Cherreads

Chapter 156 - ★ 155 (ANTARES'S PAST VII)

★155

The next day, Ela had me all dressed up like a king, with a small crown on my head.

"I don't see the point in all this dressing."

"As a Star, you have to be clean every day. The colour white represents divine purity, and gold represents royalty. As a king and as a Supreme Being, these two colours should be your favourites."

"Ok. I'll keep that in mind."

"Good. Let's go. We've kept them waiting for a while."

We left the room and took another route, this one free of endless stairs leading straight to a grand hall.

White and gold adorned every surface, matching my dress so perfectly it felt as though the place had been made just for me.

At the far end, two thrones of identical design but different sizes faced a translucent gate, standing in quiet majesty.

Ela approached the big one, sitting elegantly like the Goddess she is.

"Have a seat, King Antares."

She teased.

I smiled and strode over, settling into the throne the way I imagined a king would, arms folded, one leg crossed over the other.

"How cute. Remember, a king doesn't always smile. It'll make you look weak, which in turn will ruin your picture."

I obeyed, keeping a straight face while holding my regal, king-like posture.

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"Send them in."

She spoke, her voice barely a whisper, and an Angel materialized.

The Angel has four pairs of white wings, dressed in their usual pure white robes and a blindfold. Her hair was short and white, not to mention her flawless skin. Inferior to Ela, though.

Upon arrival, she turned and bowed to us before proceeding with her task.

"Enif of Pegasus."

She called the name, and the gate opened up.

"You've been permitted to step in."

From the gate, a bolt of light passed through, white feathers following its trail. The bolt settled at the centre of the hall, the light dispersing revealing a horse with broad white wings.

Despite the revelation, the white feathers kept swirling around him as if protecting him.

Enif folded his wings and lowered his head.

"This is Enif of Pegasus as mentioned. He's the Constell Overlord for the Pegasus Constellation."

Ela introduced.

"He has spent centuries in the White Dwarf rank, and I'm positive he'll awaken in six to seven more centuries."

"That's if he works hard and is determined to break his limits."

"Exactly."

"Show us your other form."

The Angel commanded. From the looks of it, Ela is using this Angel to communicate with them.

"As you wish, O Goddess."

Light enveloped him and then faded, revealing Enif's humanoid form.

His broad white wings remained, but his hair had turned black, and a single long, twisted horn jutted from his forehead like that of a unicorn. Yet again, despite the transformation, the relentless white feathers are swarming around him.

"I thought he'll have a horse face or something."

I murmured.

(Jean from AOT. lol)

"Funny."

"At first, I thought it'd be a centaur."

"The Centaurus Constellation has that trait."

Ela swiped her fingers, and the Angel spoke.

"Enif of Pegasus, your presence is no longer needed in this hall."

She addressed him, and Enif lowered his head further.

"It's a magnificent honour to be blessed by your presence. Excuse me, O Goddess."

Enif bowed before turning to leave.

"Those Stars are in Voltara. If you're curious about how they look, I'll arrange a portal to Voltara."

"No, but thanks. That won't be necessary."

"Your call."

"Vega and Xihe of the Lyra Constellation. You've been permitted to step inside."

Right after the announcement, footsteps can be heard in the hallway. A Star stepped in, a man from the look. Yeah, his looks were really off.

The Star wore a cowboy-style outfit, short blonde hair peeking from beneath a wide-brimmed hat with a single white feather tucked into its band. Two revolvers rested at his hips, a coiled whip hanging at his side, and a white wild rag was wrapped loosely around his neck.

With each step, his spurs struck the polished floor, releasing faint sparks of light that flickered and died in his wake. He needed no horse, apparently. The spurs served another purpose entirely—each strike echoing. As he walked towards the centre, a yellowish glow ignited on the far side of the gate.

Then, in a sudden blaze, a flaming chariot burst through. Fire roared across the hall for a heartbeat before settling into disciplined arcs around its wheels.

At its reins stood a lady clad in an orange-and-gold gown, her presence radiant yet composed. The chariot screeched to a halt at the centre, flames curling upward before dissolving into nothing as she stepped down with effortless grace.

At that same moment, the cow-Star reached the centre and came to stand beside her. White feathers drifted faintly through the air around them, as though stirred by an unseen current.

He moved first. Removing his hat, he pressed it over his chest and dipped into a respectful bow, the easy smile on his face never fading.

"Vega of Lyra, here, my Lady."

"Xihe of Lyra answers to your summons."

Xihe bowed as well, her black hair tied in an elegant Chinese style, delicate ornaments chiming softly with the motion. A white feather, much like Vega's, was tucked into her hair.

For a brief moment, the hall felt brighter simply from their presence—two Stars of the same Constellation, standing side by side.

"Weird, right?"

Ela asked lightly.

"Kinda."

"Most of the Lyra Constellation mirrors human culture and some even seeded it. What mortals call myths, legends, pantheons—many of those figures trace back to Lyra in one form or another."

I blinked, glancing between the two Stars before us.

