his colossal silver wings slicing through the clouds. The wind bends around his body, creating a tunnel of calm for us behind him. Without that protection, Luna and I would’ve been ripped apart by the pressure alone.

“This kingdom,” Himmel’s deep voice echoes through the air, carried by magic, “is known for its zealotry. Their faith burns bright. Even I, as a dragon, am seen as a potential threat.”

“THAT’S REASSURING!” I shout over the wind.

Luna elbows me mid-flight.

“This may cause disruption, Randy.”

“Hey, look at the bright side,” I grin. “You get to be busy as a diplomat. I’m just doing the dirty work.”

She pinches my side.

“Yeah. And getting yourself into trouble in the process.”

“…Occupational hazard.”

Himmel chuckles—a sound like distant thunder.

“Thalorien is different. That is why Caelestis still stands. Without him… faith would have become fanaticism.”

The flight is short.

Too short.

We descend—

And I see it.

The scar.

The destruction my missile left behind during the earlier conflict.

Burned stone. Shattered battlements. Blackened earth.

Luna’s voice softens.

“Randy…”

“Yeah. I know.”

Guilt is a quiet thing. It doesn’t scream.

It just sits there.

Himmel suddenly veers left.

“…That looks like—”

We follow.

And land.

“Bolg!!” Himmel calls.

A massive figure turns.

“Lord Himmel!?”

Bolg bows deeply, along with the surrounding knights.

He’s an ogre—towering, broad—but refined. His armor polished. His posture disciplined. His eyes sharp with intelligence rather than brute instinct.

“Come,” Himmel says. “You want to see your Pope.”

“Yes.”

He turns to his knights.

“Go on ahead, Commander!”

“Pick up the pace!” the knights roar. “We must return to our Pope!”

We launch again and soon reach the capital.

And it’s breathtaking.

A massive magic circle radiates above the city, layers upon layers of divine geometry spinning slowly in golden light. At the center rises a luminous citadel—white spires piercing the sky like prayers made solid.

“That,” Himmel says, “is where the Pope is.”

We land inside the barrier.

Bolg straightens.

“I am Bolg, Commander of the Knights of Caelestis. And you are?”

“Randy. Adventurer name—Orion.”

He nods.

“Welcome to our city.”

He really does look like a stoic general from some epic saga.

“I am Luna, Princess of the Kingdom of Mana.”

Bolg blinks.

“A princess? Then His Holiness will be… delighted.”

We don’t waste time.

The Pope’s Condition

Thalorien lies pale on a grand bed, divine tapestries behind him.

He looks worse than before.

“My lord!” Luna rushes to him.

“Ah… yes…” he coughs—

Blood spills from his lips.

My armor’s scanner activates automatically.

Warning signals flash across my vision.

Irregular heartbeat.

Toxic presence detected.

We carry him to a more stable chamber.

Luna kneels beside him, conjuring soothing light.

Warm mana flows into him.

“Ah… thank you…” he whispers.

My Medic Golem scans.

“Internal organs stable. However, cardiac structure shows artificial composition.”

“…Artificial?” I murmur.

Thalorien breathes weakly.

“I was healed… long ago… by Skadi. She crafted my heart anew.”

That explains it.

The golem projects a holographic X-ray.

The heart glows faintly—cracked.

“This construct appears to be crystalline in nature,” the golem explains. “Limited lifespan.”

“We can create a new heart,” it continues. “But we require a transplant. Conditions must replicate original compatibility.”

I inhale slowly.

A transplant.

Removing shrapnel is one thing.

This?

This is different.

“Do we have the materials?” I ask.

“Yes. Medical reserves prepared.”

“Produce it.”

“In process. Synthesizing cardiac structure.”

Bolg stares wide-eyed.

“What sorcery is this contraption?”

“Hush,” Himmel says quietly. “The boy is working.”

The chamber transforms into an operation room.

Luna numbs Thalorien’s pain with precise electrical mana.

The golem deploys surgical lasers.

Clean incisions.

Minimal bleeding.

“Life support mode activated.”

A mask seals over Thalorien’s face. Tubes stabilize oxygen.

For the first time—

A dragon.

A princess.

A knight commander.

Witness modern medicine.

I’m sweating.

We carefully remove the fractured crystalline heart. It crumbles slightly in my hand.

“Heart ready for transfer,” the golem states.

The new one gleams.

Mithril frame.

