The rest of the day was so fun for Emmia and Icarth. They had more delicious food at Feng's Foods and then toured the rest of the districts. Throughout the trip, Emmia got jealous that Icarth was always being carried so Julian ended up carrying the two in one arm each. Towards the end, the trio ended up at the center of the city.
As the sun slowly set, it illuminated the heart and soul of Aster city, the Nova academy. It was the prevailing institution of the current generation. Boasting 400,000 meters sq of area, it was the biggest academy ever. To put it into scale, it could fit 37 football stadiums and still have room left over. Most of the outer districts originated from the academy campus, which had all the necessary facilities. From residential dorms, housing districts, a food district, a training district, and separate buildings for schooling activities. It was safe to say that Aster city was built around Nova academy.
Icarth and Emmia marveled at all the sights in the city-like academy. Even though they had lived in the city for all they could remember, they had never ventured this deep into the city.
"What is this place, grandpa?" Emmia asked with a voice filled with wonder.
Julian raised an eyebrow, "you've never come here even by accident?"
"Mia only ever explores the building district gramps," Ica replied for her.
"And you're always sleeping except for the times we eat," Emmia shot back blushing slightly. Ica turned his head away from Mia, too tired to argue back.
"Would you like to attend the Academy in the future?" Julian asked suddenly.
Emmia stopped bugging Ica and jerked her head. "Can we?" She asked with a voice full of doubt and a hint of hope.
"Of course, this academy will take anyone who wants to learn no matter their background or where they come from," Julian said proudly. Emmia and Icarth went silent for a moment.
"I want to make things grandpa, like those machines," Emmia declared. Julian grinned, he had already figured out what Mia would say. The real question was about Icarth. Turning to him, Julian gazed at the bored-looking Ica who didn't have any reaction. Julian just smiled, he would find out what excites Icarth. After all, he had decided to take these interesting 'kiddos', as Feng put it, under his wing.
"Well how about I take you two somewhere interesting?" Julian asked with a mischievous smile.
"Ooh, where?" Emmia asked curiously, while Icarth perked as well.
"Somewhere outside the city," Julian replied vaguely.
"But isn't it dangerous outside?" Emmia said doubtfully. "All the people from the building district always talk about how dangerous it is."
It was true, with the advent of the new world era, the wilderness had been filled with beasts of various species. All animals had experienced a certain degree of evolution. Now even plants had developed intelligence and posed a threat to humans.
"Don't worry, I'm pretty strong myself," Julian reassured.
"Gramps, didn't you say that you were a weak old man?" Ica asked innocently.
Gazing into Ica's totally innocent look, Julian just smirked, "Well I wasn't lying, you two are just too weak for me to bring out my hidden strength."
Ica was rendered speechless and Emmia was filled with a new admiration for her grandpa.
"Well let's go then," Julian said and started to hum once more. Leading the twins into an inconspicuous alley, he tapped into his soul link with Nova and started to bother him.
'Hey Nova, are you there?'
Somewhere far away, Nova was currently peacefully traveling through the spatial layers. Upon receiving Julian's message, Nova was so startled that he emerged out of the spatial layers and then plummeted to the ground...Well if only there was a ground. Nova directly plunged into the ocean scaring the living daylights of the schools of fish having their evening meal of poisonous algae. After sinking a good 100 meters, Nova reached back into his end of the soul connection and snapped back, 'How many times do I have to tell you not to surprise me like that?'
Julian chuckled hearing Nova's irritated tone.
'My bad, I didn't do it on purpose,' Julian said completely intending to upset Nova.
'Liar,' Nova snorted. 'What do you want? Because of you, I think I swallowed some toxin fish.'
'Oh please, like that will harm you,' Julian rolled his eyes.
'So?' Nova asked rising out of the water, creating a small tidal wave.
'I need you to transport me to the World's Edge,' Julian said casually.
Nova frowned which looked especially horrifying on him. 'Why do you want to go there right now?'
'I'm showing it to the twins,' Julian replied with a small chuckle, already imagining their reactions to the scenery.
'You're taking those brats in?' Nova asked curiously.
'Yup, they have potential. I'll just need to dig it out,' Julian said gleefully.
Nova shivered and started to travel towards Julian's location which he could feel through their soul link. 'Sometimes you truly are evil.'
'Oh, it's not like I'm leading them to their demise,' Julian protested.
'No, what you're doing is much worse,' Nova shot back.
Julian just rolled his eyes and came out of his soul link to the concerned gazes of Emmia and Icarth.
"Gramps, it's ok we are here if you need to talk," Ica said slowly.
Emmia didn't say anything and just patted Julian's head. While Julian was talking with Nova, the outward reactions he showed were... slightly concerning to the twins.
Julian coughed, "I was talking with my partner. You're going to be meeting him soon."
"Ohh, where is he?" Mia asked looking around.
"He'll be here soon," Julian chuckled. While Ica was wondering how Julian was talking in his mind and Mia still looking around, Nova had arrived at Julian's location.
Warping the spatial layers around the trio, they were suddenly transported directly outside the city a few kilometers away.
For Emmia and Icarth, one second they were in the city and the next they were suddenly in the wilderness.
"Woahh!" Emmia exclaimed in surprise while Icarth started to survey his surroundings for any potential danger.
Talking with Nova for another second through the soul link, Julian agreed to let him do a grand entrance. Putting down the twins, Julian said, "well here is my partner, Nova."
Looking around, the twins were met with silence. Before they could decide that their grandpa was going senile by imagining a friend, the air in front of them started to waver. It bent and started to tear apart revealing dark purple energies swirling around in an exotic yet dangerous manner. As the tear opened up even further the twins involuntarily took a step back.
A gigantic void purple being slowly stepped out, its presence descending on the area like a crushing mountain. A primal fear filled Emmia and Icarth as all their instincts told them that they would never be able to fight against this being and that they should run as far away as possible. Yet they didn't move, or more accurately they couldn't move. Their muscles refused to move a single inch. So they watched, transfixed in fear and awe as Nova finally emerged.