Orden wryly smiled after seeing the excited Aersus

It appears that Aersus hadn't realized the danger he was in yet.

Nonetheless, Orden continued to play with him. He was unconcerned by Aersus's ferocious assault as he charged forward

With a sudden burst of speed, he closed the distance between them, delivering a thunderous kick that echoed through the forest, sending Aersus staggering back.

Boom!

The attack seemed to have woken Aersus back to reality as he condensed his draconic aura around his fists as he planned to fight with everything he had.

In any case, he knew for himself that he would be able to escape if he truly wanted to

It didn't take long before the battle had once again reached its new peak as the two dragons locked in deadly close combat Nonetheless, the two dragons in human form continued their battle without showing any signs of exhaustion or defeat on both sides.

***

In the meantime, amidst the clash between Aersus and Orden, Mennena found herself ensnared within a complex Temporal Formation Art, it was an unending web of temporal threads that trapped her ethereal form in its intricate embrace. "Haaa~ This Temporal Formation Art I think it's made especially for me I feel really honored." Mennena said as she cast her glance at the two figures hiding in the shadows.

Thud. Thud

The two then stepped forward after confirming that their trap actually worked.

"Yes We made it for you, Mennena"

"You're an Arch Fey for sure You're dangerous but we got lucky this time. "

Jin and Giorgi, the Time Manipulators of Vale's Castle, reveled in their successful trap, their expressions a mix of satisfaction and apprehension at the presence of the powerful Arch Fey within their midst.

"Release me now, Time Manipulators or perhaps, Slaves of the Shadow Immortal Haha! I won't be stealing that Golden Key anymore. I just like to meet your owner, the Shadow Immortal." Mennena said with a chuckle.

Jin, his eyes glowed with a mischievous gleam, regarded Mennena's plight with a sense of amusement that bordered on arrogance.

"Slaves, huh You can say whatever you want, Mennena But to think that a being of your caliber would grace our humble abode with your presence. It seems Chad's warning was not in vain after all," he remarked, his tone laced with a hint of condescension.

Giorgi's features also show his fascination with the situation since he had never seen an ArchFey until now They should be extinct already! He didn't expect that they would still exist in the human realm! "That's true" Jin agreed before addressing Mennena, his voice tinged with a note of caution.

"Your reputation precedes you, Mennena. We were fortunate to have the time to prepare for your arrival. The Golden Key is safe in our hands, thanks to our diligence," he declared, his gaze unwavering as he held the coveted artifact securely.

Mennena, her gaze a mix of disdain and defiance, met the Time Manipulators' words with a steely eyes and spoke coldly.

"You may think yourselves clever for trapping me but do not mistake my confinement for defeat. Did you not think that I'm just bidding my time, gathering the strength to shatter your temporal prison and reclaim what is rightfully mine?" She proclaimed, her voice echoing with a hint of otherworldly power.

As she said this, however, the two Time Manipulators smiled. They knew that the Arch Fey was bluffing.

Nonetheless, Jin needed to keep talking as they also needed information from this Arch Fey.

He showed his interest in Mennena's words and questioned her motives with a curious tilt of his head. "What drives you to seek the Golden Key, Mennena? What kind of plan do you hope to achieve by bargaining with the Shadow Immortal?" He inquired, his gaze probing for the truth behind the Arch Fey's enigmatic intentions.

Mennena, her expression remained inscrutable, and she met Jin's inquiry with a cryptic retort.

"The Shadow Immortal's background is a lot more complicated than you know. It is not for you to comprehend, Time Manipulator." She replied, her eyes flashing with a glint of defiance

As Mennena turned her attention to the shimmering Golden Key held securely in Giorgi's grasp, a flicker of greed crossed her features.

Unbeknownst to her captors, she began to channel her otherworldly energies as she wanted to have a final attempt to steal the Golden Key!

However, as Mennena started breaking the intricate Temporal Formation Art that trapped her, a powerful and pressuring aura filled the air, signaling the arrival of a new presence within the confines of the room

With a ripple in the fabric of reality, a figure wearing a blindfold appeared.

Without a doubt, it was the Shadow Immortal

To be exact, it was the Avatar of the Immortal who had materialized before the assembled beings

"You're even more terrifying than I thought" Mennena commented as she resisted the pressure coming from the Immortal.

His form was like a manifestation of dark power and ancient knowledge that had seen the long history of the human realm.

"Mhmmm"

The Avatar, cloaked in shadows that seemed to dance and writhe around his imposing figure, surveyed the scene before him.

His presence exuded an aura of foreboding that sent shivers down the spines of three beings in the room. Indeed, even the Time Manipulators felt nervous in front of this Avatar.

Jin and Giorgi, the Time Manipulators, bowed their heads in deference to the Shadow Immortal's Avatar, a gesture of respect tinged with a hint of trepidation at the arrival of their enigmatic master. Mennena, trapped within the confines of the Temporal Formation Art, regarded the Avatar with curiosity and defiance, her gaze didn't leave the Immortal's figure and met his inscrutable stare.

The Avatar's voice, a deep resonance that seemed to echo from the depths of the void itself, cut through the tense silence that enveloped the courtyard.

"Mennena, Arch Fey of the Mirror Realms, what brings you to my domain seeking the Golden Key."

He asked, and his words weren't spoken softly, it contained a pressure that tried to hypnotize the ArchFey!

Mennena knew this, but she met his gaze fearlessly.

"I come seeking a bargain, Shadow Immortal, a pact that may benefit us both in ways... The Golden Key can't be used many times... You will just waste it at this rate... But I seek to unlock something greater with your cooperation"