Chapter 639 - 461: The Dead "Celestial Claw
Chapter 639: Chapter 461: The Dead "Celestial Claw
Stepping out of the camp, the crisp, cold air was instantly invigorating.
Raylo let out a long whistle.
On the other side of the camp, a blue furball shot out from a pile of hay. It shook the straw from its fur, and its four little legs became a blur as it eagerly dashed toward Raylo.
It was Lightning.
It skidded to a stop in front of Raylo and affectionately nudged his hand with its furry head.
Raylo picked up Moonlight, placed it on his shoulder, and then patted Lightning’s head.
"Let’s go, Lightning."
"Awo?"
Lightning tilted its head, letting out a questioning cry.
The next moment, a flash of electricity sparked in its azure eyes.
"CRACKLE! POP!"
Dense blue arcs of electricity erupted around its body, filling the air with the faint smell of something burning.
Its body expanded rapidly amidst the blinding electrical light.
In the blink of an eye, a hundred-meter-long Giant Dragon appeared, its form lithe and powerful, wreathed in thunderbolts.
Lightning lowered its massive head, bringing it docilely before Raylo.
Raylo leaped, landing steadily on the broad nape of Lightning’s neck.
Moonlight hopped lightly into his arms, found a comfortable spot, and went back to dozing.
"Let’s go. To the Observatory in the Black Stone Mountain Range."
"ROAR!"
Lightning responded with a heaven-shaking dragon’s roar.
With a mighty beat of its wings, a gale-force wind kicked up dust and fallen leaves.
Its massive body lifted off the ground without the slightest hesitation, instantly becoming a streak of blue lightning that tore through the sky and shot into the heavens.
On the ground, Ed and his Personal Guards stared up, their eyes following the bolt of lightning until it vanished deep within the clouds.
High in the sky, the wind howled past his ears.
Lightning’s speed was astonishing. Below them, Black Stone City quickly shrank to a blurry outline before vanishing from sight completely. The sprawling mountain ranges and winding rivers painted a magnificent picture across the land.
Raylo crouched low, shielding Moonlight on his shoulder from the rushing gale.
He loved this feeling.
Ten thousand meters above the ground, far from all its turmoil and clamor, the world became simple and pure. There was only the sound of the wind, the Sea of Clouds, and the boundless sky.
The fatigue from the war, the tedious affairs of his domain—all of it seemed to be left far behind in the sheer speed of their flight.
All that remained in his heart was the longing for his wife and the anticipation of their reunion.
The Black Stone Mountain Range was like a slumbering Giant Beast, lying prone upon the northern lands. Its ridges were the beast’s exposed bones, its forests its dark pelt.
Lightning’s flight path was a blue arc drawn across the body of the Giant Beast.
「An hour later.」
A solitary mountain peak appeared on the horizon.
It towered over all the surrounding peaks. Its summit was flat, as if sliced clean by a god’s blade, and it reflected a cold, hard light in the sun.
The Observatory.
The residence of the Legendary Mage, ’Star’ Delin.
Lightning let out a joyful roar and increased its speed.
The bolt of lightning tore across the sky.
Lightning’s massive body became a blur, crossing the final distance in a matter of breaths before landing smoothly upon the wide, flat summit of the Observatory.
A gust of wind swirled up, tugging at the hem of Raylo’s robes.
He leaped down from the dragon’s back. His feet made a soft, crunching sound as they landed on the hard, rocky ground.
All around was a dead silence.
There was only the sound of the wind, which swirled and howled around the lonely peak, its echoes like a mournful wail.
Raylo’s gaze swept over the entire Observatory.
The place was exactly as he had left it.
A massive Alchemy Telescope, like a silent steel Giant, was aimed askew at the heavens.
The Observatory’s stone door was shut tight.
’Avril isn’t here.’
’Mage Delin isn’t here either.’
’Mage Delin and Mage Wendel brought back a dead Celestial Claw. If they aren’t at the Observatory, then they must be at Mage Wendel’s Magic Tower.’
’They’re probably studying the Celestial Claw they brought back.’
’Mage Wendel’s Magic Tower is obviously better equipped, making it a better place for inspections and experiments.’
’And Avril, being Mage Delin’s only student, would naturally have been taken along with him.’
’That line of reasoning was sound.’
Having figured this out, Raylo turned and walked back to Lightning.
"We’re leaving. Fly west."
Lightning let out a low growl.
Raylo raised his hand and pointed to the western horizon.
"There’s a Magic Tower deep in the Black Stone Mountain Range."
"ROAR!"
Lightning understood its master’s intent.
It beat its wings again. Its massive body transformed into a bolt of lightning and soared into the sky, streaking due west without a moment’s delay.
Lightning pushed its speed to the absolute limit. It was like a blue cannonball, leaving a long white vapor trail in its wake beneath the clouds.
The landscape below changed at a dizzying pace.
Dense primeval forests, deep canyons, and turbulent rivers...
The wild, primordial scenery of the Black Stone Mountain Range flashed past Raylo’s eyes.
「Half an hour later.」
Just as Raylo was beginning to think he had misremembered the direction, a black dot slowly appeared on the distant horizon.
As they drew closer, the outline of the black dot grew increasingly distinct.
It was a tower.
A Magic Tower hundreds of meters tall.
It stood proud and solitary among the mountains, like a sharp sword piercing the heavens.
’Found it.’
Raylo patted Lightning’s neck, signaling it to descend.
Lightning understood immediately. Its flight speed gradually slowed, and its massive body began to circle downward.