Chapter Need the Light
Elysia released a black chakram five meters in diameter with a black portal with an intimidating aura in the center.
It was a portal that sent Elysia to the Boundless Realm, but it was stabilized and secured under Elysia"s control.
"A huge chakram. Is it a portal to another world? But, why is it emitting such an intimidating aura?" Sylvia asked in surprise, but no one could answer her.
Elysia and Elena were busy re-examining that portal"s frame from one corner to another.
"This huge chakram is a portal to a dangerous realm. Ely wants to invite someone using this. Please don"t come near or try to enter this portal. Once you are fully in, there is no way out." Elena warned everyone with a solemn tone.
"Mm, this magic-made frame works well enough to contain and stabilize this portal. Can we start that now, master?" Elysia rubbed her hands together and drew closer to Elena after she finished checking her portal"s frame.
"Sure. What"s the plan?" Elena nodded in agreement.
"Please hold me tight because I won"t be going in completely. We"ve modified this portal but don"t know what might happen." Elysia touched the portal"s dark energy, which danced on her palm.
The portal"s color turned black after she accommodated it to a chakram frame. Even though it was under her rule, she still didn"t know if this one-way portal would work as she expected or not.
"All right. To ensure your safety, I will do this for you." Elena extended her hand to Elysia. Dozens of golden ropes danced around her hand and went to Elysia.
"???" Elysia spread her arms to the side as the golden ropes tied her body as a safety measurement.
When Elena was done, the golden ropes had become like harnesses and cords with some other safeguards. Everything was to ensure Elysia could be pulled back in case the portal worked out of expectation.
"Now everything is ready. I will protect you from here." Elena opened her palm to reveal all the golden cords in her grip.
"Okay, please take care of me." Elysia nodded and glanced at Rhea.
Rhea just nodded as if she understood Elysia"s intentions without being instructed. She asked everyone to keep a safe distance before putting up a protective barrier.
After that, Elysia went to approach the black portal. She removed the safety seal for a little spot.
She picked up a dry twig on the ground for the experiment and partially inserted it into the portal. She waited a few seconds and pulled it out.
She could find traces of corrosion energy at the tip of the dry twig, but that twig was still intact. Therefore, she wrapped herself in protective magic and peeked into the portal.
*Bzzt*
Elysia was sucked into the portal, but Elena swiftly ensured Elysia didn"t completely enter that realm. As a result, Elysia was stuck with only her lower half still in the outside world.
Meanwhile, Elysia looked around with her sacred eyes. She could see a boundless dark outer s.p.a.ce with many celestial objects scattered everywhere.
It was the same Boundless Realm as her trial. Yet, she suddenly realized that she couldn"t breathe there due to the absence of oxygen.
"Yes, this is the Boundless Realm. We did it, Sister Elena!" Elysia told Elena via telepathy. She could only hold her breath for a while.
"That"s good. Let"s pick up Alisha by opening the teleportation portal to her hideout. We can"t risk wasting too much time with this plan." Elena asked worriedly. The sooner they pick up Alisha, the better.
"Okay. I can"t breathe here. I shall get it done in three minutes!" Elysia was also aware of the situation. She closed her eyes and immediately tried to detect Alisha"s whereabouts.
That dead star location was still in the same spot, and she also possessed a strange connection to Alisha even though there was no binding medium between them.
It was only a few seconds, and Elysia found the location she was aiming for. She immediately opened a dimensional hole. She could detect Alisha was there.
In a dark room with no light, a girl clad in a black robe was huddled in the corner. She didn"t know how much time had pa.s.sed since that tragedy, but it was still fresh in her mind without being the least bit affected by corrosion.
The girl stared at the ceiling in the darkness, the same empty feeling in her heart. That warm moment was slow but went so fast. It was as if she could see her friend every time she closed her eyes, but she could not touch the other party, whatever the reason.
"..." Alisha reached her hand out, but she just sighed and buried her face in her arms. She wished to see Elysia too much, and that nightmare would never fade from her mind.
She had dived too deep and seemed so empty when she realized that her friend was no longer by her side. That warm moment would never return.
"Grr..." Cherub rubbed his head onto his master"s feet.
"..." Alisha peeked and gave her pet a head pat. Cherub became a small dragon because of the severe backlash and was still in the recovery stage.
