Chapter 16: Celestians [1]

After they were teleported, Aisam experienced a sensation of weightlessness, as if his body were floating without any solid ground beneath him. This sensation eerily reminded him of the moment he had experienced the weightlessness of being on an airplane just before his unfortunate demise.

He didn't have to wait long, and after a few seconds, he could feel the thick ground beneath him, "Can I open my eyes now?" Aisam said to Ellie.

"Yes, it's fine now, we've reached our destination," Ellie said.

Aisam opened his eyes and saw a sight he had not anticipated: a multitude of beings resembling angels. "Angels," he muttered, his voice lacking any hint of awe as he observed the countless metallic structures towering floating above and numerous steel-like buildings on the ground. Various angelic creatures, adorned in a variety of attires that matched the hues of their wings, fluttered about in every direction.

The exclamation caught Ellie's notice, along with a few others gliding past the platform where they stood. The onlookers briefly glanced at him before continuing on their path, seemingly unfazed by his remark.

"What's an angel? We're celestians." Ellie said.

"Once again, I don't know what's a celestian," Aisam said.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I forgot! hehehe... anyways, let's go talk to elders, and get their permission for you to stay here." Ellie said.

"OK, how are we going to do that when there's no bridge for me to walk on?" Aisam said pointing his eyes to the scenery where everyone flew in the sky except the Angels on the ground far from the platform they were standing on.

"Come on! Did you think I was going to let you walk by yourself? I can fly too you know," Ellie said as pristine white wings appeared from her back.

"That's an angel's wings. Why is she going on about being celestians?" Aisam thought.

Ellie widened her wings, each wing approximately 5 feet, and then she hugged Aisam from behind, "Are you ready?" Ellie said gently.

"Yes," Aisam said indifferently.

"Here we go!" Ellie said, then quickly soared through the sky. Hovering above the ground and flapping her wings, she started flying straight ahead and turning left and right occasionally, holding him tight, as they soon reached the highest building that could be seen around.

Aisam observed the surroundings on their way to the Elders' building. Everywhere he looked, modern buildings loomed with names he could strangely read, and he also understood their language while he listened to them. Each structure bore unique markings signifying various aspects.

Among the array of buildings, one particularly large structure echoed with cheers and displayed a symbol of battling angels at its peak. There were also colossal structures resembling Earth's supermarkets but on a grander scale, bustling with numerous angels.

The angels themselves donned a variety of clothing styles, ranging from modern to peculiar to what seemed like elegant cosplay. They exhibited diverse skin tones, with white and dark shades being the most prevalent.

There could be seen a variety of modern vehicles and transportation methods all around, from modern high-speed trains which could reach thousands of kilometers per hour without risking the passengers' safety to flying cars, motorcycles, etc, some with various designs like they were made by different companies

Furthermore, Aisam noticed angels without wings strolling around on the ground below, dressed in formal, casual, and even tattered attire, resembling normal humans.

While the angelic lifestyle and architecture below mirrored Earth's standards, the technology displayed above surpassed anything Aisam had ever seen.

"We are here," Ellie said, and let him down in front of the building, and hid her wings like before.

"I wonder what's going to happen to me. Some angels were glaring at me like I'm their lifelong nemesis," Aisam thought as he was standing in front of the building.

Upon entering the building, he was met with a sea of piercing gazes from every corner. As he took in the interior, its modernity became apparent—the transparent elevators lined the walls, offering glimpses of female angels in receptionist-like uniforms stationed at the central section. These angels, like Ellie, concealed their wings, blending seamlessly into the professional setting.

Some angels were engrossed in their work on devices resembling smartphones, while others leisurely sipped drinks and nibbled on snacks while waiting or strolling through the bustling hallways. He even noticed a few angels donning headphones, fully immersed in their tasks. It was a sight that hinted at a world where celestial beings seamlessly integrated with everyday activities, creating a unique and intriguing atmosphere.

