(The Time-Stilled World, Leo’s Isolated Mansion, Leonardo’s POV)

Leonardo strolled into Leo’s mansion without the slightest trace of the hesitation that most men felt when approaching the Shadow Dragon, for unlike them, who revered Leo with the fear one reserved for gods, he simply loved him as his uncle.

*Step*

*Step*

His boots clicked softly against the marble floor, the sound echoing faintly through the vast silence of the mansion.

The air within felt unusually heavy, dense with mana, as faint ripples of restrained power shimmered through the walls like invisible waves, a constant reminder of the being who resided here.

No guards stood at the entrance, no servants lingered in the halls. The mansion was vast but lifeless, designed for solitude rather than comfort, with no ornaments, no scent of food or flowers, and no trace of daily human life, only stillness, pure and absolute.

Leonardo moved forward calmly, his expression steady, the long earring on his left ear swaying lightly with each step.

The earring had become an ornament he wore at all times, a signature of his dressing style, which his father disapproved of, however, he wore anyways, for he felt like it gave him flair and personality.

The aura around his body flickered between shades of light and dark blue, showing his jolly mood at being invited to his uncle’s mansion, for he knew that his uncle would only call for him if there was an exciting development to share.

He looked like a spitting image of his late grandfather Jacob in his youth, sharing the same calm composure, the same black hair, the same piercing eyes, and that same quiet discipline that made his every movement look deliberate, measured, and precise.

"Ooo... looks like uncle was in a seriously foul mood before my arrival.

Look at all this window and tile destruction.

Sheesh.

He must’ve raged hard."

He muttered before pushing open the door to Leo’s room, as he wondered as to what made his uncle destroy his surroundings so badly?

Inside, Leo sat upon his throne-like chair, his figure illuminated by faint motes of light dancing through the air.

His eyes were closed, his aura restrained behind a thin veil of calm that seemed more forced than natural.

To anyone else, standing before him would have felt like standing before a storm that could erase existence. But Leonardo had grown accustomed to this suffocating pressure over the years, and so he stood tall, head raised in confidence but eyes respectfully lowered.

"You called for me... Uncle?"

His voice was even, his tone composed, though faintly laced with the reverence that no member of the Skyshard bloodline could ever entirely conceal.

Leo’s eyes opened slowly, silver-gray and deep as starlit oceans, as he nodded once, studying his nephew in silence for several seconds before speaking.

"You have improved as a warrior since the last time I saw you," he said, his gaze traveling briefly along the boy’s posture, aura, and breathing rhythm. "Your internal mana flow is smoother. More stable than before."

Leonardo bowed slightly, accepting the compliment with humility. "Thank you, Uncle."

The last time they had met was six months ago, at the funeral of his grandmother—Elena Skyshard.

As just thinking about it, Leonardo felt his eyes water up slightly.

Elena had passed away in her sleep, peacefully and without pain, though her death had come as a surprise to the entire Skyshard family.

Ever since Jacob’s death two years prior, her loneliness had grown quietly unbearable, and perhaps, Leonardo often thought, she had simply chosen to follow him.

Her grave now lay beside Jacob’s, beneath the flower bed near their family manor, just as she had always wished.

Leo’s expression softened for a brief moment at the memory before he spoke again.

"How has the family been?"

Leonardo took a careful breath before replying. "They miss you, Uncle. Especially Aunt Amanda. She hopes you can come home sometime soon... Caleb’s fifth birthday is coming up."

At the mention of his wife and children, Leo’s composure faltered, if only for an instant. His lips parted slightly, but no words came, as a faint shadow crossed his expression.

He had two sons—Caleb and Mairon. Five and three years old, in the cutest phases of their life.

Yet, unfortunately for him, he could not hold them in his hands, or show them any fatherly affection, for his aura was too unstable to be around kids so tender.

"I will meet Amanda sometime later this month," Leo said at last, his voice low. "As for the children... give them my love."

Leonardo nodded, understanding perfectly. He knew why his uncle kept his distance. Leo’s aura, though restrained, was far too volatile now. A single lapse in control could stop a heart, freeze blood, or shatter bones. Being near children whose bodies were still developing was simply too dangerous.

