Way of the Knights

Chapter 413 - Spacetime And Geezer

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"Who!?"

Raven was alarmed. He swiftly looked around him to search for the one who spoke just now, but to his surprise, he didn't find any. All he could see, was the vast expanse of stars and the simple straw hut around him. 

He unknowingly started getting nervous. He's in a foreign place and is completely vulnerable due to his situation. It's safe to say that anyone here could easily kill him, and that didn't bode well for him. 

"Don't be afraid." The mysterious voice echoed inside his head once more. He couldn't find its source but it seems that the owner of this voice could sense his anxiety. "I have no intentions of harming you. Just come to me."

"I don't know where you are. Where do you want me to go?" Raven asked as he strangely felt himself calming down. 

As if answering his question, a dazzling brilliance erupted from a distance. Raven felt a soft tug in his heart upon seeing that light. It was as if this light was beckoning him to come closer. And since Raven doesn't appear to have other choices, he could only check what this was all about. 

He slowly took a couple of steps down the hut, and as soon as his foot made contact with the river of stars beneath him, a platform that appears to he made out of the purest white jade formed, allowing him to step on a solid object. 

Raven was barefooted, and as soon as his feet touched the platform, he felt something magical. All of his worries and unnecessary anxiety disappeared without a trace. He could feel a strange yet cool sensation circulating inside his body, making him inwardly groan from pleasure. His eyes widened as he reveled in this mystical feeling. He wasn't aware of what kind of materials this platform was made of, but the effects are too mysterious. 

After that, he started making way towards the beacon ahead of him. As he walked, the platform beneath him will automatically appear, enabling him to walk without worries of falling down to the endless chasm of stars. 

As Raven continued walking, his thought are increasingly turning hazy. Slowly but surely, all unnecessary thought disappeared from his mind. His gaze turn a little but dull. 

Right now, he was like a moth that's attracted towards the fire, yet strangely he didn't feel any kind of danger. He only felt a unique warmth, as if he was returning to the embrace of his mother. 

Without him knowing, a strange form of energy started funneling through his body. This energy appears to be dark golden in color and is filled with sparkling shimmer, from time to time, this energy would release strange films of colorful aurora as well. This energy looked a lot like Raven's Chaos Force, but this energy appears more…transcendental.

Strangely, Raven entered a state of completely enlightenment. He stopped walking and stared at an empty space for quite sometime. 

His body then started emitting aura's of Destruction, Space and Time. His Heroic Influences are activating without his knowledge. What's even more shocking is that, his comprehensions of Time and Space are merging together without his knowledge. 

Raven stood there with a blank look on his eyes. Sometimes, he would turn illusory as if he wasn't presently there. Sometimes his appearance would change to what it was during his previous life. Other times, there are some people who will appear out of thin air before disappearing like smoke. 

This special state of his lasted for an unknown period of time before he returned to normal. Raven regained some of his consciousness but he's still in an open state of mind. It was as if everything that happened just now wasn't something that could cause ripples to emerge on his serene face. 

As he continued walking, he didn't know that there are lotuses blooming with every step that he took. Anyone who watches this would probably be shocked. 

There phenomenon - Lotus Blooming on every step, is something that only happens when one attunement towards Laws are at its peak. This means that, whoever caused such phenomena, is blessed and loved by the Laws. These people could comprehend Laws into a shocking degree and it's even possible for them to merge certain laws together, forming an unorthodox law.

Raven isn't aware of this yet but right now, he just comprehended what is probably the most mysterious law there is - Spacetime Laws. With this, he also just achieved the ultimate dream of his old master, Tenrou, back when he's still alive. 

But all of this are incapable of extricating Raven out of his serenity. With lotuses blooming on each step he took, he walked closer and closer to the beacon of light. Disappearing within in as soon as he made contact with it. 

***

When Raven's consciousness fully returned to him, he found himself standing inside a space filled with nothing but white. 

His brows furrowed, he could that something inside of him changed just now, but he had no way of confirming it. Also, for some reason, memories of his journey towards this place seemed a bit blurry. Needless to say, he could tell that he arrived at the location but what's up with this place? 

"Uh? Hello? Anybody there?" Raven asked softly. He couldn't see anything aside from an endless expanse of white space, which somehow perplexed him to no end. 

Out of nowhere, Raven felt something moving. He turned around and was surprised to see an kind looking old man, supported by a wooden stick as he slowly made his way towards him. 

This old man didn't have a lot of hairs left, and those that remained all turned white, probably due to age. His was wearing a loose golden robes, his eyes were closed and he walked while his other hand placed on his back. He was wearing sandals made out of straws and there is an ever-present smile on his face as he faced Raven. 

"You arrived." The old man said without opening his mouth. His voice was horse and deep. 

Raven immediately bowed and said: "Greetings Senior. Were you the one who took me here?" 

The old man didn't say anything yet. Instead, he sat down and gestured Raven to do the same. The latter complied, and as soon as he sat down, everything around him changed. 

There was no longer any white space. Instead, he was surrounded by a dark golden lights filled with sparkling specks within. The energy swirled around them two and it seems that both of them are at the center of it all. 

Raven was gobsmacked. Everything doesn't make sense anymore. He had a ton of questions on his mind but he can't voice any of it, making him look like a dumb fool. 

"Surprised? Hehe." The old man laughed dryly. "I know that there are a lot things that's bothering you but allow me to explain some things first."

Raven forcefully calmed his racing heart and he nodded and waited until the old man continues speaking.

"For the sake of introductions, just call me Old Man Geezer. Mn! Yeah, that sounds about right." The Old Man nodded to himself, seemingly satisfied with the moniker he gave to himself. 

Raven's face twitched as he heard that. He couldn't help but inwardly say 'Old Man Geezer? What's up with that redundant nickname? And why do you feel so proud about it?'

"Why not? Isn't that how you hip teenagers does things?" 

Raven's eyes widened, he wasn't surprised by being called a 'hip teenager' by this old man. Raven had seen many people during his previous and current life, some of them lived for a very long time that even if he added his previous life's age with his current one, he would still be considered as a kid to them. What truly surprised him is the fact that the old man could hear his thoughts.

He gasped as he stuttered: "Senior y-you…"

"You're still too green child. There's nothing you can hide from me." Old Man Geezer said and opened his eyes, causing Raven to gasp yet again. 

Old Man Geezer's eyes were hollowed - no, to be more precise, his eyes are filled with nothing but a deep chasm of darkness. Raven's not a stranger to seeing strange things but the feeling he got from looking at this geezer's eyes sent him shivering in fright. That sight caused him to feel so alarmed that all of his hairs are standing on their ends. 

Old Man Geezer closed his eyes and chuckled, causing Raven to unconsciously release the breath he was holding. The he heard him say:

"I really didn't want to summon you this early. But I'm pressed with time. I'm not sure when I'll be able to be free so I called you here. Plus, you somehow exceeded my expectations. Still, you are too weak…too, too weak." Old Man Geezer shook his head, his tone was filled with pity and bitterness. 

Raven was still a bit confused but he didn't say a word. Instead, he chose to remain quiet and wait until the old man speaks once more. 

"Might as well clear some of your doubts." Old Man Geezer sighed, "Kid, I am the creator of that precious crown that you currently hold."

"What!?"