Answers

A pale look appeared on Arella's face, and she trembled violently. 

"It might be dangerous for him alone, but with me here, from the inner world, it shouldn't be that bad." Nicholas saw Arella's condition and instinctively comforted her.

"Did he have to go?" Arella asked in a depressed tone.

"Hmm, he had a score to settle," Nicholas answered without any fluctuations.

"Come, sit. We have a lot to catch up." Nicholas gestured for her to sit down on the sofa. They settled down. The cook served them with snacks and drinks and then left them alone.

"Can you tell me about the royal mission?" Arella asked with a glimmer of hope.

"I can't divulge the particulars, but I can tell that it's a joint mission between the inner world and the outer world to eradicate our common enemy," Nicholas answered as best as he could.

Arella remained quiet, mulling over the information. No wonder Adrian looked so desperate last night. He knew it was a dangerous mission, but he still had to go. He even arranged a meeting with Nicholas. 

"How? Why? Why did the Prince have to convene a meeting? Couldn't you come on your own?" Arela asked skeptically.

"Oh! As you know, I am from the inner world. Only the Royal family knows about our existence. We are both tied by oath. He can't share the details, and we won't invade the outer world. If any free flow of information needs to happen, it could only happen by the consent of both the parties." Nicholas tried to explain patiently.

"That is why I couldn't share much concrete information with you before," Nicholas added monotonously.

Arella reflected on all the meetings she had had with him. Indeed, he never spoke anything concrete, always leaving her more confused than satiated.

"But now, since Adrina had asked for a favor, the Prince complied, and I can answer any questions! Shoot away!" Nicholas became excited.

"What is the inner world?" Arella began with the basics.

"Oh! Lots of questions, and you ask me this?" Nicholas had a deflated expression, but he still continued.

"Long ago, when a few Beasts and tamers became transcendentals, the other clans started hunting them. Tired of the chase, the transcendentals created a strong barrier, shielding themselves from the greedy clans."

"The place where transcendentals live is the inner world, also called star alliance, and the rest is the outer world." Nicholas broke the history down to explain the genesis to Arella.

"What are transcendentals?" Arella had a blank look on her face.

"You don't even know this?" Nicholas asked incredulously. He looked as if he was teaching abc to an adult!

"Transcendentals are those who have mastered both their beasts and tamer powers. They are the strongest amongst us. They have both mental and physical superiority. Don't tell me you don't even know what Beasts and tamers are?" Nicholas highly doubted Arella's intellectual level.

Arella didn't pay any heed to his thoughts. She was busy thinking about the Transcendentals. Those who can attack and defend. 

"Is everyone a transcendental in the star alliance?" Arella continued with her queries.

"Not really. Most of us are their descendants. Only a few could become transcendental. Like you." Nicholas pointed at her and spoke solemnly.

"I?" Arella repeated blankly.

"You are not a transcendental, but you could be. You have both qualities. The fire could attack, and the healing could save. But you still have a long way to go! You didn't have it before though. So I guess, that accident was a blessing in disguise!" Nicholas explained.

"Wait! Didn't I have healing skills before?" Arella asked incredulously.

"No. You could only use fire. The healer skills appeared after the accident. Maybe the seal trapped your beast and fire skills, giving way to the hidden healer skills? Only Beast God knows!" Nicholas shrugged his shoulders. He really didn't know.

Arella sat quietly, contemplating everything.

"So, Star Alliance is a home to transcendentals? It is the inner world that opens its gate to the outer world only twice. During the Red Moon Eclipse and the Blue Moon Eclipse, right?" Arella went back to the topic and asked to clear her doubts.

"Yes, yes. I can see you are not that dull after all! During the Red Moon Eclipse, insiders go out, and during the Blue Moon Eclipse, outsiders come in. They have a gap of twenty years." Nicholas iterated.

It was as she had expected.

"Then how come you are here?" Arella asked again.

"I took a special path. I am here, on behalf of the Beast of Justice, for the royal mission. I will go back after the mission is completed." Nicholas picked some delicate snacks and started munching on them.

"What happens if I don't enter the star alliance during the Blue Moon Eclipse?" Arella remembered that both Nicholas and Liliana focused on one thing. They wanted her to become powerful and enter the Star Alliance on the Blue Moon Eclipse. But what if she couldn't?

"Then you will never enter. An outsider can only enter during the Blue Moon Eclipse. That too, is only when one insider takes the guarantee for him/her. That is, one insider can select one outsider to enter the Star alliance during the Blue Moon Eclipse. But the outsider should be S or above ranked. That's the minimum threshold for entering." Nicholas doused Arella with cold water.

He made sure that Arella knew that the coming Blue Moon Eclipse was her only chance to enter the Star alliance again.

"My parents?" Arella didn't know how to complete that sentence. Should she ask how they were? Should she ask if they missed her? Should she ask if they were doing good?

"They are alive and waiting for their daughter to come back to them. They don't know about your situation. They thought that once you grew up, your seal would naturally weaken, setting your Beast free. With your Beast, you could easily come back to them." Nicholas spoke in one breath.

"Then why? Why couldn't I break the seal like they thought?" Arella asked with tinges of sef doubt.

"It's because your body weakened after sacrificing the Beast. The seal, in turn, became stronger." Nicholas sighed with frustration.

"Giving up your Beast? Have you ever regretted it? If that night, you hadn't done anything, you could have enjoyed the warmth of a happy life." Nicholas asked in a small voice.

"No. It was all worth it." Arella responded resolutely. Not for one moment had she regretted. She felt satisfied that she made it in time to save the boy. Now that she had tasted his sweetness, and basked in his care, she couldn't imagine any life without Adrian. 

A silence enveloped them like a blanket. A few minutes later, Nicholas faked a cough and broke the awkward situation.

"The mission should end in a week. The Blue Moon Eclipse is only a month away now. You should gear up. Though you have some improvement, everything is a waste if your Beast remains asleep." Nicholas guided her.

"How do I? I have tried everything I could, but the Beast has only stirred. It doesn't respond to me." Arella whispered in a desolate voice.

"Arella don't try to tame it. Surrender to it." Nicholas looked at her and uttered seriously.

"Beasts hate the power tussle. You give your Beast a motive to wake up. Stop controlling it. Let it roar on its own." Nicholas slowly voiced his thoughts as he stared deeply at Arella.

"I will be leaving for the mission and should be back within a week. Till then, give your Beast a reason to wake up." Nicholas pointed out the path to Arella. 

This was his limit. He could only guide. Arella had to walk on the path herself.