"Logan, follow us," Rogan ordered, passing through the heavy door engraved with ancient runes.
On the other side of the door, it was not a dark corridor, but an entire world that revealed itself. Logan's eyes widened as he crossed the threshold.
The sky was a crystalline blue, tinged with golden clouds that floated lazily. A gentle sun illuminated everything, warming without burning. In the distance, floating mountains defied the laws of gravity, supported by energy currents that pulsed like veins in the air.
The surrounding forest was composed of translucent crystal trees, whose trunks shone with magical energy. A forest of crystal trees covered the ground, their translucent trunks glowing with veins of mana. Among them, creatures never seen in the outside world:
Water serpents dancing over the lake, forming silver whirlpools with their fluid bodies. Juvenile phoenixes, feathers changing color as they sang, perched on the highest branches. Juvenile Qilins, the size of deer, grazing peacefully in clearings, their scales shimmering like gold in the light. And, above all, the Adult Qilins.
Gigantic, larger than anything Logan had ever seen, they flew in slow circles. Their bifurcated horns shone like stars, and their tails left trails of cold fire—flames that didn't burn, only illuminated.
"Is this… inside Sky Reaper?" Logan swallowed hard, his hands trembling. Rogan smiled proudly. "No. We are in Xian'Lin, the World of the Qilins."
Gália added, running her hand over the trunk of a crystal tree: "There are other realms beyond ours… The Shadow World, where the familiars I summoned come from. Places where the rules of reality are different."
Logan felt a chill down his spine. "Then… Fenrir…" "Is a ruler in his own domain," Rogan confirmed. "And you carry part of him."
A heavy silence hung in the air, broken only by the song of the phoenixes.
In the center of the forest rose the Temple of the First Pact, a white marble structure carved with stories of ancient wars. Before it, the Ancestral Qilin awaited him. It had eyes like black pearls, deep enough to hold millennia of wisdom. When it spoke, its voice echoed in Logan's mind, not in the air:
"Logan Black… heir of Fenrir… you have come seeking answers. But they may cost more than you imagine." The Qilin inclined its head in respect.
Logan swallowed. "I… need to know."
The Qilin let out a sound that was almost a laugh. "Then follow me." The Qilin opened the temple's inner portal. Inside it, shadows began to move like living smoke.
Crossing the portal, Logan felt a wave of energy surge through his body. He saw vivid images projected around him: A colossal wolf with blazing golden eyes fighting dragons in ravaged forests. Mountains crumbling beneath gigantic paws. A sky split in two by a deafening howl.
The Ancestral Qilin spoke again: "Fenrir is not just a creature; he is the personification of inevitable chaos. His awakening brings destruction and renewal… but there is something older awakening as well."
Logan frowned, confused and frightened. "Something older? What could be more powerful than Fenrir?"
The Qilin closed its eyes for a moment before replying: "A Primordial Arcane Beast… forgotten by time… wants to destroy this world and remake it in its own image. Its awakening is near, Logan. You must be prepared to face it when the time comes." Images of the creature began to appear: a gigantic eye opening slowly amidst infinite darkness, radiating pure destruction.
Logan fell to his knees, feeling the weight of the revelation and the responsibility on his shoulders. Rogan approached and placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "You are not alone in this," he said firmly. "We will be by your side… always," Gália added.
The Ancestral Qilin observed Logan intently before speaking again: "But you need to be prepared for what is coming. You will stay here until you turn 15; I will train you to control your powers and understand the weight of the power you carry. When you are ready, you will go to Aldaria and continue your journey there… but never forget who you truly are."
Logan looked up at the Ancestral Qilin and nodded slowly, determined despite the fear that still lingered over him.