Infinite Paths: The Raging Phoenix

In Seara's mind, she imagined a scenario where Rain would press further, compelling her to pretend that refusing his advances was more of a formality than a genuine desire. There was a part of her that yearned for a deeper conversation or an extended moment of connection between them, knowing the importance of such moments in healing the long-standing rifts of absence and time.

"Do I see some disappointment in your face?" Rain asked.

"Shut up," Seara said and then headbutted Rain's nose again.

"Me and my big mouth," Rain said while he tried to fix his nose. "I guess I am truly an M since this isn't bothering me that much anymore."

After Rain fixed his nose, he decided to share a meal with Seara, noticing her troubled expression that persisted throughout their time together. Despite his attempts at light conversation and an effort to relax the atmosphere, Seara remained visibly busy, her mind clearly working with something weighing heavily on her thoughts.

As they finished their meal, Seara let out a deep sigh, her troubled demeanor becoming more obvious. Without saying a word, she took Rain's hand and began to pull him gently, indicating for him to follow her. He complied, curious about her sudden change in demeanor and the direction she was leading them.

Guided by Seara's firm but gentle grip, Rain followed her until they reached Isa's tent. It was evident that Seara had something important on her mind, something she felt compelled to discuss in a more private setting.

"You can only talk to her when I am around," Seara declared.

"I guess I have truly become whipped," Rain thought.

"I imagined that you wouldn't return anymore…" Isa said while furrowing her eyebrows while looking at Seara. "Anyway, you look better now. I take it that you talked to your daughter and things ended well."

"I am bit worried about her, since she might feel responsible for the deaths of those who follow her orders, but for now I know that she isn't alone and that is the best reassurance I can have,' Rain said.

"Well then, what can I do for you?" Isa asked.

"I want to know how I can find the other members of my family and my other friends as well," Rain said. "I can give you some details of what I learned about the dragon god and the apparent history of this world if you help me with that."

"I find it hard to believe that you actually learned that much about him and such a things while you disappeared," Isa furrowed her eyebrows.

"I talked with him for a bit and I know why he wanted me dead and didn't make any moves to kill anyone else," Rain said. "I also found the literal foundation of this world."

Isa's expression showed a unique blend of focus and contemplation as she studied Rain intently. Her dragon's eyes, renowned for their piercing insight and ability to discern truth from falsehood, seemed to be observing Rain differently than usual. Instead of their usual unwavering intensity, there was a subtle shift—a hint that they weren't functioning as they typically did.

Slowly, a sense of conviction began to form within Isa. While her dragon's eyes might not have been working as effectively on Rain at that moment, she found herself inexplicably compelled to trust his words. His sincerity, as conveyed through his behavior, mannerisms, and earnestness in his voice, resonated strongly with her intuition.

Rain was mindful of the delicate balance between revealing too much and withholding crucial information, and exercised caution in his talk with Isa. While there were aspects of his life and past that he preferred to keep guarded, he also recognized the importance of disclosing certain details. Discover stories at My Virtual Library Empire

He had that certain secrets, deeply personal and closely guarded, that he had no intention of sharing indiscriminately. However, Rain acknowledged that there were aspects of his story, certain pieces of information, that were relatively innocuous and held less potential to disrupt the delicate balance of his plans and alliances.

Furthermore, Rain was acutely aware that the depth of his secrets was known only to the dragon god, the one entity capable of piecing together the entirety of his history and intentions. He understood the dragon god's reluctance to engage or share information with individuals it deemed inferior or unworthy.

"I know a trick that can help you find the people you are looking for, but it isn't exactly accurate," Isa said after thinking for a short while. "It might make you even waste more time than anything. Besides, it can only show their current location for a brief moment."

"Anything that helps me gain time will be more than welcome," Rain said.

"This is something that we stopped using since it was more of a pain to use than anything," Isa said and then took a deep breath. "The cost to use this is insane and it is one time use only. Few people can actually pull this off."

Isa, with an air of concentration and determination, extended her hands forward, palms facing each other, as she began channeling her mana. A soft luminescence, faint at first, emanated from her palms, creating an ethereal glow in the air between them.

With clear movements, Isa focused her energy, shaping the mana into a condensed form resembling a small, white marble suspended in the air. As she continued to channel her mana, the object gradually expanded and transformed, growing in size.

Gradually, the shimmering marble transitioned and morphed, gradually taking on a new form—transforming into a crystal ball. The relic crystallized further, refining its structure until it resembled a perfect spherical orb, gleaming with a radiant and pristine transparency.

Rain felt a lot of frustration and disbelief surge within him. He felt profound disappointment at the simplicity of the method employed to locate his family and friends.

"Infuse your mana on it and keep the image of someone you want to find," Isa said with her eyes closed. "We can only see one person at a time."