Elias blinked in an attempt to take it all in. The Astral Plane was unlike anything he had ever seen. Stars filled the sky, but they didn't simply shine; they moved in slow-swirling patterns across the sky, like rivers of light. Everywhere he looked, pieces of land were lit by a diffuse, silvery light, and everything was bathed in a soft glow.
Underfoot, the ground was smooth, almost translucent, as if he were standing on a giant crystal pane of glass. Spires and towers of glittering metal sprouted into the air, all so much taller than any skyscraper back on Earth. The structures seemed to have an almost organic fluidity, melding sleek advanced technology with the grace of nature.
"This place. It's incredible," Elias muttered, "like Earth, but. Upgraded!"
Celestia walked along beside him, her steps light, as if weightless. "The Astral Plane is a plane of higher existence. Its energy flows freely, nurturing its denizens in turn."
"Higher existence, huh?" Elias snorted. "More like some high-budget sci-fi movie. Everything's glowing, like it runs off from batteries that never seem to die."
Celestia tilted her head in confusion and suspicion. "Batteries?"
Elias waved his hand dismissively. "Nothing. Just, Earth stuff."
They continued onward, and Elias could not help but stare at all the creatures around him. There was this crystal beast as tall as any building, stepping through the air with grace; its body shone bright with every step it took. Then there were the panther-like beasts with fur of pure glowing colours jumping between the floating platforms, leaving trails of light.
Just when Elias thought he'd seen it all, a huge shadow cut across the sky. He looked upwards, as his eyes widened with pure shock. Above them, taller than a huge skyscraper, a serpent curled through the air. The thing's body was fully wrapped in articulated metal armour, gleaming under starlight. Along its back, high-tech turrets mounted cannons were glowing in faint mechanical pale blue; its head was cast in the shape of the muzzle of a gigantic railgun.
"What the hell is that thing?" Elias shouted, pointing. "Is that a dragon with... high-tech artillery?"
Celestia looked up, a cool expression embedded on her face. "That is an Astra Serpent, one of the guardians of this realm. It channels cosmic energy to power its weapons."
Elias whistled softly. "It's like someone took a battleship and turned it into a monster. Why arm a creature like that?"
"It acts as both an unyielding protector and a weapon," Celestia replied. "The Astra Serpent can shoot out blasts strong enough to break even the sturdiest barriers."
Elias shook his head, still trying to comprehend it. "Tanks and fighter jets were cool on Earth, but this? This is just something else! I can't even imagine the military of Earth fighting something like that."
Celestia's soft laughter echoed. "Your world's technology is impressive, but it pales in comparison to what exists here."
"Yeah, I'm starting to see that," He muttered. "But tell me, how does anyone even tame something like that?"
Celestia's eyes sparkled with amusement. "We do not tame by force. In the Astral Plane, it's about resonance. The Astra Serpent responds to those who can harmonize with its energy."
Elias's head was in a swirl of questions, but he was cut off from asking further as the entire plane shook ominously beneath their feet. There was a flash of red out at the horizon, and a rumble started to fill the air. Elias tumbled forward, almost falling off his feet.
"Now what?! Is this place falling apart?"
Celestia's smile was gone. She stared intently in the direction of the crimson light.
"The Dark Hunters are trying to break through the seal of the realm. We must move, and fast."
"Dark Hunters?" Elias echoed, heart suddenly racing. "You mean those fellows who attacked us back on Earth?"
"Yes," she replied seriously. "They are unstoppable. But you mustn't be afraid. They cannot break through that easy all the way here. At least for now."
Before Elias could say anything, Celestia turned to him, an unreadable seriousness in her expression.
"You are not ready to face them here. You must return to Earth for the time being. You will have a little time to prepare."
"What?" Elias blinked. "But I thought we were going to train here?"
"There are things you must learn on your own," Celestia said. "This realm is vast, yet your heart still clings to Earth. It is the best to return until such a time as you are prepared to accept your role."
Elias wanted to protest, but the look in her eyes stopped him. There was a mixture of concern and... something else! Was it fear or anticipation? He let out a sigh, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Alright', fine. But don't expect me to come back here without some kind of manual on how to deal with crazy space monsters."
Celestia's lips arced into a soft smile. "I'll wait for your return, and when you get back, I promise we'll train properly."
Before he could utter another single word, the mark on his hand began to glow. With the atmosphere blurring and changing like a wave, he reappeared in that grimy alley where it all started.
The smell of damp concrete and old trash hit him like a wall. Elias looked around, half-expecting to see another monster jump out at him. But all he saw was what was familiar-New Neoria streets, with their flickering neon signs and distant traffic sounds.
"Back to reality," Elias muttered, "or whatever's left of it."
But as he looked up into the star-studded night sky, this feeling could not leave his heart that something was really just starting. The words of Celestia echoed in his mind: 'You were chosen because you have a potential even you don't see.'
Yeah, yeah," Elias muttered to himself, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Potential! Destiny! All that crap. Fuck that all! Let's just hope I don't trip over it along the way."
With that, he turned and started walking, trying to ignore the strange, tingling sensation on the back of his hand where the sigil still glowed faintly.
***
Elias stumbled out of the alley slightly shivering. The familiar sights and sounds of New Neoria washed over him like a wave: honking cars, flickering neon lights, the distant loud buzz of nightlife. But this portion of the city now lay in ruins.
A crater, large and still smouldering, heralded the beast's appearance. Buildings around it had been reduced to twisted rubble, the air thick with the acrid smell of smoke. Emergency lights flashed their beams, laying harsh shadows on the wreckage as military forces and 'Beast Tamers' secured the area.
Soldiers in high-tech suits, patrolled the perimeter with high-tech weapons ready in their hands. Drones hovered, emitting a mechanical buzz sound, while scanning for survivors as medics worked over the injured. Civilians sat in shock, and debris littered the streets.
As Elias picked his way forward cautiously, trying to make sense of it all, he saw the bodies lay out on the ground. Medics worked frantically, trying to save those who still clung to their dear life, while others were covered with emergency blankets.
And that's when he saw a familiar face among the fallen.
Greg Walters.
The same Greg who made Elias's life a living hell, ridiculing him every day at work for his lowly status. Now, here the bully laid, staring at the sky in a blank and still expression embedded on his face. For a few seconds, Elias had stood there, frozen. The man who once showed him no mercy was just another casualty now.
Elias's lips twitched, and a strange sense of satisfaction fluttered in his heart that was immediately swallowed by the weight of his guilt. Even if Greg had tormented him, this wasn't the end anyone deserved.
"Guess even you weren't invincible," Elias muttered under his breath, the words bitter on his tongue.
He turned away, setting to work. Celestia's words echoed in his mind: 'You were chosen for a reason. The power you hold could change everything.'
But standing among the wreckage, Elias felt anything but powerful. He curled his fists, tucking the faintly glowing beast emblem out of view beneath his sleeve. He needed to get himself out of the mess, and back to his apartment, where he could at least have a moment to wrap his mind around it all.
As he walked away, this new world weighed upon him. Whatever this was, he knew it was far from over. He was now tangled up in a struggle so much greater than himself!
Author's note:- Well, don't have much to say. If you are interested, add to your collection and gimme some powerstones.