Journey Of A Legend

Somewhere below the Federation's surface, a huge open hall was decorated with hundreds of pillars. Each pillar was made out of some kind of strange white material, almost akin to white jade while on their top, different kinds of creatures made out of the same white marble were kowtowing toward a specific direction; toward a gate.

The gate stood over ten meters tall, while its width was proximately around 5 meters in radius. However, what made one feel curious was not its enormous size, but the colors that were dyed in six different lines in its middle.

The gate was split into six colors; crimson red like the legendary phoenix's flames, blue as the clearest ocean below the sky, white as the clearest piece of paper, dark as the deepest abyss, yellow like the scorching light, and green just like the most beautiful meadow in the wild nature. Each section of color had a different scenery carved onto them, giving the gate a kind of mysterious presence and look.

In its middle, however, was the most interesting part; a sphere with a size of a head was placed into its middle, making the colors to be mixed together. On it, six small holes were carved next to each other, creating a circular lock.

"How long do we have to wait here? This place gives me creeps even though it looks majestic."

A guy in a black cloak was standing calmly before this gate, talking to the guy on his side.

"Dunno. Boss said they will bring the keys here so we should guard this place." answered the other guy.

"But what if that man comes back? You know, who sat here all day and long with that katana on his side? He looked quite powerful so if he comes back..."

"There will be nothing."

"!?"

Before the guy could have finish talking, a voice came from the side, causing the two to kneel down instantly.

"Sir Nos and Head Master! Glad to see both of you in good heal-."

"Save the pathetic talk for others, instead tell us where did that guy go?" sneered Nos as he looked down at the two before him.

As both men heard the ice-cold tone of voice from Nos, they subconsciously flinched and nodded their heads firmly, "Yes Sir! I apologize."

"So? Where did he go?"

The guy on the right raised his head and after locking his gaze with Nos he started to talk, "We do not know to be honest. He was sitting for months straight before the door without moving an inch, but for some strange reason not long ago, he vanished into his own shadow. We searched the proximity and even used special means te see if he tried to hide, but we couldn't find him."

"..." Nos listened to the story of the two and when they arrived at the end he tilted his gaze at the man, who was called Head Master, on his side; it was in fact, the same man who sent him to find Ecron several days ago after the calamity that occurred thanks to him.

He did as he was told and found Ecron inside a dark cave somewhere in the south region of the Forbidden Lands. He was even prepared to lose his life, but who would have thought it was Ecron himself who offered his help to obtain the keys.

It made him surprised, but well... Like this, they had one problem less. Ecron was someone who reached and succeeded with the Evolution Step; no one could beat nor kill him, he was a monster. He was in a whole different realm compared to humans.

"I see. Go and prepare a defensive line around this place. I don't want to see a single soul in the close proximity of this place when he comes. Understood?"

"Yes Sir!" saluted the two instantly and in a flash vanished into thin air.

As the two men disappeared, Nos turned to look at his Boss and asked, "He said he will arrive in a day with the keys, so it should be already time."

"I hope so." said the man in an indifferent tone of voice and examined the gate before him.

"..."

Silence filled the insanely huge hall and time ticked by second then minute by minute.

*tap... tap... tap...*

"Here he comes," exclaimed Nos quietly, making the man on his side who leaned onto the wall all this time open his eyes slowly.

"So he is the one?" asked the man as he stood up straight while looking at the man walking toward their direction with slow, but steady steps.

"Yes, he is the one who I talked about. He is from those 'Higher Beings' I talked about you, Sir."

"..." with a nod, the man stepped forward and extended his arm toward Ecron with a nonchalant expression, "It is my honor to meet with one of the 'Higher Beings'. My name is Eldar, the Head of the Charon Fam-"

"I know who you are," said Ecron suddenly, causing Eldar's expression to froze and his presence to broke out instantly.

"..." however, Ecron just looked at this sight in a disinterested manner and waved his hand.

*BOOM!*

"!?"

With a powerful explosion that made each pillar in the hall tremble like crazy, Eldar's figure flew away and crashed into one of the pillars in the distance.

"Head Master!" yelled with fear Nos as his face paled and ran to his boss.

"I'm... fine..." wiping off the blood from the corner of his mouth, Eldar stood up from the debris his body caused after the crash and glanced at Ecron.

"So this is the power of the 'Higher Beings'?"

"No, this is only a portion of theirs. Feel yourself lucky that I didn't kill you for your arrogance," said Ecron with a piercing glare, starting right into Eldar's eyes with killing intent; it was visible that there will be no next time.

"..."

As silence descended between the two, Nos could just stand on the side awkwardly while huge drops of cold sweat formed all over his body.

"We... We should... Open the Altar... Right?"

Tilting his stare from Eldar onto Nos, Ecron stayed silent for a while and nodded. Retracting the blood lust that he directed at Eldar, Ecron turned around and walked toward the door.

"Sir... I don't want to say this... But please don't do anything reckless against him. He has quite a hit temper."

"..." Looking at Nos in silence, Eldar thought for a while and nodded his head lightly. To tell the truth, he acted quite rashly this time and could have died, but he couldn't help it; he wanted to see if this Ecron was truly as strong as he was told.

Following him from behind, both Nos and Eldar watched as Ecron arrived before the gate and stood before it in silence.

"So behind this is the sealed soul, the legacy of that deity?" asked Ecron in a low voice, visibly talking to himself.

"Let's see if the legend is true or not." with that, Ecron extended his arm, and instantly, crimson flames with a bit of a gold hue rose above his palm in the shape of a key.

"So that's how a key truly looks like?" asked Eldar and Nos on his side nodded, "Yes Sir. Each key is made out of different elements. Fire, wind, earth, water, light, and darkness. The legend said that only those could acquire the keys who have the Blessing of the Creator, but it seems that piece of information was completely false."

"False? How do you think so?" asked Eldar visibly confused by that statement.

However, instead of answering his boss straight, Nos instead asked, "Sir, can you remember that kid who I talked about?"

"The one who obtained a black Soul Stone?"

"Exactly. From different sources I was able to learn that he could obtain all the keys, meaning, he had the Blessingsl."

"That boy? Then how can he hold that key?" asked Eldar instantly with suspicion flashing in his eyes.

Nos naturally noticed this and waved his hand, "There is no need to worry. Ecron told me once he kills the one with the Blessing he could obtain the keys too. I think he has a secret power to do that."

"So that's how it is." nodded his head Eldar, but the suspicion didn't vanish completely from his eyes.

"So does this mean he killed that boy?" 

"That is only natural Sir!" nodded Nos firmly and smiled, "We no longer have to fear about that kid. One problem less."

"..."

And the exact moment Nos said those words, Ecron walked closer to the Altar and pushed the Fire Key into one of the keyholes.

*BAM!*

Instantly, the carvings and the scenery inside the red color lit up with a crimson shade, while the temperature in the whole surroundings skyrocketed instantly.

"This... Is the power of the Fire Key?" muttered Nos with noticeable shock on his face as he used his power to protect both himself and Eldar from the insane heat.