Defiance of the Fall

The Dianthis Dynasty was essentially strangled in its infancy , and there simply was no Third Heaven . The Seventh , Tobrial Dynasty’s Heaven and his foremost competition in the upcoming trial , could also be considered the Sixth . Kruta had no idea why they retained their current numbering , though .

The fate of the Third Heaven was just an interesting tidbit . More useful was the information about the dynamics of the remaining six . On the outside , they seemed like a powerful and solid alliance , where the imperials stood as one against outside pressures . Eons of intermarriage between the dynasties had kept their families close .

In reality , turbulent currents hid beneath the calm surface . According to Kruta , the First Heaven had essentially become the informal leader of the six after they gained a sudden burst of power in the distant past . He and Kruta now realized it was likely related to the First Heaven seizing the second pillar when it emerged .

Since then , there had been a hidden struggle for dominance . The Second Heaven was reportedly under the Planur Dynasty’s thumb , and the goal of the first was to improve their position even further . Perhaps to even turn the other five into outright subjects . Of course , the other Heavens weren’t just going to let that happen . An outright war would weaken both sides too much , but hidden struggles for resources and power remained a constant .

The Fifth Pillar was a chance for the other Heavens to gain an Eternal Heritage of their own . Zac could only imagine what would happen if a faction got its hands on Ultom and managed to extract that amazing energy from within . No wonder the First Heaven tried everything to get Ultom for themselves , with Vastermal going so far as to break into the Perennial Vastness .

Perhaps they could use that information to their advantage in the future .

Zac stayed for another two hours , not to plan or scheme , but to have a feast .

My friend , meeting you here was my greatest fortune , - Kruta said as he shook Zac’s hand in goodbye . - We’ll see each other soon . -

Likewise . Take care , - Zac nodded . - Don’t force it if you can’t reach the frontier . Don’t let the imperials find you . -

Zac emerged from Kruta’s storefront , sending out a message as he set course for the teleportation square . Since he’d emerged from seclusion , he might as well knock another goal off his list . Zac stopped in a secluded street not far from the square , and he only needed to wait ten minutes before the shadows stirred .

The brute is gone? - Ogras asked as he stepped out of the darkness .

Well , secluded anyway , - Zac said . - Don’t know why you were so against meeting with him . It would have been good for our cooperation to go through a mission together . -

There’ll be time for that if he manages to reach Zecia , - Ogras said . - Until then , I felt it best if some of us kept a distance . With his mouth unsealed , there’s just no way of telling what’ll happen . -

I know , I know , I’m a big-mouthed fool , - Zac said with a roll of his eyes .

And we all suffer for it , - Ogras said with a melodramatic expression , though his face soon lit up . - You ready to put in some work? -

Let’s go , - Zac said . - I’m curious to see what kind of nightmare you plan to cram into your body . -

You know what? I’m actually not that curious , - Zac muttered as his axe tore through a bend in reality .

Ogras glanced over in time to see a powerful wave of Dao shred the anomaly , and an eerie laugh echoed through the region before reality stabilized . Gone was the twisted face spewing out nightmares , now replaced with some shrubbery . The action would only delay the inevitable . The world was stirring , and the ambient energies were rising fast . They only had an hour at best before a great reset swept through the area .

Eight hours , and you already want to pack it in? - Ogras grinned , though he was merely trying to hide his own unease .

Even as someone who treads the line between real and imaginary , this realm was decidedly unsettling . It wasn’t natural , walking inside the dream of an unknown creature . A creature that possibly wasn’t even alive , going by how warped and unstable the dream had become . It felt like they could get twisted and bent from a moment’s carelessness . Or worse , what if the creature woke up?

Would it turn its dream , and them with it , into a figment of its imagination? They had little choice . The Shifting Dreamgeist was the most suitable beast Ogras could find after scouring hundreds of scrolls and intelligence reports . Meanwhile , Zac needed something from the Peak of Fantasy for his weird hammer . Win-win , provided you survive .

You sure about this? - Zac asked as he kept enforcing his Dao to quell the surging surroundings .