Chapter 101 - The Sky Temple
The oceans of Thalassia celebrated for seven days.
For the first time in ten thousand years...
The Midnight Tide never returned.
Children once forbidden from swimming in the open sea laughed beneath the sapphire waves.
The people called it The Day Hope Returned.
---
Kai stood upon the deck of the Aurora.
The newly evolved Codex of the Beast Sovereign floated before him.
Its seven stars revolved slowly around its silver cover.
The first page opened by itself.
Primary Mission
The Origin Key Saga
Origin Keys Remaining:
- Sky Key
- World Root Key
- Lunar Key
Objective:
Prevent the Chain Sovereign from opening the Gate of Origins.
---
Caelum leaned over the map table.
"The message mentioned three temples."
"Which one do we visit first?"
Before Kai could answer...
The Codex projected a glowing map of the world.
Three pillars of light appeared.
Blue.
Green.
Silver.
The blue pillar suddenly flickered violently.
---
Emergency Update
Sky Temple
Seal Stability:
41%
Estimated Time Before Collapse:
18 Days
Priority:
Highest
---
Kai immediately made his decision.
"We head for the Sky Temple."
Everyone nodded.
The Aurora turned toward the western horizon.
---
Several days later...
The ship climbed higher than ever before.
Past storm clouds.
Past the flight paths of dragons.
Past floating islands.
The air became thin.
The sky deepened into a brilliant violet.
Even the sun seemed closer.
Selene stared upward.
"I didn't know ships could fly this high."
Ignis smiled.
"Most can't."
---
Late that evening...
A violent tremor shook the heavens.
Lightning tore across the clouds.
An enormous floating continent slowly emerged from the mist.
Ancient marble towers stood upon its surface.
Massive waterfalls poured into empty air, vanishing into clouds thousands of metres below.
At the island's centre stood a colossal temple suspended between six golden pillars.
---
The Codex shimmered.
Ancient Location Confirmed
Temple of the Endless Sky
Status:
Origin Temple
Guardian:
Unknown
Origin Key:
Sky Key
---
As the Aurora approached...
Thousands of white birds suddenly filled the sky.
They flew in perfect circles around the temple.
The birds did not attack.
Instead...
They formed words.
TURN BACK.
The message hung in the air before dissolving.
---
Commander Rowan frowned.
"A warning?"
Pyron slowly shook his head.
"No."
"A plea."
---
Without warning...
One of the six golden pillars cracked.
A deafening sound echoed across the heavens.
The floating continent tilted violently.
Huge sections of stone broke away, falling into the endless clouds below.
---
The Codex flashed crimson.
Temple Integrity
40%...
39%...
38%...
---
Before anyone could react...
A silver portal opened directly above the temple.
Lady Vesper stepped through.
Behind her stood hundreds of Eclipse soldiers.
She looked at Kai.
"I kept my promise."
"I came when the final war began."
She drew no weapon.
Instead, she turned toward the portal.
"They're already inside."
A second figure emerged from the portal.
Kai recognised him immediately.
Lucien.
But something was terribly wrong.
His golden eyes had become completely black.
Dark crystal veins spread across his face.
Chains wrapped around his arms like living serpents.
He smiled.
It wasn't his smile.
A voice that wasn't his echoed across the sky.
"Two Origin Keys remain after this one."
"You are already too late."
The heavens themselves trembled.
The Chain Sovereign was no longer speaking through distant whispers.
It had found its first true vessel.
The battle for the Sky Key had begun.