Chapter 8: Physical Manifestation
Darian finally saw sunlight again, after Niara was pulled out from the depths of the underground.
He was still inside Niara's body, but he could see everything around them. His attention turned upward, where he noticed the sun's glow was much dimmer — or maybe just a bit farther away than Earth's.
Excited, he confirmed it: he really was on another planet. He had passed the test and overcome every obstacle. Now he could finally train in this world and become stronger.
Niara was being escorted by several soldiers, all of them still holding their weapons and keeping an eye on her every move.
They walked toward the huge gates of a castle. When they arrived, Darian was stunned. The structure looked a bit like the medieval castles on Earth, but was definitely built by an alien civilization.
Its shape gave off a strange feeling, and everything was made of a silvery metal, giving it a mystical air. Its size was about the same as twenty average Earth houses put together. Around it, several towers pierced the clouds, so tall and imposing they were.
'This is just the most basic castle, made so rookie Summoners and visitors can explore it. As we grow stronger, we gain access to new areas of Celestia Academy,' Niara explained mentally, making Darian sigh at how grand everything was.
Not long ago, he'd been just some poor guy running from underground folks, trying to secure a future for his family. Now, he was in a whole different universe, being thrown into things way beyond anything he could've imagined.
They stepped inside. Just past the gates, Darian's eyes widened as he finally saw figures not wearing full armor.
They were all humanoid, but some had tails, wings, scales, feathers — or even a mix of all that.
'Are they all hybrids of divine or demonic beasts?' Darian asked in his mind, remembering the creatures described in that fantasy book.