Both the boy and Zuko sat within the crater left behind by their battle with Vinhor.
The boy was battered and bruised from head to toe, his body aching from the relentless fight.
Despite his injuries, he was still conscious—and, somehow, still smiling.
Zuko let out a quiet chuckle.
“Man, I honestly didn’t think you’d survive that encounter.”
The boy smirked and glanced over at him.
“Me neither.”
Zuko’s expression became more serious.
“The only reason you probably survived was because of that spell I placed on you.”
He paused for a moment before looking directly at the boy.
“Did you even use your spirit energy?”
The boy tilted his head in confusion.
“Spirit energy?
Ugh… don’t tell me this is about the past.”
Zuko chuckled.
“Of course it is.
You’re physically resilient to an almost ridiculous degree.
The fact that you managed to fight on par with Vinhor without consciously utilizing your spirit energy is insane.”
Zuko fell silent, staring into the distance as he thought.
After a moment, he looked back toward the boy.
“Alright, then.
I guess it’s time I teach you how to use your spirit energy.”
The boy’s attention immediately sharpened.
Zuko continued.
“All of creation is permeated by spirit energy.
It is the fundamental essence that keeps almost everything alive.
Now, you’re probably wondering how exactly you’re supposed to use it.”
Zuko raised one hand.
“It all comes down to your emotions, your intent, your desires…”
He paused.
“And your imagination.”
The boy listened carefully.
“Spirit energy is heavily influenced by one’s will to live.
The stronger that will is, the more deeply you can perceive and utilize the energy within you.”
Zuko looked directly into the boy’s eyes.
“And you, my friend…”
A faint smile formed on his face.
“You have one of the largest pools of spirit energy I’ve ever seen.”
The boy’s eyes widened.
“Me?”
When he really thought about it, it started to make sense.
The reason he had survived the Abyss was because of his sheer refusal to die.
His defiance.
His overwhelming will to keep moving forward.
And, admittedly…
A little luck.
Zuko continued.
“Spirit energy can manifest in countless ways.
You can transform it into different forms of energy, reinforce your physical body, or even use it to access magic.”
The boy’s eyes widened with fascination.
“It all depends on your imagination and intent.
You can use spirit energy to channel concepts, manipulate different forces, or even mimic the abilities of animals and other species.”
The boy stared down at his hands.
His fingers slowly curled into fists.
A spark of excitement flickered within his eyes.
“Maybe…”
He lowered his voice.
“Maybe I can face him if I master my control over spirit energy.”
Zuko heard him.
His eyebrow rose.
“Him?”
He leaned slightly closer.
“You got a rival?”
The boy’s expression immediately changed.
A dull ache began forming inside his head as memories of the harrowing experience within the Abyss resurfaced.
He looked away.
“It’s a long story…”
Zuko smiled.
“Alright, then.”
He stood up and stretched.
“But before we move on, you’ll need to learn the fundamentals of controlling your spirit energy.
It’s actually pretty simple.”
Zuko started walking.
“Come on.
Follow me.”
The boy rose to his feet and followed.
The two disappeared into the distance.
Somewhere in the Dragon Realm
An endless white void stretched infinitely in every direction.
There was no ground.
No sky.
No horizon.
Only an endless expanse of white.
Four enormous silver pillars floated within the void, drifting silently through the emptiness.
Upon one of them sat a woman.
Her presence alone created a suffocating pressure throughout the realm.
She was Lady Nova—the queen and supreme leader of the Draconic Angels.
Lady Nova remained seated in complete silence.
Then, almost imperceptibly, her lips moved.
“Something is coming.”
A massive white lizard suddenly appeared beside her.
Its eyes were bloodshot, and its enormous body radiated an ancient presence.
When it spoke, its deep voice reverberated throughout the endless void.
“My lady… I cannot seem to shake this feeling.”
The creature looked into the distance.
“I feel something approaching.”
Its expression darkened.
“Something dreadful…”
A pause.
