When a living entity experiences chaos that they are unfamiliar with, their natural response would be to freeze for at least a few seconds.
This, other than their reflex actions, was a universal biological function that allowed one's mind to fully comprehend or understand the current situation, while trying to generate a solution as swiftly as possible.
Many times, living entities would fail to reconcile the shocking experience before them with the action that was required.
The result would be them 'freaking out.'
However… Constellations were not like that.
The moment they sensed that something had interfered with their world, they swiftly took action and focused their attention on the appearance of the intruder.
Once they identified the malefactor, unfortunately witnessing the demise of one of the wards in their care, they did not allow themselves to be stunned by the sight.
Instead, they took immediate action, their intentions fully evident.
Eliminating the threat!
However, despite their swift action, spanning what would be considered merely a second, the current situation had already escalated beyond what even they could have imagined.
"W-what's going on? I can't leave!"
"Me neither!"
"Why can't we leave this dimension?!"
"Why can't we access the other dimensions? Why can't we go there?!"
At this point, despite the best attempt of the Constellations to stay composed, they were now getting uneasy.
For one, an unrecognizable entity had invaded their most sacred place.
Secondly, they had just lost one potential Host that could aid in the grand plan proposed by Jared Leonard.
And finally… they could do NOTHING about it!
"What is going on?!"
Aquarius, who was the most sensitive to the Constellation Realm, and also had the Representation of Freedom, reached out the most innate power she possessed to spread herself beyond the current dimension that she occupied.
However… she was met with a barrier.
"No… impossible."
No barrier should have been able to stop her—especially not in this place!
This was the Constellation Realm! The Constellations were all-powerful here. They were at their most powerful due to being unaffected by most of the Unwritten Laws that governed the rest of reality.
Aquarius—with no exceptions at all—could sense and reach everything within this Realm.
'So why…? This shouldn't even be possible with either Aether or Nether! What is preventing me from passing through?'
The threshold that separated their dimension from the others that existed in the Constellation Realm seemed to be cut off from everything else.
Aquarius had never felt this sensation before.
Like an island, cut off from the rest of the world… no, no this was much worse.
She felt like she was in a cage. The cage prevented her from reaching beyond what was beyond the dimension she currently existed in.
"WHY? NOTHING SHOULD BE ABLE TO STOP ME! NOTHING CAN STOP MY REPRESENTATION! NOTHING IS…!"
It was at this moment of increasing anxiety and desperation that it finally struck Aquarius—the problem that currently afflicted her and the rest of the Constellations.
'N-Nothing…?'
The barrier that seemed to cut her and her siblings off from the other dimensions was neither Aether nor Nether, or any variant stemming from both.
It was a disgusting blackish mesh of forbidden power, one that oozed with such discrepancy that it shouldn't have existed.
And perhaps… it didn't.
The hollow darkness that Aquarius sensed when she was unable to pass the barrier was simply the only thing that could stop her.
… Nothing.
"What is… this? Who is this man?!" Aquarius trembled slightly as she was forced to lift her face to the floating screens, witnessing the aftermath of Z'ark's demise.
The hand that proceeded out of the black portal was followed by a leg, and then the other arm, with the second leg dragging itself out not too long after.
A human-looking 'thing' appeared from within the depths of the hollow swirl of blackness. He had a dark coat on, with dark brown hair gracing his pale skin.
His tall height accentuated his overall lean physique, and a smile was plastered on his face as he stepped out.
Something about his dull eyes seemed to hint purpose, but there was a certain indifference he had towards the life he had just taken, as well as the action he was currently perpetrating:
Invading the Constellation Realm!
All twelve boundless entities—now trapped in their own little world—could do nothing but gnash their teeth and watch this man… Legris Damien… walk into their haven.
"He… he is… what is he…?"
No one knew at this point.
Even though he was standing right in their domain, they could do nothing but watch him stand in the very vastness of the dimension that Z'ark once occupied.
There were certain emotions that Constellations had never felt once in their lives.
One of them was fear.
But now… more than ever, they were closer to experiencing the real thing—the overwhelming fear that came with the inability to do anything.
In essence, despair!
"Jared's Allies… our Hosts…" Aries murmured, speaking for everyone who watched.
They all knew the sad truth.
"... They're on their own."
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Legris could feel his lips quivering as he took in the purity of the realm he had now stepped into.
His hands trembled slightly, and he found himself perspiring slightly, not due to the immense heat that surrounded him—that was no problem for him—but the sheer abundance of energy he was sensing around him.
"So much Aether… and it's so pure…" Legris widened his lips and showed his perfect white teeth.
He seemed genuinely happy about the current situation, but also… strangely terrified.
"My first time in the Constellation Realm. So this is what it's like. So… colorful…"
Legris had gone over this plan so many times in his head that it was now all he could think about. However, now that he was here, he found himself overwhelmed by the sheer magnificence of it all.
"Amazing. Everything is amazing!" He beamed, raising his hand as he cackled loudly.
Something about the way his voice echoed in the vast expanse surrounding him sounded ominous—no, downright malevolent.
"You were right, Ciel," Legris whispered as his malevolent grin spread even wider.
"This plan is the best."
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[A/N]
Thank you all for reading!
What will happen now? What is Legris up to here? No good, I'm sure.
Well, we shall see…
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