It was barely a moment after I was surrounded by the shadows... I felt it, maybe last time my senses were not attuned or maybe it was 101 other things but I felt the prickly sensation of mana envelop me.
'What is this? it feels like being underwater but I can't get wet--'
I waved my arms around and there was no pressure against me, I stopped for a second and compared the mana in me to the mana surrounding me.
'will inhaling this mana make a difference?'
I took a deep breath while focusing on the mana being engulfed, I started to push my mana into my lungs forcing the two mana's to Interact when notifications popped up in front of me.
[Intelligence too low]
[Failed to understand ??? mana]
[Intelligence too low]
[Failed to absorb ??? mana]
Reading the notifications disrupted my concentration and the weird mana just fizzled out when I exhaled.
'...maybe there will be a magic academy?'
The bubble around me cracked before dispersing and I appeared outside what appeared to be massive wooden gates. Fierce winds were blowing around me and I had to narrow my eyes to see around, I focused my attention on the sound of approaching footsteps, and a bearded blue-skinned man who looked to be in his 30's appeared before me. He wore shining silver armour that consisted of heavy silver breastplate which just covered his chest and back, silver interwoven chainmail protected rest of his waist before heavy armour once again protected his thighs and legs.
'Man that must be heavy-- but it seems weird to see someone wear primitive armour like it is an everyday thing... which it probably is--'
"Can you understand me, Stranger?" he spoke in a gruff voice breaking me out of a stupor.
"Yes, Can you tell me where I am?" I tried to sound polite but I realize I was self-conscious as I didn't know what to do with my hands.
'Calm down Ryan, you're just talking to an alien that's all--'
"Of course adventurer, in front of you is the magical city of Narmae, or more commonly known as the Floating Castle."
'...Floating?'
I turned around and looked back, the reason wind was so strong here was that I could see clouds floating around us. I stood there speechless as the man said, "My name is Rictor Blase, I was here waiting for your arrival."
'My arrival?'
"What do you mean my arrival? do people often appear out of nowhere?" Scepticism laced my tone as I gave the blue man a weird look.
"No, but the system gave a notification a few days back that a new galaxy is being integrated and right about now was the time of your arrival."
I nodded as I felt a disturbance in surrounding mana, It felt like the wind changed a little, like the pattern of its movement was reversed somehow, I turn around to look as Ellie appeared through a black portal-pod? that dissipated soon after. She looked around dazed for a second before noticing me and Ricktor standing side by side and rushed towards us.
'Hmm, no obvious changes, not like she needed any-' she arrived in front of me looking from up and down, the concern on her face was melted into relief.
'Is she checking me out?' My thoughts it appeared were written on my face as she frowned and said.
"I was just concerned I would not be able to recognize you, what have you learned?" I was about to reply but Ricktor intervened saying, "You can discuss your copulation situation later, King Lem wants to see you, and he doesn't wait."
"Wait, you aren't going to talk to the rest of them?" He gave me a weird look as he shook his head, "Are you crazy, there will be 20,000 of you within the hour, I ain't talking to them, you were the first one to arrive and thus my mission is to take you to the king as soon as possible, and the is now, so hurry up."
"Go! we'll meet at the main square." I gave her a sideways glance as she hid her blushing face by turning around and walking towards the newcomers that were arriving.
"Let's go" Ricktor gave me a look before inclining his head motioning to get a move on. I took a couple of hurried steps to walk beside him as we made our way past him towards a small gate at the corner of the big gate that had a sentry of a couple of guards.
My expression turned confused again as I analysed the guards. The male one had long appendages sticking out of his head like an octopus, his skin was green and smooth, like light-glistening smooth, he wore a similar armour to that of Ricktor but it lacked the lustre. The Female, on the other hand, was not only purple in colour but the appendages on her head were short, so short that one could confuse them as a spiked hairstyle for very very smooth hair?
'I assume she's the female and the hairstyle in their culture are reversed otherwise those mounds are at the wrong body.'
My face burned as my eyes caught the female guards as she winked in my direction. It seemed she saw me checking her out.
' It's not my fault, those are big!'
Trying to ignore her D-cup breasts I heard Ricktor chuckle as Rem and Tess let up pass through the gate and I got my first looks at the floating city. What appeared to be the most aesthetic sight I had seen, the city was beautiful with vibrant colours displaying all around me. The road was wide enough for two houses to be placed and instead of a footpath, the roads were lined with bushes with yellow coloured leaves instead of green.
