In a haze, Shawn felt as though he had glimpsed an illusory world filled with white mist, where the scenery seemed to change at his will.
He was floating in a white sky, and when he looked down, he saw many translucent figures slowly walking in the same direction.
Following them with his gaze, he saw an enormous black gate hung with curtains, towering into the heavens in the distance. A powerful sense of summons tugged at his heart.
But before he could think further or heed that summons, the white world rapidly shattered.
Shawn slowly regained consciousness. His body drifted through pitch darkness, water filling his nose, mouth, chest, and stomach. He was suffocating.
His whole body hurt as though every bone had broken, especially his lower back. Something with a sharp corner seemed to have slammed into it just now.
Then, a moment later.
The pool churned even more violently. Red and purple light shone down through the water from above, improving visibility.
Only then did Shawn catch occasional glimpses of a huge tail sweeping past nearby, while faint hisses and bird cries reached his ears.
He froze for a moment. Those colors and sounds seemed rather familiar.
Before he could react further, a red bird plunged toward the bottom of the pool with its wings folded like a diving pelican. Fire jetted from its tail feathers to propel it swiftly toward Shawn, who still could not swim.
Through his haze, Shawn recognized Fawkes and marveled at the benefits of living so long. Even a fire-element bird had learned to swim.
The other bird fighting the basilisk above had to be Purple Shadow, who had sensed his danger and teleported over.
Then Shawn felt a tight grip on both shoulders. Fawkes caught him in his talons and swam