Chương 84: Chapter 83- A Second Meeting

" Hello again Vael." Elias took a moment to cast his gaze over the form of his visitor, their pale, impossibly perfect skin, their slim frame wrapped in loose white robes, covered in fine designs of a pale cream color, embroidering runes in dense patterns across the material. The eerie otherworldly beauty of their finely sculpted features in their narrow elfin face as they look towards the sky tracing the drifting clouds above.

As Vael's colorshifting eyes tracked the clouds across the sky they shifted from a deep forest green to a light blue to match the color from bright summer sky above as the fine strands of their silvery platinum hair drifted in the soft breeze where the strands emerge from behind the pointed tips of their ears. Their eyes drifted downwards and a broad smile grew on their face as Vael's gaze met Elias's, " Well my boy, look at you! It seems that this new life suits you well."

When they spotted Eli's clothing, Vael smirked, " It looks like I may be a little over dressed for the occasion." With a snap of their fingers the white robes disappeared with a popping sound of displaced air and the slender elf was in an outfit matching Eli's, an olive green tank top, blue board shorts, a pair of brown leather sandals, and their shimmering platinum hair was bound in a ponytail at the base of their neck with a brown leather tie.

Well, I felt like it would be a little weird to ask his gender, but I guess that answers that. Vael spun in a circle and threw his arms wide before he arched a brow at Eli with a grin, " So what do you think?" Eli laughed, " Looking good man," eyeing Vael's pale skin, " Although it would probably suit you a little better with a tan."

Vael smirked, " I am afraid any radiation strong enough to affect my skin tone would probably immolate your entire body in an instant, so you will have to settle for using your imagination." He gestured around to the scenery, " Would you mind showing me around while we speak? I would appreciate getting a glimpse of your world." Eli shrugged, " Sure, this part is pretty far from civilization so it will mostly just be the scenery, but I'm sure my sister wouldn't mind me showing a guest around.

Want to check out the beach first?" Vael nodded as Eli gestured and they set out along the short path through dunes, the gentle breeze softly swirling around them as it brought the scents of the cool salty ocean spray, the sounds of crashing waves, and the cries of a flock of seagulls in the distance.

The pair walked in silence for a while listening to the wind blow through the dunegrass and the crunch of their steps, and in just a few moments the path broke through the last set of dunes leading to an open expanse of soft white sand leading to shore where rolling breakers lapped against land.

Vivian's little patch of shore was empty, unsurprising given that they were most likely in some kind of simulation, and the rare tourist collecting shells or locals fishing in the surf that would normally drift through the isolated stretch were nowhere to be seen. She chose the place specifically for the isolation, but visitors would still find their way on occasion, and as Eli and Vael crossed the sand watching the sandpipers dip in and out of the crashing breakers it was easy to see why she loved the place.

Vael craned his neck back and forth, looking up and down the stretch of sand and turning to look back at the treeline cresting over the dunes, " I don't sense any predators nearby nor any walls… Is your sister culling the population? Or are you simply choosing to exclude them?" Elias snorted, " No Viv is certainly fierce enough to take on a mountain lion, but any predators in this area that were threats have long been hunted to extinction, my people wouldn't put up with the danger.

That's not to say there aren't any at all, there are still a few in captivity or in remote regions, or other places we don't go." Eli waved towards the water, " There are plenty of nasty things in the deep ocean for example, but with us living on land we've mostly left them alone." Vael arched his brow, and looked out to the water, before making a quiet 'ah' sound and making a 'come hither' motion with one hand.

A plume of water erupted from the surface of the ocean as a massive fourteen foot shark was yanked in the air, thrashing as it floated over to the pair, water slashing through the air until the creature stilled at another gesture from Vael. He leaned forward to examine the sleek gray and white form, rippling dense muscles, and the gaping toothy maw of the great white as its dark eyes rolled in terror, confusion, and fury.

Elias could see the muscles beneath the skin bunch and knot as the creature struggled against the invisible force holding it in place, and a chill ran down his spine at the casual display of power." Fascinating." Vael leaned in to prick the point of a tooth with one finger before gently trailing his fingers over the beast's snout in a gentle caress. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it."

The sensory organ in the nose is especially interesting, it's rare to see such sensitivity in a creature of this size. I would have thought your world half barren until you pointed this little one out, thank you for that Elias. I have a friend who has a soft spot for such creatures and I will have to share this memory with her when I can."

With a wave from Vael, the creature shot towards the water, but slowed on approach and gently slipped back under the surface as the pair turned to start walking down the stretch of beach. As they followed the water line Vael kept pace next to Eli, hands clasped behind his back, as he turned his head to give Eli a gentle smile, " I have been watching you, you know, and you seem much calmer and more centered than the last time we spoke."

