"D-D-Does t-that mean you c-can r-really s-s-see me?" She spoke with difficulty, her voice continuously trembled.
Kai was getting a little irritated by her behavior. "Yes! I am talking to you! The beautiful and floating young lady, and yes, I can perfectly see you!" He answers.
She just stood there without saying anything staring at Kai with her eyes widened and her mouth agape, clearly in complete disbelief and doubt.
"…"
There was complete silence for a while where they both studied each other from head to toe.
Suddenly her eyes moistened up and the corners of her lips curved downwards in a deep frown.
Kai noticing the change and worriedly said. "Hey! Why are you crying? I didn't mean to hurt you."
She noticed the state she was in and turned her head away so Kai couldn't see, then with a low voice she said. "N-No your words didn't hurt me sob!" She said with difficulty while sobbing and opened her mouth to say more but was cut short.
"You can explain after you calm down. I can't leave anyway so take your time." He said and sat down beside her. He felt quite awkward as he didn't know what to do to help when someone cries.
She lightly nodded and as if she was holding back for years, her eyes flooded as streams of water came pouring down her delicate face. She didn't shout or wail, she just silently let the tears fall down as if a weight was lifted from her chest.
After she regained composure, with a beaming smile on her face she started giggling.
Unknowingly a smile appeared on Kai's face too as she looked at the girl with such a beautiful smile with amusement. "So? Why are you giggling now?" He curiously asked.
She looked at Kai and hesitated for a moment but then with a resolute face she took a deep breath and answered. "Anyone who entered this place, no matter who, aren't able to notice or touch me and although I can see them, I also am not able to touch or speak with them."
She stopped for a moment and then continued. "I have been here since my birth, alone, without a single soul taking notice or speaking with me. That's why I am elated that you were able to do so." A brilliant and charming smile blossomed on her face showing genuine happiness.
A small smile crept onto his face as he looked at her with an empathizing gaze. 'Her situation isn't much different than mine.'
'No! Her life seems even worse than mine. I have Arya and Cecilia to look after me, but she has no one to look after her. How did she even survive alone all these years?' He wondered and looked at her with pity.
"By the way I am Kai! How should I address you." He asked.
She shook her head and spoke. "I don't have a name. You can address me however you wish."
Kai thought about it for a moment before saying. "How about I give you a name if you are okay with it."
Her eyes glowed for a second with excitement as she continuously nodded. "Yes! Please do."
Kai stared at her as he went into deep thought. After a good minute of thinking he said. "What do you think about the name Lilith?"
"Lilith." She murmured in a low tone as she started giggling again. "What a beautiful name! Lilith. I have a name from now on! Lilith! I am Lilith." She started shouting her name as she jumped up and down.
[Name: Lilith]
[Race: World Spirit]
[Mana Core Cultivation Stage: None]
Kai smiled at her child like behavior and silently watched.
After a while Lilith looked at Kai with hesitation and asked. "If it's okay with you Kai, can I try to see if I can touch you?" She asked.
Kai seeing her big and pleading eyes looking at him sighed and nodded.
Getting the approval, with trembling hands she reached over to Kai's shoulder.
Her hands seemingly phased through his shoulder without any contact.
Lilith sighed upon seeing this. "Looks like the not being able to touch part is the same. Just in case though can you try touching me too? Maybe it would work!" She looked at Kai with hope.
Kai was astounded seeing her hands just pass through. He nodded and reached out for her waist. Her cheeks flushed red a little seeing his actions, but she didn't resist.
The results were the same and his hand phased through her waist without any contact.
Her eyes showed clear disappointment. "Well, at least you can see me…, for starters I guess this is good enough." Lilith spoke.
"Lilith, do you know what a world spirit is?" Kai asked as he remembered the game's appraisal about Lillith.
Lillith thought for a moment before she shook her head.
'So, she doesn't even know about her race.' Kai looked at her with pity.
"Did you not try to leave this place? And how did you survive all these years? I don't see any food here." Kai asked.
Lilith shook her head and replied. "When I meant I can't touch, it applies not just for people but any physical object. I have been able to live because I use the mana in this place to sustain myself."
"And as for leaving, I can't do that. This place barely has enough mana to sustain my body and if I try to leave without a proper mana source suppling me with enough mana I would die within seconds." She explained.
Kai ponders for a while and then nods in understanding. He stands up and finally starts takes notice to his surroundings.
The most prominent thing in the area was a majestic and gigantic golden gate which exuded a profound yet ominous aura. The door was so bright that it illuminated the area to an extent. In front of the door Kai felt like a drop of water in a vast ocean.
He stood in a stone platform and apart from the door all his surroundings were pitch black limiting his range of vision to see further. He looked above to see where he fell from but once again, he wasn't able to see that far.
"Have you checked the surrounding areas? And what about the gate?" He asked.
"Yes, the whole area around here is all desolate. There is absolutely nothing present here besides the gate. You won't even find an ant crawling here" Lilith answered.
"And about the gate." She turned to looks at the golden gate, her gaze contained a mix of hatred and sadness.
"No matter what I do it won't even budge from its position. Not only me, all the people who came here tried various methods to open it, but in the end, no one was able to make it move even a single inch." She spoke.
Kai nodded and walked towards the gate. Lilith floated behind him and silently followed like a child following his parent.
When Kai was just in front of the gate. For a second, he could feel a faint sense of connection with this strange gate. Kai stopped and inspected his body.
"What happened?" Lilith asked with concern when Kai abruptly stopped.
"It's nothing." He said and started walking again. He thought he must be imagining things and ignored it. He silently stared at the door and studied it.
There were many strange runes and symbols which gave it an ancient feel. Even after studying it for a few minutes he didn't understand anything about the symbols or the runes.
With no other option left he slightly pushed on the door.
The next moment the entire place shook. The door trembled as a deep, resonant groan echoed through the air. A storm of ancient aura rushed out and the mana in the surrounding grew unstable as the door which seemingly has remained still for several millenniums… creaked open!!!