Titanium lattice.

Synthesized adaptive core—thanks to my buddy’s research back home.

We implant it.

Seal connections.

“Electrical activation required.”

I look at Luna.

“Forehead to forehead.”

She blinks—but understands.

I remember the explosion back home. The emergency revival.

“Hang on, Lord Pope,” she whispers.

She channels a controlled electric surge.

The heart spasms.

Once.

Twice—

Then—

BEAT.

Thalorien gasps violently.

Black blood spills from his mouth.

“Chemical analysis complete,” the golem reports. “Substance identified: Silver Blood.”

“Mercury,” I mutter. “Highly toxic. No human should survive that dose.”

Bolg’s expression darkens.

“Our physicians administered medicine… I will investigate.”

“Wait,” I say sharply. “Not yet. Let him recover first.”

We seal the wound.

My scanner stabilizes.

Heartbeat normal.

Mana flow optimal.

Suddenly—

Thalorien’s eyes open.

“Son…”

He grabs my hand.

And Luna’s.

“What did you do? No doctor could prevent this…”

“If magic fails,” I say quietly, “this is how my world saves lives.”

His eyes shine.

“What an extraordinary world…”

“MY LORD!” Bolg drops to his knees, tears streaming.

Outside—

The capital’s magic circle expands.

Brightens.

Responding to its shepherd’s revival.

Thalorien flexes slightly.

“…My power.”

He conjures a small spell.

It erupts with force far stronger than before.

He looks stunned.

“You modified it?”

I nod.

“Stronger. More durable.”

The golem explains the material enhancements.

Himmel watches in awe.

“With this… lives can be saved without magic,” Thalorien says.

“And my warriors too!” Bolg beams.

A Gift

We prepare to leave.

“Thank you, son,” Thalorien says. “Caelestis shall aid you, Lady Luna.”

“Hold the Western Kingdom,” Luna replies firmly. “I’ll deal with the Northern Kingdom. And… Aethone.”

“I pity her,” Thalorien sighs. “But her madness will not end easily.”

Then—

He removes a necklace.

Simple.

Ancient.

“This was given to me by Lilith. She said it belonged to her homeworld.”

My heart skips.

“Perhaps… you will need it for Aurorvyr.”

I accept it carefully.

It hums faintly in my palm.

“May the Gods watch you.”

We take flight.

Behind us—

Thalorien stands on the balcony.

He clenches his hand.

Power surges.

Tears fall from his eyes.

“Thank you, son… I will ensure you are safe.”

Elsewhere

In the ruins of the Western Demon Kingdom—

Lu Bu meditates calmly.

Inul kneels nearby.

“My lord! The magical shield is expanding!”

Inul stiffens.

“What?! The doctor we sent… failed?”

Lu Bu opens one eye.

“Heh… then it will be a long battle.”

We return to the walls.

Sea Wolves.

Klaus’ men.

Defenses already reinforced.

“Welcome back!!” they shout.

Fast.

Efficient.

The alliance is moving.

And for the first time—

I feel something shifting.

Not just war.

Not just survival.

But momentum.

The world is starting to move around us.

And this time—

We’re not just reacting.

We’re changing it.

The Calm Before It Shatters

When we return to base, the sea wind feels… different.

Eligos stands united.

For now.

Ships bearing different flags rest side by side without cannons aimed at each other. The Sea Wolves laugh with Klaus’ men. Repairs are underway. The alliance—once fragile—is now forged.

We did what we could here.

I find Nu Wa overlooking the harbor.

“Nu Wa,” I say quietly. “We need to return.”

She studies me for a long moment.

“Aye. Words could not express what you have done for Eligos.”

Before I can reply—

I notice Eira nearby.

She’s trying to look casual.

She’s failing miserably.

“Hey…” she says, pretending to examine a coil of rope. “You’re going already?”

There’s something in her eyes.

Longing.

Adventure.

Maybe escape.

Suddenly—

THUD.

Nu Wa kicks her forward.

“Take her.”

“OI—?!”

“She doesn’t need to stay here now that the alliance is carved in stone,” Nu Wa laughs. “She’ll be more useful at your side!”

“Traitor!” Eira shouts.

Before I can respond—

The air trembles.

Something drops from the sky like a falling star.

It lands between us—

An orb-like machine.

Familiar.

The surface splits open.

A projection flickers to life.

Nyx.

