Meeting an old comrade
P.O.V. Aadi (second council meeting)
When I awake the third day of us being in the capital Lucien is gone and Nilan is sitting on the sofa with his hands folded together like a person praying, although no one in our house is overly religious it doesn't mean Lucien and Nilan are not believers of the gods.
We do not follow any of the 14 gods but we pray for blessings from all when a big event like me heading to the human capital, or before we set off for the Lycaonia.
We eat breakfast at 6 O'clock and play with cards until 11 O'clock comes around we stop due to the sound of knocking and a soldier of the council is here to take us else where, I look to Nilan but he nods his head in acceptance so we open the door and follow the man after getting our things as he told us we will not be returning.
We get into a car filled with protection enchantments along both the inside and outside, I subconsciously clutch my plant to my chest as we move to an unknown location.
We arrive at a large courthouse like building with pillars all over the place along with purple and yellow details and designs all over the place while the main building itself is a pure white, entering we are taken to a iron door that after walking through leads to a large iron door filled with enchantments I have never seen before.
The guard with us puts his hand on the handle while also inserting a key the nearby hole I can feel some of his mental energy being pushed into the door at the handle part, I hear a soft buzz sound when the door swings open.
Me and Nilan both walk in and we are told to wait as our mate and father will be here soon, we are told that no communication crystals work here and that if there is any needs to simply pull on the black rope to the left of the door. They then close and lock the door behind them and a small hum can be heard when the door closes, like that we are left in a large but completely enclosed room with no windows or means of knowing what is happening outside.
We wait only a few minutes before Lucien returns and explains why we are here and it makes me nervous that they now know of the otherworld's, but if it is because of someone from another world intervening then the worry is not unfounded as my existence itself proves people of other world's can survive coming here.
When two hours pass five people enter the room, one is like Lucien wearing a toga with pure white wings on his back, although he is clearly older he has light blue hair and eyes similar to snow crystals it is easy to see the relation as Lucien shares nearly all his features as well as coloring.
A middle aged elf woman with platinum blonde hair and clear colored eyes is also there, I have never seen an elf with an age older the their mid 20's so to see one that looks in her 30's is a surprise.
A wolf beastman with auburn hair and tourmaline colored eyes make his relation to the one we met on our first day in the country easy to spot.
There is a older thin man with dark green hair and a gaunt look to him, although his face gives off hints of kindness despite the scales and paleness of him you can tell from the eyes he is a innately gentle person.
Finally a beautiful black haired cat lady with panther based spots on her fur is the last to enter and she is the youngest one of the group looking barely of age.
They all came in followed by a medical bed rolled in for the body to be place on to study, I feel uncomfortable letting them study the body like this with little respect given to the man who was simply unlucky and had no intention on harming anyone.
But we needed them to decide how to go about this with all the information available and this is the only way to guarantee they will believe the story even with Lucien having sworn on his energy it as the truth, because if he was made to believe it true through an imprint then it is possible for the oath to be voided while telling a false hood as he believes it the truth.
After all of them are in Nilan take out the body and places it on the medical table for them to check, the otherworld energy is still present due to having been in the space all these years it looks like he only dies a few days ago.
The others begin to speak and most come to agreement they couldn't survive such integration, but the middle aged elf woman stops their talking and says, "Use your own energy when cultivating can ignore this problem, but such paths are horrific and banned as forbidden arts." I feel myself tense at that statement as that is the exact cultivation I used and as she had said I survived entering this world.
I hear them talk among themselves and many speak of looking into and interrogating those who use such cultivation, Lucien steps forward to tell them that I am one such person due to being in the black market and it is possible that they won't be able to use this method as most those who use this method are like me.
Silence and it is clear everyone understands that this method will mean punishing the victims for something they had no control over, it could bring internal problems if it got out about it.
Over the next hour 20 people come and go each one a different species then the next, though I notice none appear to be of the void people, all of them are told of the older elf woman's conclusion but also of the problem that comes with interrogating those who actually use such cultivation as most those who do are victims.
