A realm where the sky burns red at dawn and the winds carry embers, the Great Cosmic Continent of Leo was like a land forged in flame.
Bathed in intense Fire Law density, this continent radiates an elemental pressure so intense that even the air itself crackles with heat. Volcanoes dot the horizon like sentinels, geysers of molten essence erupt in valleys, and vast fire plains stretch across the heartland—each breath here feels like inhaling pure fire.
The entire continent was governed by one of the three top powers of the Neutral Faction, the Cardinal Spirit Temple!
Here, the Cardinal Spirit Temple is revered as the divine arbiter of justice, holding absolute dominion over the continent. It shapes its politics, enforces its sacred customs, and maintains elemental order.
Under its rule, the populace worships the Holy Justice God, a supreme entity venerated as both protector and lawgiver. Opposing the temple’s will is considered heresy—none dare challenge its authority.
The continent is partitioned into Domains, each ruled and maintained by a distinct Temple under the Cardinal Spirit Temple’s banner. These Domains function as spiritual provinces, varying in size and influence.
At the top of the hierarchy stand the Nine Great Temples, also known as the Major Domains. These vast regions span across the continent, each governed by high-ranking Priest Lords of immense power and prestige.
Great Temples house millions of devout temple members and oversee billions of loyal worshipers.
At the heart of each Great Temple lies a colossal altar, where a sacred statue of the Holy Justice God resonates with divine power. These statues are directly linked to the Cardinal Spirit Temple, which itself resides atop the Holy Cathedral Sky Island—a floating sanctuary that hovers above the exact center of the Nine Great Temples.
Within the Great Temples lie numerous Lesser Temples, or Minor Domains. These are regional provinces: training sanctuaries, resource zones, pilgrimage sites, and spiritual grounds.
Though smaller in scope, they play a critical role in nurturing talent, upholding local rituals, and protecting ley lines.
At the very heart of one of the Nine Major Domains of the Great Cosmic Continent of Leo, the Great Temple of Balance rises like a divine monolith, built atop a colossal obsidian plateau that reflects the blazing crimson sky.
At this moment, a magic carriage hummed softly as it glided across the sun-scorched roads of the Temple of Balance’s Domain, its rune-etched wheels never quite touching the cracked obsidian ground.
Powered by steady pulses of star crystals, the carriage radiated faint warmth and cast a shimmering glow beneath the mid-afternoon sky, where clouds resembled burning feathers and the sunlight filtered down like molten gold.
Four Bronze Lions—majestic beast constructs forged from bronze and bound with runic chains—pulled the carriage with silent dignity. Their ruby eyes glowed as they moved in perfect unison, undeterred by the heat or distance.
These magic carriages were the primary transportation source among the worshipers of the Cardinal Spirit Temple.
Inside the carriage, a small group of Cardinal Spirit Temple worshipers was seated. Robed in simple ceremonial garments of flame-silk and white wool, they spoke in hushed tones, respectful of the land they traveled through.
A faint incense scent lingered inside the carriage—one used to calm nerves and encourage reverence.
Among them was a young brother and sister with dark silver hair; they were Faery Humans, while the others were from mixed races and mostly hybrids of Faery Humans.
This was a norm within the Cardinal Spirit Temple territories because Faery Humans were considered the children of the Holy Justice God, and the purer their bloodline, the higher their social standings.
The boy sat by the window, gazing out into the distance with wide, curious eyes. The surrounding landscape was beginning to shift—fields of red rock and black sand gave way to flat plains, and far on the horizon, a shimmering, gray heat-haze formed a mirage-like border.
He leaned closer to the girl beside him and whispered, "Look over there, Lira... do you see it? That’s the edge of the Ashen Mirage Desert."
She blinked, confused. "The what?"
The other passengers turned their attention subtly, now quiet, eager to listen but careful not to interrupt.
A cloaked man, seated in the corner—his face hidden, his head slightly lowered—did not move, but one could sense that he, too, was now listening.
The boy nodded, clearly thrilled to share what little he knew. "They say the desert was once part of the Great Temple’s outer sanctum, but it was abandoned after the Balance broke. No one says what that means—only that the fire there became wrong. Twisted. Even laws... stopped working right."
His voice dropped a little, taking on a conspiratorial tone. "Some pilgrims believe it was cursed by a failed Arch-Priest who sought to balance holy with death. Others think it’s where the first flame beast fell after defying the Holy Justice God. But whatever it is... no one who enters comes back. Not even their echoes."
The girl shivered and instinctively grasped a small flame-etched prayer disc around her neck. "Why would anyone go there, then?"
He shrugged. "Some say hidden ruins lie at the center. Others say the desert calls to certain people, like a whisper in the soul. A few years ago, a temple scout patrol vanished just trying to map it... Nothing was ever found, not even the sand where their carriage stood."
Silence settled in for a moment, heavy as the heat outside. The older passengers murmured their prayers softly.
But the cloaked figure in the corner remained motionless, hands folded, eyes shadowed beneath the hood.
Yet if one looked closely... they would see the faintest flicker of a cold smile tugging at the edges of his lips—as though he knew the truth hidden beneath the dunes. Or perhaps, he had been there.
Outside, the carriage turned gently along the border path. Far off in the distance, the desert appears deceptively serene: smooth dunes of silver-gray ash ripple across the land like waves frozen in time.
At this moment, the cloaked figure suddenly stood up; he was burly and around three feet tall, drawing the worshipers’ attentions. They were all confused by his presence since they seldom saw travelers like him.
Nonetheless, no one was interested in talking with him and kept their thoughts to themselves.
The cloaked person also didn’t seem to be interested in chatting with them, and at this moment, he moved, and under everyone’s dumbfounded eyes, he jumped off the carriage.
When those worshipers looked out, they were even more shocked because the small person had vanished like a ghost, and then they couldn’t help but think about the young man’s story, and a chill crawled down their backs.
The next moment, the carriage was filled with quavering prayers!