Summary:
Leo and his companions set out for the **Abyssal Wastes**, a forbidden land filled with unstable magic and ancient ruins.
They face wild beasts, magical storms, and illusions left behind by forgotten civilizations.
But their greatest challenge comes when they meet **a mysterious girl** who seems to know more about Leo — and Seraphine — than she should.
And her name?
> **Zephyra.**
Just like the dragon companion from Leo's past…
---
The journey to the **Abyssal Wastes** was not an easy one.
The further we traveled from Elarion, the more the world changed.
The forests grew darker. The air heavier. And the sky itself seemed… fractured.
Elyna called it "atmospheric vibes."
Grimwald called it "a death trap."
I just called it homecoming.
---
Entering the Abyss
We arrived at the edge of the Wastes three days later.
A jagged cliff marked the border, where the land dropped into a swirling mist of black and purple energy.
Tessia scanned the horizon.
"There's no turning back after this," she said quietly.
I nodded.
Then I looked around at my companions.
Elyna: grinning like she was about to go bungee jumping without a rope.
Selene: arms crossed, expression unreadable as always.
Tessia: silent but ready.
Grimwald: muttering something about how he was too old for this.
And me?
Still wrapped in my blanket.
Still holding my notepad.
Still trying to be a gentleman.
> But now… walking into hell.
---
A Familiar Voice
Halfway down the cliff, the wind shifted.
A soft whisper passed through the air.
Then a laugh.
High-pitched. Playful. Annoyingly familiar.
Before anyone could react, a blur of silver and blue dropped from above.
It landed gracefully on a broken pillar nearby.
A girl.
No older than twelve.
Hair like flowing starlight. Eyes that shimmered with mischief.
She wore a simple tunic, boots, and a necklace shaped like a dragon's fang.
And when she saw me…
She grinned.
"Well well well~ Look what the storm dragged in!"
I blinked.
Then slowly, I pointed at myself.
She giggled.
"Oh, don't look so surprised! You *did* leave me behind last time, you know?"
I stared.
Then I wrote carefully on my notepad:
> **"Who are you?"**
She pouted.
"Aww, come on! Don't tell me you forgot already?"
She twirled in place.
"I'm Zephyra! Your little helper! Best friend! Partner in crime! Also, technically your former pet dragon!"
I froze.
> No way.
Zephyra tilted her head.
"You really don't remember, do you?"
She leaned in closer.
"Back when you were Kaiser von Zerath… I was your loyal drakeling. Your best friend."
She smiled.
"But now? I'm just… me again."
I stared at her.
Then slowly, I raised my hand.
And wrote:
> **"You're not supposed to exist."**
Zephyra laughed.
"Neither are you, mister 'I-Was-a-Dark-Lord-but-Now-I'm-a-Baby.' So I guess we're even!"
---
The Path Forward
Despite the shock, we let Zephyra join us.
She knew the Wastes better than any map or guide.
"This place isn't just dangerous," she explained as we walked through a field of floating stones. "It's alive. It remembers."
Selene narrowed her eyes.
"What does that mean?"
Zephyra gave her a cheeky grin.
"It means you better watch your step. Or the ground might decide you shouldn't walk anymore."
Elyna clapped her hands together.
"I love this place already."
Grimwald groaned.
"I hate everything about this place."
As we continued deeper, the terrain became stranger.
Ruins floated mid-air. Shadows whispered secrets. And sometimes, the path behind us would vanish entirely.
It was clear now.
This wasn't just a wasteland.
It was a graveyard of forgotten power.
And someone had been using it.
---
A Message in the Dust
Near dusk, we found it.
A stone tablet buried in the sand.
Carved with runes I hadn't seen since my reign.
Tessia brushed off the dust.
Then she read aloud:
> **"To the One Who Fell…"**
> **"If you return, know this: not all have forgotten you."**
> **"Seraphine waits. And she is not alone."**
Silence fell over the group.
I stared at the words.
Then I slowly wrote on my notepad:
> **"She's not the only one waiting."**
Zephyra tilted her head.
"You feel it too, don't you?"
I nodded.
Something was watching us.
Not just Seraphine.
Something older.
Something far worse.
---