Stepping out of the carriage, Aether and Xara arrived at a grand temple, its white marble exterior gleaming, making the entire place seem almost divine.
“Is this really the place?” Aether asked, his gaze fixed on the temple.
Xara nodded confidently. “Yes. According to all my investigations, she has been here the entire time.”
“Investigations?” Aether raised an eyebrow, his expression turning suspicious. “You’ve been keeping tabs on her?”
Xara coughed awkwardly before stepping forward, avoiding his questioning gaze.
Aether’s frown deepened. The more he learned about her, the more he realized how mysterious she was. There was always something she wasn’t saying. But instead of pressing further, he simply followed her lead.
As they approached the temple gates, two armoured guards immediately blocked their path.
“Without permission, we cannot allow anyone to enter,” one of the guards declared, his tone firm and unwavering.
Xara folded her arms and raised an eyebrow. “Even though I am the Prophetess’s daughter-in-law?”
The guards didn’t even flinch at her words. Their grip on their weapons tightened as one of them repeated in the same unwavering tone, “Yes. Without prior permission, no one is allowed inside… even if it were the Empress herself.”
Aether, standing beside Xara, observed the guards carefully… Their loyalty was impressive same as dragons… Their hands remained steady, and there was not even a hint of hesitation in their voices.
Xara let out a frustrated sigh and glanced at Aether, “See? I told you. They never let me see the Prophetess, no matter what I try,” she said, irritation clear in her voice. It was obvious she had been attempting this for a while now, only to be turned away every time.
Aether glanced at her, then at the guards, before a smirk played on his lips. “Well… it looks like they didn’t think this through.”
Xara blinked in confusion. “What do you mean by that?”
Before she could stop him, Aether stepped forward, his expression calm yet commanding.
“Huh? Hey, don’t go near them!” Xara warned, her voice slightly panicked.
But Aether ignored her…. His eyes flickered into crimson colour ominously as he activated his ability.
In an instant, the guards—who had been standing firm, ready to strike—suddenly froze. Their eyes flickered for a brief moment before turning dull and lifeless, as if their consciousness had been completely shut down.
“You’ll let us in, right?” Aether’s voice was soft, almost like a gentle whisper.
As if under a spell, the guards slowly lowered their weapons and stepped aside.
Just as they were about to step inside, the temple suddenly flickered with a brilliant white light. The glow was so intense that Aether instinctively took a step back, his eyes narrowing.
And then, as if breaking free from an invisible force, the guards snapped out of their trance. Their eyes widened, regaining clarity, before rage overtook their expressions.
“HOW DARE YO—”
Before they could strike, a commanding voice cut through the tension.
“Stop.”
A white-clothed nun appeared before them, her presence alone enough to make the guards immediately stand down. She walked forward with an air of quiet authority before bowing slightly.
“Please, come inside. The Prophetess has been expecting your arrival.”
Xara’s eyebrows shot up in mild shock. That had never happened to her before. No matter how many times she tried to gain entry, she had always been turned away. Yet with Aether here, things were playing out completely differently.
She turned to him, her gaze sharp. Aether, however, simply gave a small nod of satisfaction before stepping forward.
As they walked inside, Aether’s mind raced. He wasn’t sure how the guards had managed to break free from his manipulation, but after seeing the light from the temple, he had a good guess.
‘That GILF must be responsible for this,’ he mused. ‘Just what kind of powers does she have…?’
Either way, whether his ability worked or not, it didn’t matter. He had gained entry, and that was what truly counted.
Xara walked beside him, still eyeing him suspiciously. “What did you just do?” she finally asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.
Aether shrugged, his expression completely innocent. “I don’t know… I just walked up to them and spoke. Didn’t you see that?”
Yes for other it did looked like that…. but Xara knew he used somekind of magic but she wasn’t sure how he did!
Xara narrowed her eyes. “You expect me to believe that?”
Aether chuckled, “Well, believe whatever you want. I’m just saying what I saw.”
She let out a soft hum… There was something about this boy that was getting weirder and weirder the more she observed him.
For each other… the other party getting weirder and Mysterious!
After a brief silence, she asked, “Why do you even want to meet her?”
Aether smirked. Instead of answering, he turned the question back on her. “Why were you investigating her in the first place?”
Xara’s lips twitched… She snorted softly, refusing to answer, before walking ahead with a slight pout on her face.
Aether couldn’t help but chuckle at her reaction. “Well, if you won’t say it, I guess I’ll be the bigger person here and speak first,” he teased. “I just want to ask her about us… You know?” He winked at her playfully.
Xara’s expression immediately turned horrified. Her footsteps halted, and she looked at him as if he had lost his mind.
“You came all the way here… just to ask something like that?” she asked, her voice filled with disbelief.
Aether grinned at her reaction, enjoying how cute she looked when she was flustered.
‘She’s adorable when she’s shocked… hehe.’
Xara, still recovering from his ridiculous reasoning, shook her head and walked faster, trying to ignore him.
