LivingBeing!

2. Part 1

She helps him to stand up by extending her hand. Somehow, her flesh is hard. The feeling one can get by trying to grope a granite block. Monera then left the kitchen while dragging the man along with her, turn left, turn right before getting into a hall. They climbed up the long, twisted stairs made of near-transparent crystal reflecting the sunlight that pleased the eyes continuously. The hall of Monera's castle was monstrously large, and pillars from quartz pierced up from the floor to the ceiling that Rhinne can't see albeit near broke his neck trying to look at. Although he can't guess where the sun is, the mild light that adorned the crystal castle is absolutely sunlight. He was too familiar with it.

- So beautiful .....

- You like it?

- It's so glamorous. I can't even imagine that there is such a divine structure can exist anytime in history. - He said excitedly - I once like Sakura Empire castles as they were great, but they can't be compared to even that sparkling pillar.

- This is my house from a long time ago. One of my pride.

She steps up ahead of him o few steps, spread out her arms as large as she could - like a sage welcome their friend - and said in a dignified voice :

- This is the last bastion of my old civilization. All my sisters and brothers all have their respective castle that is as great as mine. And I can be sure that I am the one who has the most humble house, only after one of my sibling's castles.

Rhinne nearly fainted as blood rush to his head. He can't endure the exciting thought that more of them can exist. His weak body can hold his vigorous imagination and cough heavily. He has to lean on the next high stair step. Monera then remembered that her apostle was not so healthy and start to check on him. The surge of sickness subsides mysteriously. She pulls him up as easily as he pulls up a sack of cotton and she shook her head :

- You have to take care of your health.

- That is what I was born with. What can I even do? I can't struggle when I am not having conscious. - He complained and he shook off the arm that held him in place - Look like my mother loved my sister more than me. Thank you, I can walk on my own feet.

- ......... - She took back her hand in silence and stared at it for a while before saying - You will start to become better. I promise.

- Hehe. Seeing this castle is more than enough for this human, after all, so you don't have to do that to me.

They start to walk again in the prodigious stair lead to the corridor. The clink clang sound echoed every time their boots sole steps on the crystal. He looked up and asked :

- There are ways to move faster? This will take hours to get to that place with our current speed.

- You are impatient?

- No. - He still has a happy expression - I like to see more, but I just curious.

- Of course, there are. - She kicked on the stair and asked a question while smiling. One of her hands was playing with the sword's handle on her waist - Do you saw my height uncomfortable? After all, you are shorter than me too much.

- Yes, my neck is aching. Can you polymorph?

He poked her wings with pure intention as he was curious about the wings as a cat. He tried to touch it one time. Then, another one while looking for her reaction. Realized that she doesn't care, he goes for the wings as he never saw anyone with this type of wings happily. She ignored it with superhuman will and answered :

- I can, just not as great as True Dzenigei could.

- Does that grass crane fly because of that ability?

He means the crane she made when they first met. She shook her head :

- No, that is Negi, a higher form of intangible will. Polymorph can do other things.

- Can you do that now? - He asked while looking at her horns - They look dangerous, these horns.

- Yes, but not now. - The woman of mystery nodded while pointing at the surrounding, where pillars of light poured down like the scene of dawn. - Do you think my castle is great? It was the combination of many techniques and blood. And the light you saw over there is also a kind of weapons, in case this place was infiltrated.

- How can it be bad? - He wondered if she isn't confident - What is your castle name?

- Just called it how you saw fit. - She looks at the place where the ceiling should be - But considered how long this place had prevailed, you could call it Eternal Palace. Or Indestructible Castle, as it once repels 3 waves of invasion from our enemies.

- Let call it Eternal Castle. - He decided.

- Did you just mixed their name?

- I did.

She doesn't care, as this place mean won't change even if hundred of worlds call it Mud Palace. Not her family will, though. They will kill them and tear up that apostle's soul and stuff it to hell with their armies. Their authorities couldn't be challenged.

- I will train you. What do you want to learn?

Rhinne looks at the skin that seems impervious to the world's sharpest blade of Monera. It looks like that. Image a block of pure blue steel that resembles diamond and steel mixed along with the flexibility of flesh, that is how her skin looks like. He decided :

- What I need to kill that alien and its army.

- Great choice.

He tried to hit Monera. She evaded it and asked :

- What are you even trying anyway?

- Why your body is so hard while you are a living being?

- You mean my wings? They are hard, of course, as I had reached the limit. I'm very hard and won't die even if I was thrown off this world.

- Huh?

