After nearly a week of travel, Dom and his team finally approached the borders of the North-Land.
Among the four great nations of the Great-Land, each possessed a trait so defining that it had earned them a title.
The South-Land, often called the Great-Land's Mightiest, was known for its overwhelming military strength and powerful mages. Despite possessing some of the strongest individuals in the world, the nation remained deeply traditional.
Its people still favored old-fashioned clothing, weapons, architecture, and transportation such as beast-pulled carriages. The Royal Council strongly believed that technological advancement carried the potential for catastrophe and therefore restricted most forms of innovation.
To the west stood the Rock of the Land, a nation famous for its immense territory, near-impenetrable defenses, and the vast waters that naturally separated it from the other great powers.
The East was known as the Land of Riches, the wealthiest nation in the world, whose merchants and businesses held influence far beyond its own borders.
And finally, there was the North-Land.
The Land of Technology.
Blessed with abundant Rapore reserves and driven by an endless pursuit of knowledge, the North had become the world's center of innovation.
While other nations purchased or copied their inventions, the North continued to push technology forward at a pace no one else could match.
As the sun began to set, Dom and his team finally crossed through the capital city's massive gates.
A few minutes later, Dom stepped away from his horse and froze.
"Whoa," Lucy mumbled from her seated position atop one of the three carriages, eyes glued to the city.
"Impressive," Dae said with a smile, remaining on his horse and looking up.
It wasn't just them; the dozen South-Land soldiers riding alongside the carriages also stopped to admire the massive capital city.
Unlike the South's capital, everything felt different. Towering glass-and-metal structures dominated the skyline, glowing signs lit the streets, and not a single beast-pulled carriage could be seen.
Instead, sleek metallic vehicles moved through the city under their own power.
"So those are the Rapore-powered carriages," Dae said, watching one glide past them.
"They're called Cars," Roy said as he walked up beside Dae on horseback. His calm expression was the only one unimpressed by the city's wonders.
"Dom! Look!" Lucy shouted, pointing upwards.
Dom looked up and flinched at the sight of the towering buildings, some seemingly touching the sky, floating air balloons drifting between them, and multiple massive, bright display screens.
A revving sound drew his attention elsewhere.
His gaze shifted, and a smile formed when he saw dozens of floating carriages moving in organized routes above the city.
"The floating carriages," Lucy mumbled, tail wagging in excitement.
"Hover-cars," Roy corrected, dismounting from his horse. "The Division's sending some over to pick us up from here." He walked toward one of the three horse-pulled carriages.
Dae gave Roy a curious stare. "Why can't we just go there ourselves?" He asked.
Roy gestured around them.
That's when they noticed the stares from nearby civilians, some laughing, others taking pictures. From their perspective, it was as if they had stumbled upon ancient artifacts, things they had only seen in old storybooks.
"We'll draw less attention if we move as they do," Roy said, gesturing for a soldier to open a carriage door. He glanced inside, ensuring their cargo was accounted for. "For now, we just need to wait un—"
A sudden gust of wind cut him off.
He turned and immediately found Dom gone, while the other two young mages looked up. Roy's gaze followed, spotting Dom quickly ascending into the air.
"I literally just said we should wait," Roy grumbled, frustration clear on his face.
"Sorry," Dae said, drawing his attention. "...he just… does that sometimes."
Roy stared at Dae for a moment before offering a sympathetic smile. "Don't apologize. I know what it's like having a troublesome Captain."
Dae smiled while Lucy got to her feet, trying to call out to Dom.
Already several feet in the air, Dom couldn't hear his comrades below. He kicked the air below, the shock waves propelling him upwards until he stopped with a grin once he got a bird's-eye view of the city.
Before he could fully appreciate it, a loud honk made him instinctively dodge a large floating car.
Seeing a hovering cylindrical object producing different lights at his side, his eyes widened once he realized he was actually floating in the middle of an aerial traffic lane.
Another honk drew his gaze to a large truck barreling toward him.
"Fuck," Dom muttered, narrowly evading it, only to enter the path of a fast-moving car. With quick reflexes, he weaved and dodged each vehicle until he finally flew out of the air road.
"Sorry!" He shouted at a car whose driver had stopped to yell insults.
Ignoring him, Dom took another look at the city. The orange rays of the setting sun beautifully complemented the vibrant, colorful lights emitted from the moving vehicles, buildings, and display screens, creating a surreal, painting-like view.
"Doooooope," Dom said just as his comms vibrated in his pocket. Pulling it out, he was instantly bombarded with a voice that made him nearly drop the device.
"No fair! You left me! I want to see the flying carriages too!" Lucy shouted.
Dom saw her glaring from the small screen. Before she could continue, a hand took the comms from her, and Dom flinched at Roy's stern face.
"The truck just arrived. Get back here." Roy said.
"Yes, sir," Dom replied, closing the comms.
He gave the city one last long look.
Satisfied, he stopped kicking and allowed himself to free-fall toward the city below… completely unaware of the small floating device watching him from afar.