Alisha then took out Elysia"s belongings from her Void Bracelet and stared at it with a longing gaze. She hoped that one day she would make her dreams last, but she was aware it was nothing more than her wishful thinking.
Every time she closed her eyes, she thought of her friend. Every time that happened, she realized many things related to Elysia"s real value to her life. After a warm and comfortable life accompanied by a friend who shared many things with her, she no longer wanted to live a dark and lonely life forever.
"Hmm, you"re here, Ai." A pleasant voice suddenly broke the silence.
However, Alisha only smiled weakly behind her shadow mask and shook her head in response. She thought she missed Elysia too much to start hallucinating.
"Uh, it"s a bit painful to be ignored by you. I took great trouble to come here, but you"re so cold, Ai." Elysia spoke sadly and tapped Alisha"s shoulder with her finger. She then lit up the dark room with her magic.
"!?" Alisha gasped and covered her eyes with her arm reflexively. The sudden light blinded her sight for a second.
She immediately jumped away. When her sight returned to normal, she could see Elysia was there, greeting herself with a warm smile.
Alisha widened her eyes as if she couldn"t believe what she saw. She took off her shadow mask and rubbed her eyes to make sure what she saw was real or not.
"E-Ely? You, how, is that you?" Alisha stuttered and slowly approached the figure she believed to be her best friend, Elysia.
She touched Elysia"s cheek and could feel the warmth she missed. It was not an illusion or hallucination but the real thing.
As for how and why it happened, it was simply thrown far to the back of Alisha"s mind. She just hugged Elysia tightly and whispered emotionally. "Don"t go. I want you. I need you with me."
"I can"t stay for long..."
Elysia"s words made Alisha tremble slightly. Maybe, this one was Elysia"s remnant spirit that came to greet her before going into the afterlife? She desperately needed the light in the darkness and would never let it go after once losing it.
"Therefore, I would like to invite you to go to my world. Would you like to go with me, Ai?" Elysia whispered close to Alisha"s ear.
Alisha took a little distance to look at Elysia"s face. She checked her friend up and down for a moment to ensure it was not a shadow creature or something.
After confirming Elysia"s aura, she nodded without the slightest bit of hesitation. "I don"t care if you take me to the afterlife. Take me away now."
"Thank you." Elysia appreciated Alisha"s trust in her. She pulled Alisha"s hand into the teleportation portal, and the latter entered willingly.
"!!!" Cherub rushed to chase his master. At that moment, he knew that he had to go or he would be left out. Thus, he bit hard into his master"s robe and was carried through the dimensional portal.
*Zap*
Elysia, Alisha, and the little dragon disappeared from the Boundless Realm. However, a powerful ent.i.ty was observing it all but decided not to do anything.
Elysia pulled a girl clad in a black robe out of the dark portal. She closed the portal"s safety seal again before sitting on the ground, gasping for air.
"Are you okay, Ely? Why do you need to breathe? What is this place? So dazzling and colorful..." Alisha crouched next to Elysia while looking around with narrowed eyes. Her eyes were adapting to changes in light intensity and gradually saw the new scenery.
"Huff, haa... Of course, I need to breathe because I"m no longer a spirit. This is the world we came from. Welcome back to Vrelenia, Ai." Elysia welcomed Alisha"s arrival with joy.
"The world we came from?" Alisha asked in wonder. At that moment, she noticed the presence of several powerful existences nearby. She immediately put up her defensive stance because she felt threatened.
"Oh my, are you Ai? Thank you for looking after my precious disciple in the Boundless Realm. Anyway, welcome back to Vrelenia. Ely has told me a lot about you. You"re good." Elena greeted with a welcoming smile.
"Huh?" Alisha had many question marks in her mind. She agreed to come with Elysia, but she never expected this outcome.
Not to mention, she could understand what this angelic lady was saying. Their language was the same, so she was indeed from this world? Nevertheless, she couldn"t remember that far. Despite everything, she just trusted Elysia"s words and went with it.
Elysia put the dark portal into her s.p.a.ce Storage, and it disappeared with a poof.
"Oh my goodness... Who would have thought that Ely could actually invite you here? Welcome to Vrelenia. It"s a pleasure to meet you, Ai." Rhea revoked her barrier and approached.