"Father… save me… I am burning, Father… aaahhhhewwwwww!"

The doll's voice shrieked through the chamber like a blade scraping iron.

"Roxi! Wait—I will save you! Roxiiiiiiiiiii!" the old man screamed, clutching his chest in unbearable pain. His body shook, his voice breaking with every cry.

Other seers rushed toward him, their chants breaking, trying to anchor him back into reality.

Amira's voice thundered across the circle, sharp and desperate. "Father Gomu! Control yourself! This is his trick—do not get fooled!"

But the illusion pressed harder. One seer whispered, his voice trembling as his hands shook violently, "Wh-who is that? How strong is he? He… he surpasses all of us in seer ability… I have never sensed such a terrible presence."

Their words cracked the air. Everyone in the room trembled; fear coiled in their chests, vibrating through every thought, down to their very toes. The atmosphere itself seemed to tighten—each breath drawn felt heavy, forbidden. Sweat poured down their faces, soaking into their robes. Their confidence wavered, yet they clung desperately to the hope of their city, their duty binding them in place.

But Father Gomu could see nothing except her—Roxi—his daughter.

In his vision, she burned alive inside the locked chamber of a wooden ship. Flames licked her skin, her body twisting in agony, her screams breaking into choked gasps as she danced in pain, a cruel dance through hell itself.

The night was vast and merciless, the ocean stretching endlessly around them. Two ships floated close together—one wide, one small. On the smaller vessel, Father Gomu stood frozen, powerless, as his daughter burned on the other.

Men in black masks stood at his back, their laughter filling the salt-heavy air. They gripped the younger, middle-aged Gomu by the arms, forcing him to watch. Their mocking voices rose like a twisted choir, enjoying every moment of the young woman's torment.

The smell of burning wood. The crackling fire. The ocean waves are lapping against the hull. Her screams sliced through the night.

And above it all, his helpless cry echoed: "Roxiiiiiiiii!"

At that moment, Gomu's eyes caught something—one of the black-masked men's ankles. Etched there was a strange mark: the symbol of a white tiger, running across splashing water.

His pupils widened in shock. The vision wavered. Lyrax snapped his fingers, breaking the illusion in an instant: the burning ships, the laughter, the screams—all dissolved into shadows.

Gomu crashed back into reality. His body collapsed to the floor with a heavy thummm, his hips striking the stone. His chest heaved, eyes unfocused, still chasing the fading image of his daughter.

"Roxi… Roxi…" his trembling lips whispered, the name breaking like shattered glass. His voice cracked as he forced the words out. "The killer of my daughter… is White Tiger… I… I curse them!"

Tears fell harder now, splattering against the cold floor. Each drop carried years of silence, pain, and unanswered questions.

The other seers rushed to him, their faces pale with sorrow. Some placed hands on his shoulders, trying to steady his shaking form.

Amira bent down, her voice firm yet warm. "Father Gomu… be strong. We are with you. All of us stand beside you." She rubbed his back, her own eyes damp, but her will unshaken.

Gomu slowly lifted his gaze. His eyes, red and burning, locked onto the ceiling as if staring into the heavens themselves. His voice was hoarse, broken yet filled with resolve.

"All this time… I lived with the question—who killed my daughter? I forgot everything else, every face, every sound… only that question haunted me. But now…" His hand wiped his tears roughly across his face. "Now… I know."

The chamber grew silent. Even the magical hum in the air seemed to bow to the weight of his words.

Lee Wang sat with Lyrax at the mouth of Hollow Mountain, the cold wind brushing past them, carrying the faint echoes of unseen waterfalls deep inside the stone.

Lee Wang broke the silence. "What did you do?"

Lyrax smirked faintly, his eyes fixed on the shifting clouds below. "I didn't just use a seer ability. I also sent Mary… to probe that old man's subconscious. You know the story, don't you? His daughter's death. Everyone in Baku whispers about it. They say some Tideborn burned her alive. The city investigated for years, but no culprit was ever found."

Lee Wang's gaze sharpened. Lyrax continued, his voice calm but edged with curiosity. "I wanted to know the truth. So I had Mary ask his mind directly. His memories couldn't lie. And there… I found it. The mark of the White Tiger Tideborn."

For a moment, only the wind spoke between them.

