Chapter 18: Chapter Seventeen: Meeting the Celestial of Jade

Valdus reopened his eyes to find himself within the dreamscape once more, but not his own. His surroundings were dark, and the first thing he noticed was the faint glint of moonlight, shining off a claw held against his chest. He was lying down in a cave upon a floating island - much like his own dreamscape, but in the dead of night - with only the moon’s light to brighten the darkness. There, Kaenrae stood beside Valdus, glaring down at him as he moved his claw closer to Valdus’s neck.

“I could still kill you, right here, right now...if I wanted to...”
Kaenrae growled,
“You’re still weak... More was apparently expected of you, yet you were beaten so easily. I can’t believe you were overestimated back there, in the Cursed Canyon. And you said you’d be stronger...”

“Really, you’re going to mock me right now? I didn’t say I’d be stronger in that much of a short time, Kaenrae...! And I know you wouldn’t just kill me.”
Valdus glared back at him, sweating a bit.

“Tch...”
Kaenrae huffed and kicked Valdus aside, before leaving toward the exit of the cave.

Valdus shuddered from the kick, then shifted to stand up. Kaenrae laid down at the exit of the cave and stared at the moon, looking rather gloomy compared to how he was back in Valdus’s dream. Valdus then walked over to him, and as he moved toward the exit of the cave, he got a better view of what Kaenrae’s dreamscape was like - although he got the feeling that he would’ve preferred to not see it at all. It was deprived of life, and all the other islands were partially broken, fragments simply drifting in place. The only one that still stood, barely alive, was the one which he and Kaenrae sat upon. An unsettling presence loomed from the moon as well. It was as if a claw were held over it, though not obscuring any light somehow.

“You said your dreamscape’s like mine, didn’t you? The moon instead of the sun, kind of eerie, but... I honestly didn’t expect...this...”
Valdus muttered.

As an ominous silhouette of a colossal snake-like figure swam through distant clouds, Kaenrae gave his response soon after.

“Then what did you expect...? I’ve been lost within my own Corruption, Valdus. I’m Cursed...and it won’t take long until I-...”
He paused for a moment with a sigh, before continuing,
“One’s dreamscape can also give a bigger picture as to what we are, or rather who we are. The dreamscape is often a near-perfect representation of the owner’s very being - their Essence. You’ve still got a lot to discover, and...so have I. Though your dreamscape thrives with life, those islands are still small. I’m sure they’ll grow in time, if you ever do become stronger... Not only will the islands grow, but they may connect too.”

“That doesn’t explain why I’m here, in your dreamscape. And you never told me how you got into mine, either!”
Valdus shouted.

Right as he did, Kaenrae shot another glare back at him.

“Even if I’ve yet to tell you everything, if I’d actually known that - had understood any bit of it - I would have explained it to you!”
Kaenrae snarled,
“In reality, I don’t know! I barely know anything...! You think all of this is just an act? Maybe it is, some of it...but this part isn’t...!”

Valdus shuddered, rearing back from Kaenrae, but it annoyed him a little too. Thinking it was nothing but a simple question, he felt Kaenrae would know the answer, but that wasn’t the case.

Calming down, Kaenrae then faced forward again as he continued to speak,
“I don’t know either, all right...? I have my own theories - assumptions - on why it could be, but... The hell would I know? In the end, everything I know doesn’t go much further than what you already know now...”

Valdus sighed and stared off toward the moon, the same as Kaenrae did. They stopped talking after that, just quietly staring off into the distance. Valdus couldn’t tell how long it was until something else was said after, but the silence was then broken as Kaenrae scratched at his head with both hands, shaking his head as well before he stood up and muttered a few words. Valdus couldn’t quite make out the words before Kaenrae leaped from the ledge of the island, down into the clouds. Again, as Kaenrae vanished past the clouds below, Valdus was awoken by the gust of wind which shot up. He then jolted awake - snapping back to reality outside the dreamscape - and fell from the branch he had been sleeping upon. He shouted out in a panic, waking Ace up in the process, causing him to jump to his feet in surprise.

