[A few hours earlier…]
"I APOLOGIZE, but you do not have permission to get near the Aether, Lord Ruto."
Ruto raised an eyebrow at what Rafael, the Vice-captain of the Sky God's Celestial Knights, said to him. "Why am I not allowed to get near the Aether?"
Right now, the entire plaza was surrounded by Celestial Knights blocking anyone from coming near the Aether.
Moreover, there was also an invisible "barrier" around the tree itself.
Only people on his level could see it, though.
"The Sky God is now responsible for the restoration of the Aether," Rafael explained. "Hence, no one is allowed near the Aether. Please understand, Lord Ruto."
"I would, if the Sky God truly wanted to restore the Aether," Ruto said indifferently. "I can't see faces normally, but I can clearly see that you're not restoring the tree– you are doing the opposite."
The "barrier" was sucking the life out of the Aether, after all.
