Chapter 17 - Solandar Solhart
Elion sensed a tinge of sadness in the young man's demeanor, even though he seemed cheerful. He couldn't identify the reason behind it.
As Elion pondered about it, the young man turned to him and introduced himself with a smile and a handshake, "I'm Solandar."
Elion's hand trembled as he shook Solandar's hand, as the name had a familiar ring to it, even to anyone who hadn't studied history.
"Solandar? Ten thousand years?" Elion repeated to himself, trying to make sense of it all.
"Are you Solandar Solhart, the Fire Elemental Guardian?" Elion asked with excitement. If true, he had successfully encountered a legendary figure from Solara's past.
"Yep, that's me! Didn't realize I was somewhat famous," Solandar replied with a bright smile, his eyes twinkling with amusement at the recognition.
"How come you're not famous? You're the hero of Solara! You defeated the Demon King Azroth and the Twelve Demon Commanders." Elion couldn't help but express his admiration.
Solandar's face lit up slightly, "Oh, those demons? I gave them a tough time, but it was only for a brief period as I didn't fully defeat them. And let me tell you, I paid a hefty price for it. My body? Sacrificed. My spirit? Trapped here."
"I thought I'd be enjoying my time in Heaven by now, considering all the good deeds I've done," he chuckled, although a hint of frustration could be heard in his voice.
Solandar had been unsure whether he was dead or alive for over ten thousand years. Although he no longer had a physical body, he could still feel it and considered himself alive — even though he knew it was just his spirit.
"Wait a moment. I need to do something," Solandar said, hastening towards a nearby river.
The water sparkled with clarity, and a pleasant aroma wafted. Solandar's armor vanished in a flicker of fire, likely stored in his elemental space.
Now, he wore casual clothing, and his muscular physique was evident. Standing by the river, Solandar retrieved a giant container from his elemental storage ring and filled it with water. With a grin towards Elion, he raised the brimming container onto his shoulder.
"Let's head over there. We can find some shade under that big tree," said Solandar, motioning towards a large tree in the distance. Elion nodded in agreement and followed him. Once they reached the tree, Solandar stopped and clapped his hands five times.
ROAR!
Suddenly, a loud and intimidating roar echoed through the air, followed by a flash of light. Elion's eyes widened as a giant white tiger materialized before them, its aura overwhelming. Seeing that Elion was uncomfortable, Solandar addressed the tiger sternly.
"You," he said, softening his voice and giving the tiger a gentle slap on the cheek before bursting into laughter.
To Elion's surprise, the once fearsome tiger was no longer intimidating. The tension dissipated, and peace returned to the area.
"Why tease him?"
The tiger responded with a sheepish grin. Solandar then set the giant water container before the tiger and told him, "Drink up."
The thirsty tiger drank eagerly, but Elion noticed the tiger's injuries, which included charred legs and oozing wounds.
Solandar pointed in a specific direction and explained, "He's trying to pass through that Heavenly Gate."
Elion noticed nothing unusual until he focused on the shadowy shape in the distance. This door-like structure was barely visible against the landscape.
"The Heavenly Gate?" Elion gasped with amazement as he widened his eyes.
Elion was amazed by the world's wonders, even in the age of powerful humans, Elemental Beasts, and magical beings. The sight unfolding before him was one of those wonders, leaving him speechless.
Solandar couldn't help but chuckle at Elion's reaction. "In my first five thousand years according to the flow of time here, I rarely came across a human. But I have seen plenty of other creatures," he said with a smile.
Elion was all ears as he listened to Solandar's words. The information Solandar shared was something that no one had ever mentioned in Solara's archives. Maybe the Supreme and Ancient Families knew about this.
"I've spent five thousand years exploring this vast world, trying to find its end. But it's as if the world doesn't want me to reach its edges," Solandar chuckled.
"But I've noticed something," Solandar continued. "All life seems to be drawn towards one direction, the Heavenly Gate."
Elion's face glowed excitedly, eager to learn more about this Heavenly Gate. Solandar noticed his eagerness and reassured him, "You may think I'm crazy after ten thousand years, but everything I've told you is true. Trust me on this."
"Whitey!" Solandar then shouted a name.
After quenching its thirst, the white tiger let out a mighty roar. Suddenly, a bright light enveloped its body, and it transformed into a man in his thirties. He was wearing white clothes with black tiger stripes and had several scars.