“Something old.”
The lizard’s voice became more solemn.
“Something capable of threatening the dragons of old.”
Lady Nova remained completely calm.
“Even if this thing arrives in our realm…”
Her eyes narrowed.
“It will only become fuel for our inevitable rise to power once more.”
The white lizard hesitated.
“Do you want us to make any necessary preparations?”
Lady Nova immediately responded, her tone carrying a hint of annoyance.
“No.”
She stood from her throne.
“Gather every dragon man and woman and take them to Father’s Sanctuary immediately.”
Her gaze hardened.
“That is the only preparation we are making.”
She looked toward the endless void.
“We need to preserve our species.”
The white lizard nodded.
“Yes, my lady.”
In an instant, it vanished through teleportation.
Lady Nova remained alone.
She slowly looked toward the distant emptiness.
Then she sighed.
“Whoever you are…”
Her voice became cold.
“You will feel the wrath of the dragons of old.”
Back in the Minor Realm
The boy stood perfectly still.
A strange energy coursed throughout his body.
It was powerful.
Yet somehow…
Familiar.
His eyes widened.
“So this is…”
He clenched his fist.
“Spirit energy.”
Zuko smiled.
“Yes.
You did it!”
He gestured toward the boy.
“Now explore it.
Don’t just keep it in one place.
Move your focus to different parts of your body.”
The boy concentrated.
The strange energy flowed through his arm.
Then his shoulder.
His chest.
His leg.
He could feel every movement of it.
A hideous grin slowly spread across his face.
“I feel like I can kill anything.”
Zuko looked at him with a proud smile.
But that smile vanished almost instantly.
His expression became cold and serious.
“Alright.”
The boy looked toward him.
“We know Vinhor possesses the first key.”
Zuko paused.
“But the second key is located somewhere in this Minor Realm.”
The boy’s expression sharpened.
“It’s guarded by a tiger.”
He looked toward the horizon.
“Not just any tiger.”
Zuko’s voice became heavier.
“The dragons call him Varm.”
The boy stood.
“Alright, then.”
He looked toward Zuko.
“Lead the way.”
Back in the First Realm
A jagged wasteland stretched across the horizon.
The land had been shattered and disfigured by countless battles and wars, leaving behind a landscape that looked as though reality itself had been repeatedly torn apart.
Then—
Two overwhelming auras descended upon the realm.
The air trembled.
Space distorted.
A portal made entirely of flesh suddenly tore open.
Two figures stepped through.
The first was a white-haired youth dressed in an ivory tunic.
Beside him stood another young man with long, messy black hair.
He wore black leather pants and a long-sleeved black shirt.
The white-haired youth slowly sniffed the air.
A satisfied smile formed across his face.
“I smell him.”
He took another breath.
“He’s definitely here.”
The black-haired youth suddenly grinned.
He began laughing like a madman.
“So, can I rampage now, Master?”
The white-haired youth gave him a single nod.
That was all the permission he needed.
Veroth vanished.
He blinked out of existence and reappeared within a distant city.
The white-haired youth ignored him.
Instead, he looked toward the First Dragon Realm.
The realm itself had become distorted by overwhelming authority and symbolism.
Space warped and twisted uncontrollably.
Then—
Rip.
Paper-thin tears appeared throughout the distance.
The white-haired youth chuckled.
His eyes gleamed with excitement.
“Looks like the fish is already cooked.”
He slowly raised both arms toward the heavens as though reaching for something beyond the sky.
“My plan begins now.”
His smile widened.
“Let the Abyss…”
His voice echoed throughout the realm.
“…express itself.”
The ground suddenly ruptured.
Large, red, ghastly abominations began clawing their way out of the earth.
Then came something far worse.
Massive bodies of flesh rose from beneath the shattered landscape, their sheer size dwarfing everything around them.
The realm trembled.
Madness began seeping into reality.
The distorted authority that had once dominated the realm began to fracture.
And slowly…
Corruption took its place.