Valdus instinctively threw his left hand forward as he saw the ground rushing toward him, and as he did so, a wave of purple fire shot out from his arm. The flames spread across the ground - the grass unharmed - and he suddenly froze mid-air, just above the ground, having stopped his fall almost completely. Now reaching both arms down, he touched the grassy floor, which brought his gravity back and allowed him to flip and fall onto his back with a weak thud.

Fighting off the drowsiness of just waking up, Ace shook his head and rushed over to him.
“Valdus! Are you all right?”

Valdus groaned and stumbled to his feet, wearily holding his left hand against his head.
“Y-yeah... I’m...good. I think...”

He then rubbed his back, letting out a sigh and another groan.

“Whew... You scared the daylights out of me shouting like that - I thought you got attacked. It’s good that you somehow stopped your fall... Anyway, we’re rested enough. Are you good to meet with the Celestial of the Forest?”
Ace suggested.

“Heh, sure. So, what about-”
Valdus turned to look at Alterion, who now laid asleep on the grass, still flat on his face, snoring loudly.

Ace sighed and tapped Alterion’s arm with his foot.

Alterion groaned sleepily,
“Go away, Naz... Five more...minutes...”

Not wanting to bother Alterion any further, Valdus sighed as well and began heading out of the glade. Ace followed, and a group of wisps began to gather around the two, seemingly guiding them. They flew around in patterns, making sure to stay ahead.

“I’ve read stories about the forest wisps. They tend to guide travellers to safe places, or generally where they’re heading. I think the wisps are taking us to the Celestial.”
Ace commented.

As Valdus and Ace strayed from the glade, the wisps momentarily dispersed. A grey timber wolf crept from the shadows nearby, a mark sitting on the base of its neck.

“Say, you haven’t seen Alterion, have you?”
The wolf raised its head and smirked.

“The fu-”
It spoke? Hell, I shouldn’t be so surprised by it by now, but still-
Valdus shook his head then turned around, pointing off into the distance.
“Alterion was back at the glade we just left, sleeping.”

You are reading story Realm of Eldoria at novel35.com

“Typical...”
The timber wolf muttered.

Valdus then turned to face the wolf again and tilted his head, blinking.
“Mind if I ask who you are?”

“Nazarim Falsana, Alty’s brother. Another Guardian. Yeah, I’m a wolf. Long story, don't ask. That idiot’s always slacking off on his job. He’s lucky I’m here to make sure he’s awake. Anyway, I’ll be on my way. Got to wake him up before Vuryth finds out... Wait...she probably already knows... She always knows...!”
Nazarim shuddered then rushed toward the glade.

Alterion and Nazarim, a human and a timber wolf...brothers...
Valdus pondered,
Oh well, seems cool, I guess.

With a shocked expression, Ace watched Nazarim dash away, feeling much more shocked about the encounter than Valdus. Valdus then called to Ace, snapping him back to his senses before continuing forward once the wisps returned.

 

The two soon arrived at a tree, larger than the one in the middle of the Central Glade. Only a few flowers and fruits sprouted around and upon the tree, and faint lights glistened from its leaves. Though the tree appeared aged, it gave off a strange, mystical aura. An even stranger mark shaped like a leaf was etched onto the centre of the tree’s trunk, with a green orb set in the middle of the mark. A faint light shone from the orb as well. The body of a dragon made of the forest’s greenery was wrapped around the tree - and though resting - seemingly guarded it. It seemed aged as well, just like the tree, assuming from the state of its wings. A few of the forest creatures rested upon it.

Without warning, a rumble then came from the base of the tree, shaking the ground slightly as the serpentine body began to move. The other creatures ran away or flew off, and the light from the orb shone brighter than before - the light now coursing through the mark and into the tree’s roots. A sudden abundance of more flowers and fruits sprouted upon and around the tree as the light flowed through it. The serpentine body’s eyes then opened and lit up with a pristine azure.

“We are in the Celestial Glade...”
Vuryth said, suddenly appeared beside Valdus and Ace,
“...and this...is my mistress, the Celestial of Jade. The true Guardian of our forest.”

“Th-that’s the Celestial?”
Ace shouted, rather startled,
It looked like a statue just a second ago!

Valdus stared in awe as the dragon gazed down at him. It shook itself, making the sound of rustling leaves, and gazed down once more. Its presence gave a sense of reassurance to Ace, and a strong sense of trust toward Valdus.