"Allow me to introduce Whitey," Solandar chirped, pointing to the man beside him. "And this is Elion."
The man frowned at Solandar and said, "Ignore him. My name is Tigas."
"Don't mind him," Solandar said with a smile. "He likes to be called Whitey."
"Let's just focus," Tigas interrupted Solandar's jest and suggested they focus on the matter.
"But what he said earlier is true. We all know about Heavenly Gate. I'm surprised you guys weren't informed when you arrived," Tigas explained.
Solandar chuckled and said, "Hahaha. Didn't I tell you? I'm special."
Elion was still curious about why everyone was there. He knew that he had come to inherit the power or the legacy of the Original Orb, and Solandar had sacrificed himself battling the Demon. But Tigas and the others?
"Why are you here, Tigas?" Elion asked.
Tigas grinned broadly without directly answering Elion's question and then looked at Solandar. "Is he the one you've been waiting for?"
Solandar smiled and nodded, "Looks like it," he replied.
Tigas countered, "But why's he so weak? Level 1 Elemental Apprentice?"
Elion nearly stumbled at Tigas' blunt criticism, but Solandar found it amusing. He understood that Tigas was an Elemental Beast who could transform into a human, so his words were straightforward.
"Hahaha! Easy there, Whitey," Solandar chuckled, addressing Tigas. "He's not prepared yet. He's here to train. Just give him time," he added with a laugh.
Elion, catching their banter, scratched his head. It was true; he felt out of his depth. He was once just an ordinary human; this was his only chance to connect with the element and unlock newfound powers.
While observing Elion closely, Tigas sensed something mysterious about him. However, he opted not to pry into others' affairs. Instead, he responded to Elion's query, "We're all from Level One Planet. We're here to advance beyond the Elemental King."
"Is there really a rank beyond the Elemental King?" Elion asked, his eyes wide with wonder.
Solandar nodded in agreement. "Absolutely. The Elemental Emperor but there are more."
"Elemental Emperor and more..." Elion whispered the name under his breath, his mind conjuring images of ancient legends and tales whispered in the halls of Solara, yet shrouded in mystery to most.
"Solara itself hasn't seen anyone successfully reach that rank in a long while," Solandar added. "Many tried in the generation before mine, but I'm not sure in the past ten thousand years."
Solandar explained that previous Elemental Emperors preferred to head to Level Two Planet rather than wait for Solara while some choose to become the backer or guide of their families or empires but live in seclusion.
This shed some light on why Solara remained a Level One Planet even today. Elion had read about this before but needed more detailed and verified information.
After all, Level One Planet was considered the weakest in the universe, and he had no idea how many levels lay above them. He knew he needed to ascend to Level Two Planet or beyond to learn more.
There was another way, Solara itself becoming a Level Two planet. But, to become a Level Two Planet, at least ten percent of Solara's Elementalists had to reach the Elemental Emperor level and stay there.
However, this was quite a daunting task since most of those who achieved that level chose to leave for the Level Two Planet, prioritizing their power over loyalty to their home planet.
"Why wait for others? The previous generation didn't wait for us either. It's better to focus on your strengths. If you want to return home later, go back," Tigas suggested firmly.
Solandar simply smiled in response to Tigas's words. Elion, on the other hand, pondered over Tigas's insight. "So, does this mean these legendary individuals can return to their home planet whenever they want, even if they have surpassed the elemental rank limit?"
"I understand what you're concerned about. Those who have reached the Elemental Emperor level or... even higher, if they stay at a lower planet, the Universe will limit their power level and rank according to the elemental level and rank limit of that planet. For stronger Elementalists from higher planets, the Universe will prevent them from directly interfering in the affairs of the planet's inhabitants. That was why many felt there was no reason for them to stay," explained Solandar.
"That's why Demon King Azroth is called Demon King. Even though he is Demon Emperor Azroth on his home planet, we deliberately call him King because that was his power level when he attacked Solara. Oh. You should see his face when we call him Demon King, not Demon Emperor," Solandar said jokingly.
"And for that reason, the Elemental Nexus can only help to train Elemental Guardians and also give me Phoenix power to master it myself to fight against the demons. He can't interfere directly... otherwise, no one needs to be sacrificed," Solandar continued weakly.