Aether, still amused, asked, “And what about you? What are you looking for?”
Xara snapped out of her thoughts and answered, “Well… answers.”
“Answers? Answers for wha—”
Before Aether could finish his sentence, the nun, who had been walking in front of them, suddenly stopped and turned to face them.
“You may enter now,” she said as she stepped aside, pushing open a grand set of double doors.
Aether and Xara exchanged glances before nodding and stepping inside.
The moment they entered, both of them paused.
Before them was nothing but a massive, empty room.
“There’s… nothing?” Aether frowned deeply, his gaze sweeping across the vast, empty hall. He had expected at least something—majestic chairs, golden chandeliers, intricate stained-glass windows, or even a massive altar dedicated to some divine being. But instead, the space was barren, devoid of anything remotely grand or spiritual.
Not even a single decoration.
“Heck, there’s not even a statue of a god here!” Aether’s voice rose slightly, his disbelief echoing through the silent chamber. The eerie emptiness unsettled him. How could a temple, meant for worship, feel so void of devotion?
Xara flinched at his blunt remark and quickly turned to him. “Come on, Aether… you need to mind your wor—”
But before she could finish, an aged, raspy voice reverberated through the hall.
“I believe in no gods.”
‘GILF!’
He instinctively turned, scanning the hall for the source of the voice.
And then, she appeared.
An elderly woman, hunched over, slowly made her way down a grand staircase, her movements deliberate yet eerily steady. Her frail form was entirely cloaked in flowing white robes, making her appear almost ghostly under the temple’s dim lighting. A thick wooden staff supported her every step, tapping against the marble floor with an eerie rhythm.
“Even though you’re the Prophetess… you don’t believe in gods?” Aether asked, his voice laced with confusion and intrigue. “The entire world worships them, follow them without question, and yet you, the so-called mouthpiece of the divine—an atheist Prophetess?” He let out a short, disbelieving chuckle, “What’s that even supposed to mea— ouch!”
Before he could finish, Xara smacked him on the head with a sharp flick of her fingers.
She let out a deep sigh before lowering her head respectfully. “Please forgive my son’s words, Prophetess…”
Aether’s lips twitched, but he held back any retort, his gaze locked onto the old woman as she finally reached the last step and slowly walked toward them, her grip firm on her staff.
‘I still can’t believe she’s my target… I mean, come on! I was expecting something… different after our meeting. This is slightly horrifying!’ Aether gulped inwardly, wondering just what kind of fate lay beneath those thick layers of robes.
The Prophetess chuckled softly, shaking her head. “Haha… it’s fine. Children will always be children.”
Her voice was calm yet carried a strange weight, as though she had lived through centuries and had seen far too much.
Standing before them now, her gaze was unreadable, her presence oddly commanding despite her frail form.
“So?” she said suddenly, her sharp eyes flicking between the two of them.
“Hmm?” Xara frowned.
“What’s the purpose of your visit?” the Prophetess asked, her voice steady and knowing.
Xara blinked, “I thought you already knew. Isn’t that why you allowed us in?”
The Prophetess let out a small, knowing chuckle. “Hah… of course, dear. I know exactly what you seek.” Then, her gaze shifted to Aether. “But I was asking him.”
Aether pointed to himself, raising an eyebrow. “You don’t know what I want?” he asked.
The Prophetess only responded with a wry, almost amused laugh. “Haha…” But she said nothing more.
Xara frowned at her response but quickly shrugged it off, “Anyway, since you already know what I want…” Her expression hardened as she took a step forward. “Please tell me. And of course, I will reward you for it.”
The Prophetess fell silent, her eyes studying Xara carefully before she finally spoke.
“Hmm… what you wan—”
“Wait!” Xara interrupted, raising a hand abruptly.
Aether raised an eyebrow, watching as Xara glanced at him awkwardly before hesitating for a second and then saying, “Why don’t we… go somewhere private?”
Aether’s lips twitched in mild amusement before he sighed dramatically. “Fine, fine… I’ll look around,” he said, waving a hand lazily as if genuinely interested in the temple’s architecture.
Of course, Xara didn’t trust him in the slightest. With a quick motion, she created a soundproof barrier around herself and the Prophetess, ensuring that no one—not even Aether—could overhear their conversation.
The Prophetess chuckled softly, shaking her head. “My, my… you are quite cautious, aren’t you?” She tilted her head ever so slightly. “I do have a private room, if that would make you more comfortable.”
Xara gave an awkward smile before shaking her head. “It’s fine. This will do.”
The Prophetess hummed thoughtfully before finally speaking. “The answer you seek… is already in your hands, dear.”
Xara’s brows furrowed immediately. “Huh? In my hands? What do you mean?”
The Prophetess lifted her staff, pointing it directly at Xara.
“The question…”
Then, with slow deliberation, she turned the staff toward Aether, who was standing by the far wall, pretending to be deeply interested in the temple’s dull architecture.
“… And the answer.”
Xara’s breath hitched.
Her eyes widened in shock.
“!!!”