WHISPERS OF TWILIGHT CHAPTER 5: MYSTERIOUS ENCOUNTER

Boy: "Who are you?"

Regis was taken aback by the boy's unique appearance. His curious eyes examined the boy from every angle as he approached, sparkling with curiosity "Wow, your hair shimmers like the moon, even whiter than the moon itself. Ahh.....your eyes have such a pure color. And your clothes are peculiar and sparkling. Which clan are you from?" Regis asked.

The boy gripped Regis by the head, forcing him to face him directly, and examined him from head to toe. With an unwavering gaze, he replied, "I will be the one asking the questions first."

Regis's excitement faded away. He pondered to himself, "My father advised me not to disclose my real name. What should I do?" Then an idea struck him, and he composed himself before saying, "I'm Rex, from...". The boy interrupted, staring intently at Regis, saying, "don't know........How did you arrive here?"

Regis, feeling a bit intimidated, explained, "I don't know either. I was sound asleep... and.. suddenly when I woke up, I found myself in front of a cave......Then I saw a black hole emitting a blue light, and the next thing I knew, I was here."

The boy released his grip on Regis' head and said, "You entered through a dimensional portal. So, the time has come, huh?"

Boy sighed and wondered to himself, "Why did the dimensional portal open here?"

Curious, Regis asked, "Dimensional channel? What is that?"

(As Regis had been kept isolated since birth, he didn't know much about the outside world, and the dimensional channel was not common knowledge. Only those with authority knew about it.)

The boy inquired, "Did you come from Infernum?"

Regis, slightly annoyed, replied, "I've already provided you with answers, but you haven't told me anything yet." He looked at the boy with an upset expression.

The boy contemplated, "Is he just a child?"

He brought his hand to his face, pondering, and then said, "I don't belong to any of your Infernum clans."

Anxiously, Regis asked, "Then who are you?"

The boy responded, "You don't need to know."

Regis, in a state of wonder, asked, "Then how should I address you?"

The boy remained silent and turned his gaze towards the direction Regis had come from.

Regis smiled and said, "I will call you Pretty Brother... Okay, Pretty Brother."

Rai, in an annoyed tone, said, "No, don't call me that."

Regis suggested, "Then Fairy Brother?"

Rai exclaimed, "No!"

Regis continued, "Then Handsome-"

But Rai fixed his gaze on Regis and firmly interrupted him, "Just call me Rai."

Regis nodded and said, "Alright, Rai brother."

Curiously, Rai asked, " how old are you?"

Proudly, Regis replied, "I turned 100 today."

Rai remarked, "Oh..... so you truly are just a child."

(Rai was aware of the age system in Infernum.)

Curious, Regis asked, "Rai brother, is this not Infernum?"

Rai confirmed, "No, it's not."

Regis asked anxiously, "Then whatever happens here, my Father won't find out?"

Rai reassured Regis, "No, he won't."

As Regis's demeanor shifted, Rai immediately sensed the change in the air and cautiously took a step back. He observed Regis with a sense of unease as Regis spoke in a grave tone, "Brother, I can feel your immense power. Shall we engage in a friendly duel?" Regis's eyes shimmered with anticipation.

Rai pondered to himself, "Ever since I arrived, there's been something special about him. Now I finally understand."

With determination, Rai composed himself and stood tall. Releasing a surge of his own formidable aura, the ground beneath them quivered. His eyes glowed a pure red, streaks of his hair turning the same crimson hue, and crimson wings manifested on his back, radiating a vibrant scarlet light.

Rai took a moment to set up barriers around them, ensuring their fight would stay contained within the designated area and don't hurt others. He then signaled to Regis to begin.

Regis's eyes also glowed blue, and his hair and body emitted a blue aura.

He initiated the first attack, throwing a punch at Rai, but a crimson barrier materialized before Rai, blocking the blow.

