Ancient Pasts - Tbate

Aftermath

Cathan Leywin Pov

I flew by Azrael's side, looking for a specific tree in the forest of Elshire. Usually, a tree would be inconsequential, but this tree hid something built by the Djinn.

"Is that it?" Azrael pointed with his snout on a tree slightly larger than the rest.

"I think so." I gestured for him to follow me and descended.

We landed in front of the tree, with Azrael's landing causing a lot more noise than we anticipated. I sighed as the twenty-meter-long dragon became a little boy.

I placed my palm on the tree and emitted my mana signature. A few hundred complex runes formed near my palm and slithered around the tree. Eventually, the runes lit up.

The tree split apart, revealing a blue teleportation gate that just reacted to my mana signature. I nodded and gestured for Azrael to follow me inside as I took a deep breath.

"This is freaking me out," Azrael stated.

"We still have to do this," I replied.

"I know. I know." Azrael sighed.

The feeling of being in a fast-forward film stopped as we found ourselves in a black void. This room was odd. Usually, I would sense aether, but I could see it inside this room.

"Is that..." Azrael's voice trailed off as he attempted to touch the purple particles.

"Aether." I finished with the same amazed tone.

The room was a black void, with the aether particles being the only different colors. Azrael floated around, following the aether while I studied its movement.

"Welcome, king of Djinn." I heard a voice inside the black void.

"Who's there?!" Azrael unsheathed his sword and prepared to strike down whoever just spoke.

"It's fine, Azrael." I used my hand to lower his sword, which he reluctantly did.

"Forgive me for not being able to welcome you sooner due to my immaterial body." A purple crystal with twelve revolving halos appeared in the black void.

"You're a Djinn, aren't you?" I looked at the crystal.

"Indeed I am, my king." The crystal glowed correspondingly to the words emanating from it.

"Call me Cathan. I'm still only a king by name." I scratched the back of my head.

"I cannot do that." The crystal refused.

"Why not?" I tilted my head.

"You are the king of the Djinn." The crystal stated.

"Fine, you can call me king or whatever." I relented with a sigh. "What's your name?"

"My name is Uriel. I was one of the closest advisors to the king of the Djinn during my time." The crystal answered.

"What happened to the Djinn?" I asked.

"I cannot tell you that just yet," Uriel answered with a disappointed tone.

"I see," I muttered, unable to hide my disappointment.

"It seems you have gained a godrune in both aevum and vivum," Uriel commented enthusiastically. "For someone as young as you are, that is quite impressive."

"It was mostly thanks to the keystone and Miras' memories." I dismissed.

"Do not discredit yourself. Even with Miras' knowledge and a knowledge keystone, it would be difficult for a normal human to gain a godrune." Uriel stated.