Afterwards a guard comes and takes Lucien out of the room to continue the meeting with the council as he is the one with the longest time to process and understand such knowledge while the body is place in a preservation tube and removed to do full body and energy scans.
Lucien returns two hours later and what he says makes me freeze, "They have decided to see if they can't back track the persons world using spacial energy tracking methods."
I understand it means they wish to see if they can find ways to permanently link to another world before thinking of potential invasion as that is the only reason they would invade, is if they had a means by which to link their worlds with this one.
"If they can link the world they intend to ask those like you to go through along with death row criminals to see if their is any chance of survival for those with this world's energy in their body when they transfer to another world, most of our forces use our world energy so the same is assumed true for most places so they need to see what the potential survival rate could be." He continues and I know I will definitely be requested to join as a healer/buffer.
I think for a while after that on whether I will agree to this and I ultimately decide that if they offer I will go, I want to see if it is possible, although it will not be possible with me as both my body and energy have nothing to do with my original world anymore it doesn't mean I can't potentially find others from my world like me.
If so a way back to my original world may just become possible, although at this point I consider here my world more then the one I was born in and my loyalty lies in this world as well.
Because of the restriction of not allowed yet to leave until the full investigation is over me and Lucien spend most of the time sparing and training in the large training room filled with all the things provided including a practice course.
When a week has passed Lucien is taken to speak with someone that we are not allowed to know of as they are a higher level of secrecy.
Lucien returns and he does not look pleased but the guard with him speaks, "We request that Aadi Null agree to speak in front of the council and council guest of his first hand experience with the otherworlder, although you have right to refuse your claim of nothing to do with him will be put in question and you may be questioned as a suspect rather then witness."
I agree as it is for the best if they view me as cooperative and willing rather then potentially uncooperative.
I follow him out the room while Lucien and Nilan stay behind we walk to a large iron wood door carved with dragons and phoenix's on it in gold and red with swirls of black all over it, the guard knocks and the door open to a court hall filled with mahogany wood and a large amounts of enchantments carved into the wall shining a blackish purple color.
Their is about 25 people in here 20 of which came to witness the body while the other five all had pitch black hair and eyes as well as the familiar pull of energy around them similar to the energy I felt around Wyatt.
They are all void people although their is masks covering all but their eyes making me unable to identify their features.
When one of them speaks I hear a familiar voice that I haven't heard since the twentieth floor, "You are Aadi Null correct?" I look at the pitch black mask with a purple swirl design on the forehead, they were the one to speak and I know exactly who now wears that mask.
Wyatt is among those on the jury, and he has seen my face before the transformation that took place when I left.
I tighten my hand then release it and with a blank face I reply, "That is right sir, My name Aadi Null I was adopted by Lucien Null a month before my 12th birthday and I turned 22 three months ago. Is their any other information I must say or shall I speak of the events that took place on the fourth floor 5 years ago."
The 20 council members look to the 5 void people and when the one wearing a black mask with pure gold swirl on the forehead nods they turn back to me and say, "You may begin to tell you personal experience."
And speak of it I did while keeping my face as blank as possible through the whole process, it is clear that hey had hoped I could give more details but it has been five years and all that stood out to me at the time I had told Lucien when I got back from the tower meaning I had no extra information to provide them.
I am taken to another room off to the side, I am told it is for those in the mask to ask further questions individually, as some have differing personal information that should not be spoken in front of the council and that I will take and oath not to speak of any details of my talk.
The first two to enter back to back are the two with a white swirl on the forehead, both just ask for look of him and what I could feel from him before he began integration, nothing much is said here.
When the man in the red swirl on forehead mask enters it is for the same thing but he also asks of what I felt when I met someone like him for the first time along with how I feel of what has happened, it is clear he is checking if I am sympathizing with the otherworlder. I admit to being horrified following this event as well as slightly traumatized but I got over it quickly and directly told Lucien what had occurred as I left the tower.
The man leaves with a scoff following those words, finally Wyatt in his purple swirled mask enters the room and silence reins in here for a good minute before I see him reach up and remove the mask.