Its mechanical eye followed his descent until he disappeared into the streets.
One hour later…
Dom and his team arrived at the Science Division using the North's cars and trucks.
The Division building was a massive complex, just as beautiful as those in the city, with inventions they had only heard of—or never imagined before.
By a large service entrance, the South-Land soldiers helped unload the cargo onto hovering carts while a friendly-looking scientist handed Dom a clipboard.
"Thanks for returning them. Even though they were older models, they're still valuable," The scientist said.
Dom signed the document with a smile. "It's fine. We're just sorry our guys stole them in the first place."
"At least they're back where they belong," The scientist said as Dom returned the clipboard.
As the scientist left, Dom headed to his friends, quietly watching the unloading.
"Done?" Dae asked.
Dom nodded.
"Guess this means we're almost done here," Dae commented, arms folded.
"Looks like it," Dom said, hands in his pockets, still observing the unloading.
As the soldiers worked alongside the building's staff, exchanging friendly smiles, Dom frowned, his brows furrowed in thought.
Lucy noticed and tapped him.
Dom snapped out of his thoughts to find his friends staring. He smiled, answering their unasked question.
"I'm fine. It's just…" He paused, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. "… ever since Lupus, I've always had my guard up." He lowered his head, serious. "I know I'm sounding pessimistic… but doesn't this feel too easy?"
Dae nodded. "When I saw the Council wanted us specifically to guard this shipment, I assumed it was a trap." He said, glancing around them. "But for the past couple of days, we haven't encountered a single attack or trouble."
"Isn't that a good thing?" Roy asked, walking up to them from behind. "Not all jobs have to go south."
"I know, I know. I'm happy we're done, and no one's hurt," Dom said, smiling briefly before it faded. "But I can't shake the feeling that the other shoe's about to drop."
His gaze drifted toward the Division building.
"Like we're already standing in the middle of the problem and just haven't seen it yet."
A moment of silence hung over them.
Dom's words added to the tense quiet.
Then, Lucy bumped his shoulder. "Well, whatever happens, we'll just beat them up like usual, right?" She asked with a supportive smile.
Dae nodded.
Dom smiled, then slapped his cheeks twice, the loud smack startling a nearby Northern worker. "Alright then." He said, his grin returning. "Tomorrow, we hit the town."
"And shops," Lucy added, and Dom threw her a thumbs-up.
Dae rolled his eyes at their usual optimism while Roy stared at them with a silent smile.
"Oh my." A voice echoed, and they all turned to see a short, old man with round glasses and a lab coat walking toward them.
Roy's eyes narrowed in recognition while Dom raised a curious brow at the excited smile on the scientist's face.
"You must be Dominic," The old man said, his eyes sparkling behind his glasses.
For some reason, the enthusiasm felt less like admiration… and more like discovery.
"Yeah," Dom said suspiciously as the man eagerly shook his hand.
"It's an absolute pleasure to finally meet you." He said, his smile widening.
"Uh… Thanks… and you are?" Dom asked cautiously as the man's eyes gleamed with life, like a child seeing a new toy.
"Oh, forgive me. Where are my manners?" He said, stepping back and adopting a professional smile. "My name is Dr. Ivan Malfoy. I'm the Head of the North's Science Division."
Both Dom and Dae's eyes widened, their bodies stiffening while Roy stared silently.
Lucy noticed their reactions, visibly confused as the title had no meaning to her. "Is he important?" She asked.
"Extremely important," Dae replied.
Lucy noticed his tensed expression.
"Just like the Magic Knights are vital to our country's might," Roy explained, folding his arms calmly. "… the Science Division is the forefront of the North."
Lucy's smile returned once she realized what that meant. "So this old guy's their boss? Like Tony?" She said.
Dae nodded.
She turned to Ivan, but her smile faded once she sensed the faint mana surrounding the old man. "But he… smells super weak," She noted with disappointment.
Ivan raised a brow at the rude comment while Dom slapped his forehead, embarrassed.
"Dr. Malfoy is a scientist, not a fighter," Dae explained to Lucy, who tilted her head curiously.
"He's more than that," Roy said, fixing Ivan with a hard stare. "He's a renowned genius whose inventions and weapons played a major role in the final stages of the war." He glanced at Dom. "They even gave Tony and the others some serious trouble back then."
The two boys flinched at Roy's words; even Lucy finally stiffened once she understood the implication.
The Monarchs were monsters who were able to take down entire armies in seconds. Dom thought as he turned back his gaze to Ivan, his eyes narrowed suspiciously. What kind of weapon did he build to give them trouble?
Ivan laughed fondly once he noticed their wary stares. "It's good to know my fame hasn't completely faded." He said, then turned to Roy with a smile. "And I've heard a lot about you, too, Roy Michael. Or would you prefer-The Anti-Dragon."
Roy frowned. "I've always hated that name."
"But it perfectly describes you, doesn't it?" Ivan replied, his smile widening.