'Wow-'
I looked up to see that most of the people preferred to travel via flying rather than walking on the road, some people were just floating there looking around and moving towards their destination while some had gusts of wind floating around them.
'Are those demon wings?'
Looking around I could spot a lot of races present in the entrance to the city and by the side, many people were going through a portal. The portal looked broken as it was just an arch of two pillars with a film of mana swirling between them. I followed Ricktor as we made our way through the city towards another teleported while I wondered if people would think I'm crazy if I poke the portal with a stick.
'But so many people seemingly mingling without any discrimination, at least they are better than humans at that. Maybe the super-power in this region will be a good fit--'
We arrived at a large fountain, children were playing around it and I realized this would be the main square. While the children were running around and playing, the adults were focused on various groups ignoring the ethnicity and just chatting and laughing.
I continued to look around at various species naming them inside my heads at how they closely resembled our Legends.
'Hmm, a Lamia, half-draconian? is that a demon? and a succubus?'
[Broke through a Lv-3 Charm]
[+1 to Charm Resistance]
My mind took a second to recognize as Ricktor said, "Don't charm random people Lena, especially this one, he's King Lem's guest."
I gave him a grateful look before turning to look at Lena, she was obviously wearing a revealing outfit, a tight white blouse was revealing ample cleavage, that extended just past her ribcage, she was also wearing what could only be described as skin-tight black leather pants, and thigh-high boots. A black-tail was poking from just behind her shoulder which had a heart-shaped end. She had bright red hair that flowed past her waist and her heart-shaped face and bright red eyes had a hint of curiosity as her whole attention was now focused on me.
'Why does it seem like-'
I turn my attention towards Ricktor to see he had the same mischievous grin on his face. Groaning audibly I followed him to the portal as he simply walked past him before saying something to the guard. My attention was focused on the portal that was set on an elevated platform, as I debated whether or not to poke it with a stick, I turn to look back at Lena and she was leaning forwards giving me an eyeful of very appreciated view as I alternated between looked at her impressive G-cup? or the mischievous smile on her face.
'Hell, if she won't kill me while having sex I'm down--'
I gave her a few more looks before sighing and jumping into the portal under the guards pointed look.
The travel through the warp tunnel was very very short this time, I felt an influx of mana in my surrounding but before I could comprehend anything, I arrived at a completely new location. The surrounding walls were brown in colour as it had brief impressions of bricks in between. It was not a room but just a corridor, as soon as I turned the corner I came face to face with the most majestic castle in front of me. A long pearl white road stretched from the portal corridor to the castle.
'It feels like I'm going to Hogwarts!'
"We aren't going to the castle, King Lem is in the gardens follow me." He stepped off the road to walk into the lawn that stretched either side of the road, the grass across was light purple in colour with splotches of yellow grass interwinding into each other, it looked like an artist has used the lawn as a canvas to draw something and I wished I could fly at the moment to look at what it was.
I followed Ricktor looking curiously at the grass as we arrived at what appeared to be a royal-red tent. There was a couple lazily lounging in two thrones as many children played around them. Looking at the clothes that the kids wore it was easy to determine that they were royal spawn.
'At least the colour of royalty is still red, not everything's messed up--'
The old man stirred in his seat seemingly noticing our arrival as Ricktor immediately kneeled and said, "King Lem." The mischief in his voice gone as he stood there bowed while the king's attention turned to me.
I immediately bowed my head as a sign of respect as he stood up from his throne and walked towards me when the distance between us was just a handful of meters, I felt a chill down my back as mana surrounding me suppressed me. I was suffocating as the pressure was heavy when he was still a good 5 meters away, a notification appeared before me stealing my attention for a second as I realized the difference in power.
[A being above two-steps above your grade is suppressing you with his Intent.]
[Until you leave his perception range or he stops projecting his intent]
[All Stats -50%]
"Is this him Rick" Ricktor nodded beside me as the king said, "Not Bad, Not bad, those are some starting stats for a new Initiate."
I looked into his eyes as the pressure disappeared and I dropped to one knee, there was a sense of curiosity in those eyes but I preferred the one in Lena's eyes.
'I'm going to be a pawn in some of his plans aren't I'
"Come along Human, we have much to discuss." With that, he turned away and entered the tent as I looked at the two empty thrones.