Against The Eternity Chapter 48: [47] Chapter - 23: Magha - The Dragon of Arvah

Read chapter 48 of Against The Eternity by Phoenixfly_steller on NovelPedia.

[47] Chapter - 23: Magha - The Dragon of Arvah Eklavya opened his eyes slowly, as though waking from the depths of a storm that had torn through every part of his being. His breath was unsteady, his mind was heavy, and his memories scattered like smoke drifting away from a dying flame. The last thing he remembered was the unbearable pain ripping through his body—pain so intense that it felt as if every fragment of his flesh and soul were being stripped apart. Then everything had gone dark. Now, however, when he blinked his eyes open again, he immediately realized he was not in Clan meeting hall, nor was he in the physical world at all. He was standing in his sea of consciousness. The familiar barren floating island stretched beneath his feet. The silent blood poll lay still as glass, reflecting nothing, just filled with red crimson blood as always. And there, just ahead of him, stood the ancient dead tree—the same leafless, withered tree that had been here since the first day he had stepped into this sea of consciousness. Its crooked branches reached out like twisted fingers, and though lifeless, it exuded a solemn, ancient presence, as if it had witnessed endless ages and countless secrets. Eklavya found himself standing right at the edge of the blood pool. The surface of the crimson liquid shimmered faintly, dense with a strange, otherworldly energy that pulsed like the quiet heartbeat of some dormant beast. The pool looked far too calm compared to the power he had felt when he fell unconscious. He glanced down at his hand and noticed the golden ancient incantation etched into his skin—glowing faintly, as if the runes were not simply carved into his flesh, but engraved onto his soul. They flickered like golden fire, alive and breathing, radiating waves of power that seemed to pulse in rhythm with his heartbeat. He took a slow breath, gathering his thoughts. He then closed his eyes, intending to exit the sea of consciousness and return to his body in the real world. Yet no matter how hard he focused, he remained rooted to the spot. The world did not blur or shift. His consciousness didn’t rise. He was unable to leave. His expression tightened slightly. A second later, the ki inside his body surged wildly, bursting outward like waves crashing against a shore. The entire sea of consciousness trembled as if reacting to the overflowing energy pouring out from within him. The ripples spread through the ground beneath his feet, across the floating island, and toward the blood pool whose surface quivered from the invisible pressure. Then, unexpectedly, a male voice echoed in the vast silence. “You cannot leave.” Eklavya froze as he heard a voice. The voice was calm, heavy, and carried a certain ancient weight to it—like the voice of a being that had lived for centuries. It vibrated through his consciousness but did not feel threatening. Still, the shock of hearing someone else inside his sea of consciousness made every muscle in his body tense. “You cannot go out until your Supreme Body is fully developed,” the voice continued. “If you force yourself to leave now, you will not be able to endure the pain your physical body is undergoing.” Eklavya’s eyes widened slightly. His voice echoed into the empty space around him. “Who are you?” he demanded. “And how are you able to speak inside my sea of consciousness?” There was a rumble, like a soft laugh. “I am Magha,” the voice answered with proud authority. “The Great White Dragon Beast. The faithful mount of the God Emperor Arvah. I lost my true body in the Great Seal War five hundred years ago. Only my soul remains. Lord Arvah commanded me to aid you—to guide you in becoming strong.” Eklavya stiffened, his breath catching slightly at the title and the level of power behind the name. ‘A dragon? The mount of a God Emperor. Inside my sea of consciousness?’ He thought. His eyes narrowed in curiosity, though he didn’t show outward surprise. “So,” he said slowly, “where exactly are you?” “I r