He remembered this sentence before.

- Did you just repeat what you told me about a high-ranked Dzenigei?

- I did. That just means I'm equivalent to them. However...

He feels ominous. He digs up his memories and looks for information.

" - A normal living being that strong enough to pass the limit of its species many times."

Hmmm? He c****d his head, felt something isn't right no matter how hard he thinks.

" No way. "

He feels his instinct is screaming to its fullest. He poured out all his courage to ask:

- Can Dzenigei have Transcendents and Absolutes?

- Oh, the worst news for you is, yes. They can. - She made a helpless gesture - You understand the law of this world as good as I am. It is fair to anyone. I can, you can, on what restriction they can't? We will just deny the hard-working Dzenigei if we are jealous about that.

- This will be a bit tight...

He thinks hard. A normal Dzenigei or something that looks like a dragon is already so like zombies and human transcendents will struggle to fight it. Now stack them together, grasp some bystanders, and told them that these Dzenigeis are gods of destruction and anyone will believe it.

How can we resist them?

He realized that his fate was not as bright as the Eternal Caste he currently resides in. His facial expression is unmoved under his gray hair.

- So what are the chance we success, Monera?

He asked while climbing the tower of gods. There are many floors, stairs and even living being going around this place that was holding weapons and stages. It was a tower of trial and he passed by all of them by following her.

- Depend on the peaceful way or the destructive way you choose. If your sister can grow strong, you can become the necessary condition of being transcendent, and if you can gather adequate force from your world you can stand a chance of killing it.

She guides him to the corridor. She grasped his wrist and pulled him back a bit. A blade of execution passed by.

It created the sound of a mountain-size blade cut through the air. The pressure came after that and a howling wind passed by. She mumbled to him :

- Sorry. - She pulled him up - Did I hurt you?

- Yes. - He looked and asked - What is this place?

- Pendulums that slashed challengers to death. - She shook her head - I think the floor guardians have slept, or not they will never activate them when i was leading you up like this. It will be hard , but let me apology first. It seems like we must pave the way to the top now.

- You really own this place ???

He stared at her. She pulled him inside her hug and a blade collided against her shoulder. Rhinne's ears got incredibly hurts and he feels like he just fainted. He covered his ears. She stood up and said :

- I'm sorry! - She said with a strong voice while looking at the dark space that the pendulums appeared - I let you got hurt again, Rhinne! It was my fault.

She said something more but he can't hear any more as he closed his eyes, covered his ears as it was too hurts. It is like he pierced a needle right into his brain through the earhole. The entire world in this place blackened as he doesn't care about them anymore.

Warm liquids wet his fingers and he instinctively realized that it was his own blood. It is hot and warmer than he once thought. A hand forcibly took his hand off and pressed it against his ear. The pain lessened. The same thing happened to the other ear and he panted weakly. Rhinne coughed, wiped his mouth and tried to get up. Monera pressed her hand on his chest and he must lie down. She is as powerful as her appearance suggests. He then has time to observed the surrounding.

First, the ominous atmosphere is still there. It was still as black as deepest water inside a sea and no light reached them apart from a very small weak light the woman created. He guessed that she created it, as there are layers of shields surround her. Secondly, it was a pure curtain of layers. A blade hit her shield.

No sound. The blade just bounced away. The woman was sitting on the ground as a normal woman should. Her sword is still lying on her health. He rubbed his ears. The blood is still on his skin but the pain has gone away.

- Ah. Oh. Bullier.

He said a few words. She asked :

- What are you doing?

- Checking my hearing. I was bleed. - He looked at the blood worriedly - What happened?

- The blade shattered when it hit me, and the sounds of it deafening you. Your ears burst. - She sighed - I'm really sorry.

He got up, looked at the red blood on his hand and even try to rub it. It is a bit uncomfortable. Then he rubbed the bloodied hand to the ground. It is a bit dirty and cold. He got up, and his long vest made rustling sounds when it was cramped. He touched the barrier. It was like a film of diamond. He traced the moving waves on the barrier with his finger but to his surprise, he doesn't feel any moving waves like it seems. It was strange, and he turned back :

- You couldn't do anything to get us to the top right now? If the first floor has already burst my ears with only sounds, then I really wouldn't achieve any things if you want me to use this as a training ground at all.

- Why are you doing that?

He was trying to punch the barrier to test it endurance. He was embarrassed while looking away and scratched it with his nail, to check if there is any change? And as the world should be, it still normal as before. Monera knitted her brows. She said :

- It is ridiculous.

