Aria slowly wakes up, blinking away the remnants of sleep. She lifts herself from the soft bed and glances over to the window, where Azreal stands, dressed in his usual dark attire, staring out at the horizon. The soft light from the early morning sun bathes the room in a golden hue.
"Good morning," Azreal says without turning to her, his voice calm and steady.
Aria, still groggy, rubs her eyes. "You’re up already?"
Azreal finally turns, a small smirk on his face. "Of course. I can’t afford to sleep in." He gestures to her. "Get dressed. I have something important to discuss with you."
Aria, sensing the seriousness in his tone, quickly nods. She rises and heads to the restroom. After a few minutes, she comes out, dressed and ready, only to find the room empty. She frowns for a moment, then heads to the door.
Just as she reaches it, the door swings open, and Azreal steps inside, a serious expression on his face. "Good, you’re ready."
Aria sits down, sensing the weight of the moment. "What’s going on?"
Azreal walks over to her. "Your training with your flames isn’t over. There’s still more for you to learn."
Aria tilts her head, a puzzled look crossing her face. "Hmm... What else is there? I’ve already learned to control my flames with your help. And I can manipulate them into shapes with Lulu’s guidance. What more is there to learn?"
Azreal’s gaze sharpens. "I told you before, didn’t I? You can’t learn everything from just one person."
Aria sighs, crossing her arms. "Fine... So, who will I be learning from now?"
Azreal’s eyes gleam with approval. "I like that spirit. You’ll be training with Dragos. And that means you’ll be heading to the Fifth Gate of Hell."
Aria’s eyes widen. "The Fifth Gate? That far?"
Azreal nods. "You’ll learn from all the Pillars. I want you to start with Dragos. He’ll be the first of many."
"Why not Lord Malphas?" Aria asks, clearly confused. "I already know him."
Azreal’s expression darkens slightly. "Learn from Dragos first. There’s a reason for it. You’ll understand when you’re there."
Aria, though still unsure, agrees. "Alright, if you say so."
Azreal nods approvingly. "Good. I’ll have Hulk escort you. Now, get your things together."
Chamber of Scarlet Flames
Laisa stares intently at the flaming board in front of her, her fingers tracing the connections between the threads of flame. Her mind races as she contemplates her next move against Azreal.
She leans back in her chair, rubbing her chin. "Will this approach work against Lord Azreal? I need to up my game... I can’t let that ant seductress get away."
Suddenly, Cassy enters the room, bowing respectfully. "Good morning, my lady."
Laisa snaps back into focus, quickly dispelling the flames. "What is it, Cassy?"
Cassy hesitates before replying. "I couldn’t deliver your message to Hulk. He was called by Lord Azreal to escort Lady Aria."
Laisa’s eyes narrow. "Escort her where?"
"To the Fifth Gate of Hell," Cassy replies. "She’s going to be trained under Lord Dragos."
Laisa smirks, her face twisted with a mix of amusement and malice. "Sending her to the Fifth Gate... That’s a grave mistake." She laughs softly. "Dragos will likely kill her in the first trial. With her flirtatious nature, she’ll be nothing but an easy target for him. She’ll be crushed... good riddance to that ant."
Outside the Royal Palace
Aria stands outside, the gates of the palace looming behind her. Beside her stands Azreal and Hulk, who watches quietly as Aria prepares for her journey.
Azreal snaps his fingers, and a swirling gate materializes before them. "Take care," Azreal says with a small, encouraging smile.
Aria turns to leave but is suddenly stopped by a familiar voice.
Aria turns to see Nena rushing toward her, holding a small lunchbox in her hands. "I packed your favorites. Go and train hard," she says, her voice filled with warmth.
Tears well up in Aria’s eyes as she hugs Nena tightly. "Thank you... I’ll do my best."
Nena pats her back. "Don’t cry now. You’re not normally this soft."
Aria quickly wipes away the tears and smiles, though there’s a hint of sadness in her expression. Hulk, standing by, clears his throat. "Shall we leave?"
Aria nods, taking one last look at Nena before turning away. "Yes," she says, and with that, she and Hulk step into the gate.
Nena watches them go, her heart heavy with concern. "Do you think it’s really alright to send her to the Fifth Gate? Couldn’t she train here?"
Azreal shakes his head. "She needs to learn from others. She can’t rely on me alone. She needs different perspectives to truly grow."
Nena frowns. "I hope she’ll be alright."
Azreal offers a reassuring smile. "She’ll be fine. She’s already well-equipped for what’s ahead."
Fifth Gate of Hell – Gate of Unholy Pyre
Aria and Hulk step out of the swirling gate, and the moment they do, the gate vanishes behind them. Before them stands a massive, imposing structure – the Fifth Gate of Hell, marked by a giant dragon carved into the stone. Aria stares in awe at the intricate design.
"What... no guards?" she mutters, glancing around.
Suddenly, the dragon’s eyes begin to glow bright red. A voice booms from it. "What business do you have here?"