"All the mythological figures known to man and beyond have a place there. Zeus, Sun Wukong, Odin, Perun, Kukulkan, Quetzalcoatl, Amaterasu… you name them, and you'll find said figures in Lyra. They're not copies, but origins or something in between."

My mind struggled to keep up. It felt too large, too heavy, yet impossible not to stare.

"However,"

Ela continued, her voice turning softer, more deliberate.

"These two Supergods stand at the very top. I don't particularly care how or why. They proved their worth, and that is all that matters."

"A… Supergod?"

I asked, my eyes lingering on them.

So this is what that word looked like when given form. They didn't seem overwhelming. Not at first. But the longer I looked, the more something pressed quietly against my senses—like standing too close to a silent storm.

"Yes,"

She replied.

"And there are more where that came from, so sit tight."

"Ok…"

I swallowed, then leaned slightly closer to her.

"I have a question. Can I ask him?"

I whispered, careful not to be heard.

"Sure. Keep your voice low and don't talk too fast."

"I got it."

I paused for seconds before asking. My voice low and controlled.

"Vega, how does your gun work?"

"It's easy, Your Highness. It feeds on energy. The stronger the energy, the stronger the beam. I have bullets too, which can be used as they are or cloaked with energy. However, my trump card is…"

He paused, glancing over at Xihe.

"She's deaf for the moment. Please continue,"

the Angel notified. Vega's grin widened, and he continued.

"Cosmocore. By using the Mega Art Terra Fold Ballistic, I can seize the essence of a planet, galaxy, universe, world, even a higher dimension, and condense it into a single shot."

(This means he's not limited to folding 3D only into a bullet.

Remember, in here, dimensions aren't separate realm but properties of said realm. Since it's a 'property', it's not in the Physical or Spiritual Plane but Conceptual Plane.

Because Conceptual Plane holds the blueprint for Physical and Spiritual stuff to manifest, be it time, soul, building, etc.)

"That's cool."

I replied, giving up my childish expression. Ela glance over and I composed myself.

"How strong is the damage?"

"It depends on the dimension and energy input. I can go as far as putting a gaping hole in a Superworld to blow it into pieces. I experiment on empty worlds so no one is getting injured."

"Nice technique you've got there. And you, Xihe?"

I redirected my question to her.

"Angel, mute Vega."

I pointed as if delivering a judgement. Without needing to move, I knew it was done, and Xihe began her explanation.

"It takes time to form, but when the Mega Art TenSuns is activated, the eternal light that vanquishes all shadows becomes mine."

Anything within its radius can be obliterated at will. It isn't merely a destructive Art—the eternal light grants me and my followers immortality until all ten suns are destroyed.

"Nice. You're based on Chinese mythology, so you should know about the real sun. Is yours any different?"

"If you're talking about the immature, fragile star in the human world, then yes. Each sun is about thirty million degrees. Multiply that by ten and we have three hundred million degrees. That's the magnitude of the Ten Sun.

I'm under the tutelage of a Supergod in Solaria. They're showing me how to make things better."

"That's good to hear. That's all the answers I need."

"Then that's it."

At Ela's words, the Angels spoke.

"Vega and Xihe of the Lyra Constellation, your presence is no longer needed in this hall."

They bowed once again before turning to leave. Xihe summoned her chariot, and the cow-Star made his way out on foot.

"Still though, two Constell Overlords? And both Supergods?"

"It's weird, but they keep things running smoothly. It's just like Azyrion is divided into Voltara and Morke Helvade, but unlike this one, the separation isn't forever."

A new Constell Overlord might appear, the current one may be killed, or a Hypergod might emerge. These are possible scenarios that will tip the balance if they have separated Lyra. I prevented that and let them just be representative of the Constellation.

"Smart. Will I be like that one day, too?"

"You will be better than me one day."

She's always putting myself beyond her even though I don't think I'm that special.

"Malmok and Spica of Virgo Constellation, you've been permitted to step inside."

Without wasting any time, she called out to them.

"Do the Constellations themselves contribute to Elyvra?"

"Nothing I can't do, but I've distributed a few roles to keep the Supergods and Constell Overlords busy."

The Constell Overlords, by default, are the representatives and leaders of each Constellation. I don't have to step down to take care of anything.

The Pegasus are noble winged Stars. Due to their nature, I've given immunity to travelling between celestial bodies unharmed. They serve as messengers, good in aerial combat, and many more.

Lyra, despite their nature, are faithful companions. They can get along easily with any other Constellation.

The gates opened, and two Stars made their way in. A man and a woman, both dressed in light blue dresses. Just like any other invites, they have feathers swarming around them.

Malmok's blonde hair was tied at the base, a neat frame for the goatee on his sharp face. Spica's short green hair and matching eyes glimmered with restless energy.

"The upcoming Virgo are maidens of fertility and harvest in Elyvra. They work all around my Domain, picking up you Stars who are about to awaken. They can singlehandedly run ten Bloom Boom (awakening vessels), so most Stars don't have to come all the way here for awakening. Although doing it here is faster and more efficient."

