Travel, Longing Nature (2—Last Part)

"I... don't know... I-... Don't know?" Heian Ciemnosc said, frowning even more and suddenly relaxing his face as he realized. The eyeballs nodded again, lifting their arm to hold the air where their chin could be before looking straight into Heian Ciemnosc's darkest eyes. "What makes you worthy?"

"... Noth-" Heian Ciemnosc was startled by their yet another question. However, before he could answer, they extended their arm to stop him and said. "It wasn't a question. We were thinking."

“...” Heian Ciemnosc didn’t know how to respond. He stood there, waiting for them to continue as they stared at him. They couldn’t blink and didn’t divert their gaze, pulling Heian Ciemnosc’s hairs on their ends with impassive stillness. 5 minutes went by fast, and Heian Ciemnosc felt his head was about to go crazy when the entity exclaimed and turned, revealing pure white sclera from the back of their heads.

“Meh- ah, come,” its voice commanded. Heian Ciemnosc didn’t know what to expect but followed them anyway. He saw them sit on the invisible floor where they could ignore the ocean’s motion. They sat to the left and right as if they were on a boat, with the former slightly closer towards Heian Ciemnosc, and they both placed their right and left arms over the edge of said invisible boat, respectively.

“Sit. Sat or not moves. This isn’t your place or home. Obey or leave. Hurt or continue. You move. Hmm~?” Its voice conveyed. Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes were pensive before he sobered up and mimicked going over a boat’s edge by lifting his shoes and then sitting on its stern. When he did, the eyeballs looked at him before gazing ahead in the direction Heian Ciemnosc could only look in.

Swassshh, swaaaaash, swuuuuuaaaaaasshhhhhh…

Heian Ciemnosc could feel his bum wetting as the ocean reached him, caressing his soles and bum. The invisible boat began moving forwards. Heian Ciemnosc felt like the skin under his eyes was pulled when it moved. They moved, and the more Heian Ciemnosc thought about it, the faster the invisible boat went.

“Woah, slow down!” The entity spoke, and they looked back at him as the boat continued, “If not slowing. Trip or fall? Stumble? Fail? Tragedy! Death! Suffering… Or gain? No risks are left unwelcome. But no good comes from haste… Slow or not?” The entity said, seemingly asking Heian Ciemnosc at the end of its words. Heian Ciemnosc reminisced about it, pondering with his face unknowingly facing the sky as his darkest eyes gazed down at their heads.

They looked at him as if noticing he had finally realized he was losing control of his body. Heian Ciemnosc slowed the boat and gradually decreased its speed to a pleasurable calmness as they scrutinized him. Suddenly, Heian Ciemnosc also realized he was just in a storm, and thunder echoed from far away, but seconds ago, lightning struck around them, loud enough to deafen them.

“...!” Heian Ciemnosc’s chest heaved up and down, and he felt his ears numb as if recuperating from a loud attack. The entity looked at him, and Heian Ciemnosc felt as if they had smiled crookedly and mischievously. It spoke again, “He listens~... He hears… He knows… But. What does it matter? Look. Think. Maaaake~... I want you to move.”

“Haaa…” Heian Ciemnosc felt as if his body was submerged in water, and only his face and fingertips could remain outside the surface, breathing and looking at the sky helplessly, as if he could only look and enjoy the sight of the heavens.

“No time for pleasure…” - “!!” Heian Ciemnosc heard their voice hoarse like never before when his wrists were grabbed, and he was pulled downwards. He could swear he felt their presence beside his ears, looking at him hostilely as if he was feeling at ease, in peace. But no, they didn’t allow him. Yet, other than some terror, rage didn’t dwell in Heian Ciemnosc’s body as he was blocked from the sight of the sky.

Heian Ciemnosc submerged into the water. He instinctively closed his eyes but relaxed them after tightly shutting them. He felt the peacefulness of the water as he floated within it, under the sky, now blocked, and as his body was slowly and helplessly rotating backwards. His back was a little arched as the sky would soon leave his vision, but before Heian Ciemnosc could enjoy or wait until that happened… He suddenly felt like the sky wasn’t his place to admire anymore. He itched for the darkness at the bottom.

“!” Suddenly, Heian Ciemnosc realized. He was no longer in the water. His body floated. Not underwater… but in space!

Heian Ciemnosc looked at the pitch-blackness of the world. Where no Kingdom, Galaxy, Universe, or Existence was present. Where the Universal Lands could only look when at the border of all its Universal Land. Heian Ciemnosc looked… and his darkest eyes, like a child’s enjoyment, didn’t close even for a moment. That was until he felt his legs gripped by the same hands.

This time, Heian Ciemnosc could see them. And, indeed, their eyeballs furiously looked at Heian Ciemnosc. Disdain and disgust emanated from them as they looked at him. They were both female now, and they started pulling Heian Ciemnosc downwards after he looked at them, not when he noticed them, like before.

