Clyde tried to keep flowing quite a lot of his Mana now. He didn't think that someone - the Senior Council - would find anything suspicious about him. He's just sleeping, so nothing should question him.
He's only done it once. So for the second try, Clyde was expecting that he would still feel a little awkward about doing this.
Clyde was patient, it took him about ten minutes to get something. Until finally he could feel he had grasped Asqa on the other end.
'Clyde?' Asqa's voice sounded panicked. Since this was a sound coming directly from her head, Clyde could clearly feel it.
'Sorry. Did I surprise you?' Clyde asked.
'Yes. You didn't say you were going to contact me first.'
'You know I can't do that,' Clyde replied.
Asqa paused. Then said. 'You are right. So, what's going on now?'
'Have you got anything?' Clyde asked.
'Not really. I haven't found anything about Mona and God Loki yet. Celestials rarely keep information about other Celestials and their followers are no help either.'
'Why?' Clyde frowned with his eyes closed.
'I do not know. Maybe it's because they are always involved in the rivalry that they feel so reluctant to keep information about each other.'
'That's kinda weird. Shouldn't they be storing information to prepare if the dispute gets heated?' Clyde said.
'Maybe it's also because of their pride. They don't want to keep information about the powers or abilities of other Celestials for their followers to see,' Asqa said.
'It is possible,' Clyde said. 'Then you haven't gotten anything yet?'
'Actually,' Asqa said. 'I might get something useful for you.'
Asqa's words caught Clyde's attention. 'What's that?'
'You already got some power from Archangel Uriel's fire after killing Alessio, right?' I found a way to strengthen the power of that fire.'
The corners of Clyde's lips lifted into a smile. News about gaining new powers always excited him.
'Tell me,' Clyde said.
'So, I read in an old book about one way how Archangel Uriel keeps her body strengthened,' Asqa said. 'She goes to several places to purify her body every certain amount of time. That way she can remove all the impurities that are in her body after a fight or being injured.'
Clyde frowned. If Asqa could have seen the look on his face, she would have immediately seen how interested Clyde was in the news.
'Where are those places?' Clyde asked.
'I don't know if you can reach that place from wherever you are. The good news is, that place doesn't only exist in Archangel Uriel's domain.'
Clyde was quite surprised by the news. 'So where is it?'
'It's located in several places. More precisely in several domains other than this domain,' replied Asqa.
Clyde exhaled. Such an important place definitely doesn't just exist in random places.
Clyde had hoped that those places were in a Ruin or a pocket dimension like Olaflyn's. But of course, it won't be that easy.
He was sure that places were within the Celestials' domains. No less.
'Where are those places?' Clyde asked. Now his enthusiasm had waned a bit because the trip to go there was sure to be troublesome.
'The places located in the domains of Celestials that have the power of fire,' Asqa said. 'God Hephaestus, God Agni, Goddess Pele, and God Xiuhtecuhtli.'
Clyde sighed again. That means he must enter the Celestials' domain to get a fraction of Uriel's power.
'Exactly, what can I get from these places, Asqa?'
'Fire of purification. With it you can clear the impurities in your body, strengthen it, and gain greater affinity with the element of fire,' replied Asqa. 'But this power can only be obtained if you have obtained a fraction of Uriel's power. Otherwise, you'll just burn yourself as soon as you step into those fires.'
Clyde had expected that. He already has a fraction of Uriel's strength so it's not a problem. The problem is how to get there.
However, even though it was troublesome, managing to acquire a technique to purify oneself and increase one's affinity with the fire element was quite a good result.
Clyde already knew how strong his fire elemental was. And if his fire power manages to reach a higher level, he can give his enemy a fatal blow faster.
'Thanks, Asqa. This is all very useful,' said Clyde.
Asqa didn't answer right away. Clyde couldn't see right away but in her place, Asqa was smiling.
'You're welcome, Clyde. I'm glad I could help. Although I can not give anything about those traitors,' said Asqa.
'I'm sure you'll be able to find it,' Clyde replied.
Their conversation ended shortly after Asqa gave an additional explanation about the places.
As soon as it ended, Clyde opened his eyes and stood up.
Now all he had to do was figure out how he could get to the domains of one of the Celestials.
'I have to talk to Maethion about this.'
Clyde walked towards the portal and returned to the Fortress.
~~~
Several days passed without Clyde being able to find Maethion. Somehow, the bespectacled Elf was able to avoid it and seemed to return to the early days when they still didn't know each other.
Finally, Clyde received news that in fact, some of the Senior Council who had previously been away were now back.
They weren't all back yet but out of the ten members, five had already returned. Making the Senior Council members in the Fortress numbered eight.
Clyde was quite surprised to hear the news. If most of them return, then perhaps something big has happened - or is about to happen - that requires them to gather.
'Maybe it has something to do with the books I brought,' Clyde thought while enjoying his lunch. 'I'm getting more and more curious about this book. I have to ask Maethion if I can get a chance to meet him.'
Clyde continued eating his lunch. Suddenly Leon, Albert, Wiley, Rosie, and Lola's group came to his table.
Clyde was a bit surprised by their presence but he didn't complain. If they just want to enjoy lunch then that's not a problem.
"You hear the news?" Wiley asked Clyde.
"Yeah," Clyde replied flatly. He already knew that Wiley would want to talk about the arrival of the rest of the Senior Council.
Clyde's answer made him sigh. "That wasn't the reaction I was expecting."
Clyde didn't respond and continued to eat.
"Even Hammer has never seen all the members of the Senior Council. He said, just like the residents of this Fortress, they consist of various kinds of creatures," Lola said.
Knowing that there were various kinds of creatures within the Senior Council, Clyde became curious.
They must also be very strong. They could be allies like Maethion, or hostiles like the other two members who had been here.
'It would be better if I made them allies,' thought Clyde.
"But why did they suddenly come here, huh?" Rosie asked, frowning at her.
"No one really knows why," said Leon. "Except us. Maybe they came back after we took the book from Olaflyn."
Albert, Wiley, Rosie, and Lola all turned to Leon.
"Maybe you're right," said Wiley. Then he turned to Clyde. "Do you know anything?"
"Not really," answered Clyde curtly.
"That bespectacled Senior Council didn't say anything to you?"
"Not yet. But I think you guys are right. I suspect that too," said Clyde.
"Are we going to get another expedition mission?" Lola said.
Hearing that, Clyde stopped his spoon from reaching his mouth. 'If that's true, then it's possible that I could have a chance to go to the domain of one of those Celestials.'
Clyde immediately resumed eating before they noticed.
"That may be true, Lola," said Albert.
Lola grimaced at that. "I don't know ... I hope we don't have to leave anytime soon."
They continued their lunch with small talk after that, no longer wanting to talk about the expedition they might actually be doing.
~~~
The eight members of the Senior Council sat in the room only in silence. After quite a long discussion and debate, they pondered in silence to organize their thoughts.
Finally, a woman with long silver hair spoke.
"I want to check this as soon as possible. Send some senior residents who can fight."
"This is too risky," said a creature that hid himself inside a large brown cloak. There was something like a muzzle protruding under his hood. He spoke in a deep, deep voice as if it were made by the friction of two rough stones.
"No. I heard that the conflict in the Far East is heating up. The guard in some of those domains must be more relaxed now," the silver-haired woman replied.
"I agree with Anahita," Maethion said. "Let's send our stronger squad."
They all turned to look at him, paying full attention. Vernik and Madri exchanged knowing glances. But the two of them didn't look like they were going to complain.
"Who's that?" Anahita - the silver-haired woman - asked.
Maethion leaned forward. "Let's meet them and see for yourself."
~~~
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