Re: Timeless Apocalypse-Chapter 191: Samael

But battle did not come.

In fact, the moment the guardians pounced and slashed down, all they met was air.

Uriel’s body flickered as their many blades passed through him, then burst into motes of brilliant golden light.

Silence echoed alongside shock and confusion.

"Light aether...?" Her eyes widened. "Return to base immediately!"

Uriel was long gone.

...

Emrys zoomed across the length of the tunnel, having assumed his largest form, Uriel riding him as they rapidly made distance from the guardians.

In his state, it’d be foolish to engage in any sort of battle.

So, he fled.

In no time, Emrys picked up on his presence hiding and, by proxy, presence detecting techniques, and they were gone.

But as they made their way, with nothing else to do while seated atop the speeding fox, Uriel began to observe the tunnel itself.

’It’s getting narrower, and the boulders are getting fewer but larger.’

It was as if the tunnel was cone-shaped, with the walls and ceiling getting closer and closer as they advanced, so much so that Uriel, for a moment, thought it may have been a spell.

’And what the hell are these drawings...’

Now that the walls were steadily getting closer, he could see beyond the blue light they emitted and read the ancient drawings etched across them, made of jagged and rough lines that seemed painted with blood.

Looking at them made something stir within him, but he didn’t know what.

’Am I really under the desert or...’

At some point, Uriel asked Emrys to stop and hopped off his back. Walking a couple of meters, he crouched down, then patted the stone ground to reveal a set of buried bones.

The bones were so large they could only be those of a giant, their lustre a dark silver, and their length etched with still-glowing white runes, even so long after the being’s death.

’...did I get transported elsewhere?’

...

Uriel hopped back onto Emrys and they continued their journey.

And the oddities kept growing.

They found more remains, they found more primal drawings, and at some point even began to find broken pieces of armaments, armour, and artefacts.

At some point, there were no more boulders, and the tunnel became so narrow Emrys had to shrink down so as not to hit his head on the ceiling.

But eventually—

’This must be it.’

—they found it.

In the deepest depths of the tunnel, where it was so cramped all that could be seen was blinding blue light, there stood a swirling portal of red currents, wafting out thick spatial aether.

Uriel paused. He looked deeply at the portal, unsure what to do.

In truth, he had no direction whatsoever as of now beyond surviving and eventually returning to his group of companions.

He knew that taking the golden gate would expose some deep truths to him, but he didn’t know how or what they entailed.

He didn’t know what the goal was or how to even reach it, and part of him was afraid he might be taking the wrong path.

Could the truth he was seeking be within the frozen beasts behind him and the so-called story about the traitors? Could it be with the guardians?

Could it be elsewhere?

He didn’t even know where the gate led.

’It’ll be fine.’

Uriel exhaled a breath, and then his gaze steeled.

They jumped into the portal and vanished.

...

The skies were a vivid blue, stretching above a wide plain of green grass, where the wind gently swept through all things, carrying a refreshing breeze.

The plain rose and fell in hills and small mountains, forming dozens of valleys where rivers flowed and paths formed, a beautiful reflection of nature.

In the middle of this plain, a tall and gigantic spire of dark obsidian rose to vanish deep into the skies, its base as wide as hundreds of mountains put together.

And around the dark base of the spire, a beautiful city took shape, its residents numerous and its architecture novel.

The city was surrounded by tall walls that separated it from the rest of the plain, built of old gold-grey stone, upon which hundreds upon hundreds of armed guardians stood watch.

Within the boundaries of the walls, hundreds upon thousands of wooden buildings lined grey stone roads and paths across which chariots rushed and thousands of inhabitants flocked.

Most wore leather armour, the culture of the city being that of warriors and hunters, as many moved about carrying large beasts, while others sold weapons and gear, and some formed parties to venture out into the wilderness.

It was a city full of life.

And it was the city within which Uriel suddenly appeared.

He blinked, and suddenly he was within a shifting crowd, surrounded by warriors of all kinds, each shockingly powerful.

Had it not been for his new presence-hiding method, his sudden appearance would most likely have attracted more than a few gazes.

