Chapter 1: "Veils of Betrayal"

At the top of the mountains enshrouded by the clouds, lies the entrance to the Hidden Land of the Dragon—the "Sky Arch". Besides the Sky Arch stood many assassins in black. The cyan embroidery etched on their clothes identified them to being part of the most mysterious assassin faction of the Cadia Riverlands, the "Finch". Legends say it's impossible to escape the claws of the Finch.

After a while, a man landed beside the Sky Arch. With his lithe footwork, he didn't create any ripples on the lake of the clouds. The man was the Finch's best assassin known as the "Cyan Finch". Without hesitation, he swung his Defiant Sword, generating great energy and opening the Sky Arch. The assassins behind him dashed across the arch and entered the Hidden Land of the Dragon. As a perfect assassin, Cyan Finch couldn't tolerate failure. This was the same. However, the Hidden Land had many occult traps and enchantments to resist invaders, which made the assassins to lose their wings and fall from the sky. Even so, those traps could not stop the Cyan Finch at all. His light feet glided over the perils and past into the Hidden Land.

Cyan Finch quickly got to the core of the Hidden Land – the Great Dragon Palace. All the guards were attracted by the turmoil on the Sky Arch, and hence left the Palace undefended. He overlooked this palace from high point, recalling the time when he was called "Ling", when he was betrayed. At that time, Ling and Zilong dwelled in the Hidden Land, receiving the Great Dragon's training. To become the successor of the Great Dragon was their common goal. However, though the talent Ling defeated Zilong in the final contest, the Great Dragon still chosen Zilong as his successor and his foster son.

Ling left the Hidden Land in disgrace and an unsettled heart. Consumed with hatred and the need for power, he fanatically trained himself. His efforts paid off several years later and he became the best assassin and to be later known as Cyan Finch. His enemies even would tremble at hearing his name. Well-known as he was, he still was not satisfied. He needed something to fulfill the void in his heart. One day, he encountered the Black Dragon, a traitor who was banished from the Hidden Land. He proposed a scheme to take revenge on the Hidden Land and Cyan Finch accepted the offer as they both had faced a similar deceit.

Ling looked at the Great Dragon sitting in the Palace ominously, and in an instant, he appeared in the center of the Palace. The Great Dragon stared at his once apprentice, shaking his head and sighing. Ling didn't do anything as he was waiting for his true opponent to come. With a silver flicker, Zilong appeared in the way between Ling and the Great Dragon with his Dragon Spear in hand. This was the moment Ling, now as the Cyan Finch, was waiting for – the moment to settle the score and to prove the Great Dragon wrong. The time the Defiant Sword and the Dragon Spear clashed and a great wave of energy filled the Palace. They fought for hundreds of rounds, from inside to outside. However, they couldn't best each other.

Ling found that Zilong was not the weak foe he once defeated. Frustrated with this, Ling mustered all his power to cast his deadliest skill - "Tempest of Blades". Its great energy shook the entire Hidden Land. Zilong held his ground in the center of the Sword Field without fear. Zilong wielded his Dragon Spear and pursued Ling's sword like an unyielding dragon. Zilong, powerful as he was, was no match for Ling's speed and finesse as he found his adversary's sword pointing at his eye. However, Ling's hand trembled and hesitated on seeing that Zilong withdrew his spear before it was about to hit him.

The memory of training together and encouraging each other filled Ling's heart. Also, Zilong trusted that their friendship could overcome their conflict. All this made Ling withdraw his sword. He realized that what made him confuse was not the choice made by the Great Dragon, but rather it was the reason why Zilong allowed himself to be defeated. Zilong chose to trust the one who had missing for years and dropped his guard. Just like that decisive battle, Zilong chose to be defeated by him in order to help Ling achieve his dream. Ling knew in his heart that this was the last chance to fight fairly with Zilong.

Zilong knew that Ling's confusion had been resolved and Ling could now fly through the sky like a real Cyan Finch. However, Zilong also knew that Ling's raid indicated the coming of the true crisis - The Black Dragon was coming.

As the clash between Cyan Finch and Zilong subsided, a chilling silence fell over the Great Dragon Palace. Ling and Zilong locked eyes, their shared history and unspoken understanding fueling the intensity of the moment. But their respite was short-lived, for a sinister presence loomed on the horizon—the Black Dragon was approaching.

A palpable tension filled the air as Ling and Zilong instinctively prepared themselves for the imminent threat. The Black Dragon, an outcast from the Hidden Land, was infamous for his treachery and lust for power. Ling's encounter with him had ignited the flames of vengeance, and now the time for reckoning had come.

Dark clouds gathered overhead, casting an eerie shadow across the landscape. The wind howled, carrying with it an otherworldly chill that sent shivers down the spines of those present. The once serene atmosphere of the Hidden Land was transformed into a battlefield where destinies would be decided.

With a thunderous crash, the Black Dragon descended upon the Great Dragon Palace. His appearance was fearsome—a figure clad in obsidian armor, with piercing red eyes that mirrored his malevolence. The aura of darkness that surrounded him seemed to consume the very essence of the land.

Cyan Finch and Zilong stood side by side, united against their common enemy. Ling's eyes burned with determination, fueled by a newfound clarity. He knew that defeating the Black Dragon was not just a matter of personal vendetta—it was a chance to protect the Hidden Land and all that he once held dear.

As the Black Dragon advanced, his steps resonated with a maleficent power that threatened to tear the palace apart. Ling tightened his grip on his Defiant Sword, while Zilong steadied his Dragon Spear. The clash of their weapons against the Black Dragon's dark energy unleashed a cataclysmic force that reverberated through the entire Hidden Land.

The battle raged on, each strike filled with the weight of their past and the urgency of their future. Cyan Finch and Zilong fought as one, their movements fluid and synchronized. They danced across the palace grounds, evading the Black Dragon's onslaught while mounting their own relentless counterattacks.

Yet, despite their unwavering resolve, the Black Dragon proved to be a formidable foe. His dark magic twisted and contorted the environment, transforming the very fabric of reality. Ling and Zilong found themselves facing illusions and traps, testing not only their physical prowess but also their mental fortitude.

In the midst of the chaos, a profound realization dawned upon Ling. He understood that he could not defeat the Black Dragon alone, nor could he abandon the bond he shared with Zilong. Ling had been consumed by vengeance, but now he saw the true strength that lay in trust, friendship, and unity.

With renewed purpose, Cyan Finch and Zilong fought back-to-back, their movements harmonized in a symphony of skill and trust. Their weapons became an extension of their souls, channeling their combined might against the malevolent force that sought to engulf the Hidden Land.

The battle reached its climax as Cyan Finch and Zilong unleashed their most formidable techniques in unison. Ling's Defiant Sword and Zilong's Dragon Spear clashed against the Black Dragon's dark magic, creating a cataclysmic clash of energies that shook the very foundations of the Great Dragon Palace.