Regis realized that his fists alone couldn't penetrate Rai's barriers, so he stepped back, noticing a smirk forming on Rai's lips. Regis grinned and started gathering his strength, pointing his hand towards the sky. Dark clouds appeared, releasing an endless stream of black arrows.

Regis directed the arrows towards Rai's barriers, but they clashed against the barrier without leaving a single crack. Regis gestured once more, and this time, massive arrows with a black aura emerged from the clouds.

Regis aimed the arrows at Rai's barriers, and upon impact, the barriers shattered. Regis smiled, and Rai looked at him in surprise, wondering to himself, "He managed to break through my defenses."

Rai smiled back and remarked, "You've proven yourself worthy." As Rai spoke those words, the land began to quake, the sky turned red, and blood tornadoes materialized everywhere.

Regis moveed skillfully, evading the tornadoes as he closed in on Rai, preparing to strike. However, a tornado ensnared Regis, binding him tightly. Rai smirked and asked, "Do you surrender?"

With a smile, Regis replied, "No, not yet," struggling to break free from the binds.

Rai inquired, "Do you surrender?"

Regis stuttered, "I... I..."

Rai interrupted him, saying, "NO." He gestured at the thunderbolt once again.

Regis, still in a state of shock, pleaded, "Listen to me first, you..."

And at that moment, the thunder struck Regis once again. Rai sighed and unleashed another thunderbolt at Regis.

Rai asked, "Now!" Observing Regis with his hair standing on end, disheveled clothes, and an expression of exhaustion and shock, Regis sighed and locked eyes with Rai.

Rai wondered, "Is he...?"

In a serious tone, Regis uttered, "Brother, you..." and burst into tears, scolding Rai with loud cries, "Wahh... Brother, you're so mean... Wahh..."

Rai stood there in disbelief as his red aura gradually faded. He hadn't anticipated such an emotional reaction from Regis following their intense spar. A mixture of confusion and guilt washed over him.

Rai motioned for the bindings, barriers, and tornadoes to dissipate, and they vanished instantly. Regis, still catching his breath, collapsed to the ground, his face meeting the earth with a thud.

Rai, concerned, asked, "Are you alright?"

Regis sat up straight, his tear-streaked face now displaying a more exaggerated crying expression. He wailed louder than before, "Wah... Brother... You're so mean... First burning me and then making me fall to the ground... Wah..."

"Stop crying," Rai scolded, but Regis only cried even more fiercely.

Rai wondered in a state of confusion, "Ah... Why doesn't he stop?"

Then Rai had an idea and started patting Regis's head gently, saying, "There, there... Don't cry. Strong men don't cry."

As Rai spoke these words, Regis ceased his crying and wiped away his tears.

Regis caught hold of Rai's hand that was on his head and suddenly pulled Rai towards him, causing Rai to lose his balance and fall to the ground.

Regis sat on top of Rai and pointing  black arrow with his finger towards Rai's neck, said, "Brother Rai, surrender now."

Rai, surprised by Regis's actions, began laughing, realizing the truth. He said, "Rex, so you cried on purpose. Don't you think that's unfair?"

Regis proudly declared, "A win is a win, no matter how it's achieved."

Rai laughed even more, and Regis said once again, "Brother, do you admit your loss?"

Rai collected himself, his expression serious, and replied, "Who said I have lost?" Rai's eyes glowed red, and he disappeared from there instantly.

Regis, confused, asked, "Huh, where is Brother?"

From behind Regis, a voice came, "I'm here," Rai said.

Regis turned to step back from Rai, but Rai instantly caught hold of Regis's head and Rai said in a serious tone, "Now, Rex, what do you say?"

Regis, with a terrified tone, said, "I surrender... I surrender... Rai brother, you win."

As he said it, Rai released him and sat under the shade of a tree. Regis wondered to himself, "Brother is stronger than Father."

Regis approached Rai and sat beside him.