- Don't say that. - He sat down and looked at the blades.

The atmosphere is dark. Howling winds produced by blades of execution was strong to the point they could see the winds circling around the barrier, trying to force it way in. He asked :

- Now what will we do? We can't stay forever in this sound-proof barrier, and I was too frail for you to protect me.

- Wait. No matter how deep in sleep they were, they will come to get us out of here. - She drew a circle in the ground with her tail and said with sureness. Rhinne sat down next to her - Don't need to fret. You're right about we can't use this to train you right now.

- For how long?

- Just about one hour.

- Then it is fine.

He combed his hair. He looked at her hair. It was aquamarine blue hair. He lowered his head and held his neck. Rhinne tried to ease his aching neck. He knocking his teeth against each other like a lion and used the sleeves of his coat to cleaned all remaining blood from his ears.

- Achacha. This is hurt.

- What happened?

- I just think that you were too high for me.

- You was too short. - She shook her head. - Rhinne, my height is really short.

- You telling the truth? - He tilted his head with round eyes - You, are short?

- Yes.

- Then I'm a dwarf?

- You are. - She combed her hair by using her fingers as a comb - Should I praise you for not scream after that injury? It was commendable, I think so.

- I don't covet it. If not for you then I wouldn't have to be here from the start. - He tilted his head and the injury - a deep scar that ran from his left forehead to under the blouse - moved slightly. - Or I should thank you for not letting me be chopped in four?

She shifted to caressing her tail, the tail which adorned with plates of scales by rubbing it with the scales on the back of her hand. She evaded the question. These scales are smaller and slimmer, but sharper. He caresses his gray skin which has some brown spots. There is a small scar on his index finger, but he doesn't remember when he got it. He has used a kitchen knife when cooking too many times. Both of them were silent for minutes. He stared at her, then twisting his skin to check if this was a dream or not. She doesn't look at him but still said anyways.

- Why this place limited even your movement?

- I can move. But you want to advance by yourself?

- No.

- So let just wait.

She said. He stared at the sword on her waist, a handle that was as thick as her wrist. It is a decent length for her hand, and he was curious about it. So, he asked:

- What is the name of the sword?

- The Red Stone of World's Center. Illisium. - She answered - At my era, it is one of God's Weapons.

- ???

He tilted his head and asks back :

- I'm sure you said that back then.

- I never named them like that. But it sounds a bit good, so i just go with the name God's Weapon.

He tried to take a deep breath in this place but she hit him slightly and perked her brows up. He asked :

- What?

- Don't behave like this place is your house. It atmosphere don't be that harmonious.

Rhinne looked with his neck raising. A dry sound was heard and he groaned, massaging his neck. That height was too annoying. She, the attacker with just her natural height looked down in complex emotion before her flesh started to change. It compressed. Her hard-looking clothes aren't changed aside from their size. The result was a woman that just as tall as him. His eyes became as bright as a lantern.

- Why don't you do that earlier?

- It isn't that great.

Her sword's size also turned smaller. He looked at the dark surrounding.

- What would this place function?

- Challenge it challengers, of course. - She shook her head at the blades - Are there any more meaning?

- And who does that challenge?

- Anyone who wishes for it. And sadly, there are too many that died because of not being careful in the decision of joining it.

She came back to the job of polishing her scales. He rubbed his finger against the stone-cold floor. A bit of sticky, fishy dirt stuck to his finger and he tried to smell it. He wants to vomit instantly and hurriedly clean his finger. The woman laughed. He asked :

- What is that?

- Dirt. - She answered. The blue tail creating the sound of stones when it being polished as she paid mind to both of her tail and the man - Soaked with blood, the flesh of defenders of this place and it challengers. It have too many players who want to get to the top of this tower, which is considered a training ground in my castle. Many players don't have a good fate.

She said. He nodded quietly and now enjoying the scene of the blue woman polishing her tail. He asked :

- What is the name of this tower?

- Sovereignty. I had divided a power to 11 guardians. - She answered kindly - When a challenger successfully resolved the situation of all these eleven people, that person will have all eleven powers. It would be combined into '' SOVEREIGNTY '', as that why this place has the name of Sovereignty.

- It is a mysterious place. Not fighting, but resolve

- Though, it would be more correct to say that it is a world, not a tower, but apparently tower often resembles a challenge, so we named it like that.

He commented and he said no more. He doesn't know exactly how long but at one time, she said :

- It is okay, and now, we can go.

She stood up and mumbled something more in her mouth. Sound like a curse, he guessed and they appeared again in the crystal stair.

