Strings Of Domination

As the emerald green particles moved to shape the mysterious individual, Nash watched as the abyss-like darkness around him began to gradually change into different colors, forming an entirely new and eternal scenery around him.

The grimy ground below his feet turned green as an emerald field emerged out of literally thin space while the sight above him and in the horizon turned azure blue, filled with milk-white clouds that floated gently like huge pieces of fluff.

Just under a blink, the chilling abyss became an endless paradise that put Nash's mind at peace whenever he took a deep sniff from the fresh air around him!

'Feels like all of my accumulated problems and worries have been washed away just like this.' Nash thought to himself with awe and looked at the individual before him with eyes filled with various emotions such as excitement, eagerness, and wonder!

Just who could this person before him truly be to have this much power to create such a powerful area out of nowhere while also influencing his mind to such an extent? He can't wait to find out this individual's true origin!

"Although I would have never imagined fate will send someone like you to my humble home, I don't feel disappointed, not even a bit!" saying those words, the emerald particles finally formed the entire shape of the mysterious individual, revealing the owner of the voice once and for all!

"Y-You... Just exactly who are you?" Nash asked astonished, feeling at a loss for words because of the man's whole appearance before him that looked otherworldly, almost like he stared at not a mortal but a God!

His long silver hair that reached the middle of his back danced in the slight breeze while his voyager-blue eyes that seemed to be as clear as a fresh pond gazed at him with mind-calming serenity. Together with his sharp and sickle-shaped eyebrows, half-moon cheekbones, and dashing smile, he had such a striking look that Nash was sure he must have been the center of attention in the past, especially among females!

However, his most outstanding trait was neither of those, but his posture that for unknown reasons made Nash feel like he was standing before not a human but an eternal and immovable mountain that he can't move nor climb no matter what; just like how a single ant would feel when it first meets with an elephant!

"Haha! You ask who am I? Well, that's quite a tricky question. A Ruler that conquered all, a King that had everything, maybe a mere mortal that achieved things the rest couldn't, or perhaps even... a God, who in the end was destined to be betrayed. I can be anything yet nothing at the same time, so it's rather complicated to answer that question." said the mysterious individual, his tranquil eyes filled with a dazzle of wonder over a friendly smile.

"Then what is your name?" Nash then asked right after the man stopped talking.

"My name, you ask?" the man frowned mildly and raised his fingers just below his chin as he began to ponder silently.

Only after a full minute later did he curve his lips upward and say, "They gave me all kinds of names and titles, so much I can't even count if I have to, but if you are curious about my real name, then it's Aruer, a simple nobody, a speck of dust existing among the many dimensions, a human..."

Nash listened silently to Aruer's words, feeling surprised and amazed just how majestic his voice sounded even though his whole being emitted a kind of aura that felt completely peaceful!

Never in his entire life has he seen someone like him before. Not even those powerful existences he saw during his years of slavery could hold a candle compared to his presence as it would mean total humiliation for Aruer himself!

As Nash thought about this he couldn't help but knit his brows together and ask, "Then the individual represented on the monument in truth is..."

"Me." Aruer nodded with a subtle smile and pointed at the sword on Nash's back, "And that's there was the weapon I used when I still had my real body."

"Was? When you still had your real body?" Nash seemingly confused asked those questions one after another before his eyes lit up with realization and looked at Aruer.

"So you are just a... spirit?"

Aruer showed a thrilled grin, but still shook his head gently, causing his long silver hair to sway from side to side, giving his already imposing figure an even grander image!

"I wouldn't call myself a spirit, as that name is only given to those that possess evil powers and retain no physical bodies. Instead, let's say that the current myself is only a fraction of my soul, a Soul Fragment!"

"A Soul Fragment? What is that?" Nash asked as he never heard about such a thing as a Soul Fragment.

Aruer was about to explain to Nash what a Soul Fragment was when suddenly the earth below his feet began to shake gently, silencing him up for a while.

The tremor continued for several seconds before quieting down completely. Only then did Aruer close his eyes and sigh deeply, seemingly feeling sad about something.

"It seems that's all the time we had for now."

"Huh?" Nash, who was still confused about what just happened, was brought back by the words Aruer just said and quickly asked, "What? Wait! You don't mean..."

"What I mean, is that we have to go on our separate ways once again as my soul is not yet strong enough to keep this world stable," Aruer said quickly and after taking a deep breath his calm eyes suddenly turned sharp and serious, while the aura around him became heavier than before, shocking Nash quite deeply by the abrupt change of demeanor.

"Now listen here very carefully as I can and will tell you this only once. You must reach the Second Rank with your Legacy and open the Jade Door in the main hall as soon as possible as the items in there will be crucial for you in the future."

"Why, what can those items do?" Nash asked with piqued curiosity as he knew that whatever was behind that Jade door must be an Ancient Treasure, something incredibly precious and powerful!

Yet, to his great astonishment Aruer just simply ignored his question and continued to talk in a calm, but serious tone of voice.

"Once you have those items in your possession, travel to Planet Gaia and find the Hidden Library there. With the items in your possession, you will be able to find it with ease."

Although Nash had many questions and there were even more things he didn't understand, he decided to nod and ask, "And what should I search for there? Anything that could help me when I get there?"

Aruer nodded but soon shook his head and said with a mysterious smile, "You don't have to worry, you will find it without a problem. As for the rest of what you must do after that... You will get to know soon enough."

And with those words, Aruer turned into a miniature green orb of light before flying toward Nash, melting into the sword on his back and turning the scenery around him back to where he stood initially, back before the monument carving in the hallway, somewhere inside the Emerald Palace!