Rai, with a cold expression, said, "You can't spar with anyone in Infernum?" Rai's eyes were closed.

Regis looked down and responded, "My Father has ordered me not to let anyone in Infernum know about my strength, and as a precaution, he sealed my powers."

Rai opened his eyes and looked at Regis with concern. Regis continued, "Because of the seal, I feel restricted. I can't fully unleash my strength, and it feels suffocating."

Rai patted Regis's head and said, "You don't have to worry about anyone knowing here. You can release your powers as much as you want, and I will help you."

Regis looked at Rai with surprise and a sense of security. In an assured tone, he said, "Hmm." Rai closed his eyes again.

After a moment of silence, Regis asked curiously, "Brother, where is this place?"

Rai, with his eyes closed, replied "This isn't any realm. It's just a small world without intelligent beings."

Regis continued, "If there are no living beings, then how are you here?"

Rai responded, "I discovered this place, just like you did. It's my hidden sanctuary, where I can come and go as I please and find relaxation. But now..." He paused, opening his eyes.

Regis understood Rai's implication and said confidently, "Don't worry, Brother. I won't tell anyone about this place. It will be my secret too."

Rai looked into Regis's eyes, filled with confidence, and said, "I don't want you to call me Brother. I already have two brothers."

Regis lowered his gaze and replied, "Oh... alright."

Rai continued, "I want you to call me Rai only, as friends." Regis's eyes sparkled with excitement, and he nodded, saying, "Alright... Rai." Just like that, Regis started talking non-stop, sharing stories about his family.

Time passed in this manner, and the sky began to darken.

Regis noticed the darkening sky and exclaimed in wonder, "I wonder how much time has passed in Infernum."

Rai opened his eyes and answered, "Time works oppositely on both sides. If it's dark here, it's the waking time there."

Regis, feeling anxious, said, "Oh... If I'm not in my room, they will be worried." He turned to leave.

Rai pondered to himself, "What if someone accidentally discovers this channel and turns it into a trade route.....When the dimensional channels opened, and Infernum discovered the existence of the other realm, they agreed to trade under certain conditions. Wherever the channel was established, it became a base for regular exchanges."

Rai called out to Regis from behind and gestured for him to come back. Regis returned to Rai's side,

and with a serious tone, Rai said, "Just in case." He took out a golden badge with a red phoenix crafted on it and gave it to Regis, instructing him, "When you go outside the hole, aim the badge at the opening and command it to close. The hole will disappear from there, and..."

Confused, Regis asked, "But how will I meet you then?"

Rai continued, "Let me finish first." Regis put his hand over his mouth and nodded.

Rai continued, "When you want to come here and meet me, just return to the cave and order the hole to open. It will reappear, and I'll know that you've arrived."

Regis exclaimed in wonder, "Wow, you're so knowledgeable and skilled."

Rai flicked Regis's head and said, "Just focus on what I'm saying."

Regis replied, "Yes."

With that, Regis bid farewell to Rai and exited the hole, following Rai's instructions. As he directed the badge towards the hole and commanded it to close, he witnessed the badge glowing and the hole disappearing before his eyes.

Regis, astonished, said with a giggle, "As expected of Rai, my friend, my first friend."

He headed toward his mansion, climbing up to his third-floor window from the ground. He closed the window and went back to sleep, muttering, "I'm so tired. Today was a good night."

Just as he began to drift off to sleep, Calista barged into his room without knocking and exclaimed, "My dear brother, rise and wake. Let's eat together."

Regis, already tired and sleep-deprived with dark circles under his eyes, responded angrily, "Sister, go away. I want to sleep."

Calista, confused, asked, "Huh, still want to sleep? But you usually wake up early and have breakfast with us."

Regis, in anger, snapped, "Today, I want to sleep. Go out." He pointed his finger towards the door

Regis forcefully sent his sister away, closed the door, and in frustration said, "No one disturb me," and returns to his bed.