Chapter 54: A Threat?
5 months later,
Aldrian sat inside the Shrine of the Heavenly Tree with his eyes closed. He liked to cultivate his mind here, the serenity he felt was unlike anything he experienced elsewhere. Here, he could also experience visions more frequently, and they felt more real—like forgotten memories resurfacing within him, though he felt he never actually lived the scenes in those visions.
Now, he was in a state where he had cut off all connection to the outside world. His senses and instincts had stopped functioning, at this moment, he was in his most vulnerable state. In his vision, he was walking while wearing a white robe. He had a tall stature, his skin like jade, smooth and without blemish.
Surrounding him was a beautiful scenery of flying islands in the sky, various kinds of vegetation, and vast lands that stretched towards the horizon. The distant mountains pierced the heavens with their peaks, the blue sky resembling a sea, with clouds adding a dynamic element to the scene before 'him'.
He then stopped on top of a hill where there were no trees, except for a lone plum blossom tree under which he stood, gazing at the scenery. The sweet scent of the blossoms filled his nostrils. Sunlight shone upon the tree, casting shadows that protected him from the heat, while a gentle breeze swept through his long white hair, which he could see in his vision.
Not long after, he looked behind him. A young girl, in her early teens, approached him with a joyful expression. She ran barefoot, yet her feet remained clean and smooth as if she were walking on porcelain.
"Your Majesty! I created this butterfly for you. Do you like it?" The young girl offered him the butterfly she had made from some kind of diamond. She had crafted it so beautifully that the diamond reflected the sunlight, sparkling like stars in the night sky. He took the butterfly-shaped diamond from the young girl and smiled. Although he couldn't see his own face, Aldrian knew that 'he' was smiling.
"This is beautiful; I like it so much," 'he' said, his voice soft and pleasant to the ears of those who heard it. He patted the young girl's head, causing her to blush and smile sheepishly at his compliment. He looked at the crafted butterfly in his hand and covered it with both hands. When he opened them, the diamond butterfly suddenly took flight on its own, fluttering around him and the girl. Seeing her crafted butterfly come to life and fly, she was overjoyed and tried to touch it.
He watched her happy face and smiled. Suddenly, from the corner of his eye, he noticed some figures approaching them. Though he had never seen them before, they felt familiar to him. Two men and two women, who appeared human in their features, approached and bowed to him.
"Greetings, Your Majesty."
"At ease. You don't have to greet me; I am only taking a stroll to enjoy the scenery," he said.