Time seemed to have suddenly stopped around Clyde. The name that came out of Olaflyn's mouth made him freeze for a moment that felt extraordinarily long.
Clyde blinked his eyes quickly as he comes to his senses. Then swallow hard with great effort.
"Shiva?" Clyde said the name again in a questioning tone. His eyes met Olaflyn, demanding an answer.
Olaflyn nodded slowly. "I knew that you would react like that. At first, I also showed the same reaction as you."
"How did you know about this?" Clyde asked.
"I've done a lot of traveling and searching my entire life up to this point, boy. If I had to tell you where I got every bit of my knowledge, it would take us a few days," Olaflyn said.
"However, I can answer it if you only asked about that matter ."
Clyde's eyes that stared at the sage immediately sparkling with curiosity.
"I once met someone from the Order of Mindweaver. Not all members of that Order are evil beings. In fact, they can't be categorized as good or evil."
Clyde listened to Olalfyn explain with full attention.
"I've almost died a few times. But that time was the most unforgettable experience," said Olaflyn. "I can't tell you the details. In essence, I was stranded in the middle of a ruined world. And someone from the Order of Mindweaver came to save me.
She says there is no exact reason for her to save me. And said that I shouldn't feel indebted because I wouldn't have a chance to pay it anyway.
And then we chatted, eventually she said that there was a Celestial who was backing the existence of the Order of Mindweaver."
Clyde stared at Olaflyn without blinking as he explained all that. What Olaflyn said was so tense and mysterious even though he didn't say much.
Olaflyn's life journey seems so long and extraordinary. Clyde was sure that the sage would have a lot of stories to tell if he decided to write them down and make a book.
Clyde shook his head because he felt what he was thinking was off the track.
"What else did she say?" asked Clyde. "Did Shiva create the Order?"
"No." Olaflyn shook his head. "There are other beings who are creators of that Order.
According to the woman's explanation, Shiva is a Celestial who is related to that Order for a purpose that she cannot divulge."
Olaflyn turned and found that Clyde was still staring at him. he said. "I can't say anything other than that. Sorry."
Clyde was clearly disappointed. There was a feeling of unfulfillment in his heart and an overwhelming curiosity.
However, he knew that the information Olaflyn had was extremely rare. He couldn't possibly get it anywhere else because of the mysteriousness of the Order of Mindweaver.
So Clyde doesn't push it. Because he can't.
Clyde nodded at Olaflyn. "Thanks for the information you give me."
"No problem. I don't even know what you can do with that information. Even if I say it to someone else, there will be no difference."
He's right. There shouldn't be anything to glean from that information. God Shiva is behind the Order of Mindweaver, so what?
However, Clyde has a different system than the others. He had also received contact from someone from the Order. Maybe, this information will be useful for him because he has access to the Order, although it is still very vague.
"I think I've talked to you enough," Olaflyn said. "I'll talk to your friend... uhh... your acquaintances now."
Olaflyn turned around and walked away from Clyde's side. Leaving Clyde alone with his mind filled with questions.
However, the more he thought about it, Clyde realized that the answers to those questions were even further away.
'It's not the time for me to get the answer.'
Clyde shook his head.
~~~
Because their mission was over, Clyde decided the next day that they had to return to Sivagadh Fortress.
Leon, Albert, Wiley, Rosie, and Lola didn't object. After all, they couldn't do anything here even though this place wasn't that bad.
"Thanks again," Clyde said.
His five companions also did the same thing.
"Don't think about it. This might be the last time we see each other," Olaflyn said.
"Why?" she asked.
"Because there's no reason for us to meet again."
Lola looked a little sad. During these few hours, she felt that Olaflyn was a good person and she felt disappointed that she might not be able to see him again.
The six people had already finished taking the information Olaflyn had gathered over several hundred years for granted. Clyde thought because the sage trusted Maethion so much that he give the results of his quest so easily to the bespectacled Elf.
Olaflyn led them all the way to the beach where they had come. They said goodbye one last time before finally entering the portal and disappearing from the place.
As they disappeared, Olaflyn's mind immediately went to Clyde.
"He, somehow, is destined to do great things. Though, I'm not sure if he can endure that great burden."
A smirk suddenly appeared on Olaflyn's face. As if he finds something amusing about Clyde.
"Let's just wait and see."
Olaflyn thought that he would just be a spectator. He had lived too long and done a lot. He thought now was the time for him to enjoy the show and do nothing.
Unless, something unexpected happened.
~~~
They returned to the Fortress in good condition.
They were in a good mood after successfully completing the first expedition well, and they were also happy because they managed to level up and become stronger than when they set out.
Leon, Albert, Rosie, Wiley, and Lola said goodbye to Clyde. They went to their respective living quarters to let Clyde hand the book over to Maethion.
Clyde glanced at the five people who were walking away. In his heart, Clyde felt that something was missing when they returned. But he doesn't know what it is.
Could it be, he wanted to celebrate success with them?
But a moment later Clyde shook his head to dismiss the idea.
"There's no way I feel so."
He walked towards the lake where he met Maethion like before. Clyde sat on a chair and waited for the bespectacled Elf.
~~~
In that place, there were many powerful beings with hundreds of their soldiers.
That place has become the most tense place in recent times because of an anomaly that has occurred.
It was just a barren wasteland with brown sand and black rocks scattered randomly.
There wasn't anything interesting to see in that place other than the presence of the Celestials with their glaring displays of power.
The Celestials were staying in their respective tents. With hundreds of soldiers always on guard and ready to fight.
All the soldiers' gazes were directed toward a place in the east.
There was a pitch-black wall that stretched as far as the horizon. No one could see the end of it or what was beyond the pitch-black wall. And that makes them even more anxious because they don't know anything.
"How long has it been since the last appearance?" Uriel, who decided to return to this place after several days of staying in her domain, asked a man with short and curly blonde hair.
"About ten hours ago," the man replied.
The man was someone who had a large build with prominent biceps. He was wearing a white long robe that fluttered in the gentle wind that came from the black walls.
Uriel exhaled uncomfortably. "Let's just attack it, Gabriel. I think that way this problem will be solved faster."
Gabriel - the blonde man - turned his head with a frown and a look full of disbelief.
"Are you mad?" he asked.
Uriel's face looked restless staring at the black wall in front of her. "I just can't stand this situation!"
"But we can't do anything right now. We can't take any chances," Gabriel said. "You also know that the soldiers who die on the walls will affect us as well."
It was an extremely dire reality for Celestials. They had already sent soldiers to directly attack the black wall when it first appeared.
However, all the soldiers that were sent stopped when they hit the wall. Then they crumble into black dust just like that.
Even though they possessed the strength of the Celestials and were the most powerful warriors who were chosen to be here, the wall abolished them even when they just touched it.
Then, the Celestials who were the masters of the crumbling warriors were also affected by a strange influence. They feel pain as if something is hitting their soul.
Since then, they no longer sent soldiers to touch the wall and only fought the strange creatures that came out of it.
That's why Gabriel couldn't stop thinking when he heard Uriel's words earlier.
"Maybe by uniting all of our strength, we can destroy it," said Uriel with red eyes still staring at the wall.
Gabriel snorted. "You are free to talk to them."
Uriel knew that convincing the Celestials to cooperate could be even more difficult than destroying the wall.
Uriel clicked her tongue in annoyance. From the moment they were created, no one could stand against the might of the Celestials.
But somehow, now there is a force that they don't understand can threaten their very existence.
Of course, such a thing would provoke anxiety and fear for those beings who were used to their status as the most powerful rulers in the universe. Uriel and the other Archangels are no exception.
~~~
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