"White Tiger Tideborn…" Lee Wang finally muttered, rubbing his chin. "Hmm. They come from Turtle Land. If they've traveled this far, it means they must have discovered something… something worth crossing into Elephant's Backs."

He leaned back against the rock wall, his voice steady, thoughtful. "In the race for mythical power, they have always been relentless. Perhaps… they are close to the tail now. Who knows? Maybe they even bathed in that cave water. If so… their progress could be further than anyone suspects."

Lyrax's lips curved into a thin smile. The firelight flickered between them, shadows stretching long across the cave.

Lyrax bowed his head slightly, his voice low but restless.Lyrax – "Master… tell me, what is a mythical power?"

Lee Wang, standing by the open wooden window, let the cool mountain breeze flow past his long robes. His expression remained calm, eyes lost in the fading horizon.Lee Wang – "Time will tell you everything, Lyrax. Do not rush for answers. Aurren is here… and the time will come when he begins his own journey. I am certain he will reach close to that power."

Lyrax clenched his fist, hesitation in his tone.Lyrax – "I want to return to my kingdom soon. But… if I go, they might discover Aurren's presence."

Lee Wang turned slowly, his gaze sharp yet steady.Lee Wang – "They hold no grudge against Aurren. Their only concern is his safety. But you…" his voice hardened, "…you are toying with Baku City. That must end. Velmore cannot tolerate it any longer. Do not let pride take root in your strength, Lyrax."

Realizing his mistake, Lyrax lowered his head.Lyrax – "I am sorry, Master… it was not arrogance. I only thought… I could test my power, perhaps play a little. Aurren—"

Lee Wang raised a hand, cutting him short. His words struck like tempered steel.Lee Wang – "Your power is not meant for display. Use it when it is needed. A leader does not waste energy or time for amusement. Every action must carry weight, every step a purpose."

The silence hung heavy. The faint sound of temple bells echoed from the valley below. Then, after a pause, Lee Wang's voice softened just a fraction.Lee Wang – "But one thing you did right… Gomu now knows who killed her daughter. This truth will serve as a bridge, a reason for the kings of different lands to unite. Even the kingdoms near the Tail of the Elephant will take this seriously, and they will begin to move against the White Tiger, Tideborn."

His gaze turned once more to the horizon, where dark clouds gathered.Lee Wang – "Now… go to your kingdom, before it is too late."

Lyrax – "And what about Auren? You told me to train him. Also… the matter of sending my clone to the kingdom, is that done?"

Lee Wang folded his arms, his voice calm yet firm. "Hmm… I thought about that. But listen, I don't care who Auren was in his past life. For me, he is a student, like all others. Everyone carries shadows of their past—great or small—but that doesn't matter now. Present is present. He will train alongside the rest, no special treatment from me."

Lyrax nodded slowly, his eyes narrowing in thought. "So be it. I shall return to my kingdom then."

He rose from his seat, his cloak brushing the floor as he turned. "Where is Okabaru, Master?"

Lee Wang's tone softened, a rare hint of warmth slipping through. "In his city. It has been some time since you last met him."

A faint smile appeared on Lyrax's face. "He is a great comrade." With that, he lowered his head respectfully. "Master, it is time for me to leave."

He bowed deeply to Lee Wang, then leapt into the open sky. His body cut through the heavy winds as he soared upward, climbing into the high clouds where lightning cracked endlessly, flashing bright across the heavens. The storm seemed to greet him like an old companion.

Far below, at the ridge of the Hollow Mountain, three figures—Auren, Dax, and Nyra—were making their way along a jagged path that curved towards the mouth of a dark cavern. The air around them roared with thunder, carrying the smell of rain and stone.

Auren paused, his head tilting up at the streak of movement above. A silhouette pierced through the storm, wings of wind trailing behind. His eyes widened for a brief moment, and then recognition struck.

"Oh… it's Master Lyrax!"

Without thinking, he cupped his hands to his mouth and shouted, his voice rising against the howl of the storm. "Thank you, Master Lyrax! Thank you for everything you've done!"

High above, Lyrax tilted slightly, his eyes catching Auren's small figure below. His deep voice rumbled, carried by the wind itself.

"I'll see you later. Train harder.

With that, he vanished into the storm, lightning swallowing his path.

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