Chapter 20: Undine

I had finally asked the question that was bothering me for a while. “Who is he?” I asked the shadow before me.

As I asked the question, I immediately felt more shadows make their presence felt to me. If I were to take a rough estimate then there would be over 30 of them. Each emitting the presence and aura of someone capable of destroying worlds by themselves.

Their strong overwhelming presence aside, I got the feeling of anticipation. As if they had been waiting for me to ask the question for a while and couldn't hold back on the excitement of answering the question.

“He is…” the feminine voice replied. “Sorry, I can’t answer that just yet. “

“Then why ask?” I snapped.

“As I said, I can't explain it to you ‘yet’,” patiently explained the voice. “You need to know something else before you know of him. Therefore-.”

The shadow figure extended her arm to me with her palm up and said, “I would like to invite you to the answer you have been searching for and formally introduce you to him.”

I scowled cynically, “And why would I do that? Aren’t you also trying to use me?”

As if smiling proudly, the shadow said, “Because, that is what that Dragonkin lady is expecting of him.” The shadow lady glanced in my master’s direction. “We are simply responding to her request, as well as your deepest desire. The choice ultimately remains yours.”

“What choice?” I asked.

“The choice, whether you will accept the miracle offered with blinding trust and walk the path of hell and misery or whether you would stay who you are, where you are, remaining content with what you have.” She remained silent to allow for the choices and their heft to sink into my heart.

Thinking back I should never have made the choice of accepting the offer. I was cautious and still wary of the options and did not want to accept it. But what she said next changed my mind.

“To be fair, the first option has nothing but pain and suffering in its path, but if you get through it all, then you would gain something that no one ever has,” the shadow lady said.

“A-and what would that be?” I gulped in anticipation.

“My strength,” replied another shadow in a stern voice.

“Huh?” I yelped. “W-who are y-you?”

“I am, the second guardian of Aether - Noir of the Endless Shadows, and if you accept our request, I would have him impart to you and teach you all of my skills and more,” offered the unknown shadow.

“So, how about it, will you at least listen to our request now?” pleaded the lady shadow.

“Hmmmn,” I was lost in thought wondering about the benefits. The shadows did feel strong but I still did not know who Noir was, and I had not heard of him on Aether either. But I was aware of the beings known as Guardians of Aether. They were the strongest in Aether, on par with Celestials, be it Gods or Demons. Therefore, there must be great risks attached to such great rewards, I thought to myself. After all there is no such thing as a free meal in any world.

“Could you please hurry, we are running out of time,” the lady shadow urged me. She glanced at Cassandra to bring to my attention that the man’s life force was diminishing and that Camus was drooling to kill him.

I hurriedly grabbed the shadow’s hand. I thought I had moved physically but it was all in my mind. My physical self was still in the hands of the guards.

When I grabbed the shadow’s hand, my mind got sucked into the shadows towards the man. I flinched and closed my eyes.

***

I opened my eyes to find myself in a brightly lit hall. It was a large space with a very high arched roof and everything was made of gold and white marble. Decorated in excessive luxury with beautiful and detailed engravings and architecture never seen before, the large hall greeted me warmly.

However, it was just my consciousness that was there and for some reason I was translucent and could not speak.

“Welcome, Elian Hartley, to the Archive,” I was greeted by a familiar voice behind me. It was the voice of the shadow lady who extended me the invitation and had been answering my questions.

I turned around to discover a large endless library. And other than the never ending number of shelves and aisles, stood a beautiful lady with blue hair and blue eyes, dressed in midnight blue and navy blue suit with gold embroidering along with an oversized translucent robe which she had put on as a cape instead of a robe. She also donned an accessory behind her ear which rose up like an artificial horn.

In a formal bow, she introduced herself, “My apologies for the delayed introduction. I am the 3rd Guardian of Aether - Undine. I would like to thank you for accepting our call and for helping us in getting to Celestia.”

I tried to speak but couldn’t. I even tried to think of my communication but that failed as well.

Having noticed my struggling expression, Undine said, “I see. Without further ado, let us begin.”

She approached me elegantly and placed her right forefinger in the middle of my forehead.

She explained, “What you will see now is an account of historical events as well as answers you are looking for. Also, so that you are not surprised when you wake up, the next time you wake up, we will all be present. So I really hope that you do not do anything rash and that you survive and wake up.”

I am pretty sure she casually said something super scary at the end. But wait - I wouldn’t be able to wake up? See what happens when one gets curious?

Before I could think of anything else, Undine injected mana into my forehead and I fainted.