’Thank god I didn’t turn it off,’ he thought in relief.

Emrys shrunk down, then leapt up to hide within the folds of his robes just as he began to walk and look around, curious beyond words.

This was much more pleasant than he’d originally expected.

With his recent luck, he’d expected to be teleported into yet another void of sorts due to Thoryl and be directly plunged into battle.

This was nice.

’Ah well. It seems the Gods truly do reward the martyrs, hm?’ He caressed his chin, deep in thought. ’I’m not sure if that means I should plunge myself into danger while young to reap the peace later, or not.’

’Oh well.’

He smiled and began to observe his surroundings.

’What could be linked to the Golden Gate and the Spirals here?’

He looked at the thousands of warriors around him, the beautifully paved stone paths, the warm wooden houses and shops littering these same streets, and so much more.

He passed by children playing and weaving across the rushing crowds, lingered beside heckling merchants, and snooped near talking guardians, who seemed much less threatening within the city. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Eventually, he stopped and looked up at the gigantic construct of obsidian standing at the center of the city.

He chuckled. ’Oh my, surely it isn’t the looming gigantic dark spire, is it?’

He’d have to somehow find a way to get to it.

Just as Uriel sighed and was about to flip a palm to summon a complex formation of runes, a voice reached his ears.

"Good sir!" From the distance, a young man rushed towards him, carrying dozens of bags, each filled with more parchments than he dared count.

The young man had a freckled face, deep green eyes, and light ginger hair that almost seemed blonde at the right angle.

He couldn’t be more than twenty years old.

’Why the hell does everyone have green eyes around here?’ He paused. ’Hm, maybe it’s a common eye color on Ithuril?’

A thought passed through his mind, and suddenly his interest was piqued. ’How did he sense me?’

He hadn’t dismissed his technique yet.

"Me?" Uriel asked aloud.

"Yes, you, good sir!" the young man repeated as he got closer, then finally stopped in front of him, covered in sweat and heaving as he came to a stop.

Uriel eyed him, then gently smiled. "You seem exhausted."

"Here." He tapped the young man’s shoulder and cast a spell on him, cleaning him of the filth and sweat he was covered in and restoring his stamina.

He also used the opportunity to read the boy’s weave, but that he didn’t have to know.

’Strange. I can’t read him.’

The young man’s face lit up as he felt himself be invigorated and filled with energy. He looked up at Uriel, his eyes twinkling.

"Sir, you’re a Magus?!"

’Magus?’ Uriel raised a brow.

"I’m afraid not, I just know a couple of tricks. Also, you don’t need to call me sir, I’m pretty sure we’re the same age."

He tilted his head. "Do I look so old, hm?"

The young man reddened for a bit before refocusing.

"N-no! Of course not! It simply is a merchant’s etiquette to treat all future clients with the utmost respect, regardless of age!"

Uriel nodded. "I see. I can respect that."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "But what makes you say I’m a future client? It couldn’t be that I look in need of help?"

Uriel looked at his own clothes. "I thought I looked quite good. Is my attire not up to par?"

The young man’s face tightened and his lip twitched. It was the first time he’d met a client so...strange.

Uriel chuckled. "Don’t worry, I’m just teasing you."

"So, dear merchant," he patted his shoulder, "what do you have for me?"

The young merchant’s eyes lit up at the prospect of finally having a deal, but he rapidly suppressed it.

Clearing his throat, he straightened his back. "My name is Samael, and—"

"My name is Uriel."

"—that’s a nice name—but as I was saying, I am Samael and—"

"Your name’s nice too."

Samael felt he was about to snap, a deep vein having appeared across his forehead as his fists shook in anxious anger.

"I am Samael and I sell information!" he roared at last.

His voice echoed loudly across the street they were on, and their surroundings quieted down as dozens of gazes landed on them.

Samael reddened in shame as his gaze nervously darted around, trying to find a hole he could bury himself in.

Suddenly, he froze, and Uriel wrapped an arm around his shoulder. "Come, walk with me."

Uriel didn’t care in the least about the gazes that landed on him.

"You sell information, yes? What kind?"