Godslayer's Legacy: THE PATH TO SUPREMACY

The Sovereign Spire's Sky Dock was a place unlike any other. Suspended high above the capital city, surrounded by sharp winds and endless clouds, it felt detached from the world below. Massive reinforced steel platforms extended out into the open sky, connected by glowing runic conduits that pulsed with stabilized mana. The air smelled faintly of ozone and cold steel, carrying with it a biting chill from the altitude.

At the edge of the platform, the airship stood waiting—a marvel of engineering and mana synthesis, and the only one of its kind. Its sleek frame gleamed in the pale morning light, blackened alloy plates reinforced with Kovarite runes forming an elegant yet robust exterior. It hovered a few feet above the platform, held aloft by massive mana crystals embedded along its undercarriage. The faint hum of its core reverberated through the air, accompanied by a low, steady pulse of mana threading through the vessel's circuits.

This wasn't just an airship. It was Kovar's masterpiece.

Standing before the ramp leading to the vessel, Rui let the cold wind whip through his silver hair as he stared up at the airship in silence. His black tunic fluttered slightly, the faint silver threads embroidered into the fabric catching the light. His glowing silver eyes reflected the mana-infused crystals embedded along the ship's spine.

Behind him stood Fenrir, arms crossed over his broad chest, his sharp predator's gaze fixed on Rui's back. Beside Fenrir was Kaelith, his liquid silver hair gleaming faintly in the dawn light, hands clasped behind him in his usual composed stance. Kovar stood closest to the ship, his glass brain dome flickering with lines of cascading data as he double-checked mana output and flight stability.

No one spoke for a long moment.

Finally, Kovar turned, his pale eyes narrowing as he studied Rui.

"Everything is ready. The core's stabilized, flight parameters are set, and the trajectory to the Abyssal Ravine is locked in."

Rui nodded once, his glowing eyes fixed on the vessel. "How long will the journey take?"

"Two days," Kovar replied curtly. "This airship is fast, but the Abyss is not a place we can rush towards blindly. We'll be threading mana currents carefully to avoid anomalies along the way."

Kaelith stepped forward, his calm demeanor betraying a faint glimmer of unease. "Rui… are you certain about this? Even now, we could reconsider. Send additional support."

Rui turned to face the High Sovereign, his silver eyes glowing softly beneath the pale light.

"No. This is something I must do alone."

Fenrir grunted, his arms still crossed, his gaze sharp as ever. "You'll be walking into the jaws of death, boy. No council, no squad, no fallback. If you fail, there's no rescue party."

"I know," Rui said quietly, his voice steady. "But this isn't about me. This is about ensuring that whatever waits in the Abyss doesn't make it out. If my presence there can prevent that… then it's worth the risk."

Silence followed his words, heavy and unyielding.

Finally, Kovar broke the stillness. "Enough sentiment. Rui, we have a flight schedule to maintain." He turned and began walking up the ramp, the faint glow of data streaming across his glass brain dome growing brighter.

Rui followed, his boots echoing faintly on the metallic ramp as he ascended. At the threshold of the airship, he paused briefly and turned back to face Fenrir and Kaelith. The wind carried his voice as he spoke.

"I'll return."

Neither man responded immediately. Kaelith's silver eyes softened slightly, and Fenrir gave a single firm nod.

Then Rui stepped aboard, the ramp retracting behind him with a faint hiss of compressed air.

---

The interior of the airship was as sleek and functional as its exterior—a seamless blend of metallic alloy and crystalline conduits threading through the walls. Mana crystals glowed faintly within containment nodes, and soft blue light emanated from control panels set into the curved walls. The hum of the mana core was omnipresent, a low bass note that seemed to vibrate through the ship's hull.

The control chamber was located at the front of the vessel—a wide, semi-circular space with a panoramic view of the sky through reinforced glass panels. Floating holographic displays filled the air, displaying flight vectors, mana stability, and atmospheric data.

Kovar stood at the central console, his skeletal fingers dancing across floating runes and controls. Lines of data streamed upward through his glass brain dome, casting faint reflections against the metallic ceiling.

Rui stood at the edge of the chamber, his silver eyes fixed on the sky stretching out before them. They had already ascended far beyond the altitude of standard flight vessels. Below them, the Central Capital was a distant cluster of faint lights fading into the horizon.

The sky above was endless—deep blues shifting into faint hues of purple as mana currents shimmered faintly in the distance. The world felt so small from up here, its vastness reduced to nothing more than painted streaks of light.

"You've never flown before, have you?" Kovar asked without turning around.

Rui shook his head slightly, his voice quiet. "No. I've seen the world from high places, but… this is different."

"It's humbling, isn't it?" Kovar continued, his voice softer than usual. "To see the world like this—to realize how small everything truly is. Even the Abyss looks insignificant from up here."

Rui's glowing silver eyes narrowed slightly as he stared out into the distance. "Insignificant, perhaps. But the closer we get, the larger it will loom."

Kovar's fingers paused briefly over the control panel before he resumed his work. "You're right. And we'll see it soon enough."

The airship continued its smooth flight through the skies, leaving a faint glowing trail of residual mana in its wake.

---

Hours passed in relative silence. Rui stood alone in one of the observation chambers along the ship's side, his hand resting lightly against the reinforced glass. The endless expanse of clouds drifted below, painted gold by the setting sun.

His reflection stared back at him—silver eyes glowing softly, the intricate runes etched within them pulsing faintly with each beat of his heart.

Is this how it feels… to be above it all? To leave the world behind?

But no matter how vast the sky was, Rui knew it wouldn't last. Soon, they would descend—into shadows, into danger, into a place where light was devoured and hope was fleeting.

His hand clenched lightly against the glass as the threads of mana danced faintly around his fingertips.

One step at a time.

From the front of the ship, Kovar's voice echoed over the intercom.

"Rui. Come to the control chamber. We're entering Abyssal airspace."

Rui exhaled, steadying his breath as he turned and walked back toward the control chamber.

The sky behind him was fading into darkness, and far ahead, a faint, ominous glow began to rise over the horizon.

The Abyss was waiting.