Vael gave a small nod, " Granted you had just gone through a fairly traumatic experience, so I am sure you were not at your best, but I dare say this new world suits you." He gestured at their surroundings, " Was your whole world so peaceful?" Eli shook his head, " Yes and no. Mankind had firmly established themselves as the dominant force, and for the most part natural forces and predators had been tamed or eliminated, but people are plenty dangerous to each other.

Plenty of people were afraid of being eaten by a shark, but you were more likely to be struck by lightning. For the most part people only really died to disease and more rarely violence by others." Vael sighed, " Your people were very fortunate, if only Caelwyn could be tame. Granted the strongest steel makes the sharpest blades, and you can not forge proper steel without a crucible to forge it in." He smiled, " For coming from such a different place you seem to have been doing well for yourself.

You have grown strong in such a short time." He laughed, "I could tell you had a strong will, but if I had known that within you had lurked the heart of a berserker I may not have worried quite so much." Eli chuckled as he watched a small flock of sandpipers part and race around them in a patter of tiny feet upon the sand to continue their dance in and out the low rolling breaker waves behind them." Yeah that surprised me too, but when you don't have a choice, you do what it takes to survive."

Eli took a deep breath before glancing over at Vael, " For what it is worth, it has been absolutely blast so far. I've seen and done so much in such a short time." Elias looked up to the sky, at the gulls wheeling above as a broad smile spread across his face, " Honestly, the most exciting part is what just what all else may come next, I feel like I'm just barely dipping my toes in a massive ocean." Eli stopped and fixed his gaze on Vael as the man stopped to arch a brow in return at Elias's serious expression."

Your world is beautiful, terrifying, and exhilarating all at once. Magic, dragons, trees the size of skyscrapers, and the flows of magic in the rings at night." Eli shook his head as he remembered the sights and sighed, " It may have been fate or just a lucky encounter, but the people have been wonderful as well, I've made some great friends in such a short time." He stuck his hand out and gave Vael a grin, " Thank you. From the bottom of my heart, I can not thank you enough.""

You didn't have to fish me out of the sky and give me a second chance, but I am beyond grateful you did. While I would never have guessed where that choice would have led me, knowing what I know now, I would make the same one every time." Elias stopped to think for a moment how to phrase his feelings before shrugging and giving up on trying, " The connections I have made in such a short time have been surprisingly profound, something I would never even have known existed just a short time ago, and now?""

Well, they are a treasure that I would give nearly anything just to feel once more. So thank you." A smile spread across Vael's face, a slight tremor running through Eli as for a moment his mouth spread past where the anatomy should have allowed it to go. The vision of a massive maw slipped away after a bare glimpse as his mouth returned to a normal, if broad smile of smug satisfaction. The smile twisted into a wry grin as Vael reached over and shook Eli's hand, " Why you are ever so welcome Mr. Mercer!"

The smile turned sharp for a moment, " Although, you should be careful making such broad statements in such august company, a being would be tempted to take advantage." Pressing the back of one pale hand to his forehead he closed his eyes with a scoff, before one iris peeked out from a crack in one eyelid, the color shifting from a vivid pink to a bluegreen that matched the color of the sea behind him, " Alas! Woe is my most unfortunate fate!

To be burdened and bound by such pesky little things such as moral behavior, to be forever denied the delight of harvesting your everlasting soul." Elias rolled his eyes as Vael snickered before giving him a more serious expression, " In all seriousness Elias, while I am very pleased to hear of your satisfaction, the System judges the validity of a contract based on perceived value. If you told the wrong entity how highly you valued your friends, the knowledge could be used against you."

He paused for a moment to ensure that Eli would remember the lesson, " Do not forget that you are still very new to all this, and the last thing I would want is to see your potential shackled to guarantee their safety." Vael turned to continue their walk as he indicated for Eli to follow with a gesture, clapping his hands with a grin." Now! Ever the voyeur, I have been watching over your adventures, but these things are so much more exciting when heard from the mortal perspective."

He gestured to the air around them, " While we are in this space we are under a significant dilation so we have plenty of time, therefore if you please! Tell me all about your experience so far, I want to hear all the juicy details." Vael waggled his eyebrows at Eli, " Especially those about a certain spicy redhead, I bet that battle with the hobgoblins was even more thrilling up close!" Eli laughed, " Yeah Astra is pretty great isn't she? I guess let's start with the puddle."

Vael winced, " Yeah sorry about that, interstellar travel can be challenging and I was very out of practice."