The young man clasped his hands behind his back. Despite being barely twenty-two, Leonardo had the poise of someone twice his age, molded by the harshness of this world that had no mercy for the weak.

"So why have you called for me, Uncle?" he asked gently, breaking the silence that had begun to stretch between them.

Leo leaned back slightly, resting a hand against his forehead, his tone contemplative. "Tell me, Leonardo... how is your aura mastery progressing? How many colors have you seen?"

Leonardo hesitated before answering. "Still only two, Uncle. Red and Blue. I haven’t been able to perceive any others yet."

Leo nodded knowingly, not the least bit disappointed. "That is to be expected. Some colors take years to appear, some require experiences beyond the ordinary to trigger recognition. Do not be discouraged. Keep your eyes open, and when the time comes, the next color will reveal itself naturally."

Leonardo nodded silently, his respect for his uncle deepening further with every word.

When he first began down the path of aura mastery, he did not feel like it would be so difficult.

However, now, as two years had already passed and he had already reached the peak of Grandmaster in terms of body, mind and mana mastery, he understood just how tough it must have been for his uncle to complete his manual mastery, for learning aura was far more difficult than mastering even the most difficult of skills.

Until he had not walked down that path himself, he could not recognise its difficulty, but now that he had, he knew just how awesome his uncle was to have completed aura mastery and ascend to Transcendent before the age of 25.

"The reason I called you here today is because I need a favor....."

Leo said finally, as his tone dropped to one of grave importance.

Leonardo straightened instantly, his posture shifting into that of a soldier before his commander.

"There is a place," Leo began, his voice echoing faintly in the vast chamber, "that I have been trying to locate for the last two decades. A place said to exist somewhere in the middle of the Time-Stilled Ocean. Sailors speak of a floating island there—a piece of land that hovers above the water, invisible to most, and unreachable to those who try to find it."

He paused, his eyes distant, his tone almost analytical as he continued. "Whenever I send crafts over that region, they pass through it as if there is nothing there. The sailors, however, claim to see it with their own eyes from below, yet the closer they get, the more it fades until it disappears completely."

Leonardo frowned slightly, intrigued despite himself. "An island that disappears the closer you approach it?"

"Yes," Leo confirmed. "A myth, perhaps. Or something more. I want you to find out which."

He leaned forward slightly, his eyes gleaming faintly with conviction. "You will take an expedition to that region. If there is anything of value there, you will know it by its aura. A red, blue, or golden hue should appear if the island truly exists. You will observe, confirm, and report back to me through your crystal communicator."

Leonardo listened carefully, his hands clasped behind his back as the magnitude of the request settled in.

"I will send two Monarchs with you for protection," Leo added. "You will take no unnecessary risks. This is reconnaissance, not conquest. I simply lack the time to confirm these rumors myself. But if the island is real... if something lies hidden there, it may be of profound importance to us."

He paused again, then added quietly, "You are the only other warrior in the Cult walking the path of aura. That is why I’m entrusting this mission to you. You will see what others cannot."

Leonardo lowered his head briefly, the weight of his uncle’s trust pressing upon him like armor. "I understand. I’ll do everything in my power to make you proud, Uncle."

"I know you will," Leo said softly, his voice warmer now, touched by a rare affection. "You are your father’s son, after all."

For a brief moment, silence returned, neither uncomfortable nor cold, but filled with unspoken understanding between them.

Leonardo turned to leave, his steps quiet as he approached the exit. But before he reached the door, Leo’s voice followed him once more.

"Leonardo."

He stopped and looked back.

"When you stand upon the sea," Leo said slowly, his tone carrying that same grave wisdom that had once shaped nations, "remember that the world often hides its truths behind illusions. Trust your instincts more than your eyes. The instincts of our blood will see more than the eyes of other men."

Leonardo bowed deeply. "Yes, Uncle."

And with that, he departed, the faint light of the mansion fading behind him as he stepped back into the cold, endless twilight of the Time-Stilled World, his heart thumping loudly at being entrusted with his first real adventure.