Chapter 878: The missions III
Kyle inhaled a deep breath as he stepped out of the portal, only to feel the air around him suddenly become sparse. It was as if the natural energy in the place he had just arrived was faint, almost non-existent.
"Hmmm...?"
He frowned, however, his tension eased as he saw the field of flowers beneath his feet. Different, delicate, soothing fragrances filled the air, calming his senses. Yet, he knew better than to let his guard down.
Behind him, the other Celestials in robes hurriedly stepped out of the portal, leaving the territory of the Golden Guardians clan and entering the domain of another.
Finally, Kyle turned to acknowledge the Celestial who had materialized on his left side. He hadn’t acknowledged him before because the latter was sleeping when he stepped out of the portal, but sensing him, he had jolted awake. Kyle smiled politely, but his words were anything but polite.
"Good morning."
Gvette, who was about to speak to the Celestial and explain the reason for their arrival, froze upon hearing the calm, deep voice. With two simple words, the human had easily made the Celestial he had just met feel extremely embarrassed. Why? Because he was sleeping on duty!
The Celestial, with a pair of deep golden eyes like the sun, scales that shimmered like a tiny mirrors, and a pale glow around him, stammered, trying to explain himself.
"No! I wasn’t sleeping... As a Celestial, I don’t need sleep. It’s related to the natural law I have been studying. That’s why..."
Kyle blinked, realizing that he had just spoken without thinking. He knew it was because of the man’s eyes, so similar to those of Nine, his friend, that his tongue had blurted out a casual remark.
He sighed and changed the topic.
"We are from the Golden Guardians clan."
The Celestial let out an ’Oh’ and nodded, fiddling with an artifact in his hand.
"Could you tell me why you’re here? I need to make a note of it. This portal connects to many different places. I’m responsible for recording who visits the clan."
Kyle nodded, sensing a subtle but potent power in the air. Though he could tell that the clan they had arrived at was very small and lacked much natural energy as he extended his senses, the scent of danger, tempered by captivating fragrances, told him that many powerful Celestials resided here.
"We are here for the monthly battle your clan had against us. The battle to reclaim the right for a dungeon for this month."
Hearing him, the golden eyes narrowed at him and then at the rest of the Celestials.
Kyle realized with a raised brow that the Celestial was checking their strength. He watched as the man’s lips curled upward into a smirk as he opened his mouth.
"I see. I will guide you to the clan gate."
The man began to float. Kyle chuckled, amusement dancing in his dark eyes as he followed the floating man with Gvette and the others. What a welcome. The man had already deemed that they would leave in defeat just after sensing their power.
’My apologies, I suppose. I’m not here to lose. I’m here to demonstrate my strength and ensure that at least those who are my equal in power wouldn’t stand in my way.’
He mused inwardly and zoomed closer to the man. His eyes flashed with a familiar glint that Cassian would have recognized immediately, because it was eerily similar to the one that appeared when he wanted to steal the man’s natural law. And he did.
"If you don’t mind me asking, could you tell me about the natural law you are learning? I am quite intrigued. What type of natural law is it if it’s related to sleep?"
The Celestial narrowed his golden eyes. Gvette and the others following them were also taken aback, surprised by his question. It was common knowledge that Celestials didn’t share their natural laws. Even if they did, few others could understand them, as each and every natural law was unique.
Yet, this young man dared to ask about another natural law so casually?
Gvette wanted to rebuke him. Before he could, the golden-eyed Celestial chuckled and relaxed his narrowed gaze. He actually responded to Kyle’s outlandish question!
Maybe he thought his natural law was too unique for anyone else to grasp. If only the poor fool knew he would regret this thought very soon. Maybe in just a minute.
"It’s not actually related to sleep. But rather to one’s subconscious. Like conjuring..."
The man struggled to find the right words, so he held out his hand to reveal a touch of the unique, darkish-purple natural energy he had discovered and been trying to tame. He had only grasped a part of its essence.
"This..."
Kyle’s eyes were immediately drawn to the flicker of light dancing on the man’s palm.
Gvette and the other Celestials were awed by his ability to manifest the natural energy associated to his law. It was a very taxing process even for powerful Celestials.
They showered him with praise, but Kyle’s gaze remained fixed on the darkish-purple hue that emanated from the man’s hand, a color reminiscent of a starry night. It was calm, alien, and strangely alluring.
The man closed his hand, scratching his head in embarrassment as they landed in front of the gate of the Dawnfeather Clan.
"This is as far as I can take you. Go, the guards at the gate will let you in."
With that, the golden-eyed Celestial turned to go back to his duty. Kyle stayed rooted in his place with a dazed look in his dark eyes, the scene of the bright starry night played in his head. The alluring sight of the sparkling stars that dotted the cloudy sky. And then his dark eyes glinted with a familiar hue.
Gvette had already stepped forward to speak with the guards stationed before the towering gate, which was shorter than the gate of their own clan but still a sight. The others followed him with confused eyes after they failed to nudge Kyle forward.
So, they were completely unprepared when the golden-eyed floating Celestial, who was going back to the teleportation portal to do his duty, suddenly lost his balance mid-air and dropped face-first on the ground. They gasped, alongside the guards who were stunned to see the man fall so suddenly.
But the golden-eyed Celestial did not care for his image, nor did their gaping jaws. His face was filled with horror as he snapped his head toward Kyle’s dazed figure so fast his bones creaked. He seemed to have heard the human whisper something that sent a jolt through both his body and soul!
A shrill cry escaped his lips.
"What did you just whisper???"
Kyle finally snapped out of his daze and hummed as he heard the shout. He tilted his head back with innocent eyes, as if he hadn’t just stolen another natural law.
"The natural law of dreams and illusions. You can bend others’ dreams to your will."
With that, he turned and sauntered into the Dawnfeather Clan’s towering gate that had swung open, leaving behind a slack-jawed, golden-eyed Celestial, still sprawled on the ground, and a bewildered crowd.