Ellie approached the receptionists with Aisam by her side and engaged them in conversation. "Hi, Emma, how are you doing today?" she greeted one of the receptionists, a young woman with white eyes, pale skin, and silver hair that made her appear to be of a similar age to Ellie—somewhere in her late teens or early twenties, though perhaps a few years older.

As Ellie and the receptionist engaged in conversation, the receptionist observed Aisam with a skeptical expression. She crossed her arms subtly, a clear indicator of her wariness towards the situation. Ellie, on the other hand, leaned in eagerly, emphasizing her excitement by using animated hand gestures.

"I'm fine too. I bet you can't believe what I am gonna say! This human kid can understand and talk our language like it's nothing," Ellie exclaimed, waving her hands in the air.

The receptionist's eyebrows furrowed slightly as she processed this information. She shifted her gaze towards Aisam, eyeing him suspiciously for a moment before returning her attention to Ellie.

"So what if he knows and talks our language? That doesn't justify you bringing an unknown human to our domain," the receptionist stated firmly, her tone filled with concern.

Ellie's eyes widened with enthusiasm as she responded, leaning forward to emphasize her point, "I know, but he can't be normal if he can talk our language, right? That's why I'm planning to take him to the elders so they can discern his powers. He may even be able to be an Arbitrex like me. Wouldn't that be cool?!"

The receptionist let out a small sigh, her expression softened slightly. She uncrossed her arms, indicating a desire to move the conversation along.

"Whatever you say. I trust the elders' judgment no matter what, and it doesn't matter what I think. Now, let's end the small talk and get to business," the receptionist said briskly, a hint of annoyance in her voice, signaling that she was ready to focus on more pressing matters.

The receptionist looked at Aisam, "Step forward, I have to scan you for security reasons," she said to Aisam, he then moved forward without any questions.

The receptionist retrieved a slender rectangular device from her desk, rising to her feet. She extended the device above Aisam's head, from which blue lasers emanated along its edges, tracing down to his feet before rising back up.

Subsequently, a red signal was emitted from the device, accompanied by a low beeping sound, directing attention to Aisam's waist where his dagger was concealed. Through the advanced technology of the device, the dagger's location was unveiled as it became visible through the fabric of his clothing.

As the receptionist squinted her eyes suspiciously at Aisam and gestured towards the dagger peeking through his clothes, her eyebrows furrowed slightly, conveying her concern and disbelief.

Aisam, standing tall and composed, met her gaze steadily and responded calmly, "It's just for self-defense, and nothing else," Aisam explained, his hands slightly lifted as a sign of peaceful intentions.

The receptionist maintained her skeptical expression, tilting her head slightly to the side as she processed his words. With a hint of sarcasm lingering in her voice, she remarked, "Hmm... I'll let it pass. After all, a human kid can do nothing to anyone in our entire domain with just a dagger," adding a chuckle and a dismissive wave of her hand to show she wasn't truly concerned about the dagger's presence.

"Is his heart made of stone?" Ellie pondered, her eyebrows furrowing as she observed his calm demeanor. "Anyone would feel nervous under such pressure, but his reactions haven't wavered since arriving here. It's almost as if he's... bored!" She thought to herself, her voice tinged with disbelief and a hint of frustration. Just then, the receptionist called her name, breaking her train of thought as she turned to face her.

"Ellie, you can go now," the receptionist said dismissively, barely looking up from her computer screen. She punctuated her words with a sharp flick of her hand, gesturing towards the elevator as if shooing away an unwanted fly.

As they made their way towards the lift, Aisam couldn't help but catch the disdainful glances shot their way by the other receptionists. Each pair of eyes seemed to bore into them with silent judgment, accompanied by tight-lipped sneers and subtle eye rolls that spoke volumes without a single word.

As they entered the elevator, Ellie clicked on a touch screen beside the elevator's entrance typed the number of the floor '9999', and set the speed of the elevator.

"OK, it's going to take approximately 8 minutes to reach them... Do you want to talk about some things?"