Roy scoffed, his arms folded. "So, what brings a man like yourself here?" He asked, gesturing at the soldiers and workers still moving the cargo in the background. "Even with your shipment, I doubt you'd have the time to see it yourself."
Ivan nodded, hands held behind his back. "You're right. I trust my men to handle the shipment without me. I'm only here…" He paused as he turned to Dom, smiling wider. "Because I wanted to see you for myself."
"Me?" Dom asked, pointing at himself in confusion.
"Of course." Ivan chuckled, waving a hand dismissively. "I've heard some of your exploits in the South. So when I heard that the same young Silva from the South was at my doorstep, I could not help myself."
Dae noticed that Roy twitched, his white eyes glowing menacingly at that name.
Meanwhile, Dom frowned in confusion.
The name was completely unfamiliar… yet, something inside him stirred. Like a memory buried somewhere beyond reach.
"Silva?" He echoed in thought.
Ivan hummed, hand rubbing his bushy gray beard. "Ah, yes." He said, understanding Dom's reaction. "Despite its forgotten history, it's still basically taboo to even talk about. Which is quite unfortunate."
He shook his head.
"Those fools never truly understood the value of your species."
Dae raised a brow. "Species?" He muttered.
Ivan ignored him, lost in his own words.
"Sorry, but…" Dom said as he shook his head. "...what exactly are you talking about?"
Ivan stared at Dom a moment before smiling. "I'd love to explain further. We can discuss it in my office," He gestured toward the building.
"What about us?" Lucy asked.
Ivan turned as if finally acknowledging their presence.
Dae noticed a brief flicker of disinterest in Ivan's eyes, which was quickly masked with a friendly smile.
"The topic is quite sensitive, but since you're friends of Dominic, you're invited to join," Ivan said.
Dae frowned at Ivan's smile, but Lucy smiled, completely unaware of the subtle tension hanging over them.
Dom turned to Roy. "Is that okay?" He asked.
Roy remained silent for a moment, then looked at the other two. "No. They'll stay behind." He said bluntly.
Lucy glared at him. "No. I want to go with Dom," She snapped.
Roy pointed to the still-unloading shipment. "Our job is to get it safely inside. Until then, we stay on guard duty." He explained.
Lucy fumed, clearly unsatisfied, while Dae glanced between Ivan and Dom.
"What about Dom?" Dae asked.
"I'll go with him," Roy said to Ivan with a cunning smirk. "I'm also an acquaintance of Dominic… so I'm invited too, correct?" He asked with a threatening gleam in his pale eyes.
Completely unmoved by the subtle threat, Ivan shrugged. "Of course. Well then, shall we?" He said as he gestured them to follow him.
Dom smiled and followed Ivan towards the building with Roy by his side. Dom turned to wave at them, and Lucy sadly waved back.
Once they were far enough, she dropped her hand with a heavy sigh. "It's not fair. Why can't we go with Dom?" She pouted, while Dae stared at Ivan suspiciously, his glowing purple eyes narrowing.
A couple of minutes later…
Dom grinned as he, along with Ivan and Roy, rode in a small lift that elevated them to the building's upper floors.
Ivan laughed, watching Dom run his fingers over the control console. "You look like a child on his first elevator ride," He said.
"I mean, it is my first ride," Dom chuckled just as the elevator came to a stop and the doors slid open.
Stepping into the large hallway, Dom looked around in awe at the even more impressive devices and technology surrounding them.
"Whoa," He murmured, stopping to stare at one of several wall-mounted screens, almost as big as the wall itself. "I've never seen a comm that big before." His eyes scanned the various images displayed on it.
Ivan's eyes widened at Dom's childlike excitement. "You've never seen a television set before?" He asked.
Dom shrugged.
Ivan shook his head in disbelief. "Wow. That's quite unfortunate." He said with a sigh as they proceeded down the hallway.
Dom couldn't help but gawk at the wonders around him. He laughed at the sight of a mechanical humanoid following a female scientist, holding a stack of folders while she interacted with her tablet.
"What do you think of our technology so far, Dominic?" Ivan asked, amused by Dom's unfiltered reactions.
Dom smiled as a drone flew overhead. "Dope. I wish we had them back home." He said as he waved at a robot which waved back.
"A wise answer," Ivan said, frowning slightly. "But unfortunately, the South's Council deems it unnecessary and dangerous. They preferred their so-called traditional life."
He gestured sarcastically with air quotes.
"A severely foolish endeavor, if you ask me."
He looked past the excited Dom to fix his gaze on Roy, who maintained his stoic facade while quietly watching Ivan like a hawk, completely unmoved by the technological marvels around him.
Some time later…
They arrived at a uniquely designed door in a private sector of the floor.
Ivan placed his hand on the interface beside the door and a white light scanned his palm, before turning green.
"Welcome, Dr Malfoy."
An exotic female voice echoed, and the door slid open.
So dope, Dom thought as they stepped through, the door sliding shut behind them. But he was so caught up in the marvels around him that he failed to notice the look Ivan exchanged with Roy.
Neither man was smiling anymore.