-Now I remember, even if your world can't kill it, they still can repel it.

-What?! ..Cough! ... Cough!

He shocked. She hurriedly said :

- No, if you repel and not kill, you are already doomed. - She pats his crouched back - They, Dzenigei can be tagged with the " unable to kill " attribute even if you picks an infant that just hatched from an egg. They are just that resilience. It will destroy and make your fighting power lower by at least half. Then it will return just in days from its lairs in your world.

- So, that is. - He smiled weakly - But on what basis we can? If they are that resilient, that guy just need to leave after the attack for a while. Repeat, and we are dead.

- Yes. - She just says yes but does not nod - They can leave, but they won't. Because if they retreat, their 'Undying' trait will be weakened a bit. That will recover with time, but their leaders will just eat any deserters.

- Ohhhh .....

He felt relieved. Good job, you guys are cutting off your own troops, he mumbled. But the ominous feeling creeping out again .... Monera asked him if he felt any discomfort inside his ears, and he said, no problem. She nodded and said, her hand touched the barrier like she checked it if it have any hole.

- The guy who ate the deserter will grow exponentially.

- I know something isn't right from the start.

As always, his instinct is pretty great. He is a person who believed in quality more than quantity when it is the time. In some scenario like a famine, he would agree that quantity is more important than quality. He asked :

- How long will you trained me?

- A bit long. - She replied.

- Why do you just keep evading the exact number? - He asked again politely - Tell me the exact number, please.

- Lower than a century. Higher than decades. - She said while stroking her chin. Her wings moved slightly to the left and right. He knitted his brows. - It also depends on many factors.

Better, but not an exact number. He couldn't figure out the reason and because he was tired, he swallowed the question back to ask another.

" I will ask her the next time. "

- Is it free?

- Free. How can I make you pay for that? Knights of Empires will just tear you to shreds with bare hands .

- That is true. - He said pitifully - Are you my friend? Please pity this weak human and grant me any sympathy, grant this lowly self strength to struggle in this crazy world.

- Do you want me to look like a Heavenly Demon or some sort? Come, let me carry you to your room.

She said that, but as soon as he heard it, the boy of Kagaras house stuck to the balcony like that was his lifeline, and scream :

- No! I have to look at it more! - He becoming hysterical - You must know that even if all scientists, entertainment groups and empires join hands, they never could reproduce this Eternal Castle even in movies!

- Put your hands off that balcony right now! - She screams even louder than him. - This is MY castle, not your!!

- Monera. - He said heavily - Our world is done for. Please let me witness this greatness a moment before death brings me away.

- Do you think I won't dare to kill you right now?

- Did I harmed you in any way? You couldn't. - He stuck to the balcony like glue and his face turned blank.

- ....Take your hands off. You will be able to visit this place any moment you want as my apostle for a while, so calm down.

- Alright.

He needs to recruit subordinates too. There is too much work he needs to do in the future. But what kind of reward does he need to attract great people? How can he know who is suitable for his goal? And if they betray him, what can he do to minimize the damage they caused? He doesn't know where to find trustworthy people that while being subordinates, they will be his friend too.

- Are you being nervous?

- How can I be calm? - He signed - I'm not your typical so-called smart leader and omnipotent person. I don't know what the results of my actions would be, lacking experience, don't have an insane ridiculous brain that creates plans that scared even prophets. Did you look into our sibling's matter real good?

- I am. Not bad, that was better than myself in the past so I don't have the right to criticize you... your twin sister is in your authority to punish so I won't take away that right of you. I don't have the right to comment or say anything about this matter.

How bad that once be, he wondered. Then he asks another question when she prepared to fly up :

- Then how can I risk? She trusts my predictions to a certain degree, so if I slipped once, she may be dead. - He knocked on his head a few times - I am not god, and you aren't even.

- Yes. - She swung her tail slightly. - But she won't be that weak under the guidance of my brother.

- So please teach me enough to avoid such mistakes. My master.

Her ears perked up. She not replied, but catch him and spread out her wings to fly up, not walking anymore. Wait for a bit more then she replied :

- I can't be your master. I am not crazy to guarantee that under my guide, you can avoid mistake. We all make foolish things at some points of our lives.

She turned on her flight way to evade a tower made of blood-red crystal. She said :

-If you blindly believed in your master, then there will be something go awry. Let see each other as friends at best. Apostles perishes happened many times already because they have so much confidence, because of fate, betrayed by their servants, or simply on the battlefield. I can't make you an exception.

-I liked it. Fair enough.