Chapter 44: Golden Lands, Black Roots
Azrael crouched, examining the soil. It bore some resemblance to the human world; there was dirt and grass growing atop it. However, just as he expected, the lands didn’t look fertile.
The earth wasn’t brown in color, but black. Dense and solid as stone.
’I don’t think it has ever rained in here,’ he analyzed, glancing back at the lava ocean.
The idea of lava rain passed over his mind, which made his spine turn cold.
Shaking his head, he focused on the grass.
Since they weren’t in the human world, every form of life was bound to be different. The grass wasn’t green but had a hue resembling pure gold.
"Planting seeds here is out of the question..." he muttered, eyes trailing towards his system, or more accurately towards Gravebloom.
The weapon was said to be able to harvest even in the harshest climates—maybe the gift that Seyra had rewarded him with could very well save his life.
He observed the nearby trees. Just like the ground, they weren’t normal—trunks and branches pitch black, while their leaves were the same color as gold.
After inspecting their nearby surroundings, he summoned Cinder and climbed upon its back. In the span of a few seconds, he ascended high in the sky, eyes locked north. This was where Isolde had told him she felt human souls.
Azrael may be going there, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to scan the area ahead.
The lava ocean was still pulsing to the east. When he glanced west, he saw how far the golden lands stretched. At the edge, when he squinted his eyes, he saw ice—or at least he thought he did, since it was too far away to tell.