The familiar handsome face looks at me and studies me carefully, "I had heard you used an illegal cultivation style due to your past but didn't expect it to be a transformation based one, though this is probably one of the reasons you chose to so adamantly leave the group before you began this drastic reformation."
He says with little inflection in his voice as he clearly realizes I hid far more from him then he had known at that time.
He continues, "I wish to hear you tell me of your cultivation as well as allow me to absorb some of your energy to guarantee their is no lasting negative affects, although I am sure your father has done so their are some things not told to lower ranking people that if not noticed early on could be trouble for you."
I refuse, "You have no right to demand either of me as the law protects the victims right from such invasion and unless you have a medical license it can not count a being done under medical checking."
He chuckles and says, "I do have a medical degree and it is one of the major reasons I was brought instead of others as I am one of the only few of my kind that bothered with what most my kind view as unnecessary, so I am here on behalf of my people to do a medical scan on you and to check for suspicious hints the otherworlder had left on you when alive."
I look him in the eye before I say, "I invoke the right to have all medical information pertaining to anything before the fourth floor took place protected under the not involved clause in exchange I will swear on all energy in my body it is uninvolved in this case and will only explain to you the cause by which the difference is their but you must also swear on your energy or under the private rights act you have no right to medically look at me who as a had a recent medical scan."
I can see his face tighten as it is clear he understands their is a bigger secret then what he knew behind me then just the illegal cultivation.
"You realize if we criminally charge you we have right to do so anyway?" He asks.
"Yes I am aware and I also know that without me pointing out the difference and explaining it you will never know what it is as your machines lack the ability to identify it." I respond in kind.
He looks me in the eyes as we stare each other down trying to get the other to cave first until finally Wyatt gives, "I will make the oath you wish for but you will answer all questions involving you truthfully and as impartially as possible."
And so we both make the oaths and finally Wyatt removes the gloves he is wear and places his hand on my chest around my collar bone but he then squints his eyes as the energy he gets is filled with emotion, the mental energy in my body is not the energy in the mental energy veins but directly from my mind meaning they are coated in parts of me.
He pulls back in shock before going back in again with a hard expression on his face having realized there is a massive difference to others already.
"What in the world is occurring with your energy, it is on the right path but is is your mental realm energy not the mental energy usually seen in ones energy veins. Though I guess this is why you refused me before, it is not a normal thing to have that types of information in all parts of the body rather then just your brain." He responds the interest in his voice is clear as day.
"You notice no difference other than that correct, then you can see as I said you will not know the difference unless I point it out. Their is a second energy system in my body if you put your hand to my pelvic region you will probably sense it slightly." I tell him, his body tightens and does as I say and astonishment shows as I leash in my mental energy and release me spirit energy for him to feel.
"How in the, wait another world." murmurs under his breath as he looks at me in clear recognition of how a new energy system all together can exist. "I thought Lucien raised you since you where twelve their is no way you came through the tower so how did you come here."
The command in his tone as he says this is clear as day, I begin to explain my story first with the difference in his worlds dungeon to my world tunnels, I do not mention how long I was in there but he can probably guess, I talk of meeting Lucien when the dungeon appeared here and the difference in energy used by both sides.
By the end I can see the serious look on his face as he realizes that their is now two ways for people to get into this world and one doesn't require someone from their world to bring the person here but rather they just need to walk out.
"I should report this but you know I can't with the oath I have taken, I will make another offer then I will act as your benefactor and will have Lucien and his people pardoned for hiding this information along with guaranteeing their is no chance you will be used beyond asking questions and basic physical check ups. No experiments or removal of your rights will be done and you will be granted full citizenship by my people if you agree to allow me to speak of this in your place." Wyatt says.
"Can you make that promise?" I respond.
He nods his head and I look down before taking in a deep breath, I know if even one thing goes wrong it is not just me who will pay for this but I must tell them of this or even worse things may occur. "I agree if you can truly guarantee our freedom outside of performing highly illegal acts." I agree.
Wyatt gives a small approving smile, let us see if my trust has not been misplaced.