The two bowed upon reaching the centre.

"How are things going down there, Malmok?"

Ela spoke to one of the invites for the first time. That was surprising. I thought her pride and status would prevent her from talking to lesser Stars.

"Things keep getting better with time."

"..."

"Pardon me. We've managed to shorten the awakening duration from two months to three weeks. Not to mention, letting the filament absorb energy from your natural creations helps enhance the vessels further. In short..."

He paused purposely, and Spica finished it off.

"In short, planting the Bloom Boom in water bodies, the highest peak in the planet or in crystalline caves allows the stamen to trap high and rich energy."

"Spica made the discovery and found out that these places have more pure star energy compared to our regular awakening fields."

"Hmph."

Ela huffed, she never did, or maybe I've never noticed it.

"It took you long enough to find them. The millions of years were worth it."

"Hehe."

Malmok chucked.

"It's not worth such praise."

"Now go ahead and tell this little king of ours who you are."

Malmok's gaze turned towards me, and they both bowed simultaneously.

"I'm Malmok of the Virgo Constellation. A Constell Overlord and 6th-ranking Supergod in Elyvra."

"6th? There's a rank? Oh wait, it's determined by how many Superworlds you possess, right?"

I asked.

"Hmm, that's what we tell the world, but that's only 60% of the truth."

"What's the remaining 40%?"

"Actually, here's the truth. Forty percent is the highest dimensionality of our World, fifty-five percent is the nature of our world's transcendence over the others, and five percent is how many Worlds we possess."

"Transcendence?"

"Yes. The more transcendence a World possesses, the higher its ranking in the system. This transcendence mainly focuses on Minor Concepts."

"That's a lesson for another day."

Ela intervened. After a few seconds, Spica spoke up.

"Spica of Virgo Constellation, the Constell Overlord's assistant. I'm also the 197th ranked Supergod in Elyvra."

"Whoa, that deep."

"She awakened decades ago. So we can't blame her."

"I don't. If you push harder like your life depends on it, you may never surpass Malmok. You can do it, Spica."

She smiled and bowed.

"If you have high hopes, then it's no longer a dream. I'll work harder."

"You can train all day, but don't forget to rest. Even with limitless stamina, the mind can still grow weary, and a weary mind will fail before a tired body."

The two were surprised such words were coming from a seventy-year-old young Star.

"The one with wisdom. Do you mind if I ask for your name, O Child of Wisdom?"

Malmok asked. I wasn't sure if I told them, so I glanced at Ela for confirmation. She nodded, agreeing to it.

"I'm Antares, a seventy-year-old Dwarf and the King of Scorpios."

I spoke firmly, letting my words carry the weight of my existence.

Both of them looked up, momentarily startled, their expressions frozen between surprise and disbelief. Their eyes flicked to Ela for confirmation, and she gave a subtle nod, calm and assured.

"I see."

He said finally, his voice carrying a quiet reverence. "A Star from the great, old O-Class has come to bless us. Your name alone is… sufficient."

For a heartbeat, the hall seemed to pause, the weight of history and power hanging silently between us. Even in their stillness, I could feel the unspoken respect, the acknowledgment of what it meant for a Star of my standing to be here.

"Yes, it is. As a matter of your identity, we'll keep it safe until Her Majesty wills it."

"Malmok and Spica of Virgo Constellation, your presence is no longer needed in this hall."

The Angel broke in. The two bowed once again.

"This was truly a remarkable day."

"If you'll excuse us, we have things to take care of."

They stood up and left.

"You thought I won't talk to young Stars?"

Ela asked.

"Yes."

"I just didn't know what to say to the others, but as you can see, those with heavy responsibilities get to converse with their Supreme Goddess."

"You want to keep my identity hidden?"

"For now, yes. I can do it forever, but I won't. That'll be robbing you of your life. Soon enough, these two cute legs will walk away from Elyvra and never come back."

"Huh? I'll never leave you."

"Now look who's talking. With time, you may have your own worlds and people to attend to. You'll leave here whether you like it or not. Children grow up, remember."

I simply nodded, my head thinking of the day I'll leave Elyvra to start a life on my own.

"The Cerberus of Elyvra. Eltanin, Fafnir, and Fang of Draco, you've been permitted to step inside."

At the Angels' voice, a pitch black shadow extended from beyond the gate all the way to the centre of the hall.

"In the beginning, Stars, Dark Stars and Dragons used to inhabit the Star Realm. All three races held onto their own territories. The Star Dragon dreamed of Dragons living in the Pond, but that never happened."

After the Rebellion, something happened, triggering a defensive mechanism and Kalidor locked itself up from the Star Realm. Unfortunately, the egg he gave me wasn't damaged, and it took four Classes to hatch due to the instability. But here we are.

Three figures made their way into the hall, using the shadow as a carpet. Unlike the others, none of them have flowers protecting them. From the looks, these guys are the real deal.

"The first Dragons in the Pond."

The three dragons stopped at the end of the shadows.

To be continued...

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