“This is not your place! Who told you to get in?! Move away! Out of here!! You don’t belong here! Preposterous! Where do you think you’re staring at? It’s not a place you could afford in your life! Since you like it this much, let me give you a sample of their hearts!!” The entity’s voice was not only hostile now. It reeked of monstrosity, and Heian Ciemnosc felt his pale skin shivering before feeling the gradual pull increasing suddenly skyrocket as he could see something zooming towards him!

No- it was him being pulled towards it!

Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes widened as the Kingdom became fully spread before his eyes. Its size was too large for his eyes to encompass it entirely, and he rapidly continued falling towards it when he least expected it! He crossed the atmosphere, the eyeballs still looking at him with the same disgust and the likes of it. Heian Ciemnosc felt air fill his lungs before being brutally deprived of it as he sensed the four primary Elements engulf him after the Elemental Poisoning left him, comforting him from suffering the chase of such horrible things. He suddenly felt as if all Elements have a life of their own, only they lacked something, just as the world lacked some things!

Heian Ciemnosc believed it would be a matter of seconds before he met the ground head-on, but as he continued falling, he didn’t stop there, and as incredibly tall trees and rivers became ginormous in his darkest eyes, Heian Ciemnosc was still nowhere near crashing against the ground, water, or anything!

Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes suddenly widened over their natural capabilities. Their contents shrank below the volume of dots, and they trembled with shock…

‘It seems… so familiar… why does it… remind me of the Sinvonnia Kingdom?!!’ Heian Ciemnosc’s thoughts churned. He felt as his body became heavier and his head looser. His cultivation base was suddenly shortened, and he felt like his Linked Body was cut at the middle of every Link between his power sources, including his veins, organs, and nerves.

‘Strange!’ Heian Ciemnosc suddenly felt a thought emerge in his head, but his instincts immediately acted against it, and he closed his eyes with reckless might. Immediately, he felt everything turn into dark smoke around him, and he felt his body standing on something again. Heian Ciemnosc waited several seconds before opening his darkest eyes.

“He still doesn’t understand… it’s helpless… hopeless! Move, moves… Straange… Alive? Always there? Truth?! Change… I… I… I don’t have… many more words left… why?” The entity was again before him. Heian Ciemnosc looked at them and suddenly felt he shouldn’t move, or maybe he couldn’t…

“Re-” Heian Ciemnosc moved his lips, but before he could even speak a complete word, one of the eyeballs turned and lifted his manly arms. Heian Ciemnosc’s lower lip immediately went up, and his mouth was sealed. This was done by the eyeball on Heian Ciemnosc’s right, while the left one only turned around after his mouth was sealed.

“!” Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes widened as he realized his arms were tied in the air behind his back, fully extended, with his arms unmoving, not responding to him at all!

A strange sensation, vastly different from helplessness and powerlessness, engulfed Heian Ciemnosc’s chest, heart, brain, and dark Soul. He looked at his captors as they walked to the same distance between them and Heian Ciemnosc and were distanced by 4 meters. Heian Ciemnosc blinked, and they were suddenly 8 meters apart from each other, confusing Heian Ciemnosc.

“YOU SHUT UUUUP!!” The entity, the eyeball on the left, roared to the top of its lungs, pointing at Heian Ciemnosc with his right, manly arm and deforming its head with several red strings cracking its eyeball. The other entity joined, “YOU WILL NOT SPEAK BEFORE US!!”

The entity’s voices joined again, and they sounded like one… again. “It’s too strange, so strange!... What is it?!! It’s time he dies! Yes, he dies! He cannot live! No, he shouldn’t! It’s a calling! Yes, we are! It is sacred! Holy… … … It’s Father, it’s, it’s, it’s…”

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Heian Ciemnosc went through the unknown and unnameable. At times, he could swear his body and mind were about to be destroyed as the entity did as much as just talk. At others, he felt his everything safe and sound and the tranquility of understanding, but he could not comprehend!

His eyeballs started rolling as the entity seemed to move away from its place, floating and leaning sideways, playing with Heian Ciemnosc as his left and right darkest eyes moved and stared in different directions. He couldn’t do anything to help himself and only felt inexplicable pain course through him violently as the situation was only worsening.

Heian Ciemnosc suddenly thought of something, and when the idea came to him, he felt deeply calm. His eyelids slowly lowered while his eyeballs struggled to look ahead directly, struggling and challenging the entity’s manipulation over his body and… life.

His eyeballs struggled to look ahead at the last instant before he lowered his eyelids to half. The moment he did, the entity suddenly blurred from 2 figures into 1. It was no longer attracting Heian Ciemnosc’s eyeballs to look wherever they moved, and Heian Ciemnosc saw a sexless body lifting its hands towards him. This time, not to grab, push, or pull him, but… simply like lending a hand.

