Finn nodded and motioned for the gentleman to lead the way. But before he did, he turned his head slightly, glancing toward the remaining crowd in the sky. Among them was Dana, who had a dazed expression on her face, clearly shaken by the battle that had just unfolded.

Finn paused then called out to the gentleman who had begun to move:

"Since the rules of your pact have been violated by the failure of the barrier, I believe the matter of the sword is concluded," he looked at the gentleman then gestured toward Dana in the distance. "Ensure that the Artifact Nurturer receives her full payment for the blade I chose. I do not care how you handle the logistics but the craft has to be paid for."

The gentleman nodded without hesitation. "Of course. It will be arranged exactly as you have requested. Our House will take full responsibility for the... disruption."

Finn nodded and then looked toward another section of the crowd where Madoc and Osmund were hovering on their own artifacts. They were watching the proceedings with their usual stoic detachment but he could see the wariness in their eyes. "I also have two companions in the crowd. Bring them along after settling the artifact matter. I don’t intend to leave them loitering in the market while I attend this meeting."

"It shall be done immediately," the gentleman replied then turned his attention to the young master. The boy was still holding his unconscious sister, and his face was a portrait of suppressed fury.

"Helix," the older man called with a tone that made the young man stiffen. "Escort our guest to the summit while I oversee the arrangements with the merchant and the other two guests."

He gave Helix a long and cautionary look. It was a silent warning that reminded the boy of exactly who had summoned Finn in the first place. Helix swallowed his pride and gave a stiff nod, understanding the gentleman’s meaning. He stepped onto his flying artifact and adjusted the weight of his sister in his arms.

"Follow me," Helix said. His tone was curt and professional. It lacked the deference he usually showed his elders but was polite enough to avoid giving offense.

Finn did not respond with words. Instead he moved his hand subtly and his shadow on the ground began to stretch and bubble.

Ryuga emerged from the darkness but this time the dragon had scaled down his size significantly. He was now roughly the size of a school bus, and his long and serpentine body coiled in the air with a fluid and predatory ease. Even at this size his obsidian scales seemed to swallow the light.

He let out a soft and resonant hum as Finn stepped onto his head. With a powerful surge of his coils, Ryuga rose into the air. They followed Helix through the zero gravity zone and headed toward the single landmass that hovered at the very apex of Stratus, weaving past large and small landmasses along the way till they finally reached the landmass that looked as if it was floating on clouds.

As they crested over the landmass, a large, imposing structure came into view. It was a grand building that sat in the center of a lush and green landscape. The architecture was a blend of stone and glass with clean and sharp lines that spoke of modern Mechanus influence mixed with the heavy and ossified aesthetics of the Ossuary.

However, the structure felt new. Everything here was less than a month old, and it showed in the lack of weathering on the stone and the fresh shine of the polished wood in certain areas of the building.

Finn took in the view and scanned the surroundings calmly as they landed on a wide marble courtyard. The people here were a different breed from the ones in the residential districts below. He saw Caretakers in droves, with their auras stable and dense. There were Arcanists here as well, and he noted several individuals who were clearly Grade 2, and even a few who were Grade 1 Masters.

Moreso, they weren’t just artifact nurturers but practitioners of every branch of magic, from elemental manipulation to body enhancement and also beast taming.

They had all surely seen his fight from their high vantage point, because right as Ryuga’s paws touched the floor Finn felt their gazes settle on him solely. Some eyes were wide with curiosity while others were narrowed with envy. The Ossuarists in particular were more interested in Ryuga, staring at him with a naked greed that was barely concealed. With their levels, they could sense the soul density of the creature even through its suppressed state. Finn ignored them all and did not spare a single one of them a glance as he stepped off Ryuga’s head.

As they descended, a group of Arcanists dressed in sterile white robes rushed forward to meet them. They took the unconscious Nova from Helix’s arms and quickly ushered her toward a different wing of the building for treatment. Helix let them do their job, swallowing hard as he watched them go. The distress was plain on his face but he forced himself to turn back to Finn.

"Come," he gestured toward the main doors. "The hall is this way."

They walked through the grand entrance and into a hallway that was lined with polished marble pillars. At the end of the hall a group of men were standing in a circle and talking in hushed tones. Immediately Finn and Helix entered the hall, two of the men broke away from the group and walked toward them.

Finn recognized Cade XV as one of the two immediately, but his attention was caught by the man walking beside the boy.

The man was an older and more weathered version of Cade. He had the same sharp features and arrogant tilt to his head, but his eyes were full of a deep and settled power. He wore robes of dark silk that were embroidered with the silver thorns of his house.