“HEY!!! About time!!! Where are you?! We need you here NOW!!!”

“What happened?!” I shout.

Luna steps forward.

“Nyx, what’s going on?!”

“They’re on the move! Full mobilization! We’re pinned down! Kline’s barrier ain’t gonna hold much longer!”

Behind her projection—

Explosions.

Smoke.

Mana artillery lighting the sky.

Seraphina draws her blade instantly.

“We’re at war again.”

Nu Wa moves without hesitation.

She pulls a cutlass from her side.

The blade gleams deep ocean blue.

She hands it to Luna.

“Here. This blade has been with me for years. You’re its new owner.”

Luna stares at it.

“This is…”

“I call it Scourge of the Sea,” Nu Wa says. “It summons something. What? I never quite figured it out.”

“…That’s comforting,” I mutter.

Luna grips it firmly.

“Thank you.”

“HEY HOLD THE BARRIER!” Nyx yells from the projection.

“Nyx! We’re coming!” I shout.

“HURRY UP! Kline’s going mental trying to maintain it!”

The projection shifts—

And shows us everything.

A full-scale invasion.

Our capital.

Burning outskirts.

And at the front—

Aethone.

Beside her—

Alfian.

But not the Alfian we knew.

His eyes glow unnaturally.

And behind them—

A colossal machine.

Towering.

Grotesque.

Breathing steam and mana.

Tikka gasps behind me.

“That’s the Colossus…!”

Her voice trembles.

“Randy… please… destroy it. That machine will bring no good to this world. I beg you.”

I’ve never seen fear like that in her eyes.

Cold.

Ancient.

This isn’t just a weapon.

It’s something worse.

Rapid Deployment

The Eligos alliance airship is already being prepared.

Nu Wa grabs my arm.

“Take Eira.”

Eira blinks.

“WHAT?!”

“She wants to see the world. And she’ll be useful.”

I smirk.

“Yeah. You’ll be piloting the Skybreaker.”

“ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!”

“We have to split forces.”

Elowen steps forward.

“I need to reach the Sky Island. I’ll assemble the golem army.”

Seraphina tightens her gauntlets.

“I’ll handle the western flank with Elysia.”

Luna turns sharply.

“I’ll take the eastern side—where Kline is. Harmonia?”

Harmonia smiles brightly.

“I’ll protect the capital and sing for you all!”

“With what?!” Elowen shouts.

“With POWER OF FRIENDSHIP?” I add.

Harmonia pouts.

“It’s tactical singing!”

Before chaos escalates further—

The air shimmers.

Himmel descends.

Beside him—

Thalorien.

Restored.

Radiant.

“Seems everyone is gathered,” Himmel says.

Thalorien’s eyes land on the projection.

“…And you. It’s been a while, Asteria.”

Nyx squints.

“HEY! Thalorien?! You’re alive?! The little kid I knew is leading a kingdom now? Nice. Anyway I’m busy—bye!”

Projection cuts.

Thalorien turns serious.

“As promised, Lady Luna. Master Randy. Caelestis stands with you.”

Bolg steps forward, armor gleaming.

“Twenty elite knights and healers ready.”

He grins.

“Show us the way, boy.”

I nod.

Himmel raises his voice.

“May the gods protect you all!”

Thalorien casts a massive support spell.

A golden magic circle engulfs the Skybreaker.

Reinforcement.

Acceleration.

Protection.

“Zaren will have his hands full,” he laughs. “Go, child!”

“THANKS!” I shout.

Inside the Skybreaker

The crew assembles rapidly.

Combat Units:

Frontline:

Cavalry Commander:

Long-Range Support:

Pilot:

Caelestis Vanguard:

And me?

I stare at the projection one last time.

“Aethone… Alfian… Colossus…”

I exhale.

“I’ll handle them.”

Tikka watches silently.

Her fear hasn’t faded.

Launch

“ALL HANDS READY!” Eira shouts, gripping the control crystal.

The Skybreaker doesn’t slowly rise.

It explodes upward.

Supersonic.

The walls of Eligos don’t reach high enough to stop us.

We pierce through the clouds in seconds.

The barrier parts like water.

Engines roar.

Magic flares.

The ocean below becomes a blur.

The Skybreaker heads home.

Toward fire.

Toward war.

Toward a machine that should never have been built.

And this time—

We aren’t arriving late.

We’re arriving angry.

To be continued.