That was when Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes closed, and he heard a final phrase after they chatted nonstop before him. The voice was closer now, and the last bits of image and color Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes took in revealed the entity up close with him.

“It’s time to go.”

‘...’ Heian Ciemnosc’s mind tumbled. His body shivered, and before he knew it, he was awake again, not knowing how long it had been since he was out cold. What’s more, he felt his body was standing, not just on something, but on something real that he knew and had walked for days. Along with that came a sensation of knowing his eyes were closed, and they felt calm.

“...” Heian Ciemnosc opened his darkest eyes. They seemed to gleam of something, but it went away immediately. His calm, light pale eyelids smoothly opened to reveal the platform and group he has walked through and with all this week. Heian Ciemnosc felt his heart thump once before calming down. The beat had nothing to do with his emotions. He was eerily calm and serene, looking at everyone with ultimate coldness.

“Heian Ciemnosc!” A flurry of steps was followed by Yun Nitu’s voice. Her words were accompanied by a silent surprise and shock as Heian Ciemnosc appeared in the middle of the group, not where he had left it before. Heian Ciemnosc turned to his left, where Yun Nitu landed at the platform edge and smiled at him. “How are you? Is everything alright?”

“Oh…” Heian Ciemnosc slightly nodded, slightly exclaiming. Yun Nitu’s widened, and she nodded quickly before turning around. Heian Ciemnosc followed after her, ignoring the gazes and confusion from the cultivators. He walked behind Yun Nitu, whose evident childish impatience humored Heian Ciemnosc.

When they returned to their core group, Heian Ciemnosc’s Team members and Yun Tang looked from the side as Heian Ciemnosc and Yun Nitu acted like this was a ceremony. Heian Ciemnosc lifted his arms as Yun Nitu looked at his face politely.

“This is…” Heian Ciemnosc looked down at the treasure in his hands or arms. He was scarcely stunned to see a string coiled around his arms and fingers, caressing his pale skin like a loving touch emerging when one needed it the most.

The string seemed as long as an adult’s arm and thin as one’s eyelashes, at least not from a Fauna. When Heian Ciemnosc held it, it felt nonexistent, and only when he looked at it did he see through its existence trickling his skin and even flesh as if it touched everything at once.

“Yours, now.” Heian Ciemnosc said, prostrating the string before Yun Nitu. She looked down and couldn’t help but exclaim before moving to take it with a soft approach. “It’s so pretty… Heian Ciemnosc!”

Yun Nitu took the string and brought it to her chest before knitting her eyebrows before she looked up at Heian Ciemnosc, who wasn’t ready to see her silly, vulnerable side before being tightly hugged by her arms. She didn’t hesitate to use Neutral Energy as her chin sank in his right shoulder.

“Mfuh! Thank you. I don’t know what these are, but they’re so precious I don’t know how to thank you. Thank you!” Yun Nitu hugged Heian Ciemnosc’s neck over his left shoulder and below his right armpit as she headbutted his chest, tightly hugging the irresistibly handsome, pale young man.

“...” Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes opened wide and blinked before relaxing. They narrowed to a near-close before his pale hands fell on her upper back. Then, everything became more tranquil as the cultivators looked at this scene, and Yun Tang looked at his bro meaningfully. Between bros, that meant silent thanks.

“...Alright, I think this is enough, no?” Heian Ciemnosc said, grinning and showing his canines as he pushed Yun Nitu slightly away. He couldn’t free himself unless she gave up holding him close. Yun Nitu smiled, snickered, and gave him one last tight hug before letting go.

“Ha- phooow~,” Heian Ciemnosc sharply breathed in before comfortably letting it go. His body never felt so vulnerable before someone whose cultivation base wasn’t this advanced the last time he saw them. Heian Ciemnosc wore a helpless expression as his Team members approached, and the Yuns walked away with Yun Nitu contentedly showing the string to Yun Tang. The latter wore a stupefied expression when he held it.

“Let’s take a 1-day rest here. I… think I’m breaking through again,” Heian Ciemnosc said. He held Moy’s arms down so as to not let his dignity be violated again and said. Ruo Wei nodded, and Loma said with her baby man standing behind her. “That sounds good. You’ve worked hard, Team Leader. Let’s rest.”

“Mn, oh. Then, we’ll move…” Heian Ciemnosc nodded before declaring. The Team members nodded in return before walking away. They went out in pairs, drawing jealousy, pain, and hatred from the onlookers and the lonely ones in the Team. However, what were pals for if not for now?

“Com’ere!” - “Time to speak about tales and whatnot, come on mate!” Cara caught Heian Ciemnosc’s left arm, entwining it beside her breasts. Those were Riquel— and Ruo Wei’s— property now. She spoke with a cutesy voice. Ruo Wei took Heian Ciemnosc’s right arm, pulling it above her shoulders as her left arm went across Heian Ciemnosc’s lower back to entwine hands with Cara.

