Chapter 1590 (2/2)

This was why he had struggled. This was why he had refused to surrender and allow himself to be devoured by the darkness below, which was the fate of all the Nether Gatekeepers born in that place.

This moment was the most beautiful thing the Nether Gatekeeper had ever experienced. In his heart, the Nether Gatekeeper held a deep reverence for his savior, but this place cemented that position and began rapidly to raise the figure of Randidly Ghosthound toward something near the tier of a deity. Because who else but a deity could have access to this land of wonders…?

As the sun gradually set, the Nether Gatekeeper drank in the surroundings with every sense he could muster, still trembling. Meanwhile, his significance rapidly accumulated. In the past, his Nether Core had been writ with the desperate desire to survive and escape the place of its birth, where so many of his fellows still remained. But now the Nether Gatekeeper had accomplished that task. A sense of warm fulfillment bubbled up within his body.

Energy circulated rapidly through his Nether Core. The long worn paths of the energy flows gradually began to change; the previous significance had been accomplished. Now it was time for Nether Gatekeeper to advance to a new form.

It was only a matter of discovering his new purpose.

However, this process was an unconscious one. After all, the Nether Gatekeeper was now completely consumed by his observation of the natural phenomenon of the Alpha Cosmos at the moment. His eyes constantly drank down the natural beauty of this place, seeking higher meaning within the vast wilderness around him.

Still, his attention was eventually dragged away by movement from the archway next to him. As the sun neared the horizon, a sparkling wave of white light ran across the arch. Then a swirling vortex of white and green energy formed in the middle of the edifice.

The Nether Gatekeeper looked at this new phenomenon with the same fascination with which he had regarded the sunset. In addition, he reasoned that this place was truly a wonderland, so there was no need to worry overmuch about his own safety. He could sense that this energy posed no threat to him. So he walked forward and stretched his hand out to touch the energy.

When the Nether Gatekeeper’s dusky fingers brushed against that energy, a bridge was built between two distant and intertwined orbs of energy. The Nether Gatekeeper’s senses could detect the profound simplicity in the arrangement. Then there was a wrenching sense of disorientation and suddenly the Nether Gatekeeper felt itself being teleported to somewhere else.

His first response was one of horrified guilt. Had it transgressed the orders of his savior and been punished…?!?! If this movement returned him to the Abyss-

But then the Nether Gatekeeper looked around. The surroundings were different, yes, but he was still standing at the top of a mountain range. Stone and rock formed the majority of the surroundings. But the air in this place was very different. Not only was it chillier, but there were gorgeous white particles drifting down from a grey sky. With wonder in his eyes, the Nether Gatekeeper raised a hand and grasped one of the particles in his hand.

He studied it closely and noticed it was some sort of frozen crystal. As he held it, the crystal grew insubstantial and disintegrated. The Nether Gatekeeper was left with a wet palm.

He looked up at the sky with an even more solemn expression. The entire surroundings were filled with these transient white particles that drifted toward the ground. Gusts of wind sent them spiraling in confusing movements. The whole world around the Nether Gatekeeper was in constant motion. Somehow, it made him think that the sky was dancing gracefully down around him.

Yet in the middle of his wonder, the Nether Gatekeeper felt panic once again; the white and green light had left the archway. He hurried forward, but simply passed through the mundane air without any wondrous change in location this time. The bridge had disappeared.

Even more alarming was the massive shifting body on a nearby peak. An enormous, scaled azure dragon raised its head to stare fixedly at the Nether Gatekeeper. Some small amount of those frozen crystals had been hiding its presence and now as it moved those fell away to reveal the monster’s bulk. Feeling the threat that such a being presented, the Nether Gatekeeper clenched his fists. But a split second later, he remembered the words of his savior.

Try not to cause trouble or fight anyone.

The azure dragon raised its long neck toward the sky and roared. Then its spread its enormous wings, each one stretching five meters outward, and flexed its limbs to release several powerful gusts of wind. Each gesture blasted away the white crystals in the surrounding air. The Nether Gatekeeper brought its arms defensively near its chest and lowered its head. Energy cracked through its dusk colored antlers.

It was clear that this strange beast was the domineering ruler of this area just from its aura. But the Nether Gatekeeper planned on following its savior's words. He would just attempt to defend itself in the face of this single threat-

At the same moment that the azure dragon threw its body off of the peak to glide toward the Nether Gatekeeper, there were several disturbances in the nearby clouds. Scaled bodies cut through the slate-grey clouds. Blood began to drain from the Nether Gatekeeper’s face as it saw that four more enormous azure dragons began circling around this location.

Perhaps the reason that the savior told me not to wander was because of threats like this… The Nether Gatekeeper sighed. After escaping the Great Abyss… I foolishly let down my guard… Ah, savior, I’m so sorry…

Rather than striking the Nether Gatekeeper immediately, it seemed like the azure dragon intended on playing with its food. With his senses that were sharpened by the Great Abyss, the Nether Gatekeeper clearly felt the emotions of this beast in front of it: it exuded an almost childish combination of excitement and anticipation as it approached.

Perhaps it had been a while since it had a satisfying meal.

It crashed down in front of the Nether Gatekeeper, cracking the ground with its weight. The long claws of its legs gouged deep divots into the ground. It beat its wings several times and then folded its wings against its sides. While its body remained still, the dragon’s long neck undulated further until it was only a few meters away from the Nether Gatekeeper. Then a growl emerged from deep in its throat.

Then… it spat to the side a large glob of phlegm. The dragon turned its eyes back to the Nether Gatekeeper and spoke in a rumbling voice. “Hello, sir. Would you like to hear about our lord and savior, Randidly Ghosthound?”