"Wait… What is happening? Who are you?" I exclaimed, my mind overwhelmed with confusion as I attempted to comprehend our perplexing circumstances.
Yet the source of the voice remained elusive, resembling that of a young girl. I gazed upon the scattered remnants of the creature that had been on the verge of biting Elsie, only for it to explode abruptly like an inflated balloon, accompanied by a resounding sonic boom.
"I will be with you shortly. In the meantime, hold your ground. There is one approaching from behind you at this very moment," the voice echoed once again.
Without fully grasping the situation, I swiftly re positioned myself and turned to face the unseen threat lurking behind me. The creature had concealed its presence, assuming a puddle-like form that would have eluded my detection. As it noticed my gaze, it enlarged in size and lunged towards me.
With a swift movement, I shifted my body to evade its trajectory and delivered a powerful upward kick, striking it just as it passed me. The force behind my kick, augmented by my Zen state, caused the creature to meet an instantaneous demise.
"Wallace, can you hear it too? There is a voice guiding us," Kei called out, seeking confirmation.
"We have no other option but to follow its guidance. This individual does not seem to be an enemy," I responded, my tone resolute. I braced myself, ready to confront the remaining handful of these menacing creatures.
**
I observed as the last of the creatures met its demise, slowly disintegrating into ashes. We had successfully annihilated the pack of peculiar creatures, all thanks to the guidance we had received. Their numbers far exceeded our previous encounter, reminding me of the tragedy that befell Reed and his companions.
The potential for history to repeat itself filled me with frustration, and I realised how fortunate we had been to avoid a similar fate. Despite my belief in my own growth, I still felt a sense of weakness. The exertion of my spatial powers had taken a toll on me, and I could barely maintain my composure until now.
"Well done," the girlish voice echoed once more, but this time it seemed louder than before. I glanced at my companions, who acknowledged the voice with a nod, indicating that they too had heard it.
Gradually, a shadow emerged, appearing to grow in size as it approached us. However, this time it took the form of a person rather than a pack of monsters.
As the figure drew closer, it revealed itself to be a girl of slightly shorter stature, exuding an air of maturity. Her hair, a vibrant shade of mint, cascaded down her back like a flowing river. Fair-skinned and with familiar features, she captured our attention.
"I didn’t expect you to hold out. I’m glad you did, though," she said, her voice identical to the one that had guided us. It became apparent that she was the person behind the mysterious voice.
"Pardon me, but who are you? And why did you assist us?" Elsie inquired, seeking answers.
"I am Celina Paquet, a Paladin. I have been conducting investigations into the appearance of these monsters and other peculiar occurrences in Limbo. As a sound weaver, I was able to detect the disruptions caused by your battle and offer assistance," she responded.
A realisation dawned on me. The pieces of the puzzle seemed to align as her familiar features and name clicked together.
Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.
"By any chance, are you related to Avery?" I ventured to ask
Her mouth gasped in surprise upon hearing Avery’s name. Avery had aided us in the second realm and introduced us to the concept of sol-weaving.
"Do you know my older brother?" she inquired.
"Yes, we met him at his laboratory in the 2nd realm. Like you, he was investigating the strange occurrences throughout the Limbo," I explained.
"I see. So you’re acquainted with him," she replied, regaining her composure.
"Miss Celina, we have been attacked by these creatures twice now. They don’t seem to belong in this realm. Can you shed some light on their nature? Last time, we encountered Sir Avery where the creatures ambushed us, and this time, it was his sister, you. There seems to be a connection," Kei interjected, seeking answers.
She paused, deep in thought, before speaking in a hushed tone.
"You are correct. These creatures are known as ‘Voidlings,’ and they are foreign entities that have invaded Limbo. They do not belong here, as this realm is not meant to host any living creatures," she began.
"Then where do they come from?" I inquired.
"Voidlings are creations of an organisation that is responsible for these strange occurrences and disrupts the balance of the Limbo. They are called the Void Order," Celina explained before Elsie interrupted.
"The Void Order... They are the ones who killed my father," Elsie expressed with a mixture of despair and determination.
"I’m sorry for your loss. My brother, our teacher, and I have been doing our best to repel these invaders, but the power of the Void Order continues to grow," Celina said with a hint of uncertainty in her voice.
I recalled all the unsettling encounters we had faced—the Voidlings, the Shadowhorns, and the monstrous bird. So the Void Order was behind it all.
"Are there any other threats aside from the Voidlings?" Kei inquired.
"The Void Order’s hierarchy consists of the Voidlings as the weakest forces. Above them are the Voidshades, sentient beings responsible for maintaining the organization. A single Voidshade can easily overpower a group of paladins."
"The Voidshades are commanded by the leaders of the organisation, known as the Voidkeepers. We have yet to encounter a Voidkeeper, so we don’t know their numbers, but they are likely much more powerful than the Voidshades," Celina explained.
I gasped at the revelation that the Voidlings were merely the weakest forces of this organisation and that there were far more formidable and powerful beings lurking within the Void Order who could easily annihilate us.
"Do you have any more questions?" Celina asked.
"You mentioned that you and Avery had a teacher. Could you tell us about him?" Kei inquired.
"In fact, I was about to get to that. I am actually searching for our teacher in this realm. Here’s the plan: I will guide you towards the beacon because we don’t know if there are more Voidlings lurking here. If we happen to encounter him, I will introduce you. Since you are acquaintances of my brother, it’s the least I can do," she explained.
"We would greatly appreciate your help," I replied.
***
"We’re almost there. It’s just an hour’s trek from here," Celina commented as we continued our journey towards the beacon, which marked the exit of this realm. She had been guiding us for the past few hours, having already traversed this realm before and knowing the shortest path to the exit. We were grateful for her assistance.
"Thank you for helping us with the Voidlings and guiding us. I expressed my gratitude.
"I’m about to leave after dropping you off. I still need to search for my teacher.
"You mean me?" A voice interrupted Celina. It was a deep, masculine voice that came from just behind us.
My instincts kicked in, and I swiftly turned around, my Zen state activating automatically. Elsie and Kei reacted in the same manner, with Kei swiftly drawing his weapons in response to the sudden presence we felt behind us.
"Don’t scare us like that!" Celina shouted, recognising the figure that had seemingly appeared out of nowhere behind us.
"Hahaha! Let me have some fun, won’t you?" The man replied with a wide grin on his face.
The figure standing before us appeared to be no older than thirty. His upper body was bare, revealing slightly pale skin, while his lower body was covered in cloth trousers. His towering stature and well-toned muscles gave him the appearance of a monk. His aqua-blue hair flowed down in two long braids, reaching his shoulders.
He wore a perpetually wide grin, accompanied by two large, dark blue eyes that resembled the sea.
"Please allow me to introduce you to my and my brother’s teacher. Although he may not appear to be so, the man in front of you is the most powerful human in Compound 009, Baek Hyun, The Ninth Herald." Celina spoke to us from behind.