Indicating with his mighty hand to the chair opposite him, offering a seat, the enormous man smiled, showing no signs of hostility.
Edward, still puzzled and holding his sword, slowly made his way to the offered seat behind the table. Once seated, he inquired, "What do you mean by 'friend' and what does 'from the other side' mean?"
The man, carefully and politely taking a coffee cup, replied, "Mr. Edward, what do you know about the gates and the world you visited, which you called 'Velestra'?"
"It's the world where I spent ten years!" Edward exclaimed with disbelief.
"No, you misunderstand me," said the figure sitting in front of him with a kind face. "I saw your performance on television, but I'm asking you, not where you've been, but WHAT you know about it."
Edward, perplexed, attempted to answer, "Velestra is a world parallel to ours. Based on all the knowledge available to me at the moment, our universes are intertwined, and the gates serve as a 'transition' between them."
"Excellent, Mr. Ember. But do you know that 'YOUR' door to a parallel world is different from 'MY' door?"
Leaping abruptly from the table, Ember shouted, "What do you mean by 'different'?!?!" He still held his sword firmly, ready to strike.
"Comrade Edward Ember, the world... where I... have been... is called 'Helioksis'..."
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
---
"And Mr. Ember, I kindly ask you to stop brandishing your weapon; my friend doesn't perceive it well," he said, looking down and pointing to a small carrier.
---
Edward sensed the power of the man sitting in front of him, but he understood that this power was 'suppressed'. Yet, for some reason, an identical energy and strength still lingered in the air, with the concentration of this energy specifically beneath the table. He definitely felt a certain threat.
---
"May I inquire what's in the carrier?" Edward asked, concealing his sword in a small portal.
"It's my 'companion," the man sitting in front of him replied.
"Grom, cone out and say hello to our guest"
Edward watched with bewilderment and caution as a creature, from which he sensed extraordinary power, jumped out of the carrier onto its owner's lap. It clumsily tried to get on the table, using its paws to reach it. After a few seconds of effort, the creature managed to climb onto the table.
---
The creature that stood before Edward was a true work of nature's art. It resembled a chimera, combining the grace of a cat with the might of a dragon. Its thick scales gleamed, as if covered in numerous precious gemstones, shifting from deep emerald to amber hues.
The creature had long, curved claws, capable of piercing through anything. Its tail, flexible and muscular, sparkled with intricate patterns, reminiscent of a magical artifact. Wide ears, like a cat's, were attentively directed towards Edward, as if listening to his every word.
The enigmatic creature also possessed a pair of mighty dragon-like wings. Each wing was adorned with a complex, rune-like pattern, emitting a faint yet magical glow. These patterns seemed alive, pulsating with magical energy in harmony with the beating of a heart.
Despite the initial impression of power and dread, the creature's gaze was filled with warm, soothing wisdom, exuding incredible curiosity and friendliness, as if welcoming a new friend.
---
Edward attempted to comprehend why the force he felt was so similar to what he had sensed before in 'another world.' Suddenly, realizing this, he asked cautiously
"IS THIS A DRAGON?"