As it turned out, the water from the river was channelled from the ocean directly, filtered, consecrated in so manner, and then passed through various cities and towns within Opungale.
Cities within the great continent were known as Auroras, and when Skullius perceived one, he was flabbergasted by its scale.
The settlent he and Darwel had passed before was nothing when compared to the grandeur that an Aurora possessed. He could have sworn that the one they were passing through now was several tis larger than Genhuis, though, to his surprise, its actual population was greatly controlled.
Perhaps it was the fact that the typical scamr stalls selling varying types of rchandise, information and ludicrous crap about future predictions, were nowhere to be seen, relieving the streets of crowding.
Instead of wimping brothels and inns, there were classy amalgamations of great trees and colossal roots forming enormous structures that accommodated all, with great degrees of hospitality, saving from the need to erect smaller buildings over vast stretches of space.
More of the land was left for great farms, more of the great rivers that sotis branched within the Auroras and of course, sowhat fancy food outlets that drew fine, controlled dining.
The lighting, which also ca from shining fruit erected at every significant high, not to ntion the fireflies that decided to give a burst of diverse colour to the dark night above as they flew through, was dazzling.
Where Skullius couldn't see, Darwel made sure to explain in express detail.
The Hybrid Luman was stunned.
He thought of it was amazing.
However, he did not quite like the fact that Darwel insisted that they pass through the Aurora so he could get a better feel for it himself. After all, unlike the last settlent, it was extrely lively even at this hour.
The relenting Skullius sensed the instant reactions to Darwel's presence.
They were more exaggerated than he could have imagined.
All kinds of people rushed to her and gave great bows and gifts as greeting.
Darwel reciprocated their enthusiasm in kind, throwing back genuine thanks and deep, aningful smiles.
'Seems to that she's perhaps sheltered, but with a twist. Her months' long absence must have been felt real bad around here,' Skullius thought.
The general vibe suggested sothing like that among the people.
Curiously, he didn't sense many experts among the gathering crowds throwing flowers wherever Darwel set her feet, and handing her fresh fruits, silky cloth and processed gems that Sevill sotis received in her stead and stored in spatial storage.
He sensed nurous, massive constructs like the one from the other settlent, equipped with a plethora of offensive and defensive functions, and perhaps several tens of stationary figures that gave the sa vibe as Sevill and Viccil, albeit weaker than the two.
But that was it.
Could it be that the usual bigwigs didn't reside in Auroras like in Genhuis city?
That was the conclusion Skullius ca to.
As the trio walked – slowly, much to the Hybrid Luman's subtle annoyance – Skullius' dark robe didn't fail to attract attention his way, and not all of it was good.
While so were rely curious about him, others gave him malicious looks while talking in subdued voices.
Unfortunately for Skullius, he didn't understand them.
Unlike how he was able to learn several languages by using [Basic Evil Sanction] on humans in the past, he had yet to find Sif prey. All the sa, he could tell that they recognised him as a human and didn't have a particular stellar opinion on the race.
A dash of fury tempted him to nab one Sif the next chance he got, but he didn't like his chances.
As he felt from the great mansion in the Wonderfall Torrents, nature in this land, seed alive and sentient. It monitored the goings on. He doubt he could escape notice in such a place if the surveillance was as extre as he imagined.
Darwel wasn't oblivious to the whispers about Skullius. Instead of finding them ill-mannered and annoying, she relished in the fact that a lot of those responsible for them would be eating their words once Skullius' identity was revealed.
Wouldn't that be sothing?
.cοm Thus, like Skullius, she pretended to not hear anything.
As ti passed, the three reached the edge of the Aurora. It wasn't walled off like most cities in Pelian, but an expanse of forest resud dominance a hundred or so ters away from the dense populace, with guiding paths through it to different settlents.
Unlike the Wicker Forest Darwel helped groom, the forests around Auroras weren't at all ho to great, powerful beasts.
Skullius found it odd.
"How does that work?" he asked as they passed one of the stationary figures Skullius had sensed, a man in armour similar to Sevill's but without the veil; he was easily a Peak Master.
"Beasts are a part of nature. Those that don't co from Clusters, that is. The stronger ones usually lead flocks or packs of their kind and in most cases we can communicate with them, warding them from Auroras. If that is too difficult, El Sif like myself can ask the forests to assist us in getting our ssages across. Since beasts are beasts at the end of the day, the ssages do sotis end up... bloody," Darwel explained.
"Hmm. I underestimated what you ant by 'nature'," Skullius said. "Since El Sif can communicate with things like trees, am I capable of the sa?"
Darwel bead.
"I'm not sure. It's not about talking to just any tree, mind you. The nature in Opungale is overall different from that in Pelian. If they were the sa, perhaps so of our ancestors may have been tempted to take Feinheath with the help of nature," she said with a broad smile. "I have a feeling you might be able to do that though. You didn't give much ti to explore ideas like this with you."
Skullius smiled blankly.
"I did not," he said.
Darwel then unceremoniously took the ti to run her ideas on Skullius' full capabilities as a Luminant by him, and she had a shocking amount them.
Skullius wasn't too invested in her theories, though.
He listened to so and ignored others as they made their way to an unpopulated region of the continent.
A solid hour passed and Skullius didn't sense a soul around.
No Sif or beast seed to have traversed the path they had taken in a very long while, and the general air about the pathway they took, which was hard and brimming with mana, and an energy Darwel identified for Skullius as life energy, was surprisingly ominous.
"We're close?" Skullius asked.
"Yeah," Darwel replied, though her disposition changed to a more serious one.
After they took nurous steps, Skullius stopped and so did Darwel.
Sevill imdiately rushed before them, and in the next mont, three figures fell from the sky like radiant shooting stars and landed on the hard ground with vicious tremors, cocking up a generous amount of dust.
When the thrum of their landing died down, one of them spoke with authority and a frosty tone.
"You're getting ahead of yourself, Lady Darwel. His and Her Majesty have ordered your imdiate return."
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