C 5. From Mother City

Another hundreds of kilometres behind Adam's collective group was something that defied the laws of the natural world order.

An entire ocean floating in the sky moving at a relative speed. The ocean water is filled with Sea lifeform, and they can be seen casually moving as if they were in a normal ground sea.

The size of the ocean was twice the size of the Ancient King Turtle and wherever the sea passes the forest under will enter a deep silence, no sound of anything, not even an insect.

Unlike the turtle, the sea did not block the sun, but it allowed rays of light to reflect on the forest below from the ocean water.

A Whale is spotted in the middle of the ocean drifting in boredom, but it releases a powerful suppression that I will not dare to get close to.

***

"Damn it. Look at what they have done."

An old man standing on a black horse was gazing at a giant crater the span hundreds meter wide.

He heard and saw when the Ancient turtle blasted away the snake. But since it was from far away he did not think that the attack damaged the ground so much.

It was not him that he was worried but the people he was guiding. They may not be able to cross fast enough so that they will avoid being under the suppression of that Ocean Empire.

***

"They are closing in." An elderly lady said to an old man. They are standing on the highest mountain, high enough that they gaze at the clouds far beneath them.

They view the ground as if gazing from outer space.

"They brought their supreme beast with them. I think we should confide them to send the beasts back, let their candidates walk through the forest."

"If our slumbering supreme beasts awake there might be an unwanted contest." She added.

"No need. I will bring the kids here. Their guardians will return as well." The old man said.

He took in a deep breath and closed his eyes. By the time he breathed out, he opened his eyes. An invisible ripple passed forward from the old man's brow, stalling the air wherever it passed.

It swept the entire forest in no time affecting every living and non-living organism.

Birds, insects, tigers, monkeys, brandogo, gorgons, and all other animals and monsters paused as the ripple passed them.

Almost all animals paused for a moment before continuing what they were doing.

But few resisted the ripple. A small earthworm was evading a bird pecking when the ripple reached it.

The bird became absent-minded while the earthworm released a powerful mental force field around itself, protecting itself from the force.

"Stand down little one." The old man's voice sounded around the worm.

Other monsters across the forest were able to protect themselves the same way, and the same words of the old man sounded around them.

They are the hidden danger of the forest. Each one was comparable if not better than the Ancient King Turtle.

The ripple reached the Ancient Turtle first. And the same thing happened as he enveloped himself with a mental force field. But the message still responded in the air.

Daniel's father received a message from the old man.

Surprisingly almost all the beasts within the multitude of groups released their defensive mental force against the ripple to protect themselves and the humans.

Three people were able to get the message from the old man. And the same thing happened in the Ocean Empire.

While the whale does not need any defence as it was already leaking metal energy.

The High Elder in the Ocean Empire gets the message loud and clear. He tried to speak but it was denied by the old man.

...

The old man that was busy trying to make everyone cross to the other side of the crater before the whale reached them, saw his black horse release a force field that envelope the entire 500 thousand people he was guiding.

Then a voice sounded, "Morning. I will take it from here. You have a day to prepare for them, and no one over Third Orbiter will be allowed to continue."

The old man immediately jumped from the horse and bow, "Yes!"

***

Drastic change happens throughout the travellers. Some guides are happy that they will no longer tread the dangerous forest, some are not happy.

They wanted to see more of the forest. And they want to take their students and deliver them by themselves.

One of those that happened to not like the change was in Ocean Empire. An old man who is a High Elder happened to be in a bad mood.

'They did not want anyone above third, why is that?' He wore a long purple robe with a golden design on the chest.

He rubbed his hand over the golden design and his mind project else were within the vast country of the empire.

He appeared in front of a small boy of 15. "My prince, a Supreme Elder from Mother City, requires us not to proceed from here."

"Why?" The prince asked absent-mindedly.

"He said he will be the one to carry the student towards the maze. I tried to tell him that it…."

"It's fine If he is Supreme Elder from Mother City. Is he?"

"Yes, my Prince. But we.."

"Father said we should not provoke any Supreme Elder of any nation let alone an Elder from Mother City. You may leave and start the preparation."

The High Elder has no choice but to go carry out the command.

Their country was undisputedly the strongest empire in the known world.

The High Elders' arrogance stems from the fact that a Low-rank Elder from the empire is in equal status to most countries High-rank Elder.

As a High-rank Elder, he has an illusion to speak and differ from any Supreme Elder that he may come across. Thankfully the prince has a clear mind.

***

Daniel was inside his room when he was called. After he reached the hall, he found his father standing on the stairs looking down at them.

"A Supreme Elder from Mother City has conversed with me. There will be no privilege for us to give you.

We will not interfere whatsoever in your journey in the Maze to Mother city."

'Yeah, as if you were going to help us.' Daniel thought. Seconds later a gaze passed him, he felt as if he was about to break internally.

'Pusc kagra zimpush push push pishuu pushhs.'

He skilfully began thinking rubbish lest he thinks of something that will trigger his father's senses.