Glitched Goddess: My Skills are maxed out

The looming gate to the dragon kingdom came into sight at last, its massive structure rising out of the earth like the spine of some ancient beast.

Kana, Lysera, and Irielle slowed as they approached, expecting to see the bustle of guards, villagers, or at the very least some sign of life.

But there was nothing.

The three exchanged uneasy glances. Behind the towering gate stretched only silence—no villages, no figures, not even the faintest stir of movement.

The absence was so complete that Kana felt her heart quicken. Her senses tingled, detecting a faint thread of power emanating from beyond the wall.

Still, the emptiness was too uncanny.

Kana turned toward Lysera, but the dragonkin had already stepped ahead of them, her expression calm, almost solemn.

"Give me some space. This isn't the true entrance."

She said firmly, her eyes fixed on the gate.

Kana and Irielle obeyed, stepping back as Lysera raised her hand and began to chant in a low, resonant voice.

The air shimmered with golden light. Glyphs carved into the surface of the gate stirred to life, glowing faintly, and with a heavy groan, the massive doors shifted open.

Beyond lay not the barren emptiness from before, but an entire world hidden away—a valley cloaked in emerald forests, clustered stone homes with sloped roofs, and winding streets alive with draconic banners fluttering in the wind.

Power hummed through the air like the steady beat of a heart.

Lysera glanced back at them, her voice soft but steady.

"Our goddess prefers her people remain hidden from outsiders. She lives among us, not apart. You will meet her soon, if she allows it."

Kana and Irielle exchanged a glance but said nothing.

They could feel the weight in Lysera's words, and Kana sensed that this meeting would be unlike any they'd had before.

The guards stationed just inside the gates, clad in gleaming scale-etched armor, noticed their arrival but made no move to interfere.

They bowed to Lysera as she passed, their eyes briefly flicking over Kana and Irielle before returning to their posts. Not a single question was asked.

Kana felt a prickle of unease.

Even in human lands, visitors were scrutinized, questioned, tested. Yet here, they were being allowed through without resistance—all because of Lysera's presence.

"Let's go to the temple first. The high priest and the goddess are usually there. They will know how to proceed."

Lysera said, guiding them through the stone-paved streets.

The city was strikingly different from anything Kana had seen. Though draconic in name, the architecture was refined, elegant, almost serene.

Murals of dragons coiling through skies and seas stretched across towering walls.

Statuary of scaled warriors stood guard at intersections, their forms both menacing and divine.

And everywhere, there was an underlying hum of power, a constant reminder that this was no ordinary kingdom.

They soon arrived at the temple, a colossal structure that seemed to rise straight out of the mountainside.

It pulsed with energy, the air itself thicker around it, almost difficult to breathe. Lysera led the way up the long staircase, her movements steady despite the palpable weight of the place.

At the entrance, a pair of young priests bowed deeply.

"Lady Lysera,"

One of them greeted. His tone was formal, but a flicker of surprise crossed his eyes as he glanced at Kana and Irielle.

"You have returned. But…The high priest is not here at present."

He hesitated, then shook his head.

Lysera frowned.

"Not here?"

"The high priest left some time ago. And the goddess herself departed to visit the imperial temple. Until their return, we've been ordered to maintain the temple as usual."

The priest explained.

Kana tilted her head.

"So… we wait?"

The priest inclined his head.

"Yes. There is nothing else to be done."

Lysera pressed her lips into a thin line but said nothing further. She gestured for Kana and Irielle to follow her inside.

The interior of the temple was breathtaking. Pillars carved into the shape of coiled dragons stretched toward the ceiling, where their stone wings spread in protective arcs.

The walls glowed faintly with murals of history and legend—wars fought by dragonkin, divine interventions, the rise of rulers and priestesses.

Every surface seemed alive with story.

Kana's eyes widened, her curiosity overwhelming her usual restraint. She walked closer to one of the murals, her hand lifting almost of its own accord.

The scene depicted a goddess with wings of fire and scales of gold, her hand extended toward mortals who knelt in worship.

Something about the figure tugged at Kana's chest, drawing her closer, making her want to trace the etched lines with her fingertips.

Her hand was just inches away when a sharp voice cut across the silence.

"Do not touch."

Kana startled, pulling her hand back immediately.

A young priest had walked past her, his expression firm, almost scolding. His eyes lingered on her for a moment before he turned away, his robes brushing against the polished floor as he disappeared deeper into the temple.

Kana flushed, embarrassed. She clasped her hands together, whispering a soft apology even though the priest was already gone.

Irielle arched a brow at her.

"Careful. We don't need more trouble."

She murmured under her breath.

Kana nodded quickly. She forced herself to take a step back from the murals, resisting the urge to look too closely at the others.

For all her curiosity, she didn't want to risk offending anyone—not here, not when the stakes were this high.

Lysera, watching her silently, gave a faint sigh.

"Just… wait. We will meet the goddess soon enough. Until then, do nothing to attract attention."

She told them.

Kana bit her lip but nodded again, folding her hands behind her back.

She could feel the lingering hum of the murals, the whisper of power etched into every wall of this temple, but she restrained herself.

The last thing she wanted was to cause trouble before they even had the chance to plead their case.

And so, with nothing else to do, the three of them sat quietly in the temple's hall, the weight of the dragon kingdom pressing down on them as they waited for what would come next.