“I see you have arrived... For a moment, I held doubt that you’d ever visit at all. I guess my assumption was quite the mistake. There will be no need for any introductions. I know who you two are, and you two know who I am.”
The Forest Celestial spoke,
“Though, as for my name... My name is Sailus Arboreous, and I must say, I am glad to have met you.”

“Who, me? I-I’m just a traveller from another world, at best.”
Valdus stammered.

“Well, yes. You. And a modest one too by the sounds of it. But you mustn’t deny that there is much more to you than simply hailing from another realm. That Essence of yours swirls with potential, both for greatness, and for what I could only describe as destruction...but the way you wield your powers... I sense that it’d consume others whole, but you manage to even suppress the darkness that flows within it - within you. Perhaps you have encountered wavering thoughts, or perhaps the strength has fluctuated all too much before, but you have set your journey to understand it, not to let it consume you. That is what truly fascinates me.”
Sailus lowered her head a little closer to the ground, in front of Valdus.
“There is much more to take note of, but I shall leave the rest for you to learn further into the future.”

“Th-that...heh... That was...a lot to take in.”
Valdus chuckled and glanced away, blushing slightly and rubbing the back of his neck.

Ace then smacked Valdus on the back of his shoulder, whispering,
“Hey, come on, less modesty. A Celestial just complimented you!”

Sailus then raised her head back up, glancing down.

“Well, most of what you must learn will at first seem so - it will take a lot of willpower to overcome the hurdles you will face. Nonetheless, if what I have heard about you so far is the truth, I suspect you will be aiming for what may be this realm’s fate... You’re hoping to face the Corrupt with your powers, am I wrong?”
Sailus smiled.
“If that really is the truth, then I must say; I admire that.”

“I-... I see...”
Valdus couldn’t figure what else to say, briefly falling silent.
“A-and, yeah, I want to fight the Corrupt while learning about my own magic. This realm - I feel it’s becoming like a new home for me, and... I don’t think I’ll really be...heh...planning on returning to live back in my old realm...”

Vuryth let out a coo before chiming in,
“That would be for you to consider much, much further into the future. That aside - mistress, shall we have Valdus and Ace informed of that request? In the meantime, I unfortunately have...another matter to attend to...”

She then turned to leave the Celestial Glade, spreading her wings and flying off.

Must be Alterion again...
Sailus glanced at Vuryth just before she turned to leave, before facing back toward Valdus and Ace.
“Right, there was that request I had for you two. That after all is the very reason we are having this meeting. I’m quite sure you two have met with Vertex, or know of her at the very least?”

Vertex...?
Valdus tilted his head, both surprised and confused to hear of her here.
“Yeah, we have. We met her quite some time ago. What about her?”

“Well, it’s about her desires... Being a Celestial is not an easy task to come across, and it isn’t just about guarding the area alone. She seeks to become one. It is true that we protect the domain that we are a Celestial of - as well as its inhabitants of course - but we must be entrusted; by previous Celestials, and the place itself, whether it be land, sea or sky. Vertex has forever longed for such a role, but she is yet to find a place that entrusts itself to her...”
Sailus explained,
“...but recently I’ve heard, directly from Ignis, that one of the havens out at sea is in grave danger. We haven’t heard from the Celestial of Waters since the last attack from the Corrupt, and though at first we intended for one of us to head out, we later decided this would be an opportune moment to test Vertex’s potential. If she truly cherishes her home, then it too will cherish her. It was after we had changed our plans that...we discovered she was Cursed... Our hopes returned when we learnt that she was freed, by you in fact. If you wish to assist her in her goal, then find her, and I’m sure she’d be glad to help you to the island, but please, do not let her know of this talk of becoming a Celestial. It may not go as planned if she knows what is going on. And...one more thing. Please, take good care of her - she is a good girl.”

Valdus put on a wide smile.
“All right, you can count on me! I’m up for it! We’ll go to the island with Vertex and see what the problem is!”

Ace then sighed and smiled as well.
“Well then, let’s get going!”

You can find story with these keywords: Realm of Eldoria, Read Realm of Eldoria, Realm of Eldoria novel, Realm of Eldoria book, Realm of Eldoria story, Realm of Eldoria full, Realm of Eldoria Latest Chapter