Rabae led us through what he referred to as the Graboid District. It was a dry, hot, sandy desert biome that supposedly surrounded the center of Pneuma City.
Eventually, we approached an oasis within the desert where lush blue and violet vegetation surrounded a crystal blue lake. In the middle of the lake was a small island where an impressively large palace stood.
From its appearance, I could tell it was made of tough metal – probably cindium – and valuable crystals. I found the way the water reflected off its exterior mesmerizing.
"Welcome to the Royal Palace," Rabae announced as we touched down at the foot of the stairway leading up to the palace. "This is where our Ryfi Theos and their klevonian bodyguards reside, along with other important manner and events."
I looked up at the building in awe. Even from outside, I could feel an intensity that oozed from its walls.
"It's impressive," Avarice complimented, gauging the building. "I once lived in a castle, myself. Though it was nothing like this."
"I doubt anyone on Earth has ever lived in something like this," Za'Fia remarked as she walked past him up the stairs.
When we entered the palace, our bio cards displayed themselves as holographic letterings over our heads. The default info that was being shown was our physical capability levels.
"This must be one of the special places Rabae mentioned," Tymon commented, his voice carried through the vast exterior, making him sound uncharacteristically loud.
"Makes sense," Za'Fia shrugged, adjusting her volume. "I hadn't thought much of it before, but it's weird that these things know exactly how much our bodies can exert."
I designed them that way, Viraa stated, amused. You are already aware that bio cards and zip-wear are intended to provide as accurate data on an individual as possible. The drop of blood you provided that linked you to your bio cards and zip-wear was analyzed by various technologies built into them that determine all sorts of facts about you. Status sensors are one of many of those technologies. My status sensors determine one's speed and strength. The Watchers on Earth used my instructions to eventually design a version of their own once their technology progressed.
"I see there are extra levels compared to the level caps we saw on Earth," Michael said as he scrolled through a legend of data behind the statuses. How did he even find that? But he was right; there was an extra section. For both speed and strength. 10 'Special Levels' with measurements way beyond even the normal statuses.
"Ah, those. These days, apart from a few with exceptional speed here on Cindar, no one except the Celestials has reached any of the special levels," Rabae informed us, looking over our shoulders. "I think Viraa may have overestimated our capabilities when she created the stat system. Cindarians are never going to be able to reach those levels. It is not in our DNA to do so due to our preset limitations."
Before we could respond, we'd reached a big, decorative double door. It was at least 25 feet tall and had beautiful, intricate designs carved into its craftsmanship. I tried to touch it, but when I reached out, the doors pulled away as it opened.
We stepped inside a circular room and was immediately taken aback by the breathtaking interior. It was unlike anything I'd ever seen and boasted some colors I never knew existed.
"Woww," I exhaled in a low voice. We moved to the right and headed up some stairs to avoid entering the center of the room. From the center, though, was a circular, flat floor, with a 15-foot wall encompassing it in all directions except the doors we entered from. On top of the wall, in front of the main seating area consisting of 14 empty seats, was a seating area occupied by several beings, three to the northwest and three to the northeast. While straight ahead, opposite to the doors, yet elevated higher than the other 20 seats, was a section clearly reserved for someone important. However, that seat was currently empty as well.
This many pneumarians in one place, and we can't feel their energy, Tymon sent out.
This room was crafted with PRP in its very walls, of course, Viraa responded. And pneumarians live most of their lives keeping their energy contained. You become quite skilled at it eventually.
Looking at the council of six pneumarians, I couldn't distinguish any identifiable features from any of them. They were each in smaller versions of their elemental forms, like Rabae had been when he arrived on Earth. From left to right, in the northwest section was one made of blue lightning, then another of flowing yet contained magma, and sitting in the seat closest to the vacant middle section was one made of pure light. In the northeast section, from left to right, sat a pneumarian figure made of fire, another of...blue mist, but I could tell it was cold somehow. It reminded me of the stuff from liquid nitrogen. Then, at the end, was one made of intense yellow energy with no element.
The seats weren't clumped together, and plenty of space was between them. Enough for their special seating area to form a semi-circle around the central floor area below. Above each seat was a banner with a symbol on it. Their crest symbols, I presumed. Then there was the slew of klevonians (I guessed at the time) – 12 in total – with two standing alert on either side of each pneumarian's seat. Rabae referred to them as their klevonian bodyguards. Apparently, each Crest representative of a district has two of them. Based on their varied appearances, they were in their hybrid forms.
Based on their bio card displays, the council of pneumarians had a range of EQNs between 523-526 million. The klevonians on guard ranged from 447-473 million. Everyone there was powerful and was considered either a 3 or 3.5-star threat.
How did these people get so powerful? I wondered, astounded. And I thought I was pretty powerful...
Rabae began to mention it earlier, but a cindarian's physical and spiritual limitations are preset naturally at birth, where, upon reaching maturity, they will also reach the limits of their capabilities, Viraa informed us. For pneumarians, this occurs after what would be 600,000 Earth years. For klevonians, it is a bit different due to their ability to surpass their natural spiritual limits by stealing energy from others. Otherwise, they would reach their spiritual limits at the same time they reach their physical limit of around 2,000 Earth years of age. However, when creating the Primordials, I modeled you all from humans, so you matured at the same rate they do.
So, there are 300,000-year-old children running around? And we're supposed to be more experienced than them? That's...odd, Za'Fia remarked. I admit, when I thought about it, I found it a little unsettling, too.
The mental development of many long-lived species is significantly slower than that of humans. So, depending on that species' age of maturity, regardless of how many years they live beforehand, if they appear as a child, they will have the thought process and mental development of a child.
Natural-born power of this volume...no training or stealing was required? Avarice asked in envy.