No fun stuff tonight, but they would spend it with their Team Leader. It had been a while since they could lay and chat. They missed it. And truth be told, something told Heian Ciemnosc to enjoy it now as he won’t be able to have these in the future and for a long time after that.

“We’ll talk about our embarrassing moments growing up, as usual… then… will you tell us more about Valeria?” Ruo Wei, negotiating the price as Heian Ciemnosc sighed and looked up with closed eyes. His charm and innate beauty were too much! Cara chipped in, putting her left hand on her hip and hitting Heian Ciemnosc’s vertebral column. “Right! I’ll even speak of my first mas-”

“Cara!” Ruo Wei said, shouting. Cara looked at Ruo Wei, somewhat startled. Then, she understood and lowered her head with a reddened pair of cheeks and ashamed, tightly shut eyes. If they talked about that, wouldn’t it be weird? Even more, it would be a challenge to Heian Ciemnosc’s manliness to try teasing him like that without expecting something in return, no?

“...” Heian Ciemnosc grinned, said nothing, and entered his inner being to see how his sweet wife Sara was doing. When he discovered her in bed, sleeping and peaceful, he walked over and planted a kiss on the left profile of her forehead before exiting again.

Sara shook her shoulders and formed a little smile before continuing to sleep. Her eyelashes softly fluttered as she fell deeply asleep and seemed to dream of something beautiful. Heian Ciemnosc didn’t know if she dreamed of her world… or their future.

Either way, she was precious and mattered a great deal to him. She was his longest companion so far… For some reason, the simple fact that she had always been with him, even when she hid, or even when they were both silent, aware of the other’s existence and after bedding once. Even these days. It all meant too much to him.

… The first week was fortuitous, to say the least. Heian Ciemnosc led his group for another 6 days. Thus, it had been 2 weeks since they entered here. The covert operation went smoother than expected. No hidden organizations ready to steal from them existed, or they somehow avoided the ghosts’ perception and hunger for whatever reason. Thankfully.

Even then, the danger was real. Heian Ciemnosc could feel Yun Nitu’s change of point of view towards him. Before, he was a fella she knew and admired for his capabilities, and had someone in common, Elena.

It would be a joke if the allies, both Overlords and one of them always renowned throughout the world, the Wrath Nihility Academy and the Phosphorescent Flower Sect, didn’t plan for their future. While Elena was married and the Academy’s intentions were clear, companionship could still emerge from their currently young, future leaders.

It wasn’t just the Obscure Orb Sect, Phosphorescent Flower Sect, Interchanging Dust Dynasty, and the Golden Terra Sect. The rest of the Existence’s Overlords were equally interchanging information and forming fellowships between their promising younger generation. Heian Ciemnosc would be a fool not to see through this. Thus, he wasn’t startled when Yun Nitu showed such affection and caring towards him.

Yun Tang’s words, especially his eloquence, weren’t enough to trust a pretty toyboy like Heian Ciemnosc right off the bat for a female when their previous dealings weren’t so intimate.

Either way, Heian Ciemnosc humored her by letting her walk with him when they were going through safe areas. Additionally, Heian Ciemnosc broke into the 5th stage, putting him in a good mood whether he wanted it or not. He was already in the lower levels of the 5th stage and onwards to the 6th stage. How could he be moody?

At this moment, when Heian Ciemnosc was just calmly leading them and conversing with Sara, no longer excited about the news she gave him a couple days ago, Yun Nitu suddenly launched her arms and head towards him. They were in a safe area for the last 10 minutes, so there was nothing to worry about.

Puu- wrap~!

Heian Ciemnosc felt her arms locking his arms to his torso as the box device rested on his bum, more or less. He stopped walking, and the cultivators behind them started tensing up again, thinking another one of them would fall today!

“Hah, nothing. It’s just…” Yun Nitu spoke after headbutting his lower back and rubbing her right cheek against his back upwards until she hugged his shoulders and collarbone and rested the right side of her face on his neck. She closed her eyes and finished her words as more arms were welcomed by Heian Ciemnosc’s locked body. “Since you’ve brought these treasures, you seem different. You’ve been leading us all this time around, but… You know, you don’t have to be lonely always, right?”

“You’ve seemed farther apart from the rest, including me, and I’m just behind you… so.” Yun Nitu’s voice softened even more. “Count on us, even if you feel isolated in the future, even if you are to be surrounded by an army of your own. Don’t think you can be alone now. A Leader never is. Those are my Master’s most cherished words. And you should know how archaic my Sect’s deepest origins are. Don’t you?”

“... Oh,” Heian Ciemnosc said as his darkest eyes narrowed, and he lightly caressed the back of Yun Nit’s right fingers on his collarbone’s left side.

…