Before Aria can answer, Hulk steps forward, raising a hand in a calm gesture. "I was instructed by Lord Azreal to bring Lady Aria to Lord Dragos for training."
The dragon’s eyes narrow. "I don’t know of that request. But you speak of Aria... the one with the God’s mark?"
The dragon opens its enormous mouth, revealing a dark, gaping space. "Place your hand with the mark here."
Aria hesitates, a frown crossing her face. "What if you bite my hand off?"
The dragon snorts, a puff of smoke billowing from its nostrils. "Why would I do that?"
"Trust me, Lady Aria," Hulk says with a reassuring smile. "The dragon won’t harm you."
Still skeptical, Aria approaches hesitantly. "Look at him. He looks like he hasn’t eaten in ages. What if he’s hungry?"
Hulk rolls his eyes. "He’s not hungry. He doesn’t need to eat."
"Still not reassuring," Aria mutters, but she reluctantly places her hand inside the dragon’s mouth.
The dragon closes its mouth, and Aria gasps. "My hand is gone! I can’t see it!"
The dragon opens its mouth, revealing Aria’s hand intact. "You’re free to enter," it says with an amused tone.
The massive gate slowly creaks open, revealing blinding light that spills out from within. Aria shields her eyes, expecting the fiery inferno of hell itself.
When the light fades, she stares in disappointment at the desolate, barren land before her. "Seriously?"
Before she can say more, the ground beneath her and Hulk cracks open, and they both plummet into a large hole. Aria screams as they fall, and Hulk, unfazed, closes his ears to her shrill voice.
The hole closes behind them, and they land with a thud in a fiery, dragon-filled landscape. The air crackles with the heat of flames, and massive draconoids soar overhead.
"Are those draconoids?" Aria asks, looking up in awe.
Hulk nods. "It seems so."
Suddenly, a massive dragon swoops down toward them, and Aria instinctively shields her eyes. "I don’t want to be dragon food!"
The dragon lands with a powerful gust of wind, kicking up dust and debris. Aria opens her eyes, and she freezes, staring up at the creature. But to her surprise, the dragon shifts, and a young man slides down from its back, bowing respectfully.
"I’m Drago," the man says, his voice calm. "Lord Dragos’s right-hand man. Sorry if I startled you."
Aria, still in awe of the draconoid, can’t help herself. She flings herself at him, inspecting his features with wide eyes. "You’re a draconoid... This is my first time seeing a species like yours!"
Drago chuckles nervously, his smile forced. "Long time no see, Hulk."
Hulk grunts in acknowledgment. "I came to escort her."
Aria, still fascinated, barely listens as Drago continues. "Lord Dragos is busy. He won’t have time for you right now. But I’m here to show you to your room. Shall we go?"
Aria, snapping out of her fascination, nods. "Of course."
They walk through a grand hall, surrounded by towering dragon fossils set aflame, before arriving at a large, well-furnished room.
Drago opens the door, and Aria’s eyes widen in surprise. "Wow... This place looks just like the palace."
Drago smirks. "I’m glad you like it. We’ll send someone to help you settle in."
"No need," Aria says with a smile, stepping inside. "I’m fine on my own."
Drago nods, turning to leave. "Alright then."
Aria lies down on the bed, staring up at the dragon-shaped imprint on the wall. "Must everything be about dragons?" she mutters. "I feel like I’m in the hell of dragons..."
Moments Before Departure
Azreal’s voice echoes in Aria’s mind. "You’re going to train, but I also need you to do something else for me."
Aria frowns. "What is it?"
Azreal’s voice turns serious. "I want you to investigate the Fifth Gate. There’s an imposter among us, and I need you to find clues. Your training is just a cover."
Aria’s eyes widen. "You want me to be a spy?"
Azreal’s tone is firm. "Yes. You’re perfect for the job. Your naivety works in your favor. You’ll blend in perfectly."
Aria smirks, a hint of sarcasm in her voice. "So I’m perfect because I’m clumsy?"
Azreal chuckles. "In simpler terms, yes. But now, widen your scope. Look deeper, and you’ll find what I need."
Aria grins, her eyes gleaming with determination. "That’s right... My real mission is to investigate. I’m Lord Azreal’s chosen one."
She laughs softly, her voice filled with confidence. "Good for you, Lulu. Looks like Lord Azreal prefers me over you."
Suddenly, a voice echoes through the room, causing Aria to startle. "Down here, you nitwit."
Aria looks down and gasps as a small dragon pounces onto her hand, its fiery tongue licking at the flames she conjured. "Oh, so that’s the Holy Flames I’ve heard of."
The dragon swallows the flames before looking up at Aria. "So, you’re the one they sent to guide me around?" Aria asks, her curiosity piqued.
The dragon grins mischievously. "That’s right. I’m here to show you around and help you settle in." The most update n0vels are published on 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭·𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦·𝘯𝘦𝘵
Aria’s eyes narrow. "Lord Dragos... What’s his connection to all these dragons? This place... it’s like hell for dragons. And my mission has already begun."