Chapter 19: Earth and Eldrath

There are countless universes, each governed by its own laws. Among them are Earth and Eldrath, two distinct worlds separated by the chasms of space and the twists and turns of time.

These two realities did not share the same temporality. It was this discrepancy that explained the strange asynchrony between the events experienced here and there.

On Eldrath, time passed much more slowly than on Earth, where a single Earth day was equivalent to eight full days in the human world.

In other words, three hours spent on Eldrath represented only one day on Earth.

And in this distorted time frame, Area 42, nicknamed the Cloudy Sea, bathed in the glowing red of an eternal sunset. The sun was setting high above the horizon, painting the thick clouds gold and purple, as if the sky itself had transformed into a vast canvas.

Located at an altitude of over 70 kilometers, this region was classified among the areas with a high concentration of magic. The air vibrated with an almost tangible energy, and the clouds that composed it had nothing in common with those that could be observed from Earth. Their exceptional density made them unique. The sea of clouds was not an illusion, but a real substance.

One could swim in these clouds, as if in light, warm water, or even walk on the most compact of them. The sensation was reminiscent of placing your foot on soft, fluffy cotton. Some clouds were so dense that they formed veritable natural platforms, floating in the infinite sky.

This fantastical area, like Area 41: The Angel's Fall, was once the home of an ancient race that ruled the skies of Eldrath. They belonged to the Ten Great Clans, ancestral lineages whose names echoed throughout history.

On Earth, legends and myths had transformed these beings into divine symbols, noble and majestic servants of the Almighty and blessed by light. They were called angels, winged creatures able to come and go freely between Heaven and the mortal world.

But the truth about Eldrath was quite different. These beings were actually called the Celestines. A people who saw the world only from the heavens and considered everything that lived "below" as inferior, unworthy of existing alongside them. Deep contempt and boundless arrogance.

When the Fall of the World occurred, all that remained of the magnificent civilization of the heavens was nothing more than a floating castle, lost in the immensity of the Cloudy Sea. In the past, during the clash between the Scourges and the various races, this building had served as a military base. Because behind its majestic appearance hid the truth and that it was not a palace, but of a flying combat fortress, forged by the Celestines and used in the war which opposed them to the races.

Suspended above the clouds at a dizzying altitude, this relic could only be reached by those who possessed wings worthy of the air.

This celestial citadel had a name steeped in legend: Avalon.

And today, it is precisely this weapon of mass destruction, lost in the heights, that a secret organization is seeking to appropriate... which ironically bears the same name.

The metallic echoes of footsteps and the clink of armor echoed through the deserted corridor, a forgotten place untrodden for centuries. Before him, a monumental door, richly decorated, opened slowly, with a solemn creak.

A man entered. Or rather... a being who had the appearance of a man, but whose nature transcended humanity. From his back sprang four immaculate wings, two pairs perfectly spread, radiating majesty. His short hair, bristling like a crest, had the dazzling whiteness of his feathers, and his eyes shone with a golden light in the gloom of the room, like two miniature suns.

He wore a white linen tunic, covered with light but elegant armor. Bracers and leg guards reinforced his limbs, while a piece of polished steel protected his torso, descending from her bust to her waist, perfectly hugging her athletic figure.

This being was no mere celestial soldier. He was Kai Von Richter, heir to ancient blood, undisputed leader of the Avalon organization.

In the center of the room stood a gigantic rectangular metal coffin, covered in dust and ancient engravings. Kai reached for the amulet hanging around his neck. It lit up with an ethereal green glow, and in response, his magical relic took form in his hand, Fulminator, a silver spear with lightning attributes.

He rose into the air, his four wings spread, to the top of the coffin. With a solemn gesture, he planted his spear there.

“Fulgur!” he recited in a deep voice.

Immediately, lightning flashed, striking Fulminator's staff, then spreading into the coffin. Networks of luminous lines, like circuits etched into the metal, lit up one after the other, running through the entire structure before spreading into the walls, the floor, and up to the ceilings of the fortress.

The entire room lit up, vibrating with energy. What had been in a centuries-old sleep had awakened. The ancient celestial bastion was coming back to life. The forgotten mechanisms started up again with a dull roar, like the beating of a resurrected heart.

“Finally… we’re reaching the goal. After so many years.” Kai murmured, his golden eyes shining with a triumphant gleam.

A screen of light appeared before him, materialized by the bastion's energy. It showed the outside in real time, an endless sea of clouds. And, in the distance, behind the thick layers, a purple light shimmered.

“The portal is already open… Nice work, Abel.” Kai murmured, his golden eyes staring at the purple glow radiating in the distance.

But that wasn't the only disturbing sight. Around Avalon, in that sea of clouds, shadows stirred. Area 42 wasn't just a magical territory, it was also a scourge-infested lair. Gigantic dinosaur-like sea creatures, covered in dark scales, swam through the air as if in an invisible ocean. Their bodies, marked with the patterns of Chaos, were enough to identify them.

Despite their colossal size, these Scourges belonged to the infantry category, a formidable class of aerial monsters. Drawn to the light of the portal like moths to a flame, they had gathered en masse, forming a suffocating cloud. They circled the sky fortress, screaming in a deafening din, blocking almost all escape.

Unmoved, Kai climbed the steps to the upper level. There was the command room, the strategic heart of Avalon. A vast circular room, dominated by a long silver table encrusted with runes, had been waiting for centuries.

Kai simply placed his hand on the icy surface. Immediately, a series of luminous interfaces appeared, unfolding into complex holograms. Diagrams of the fortress, maps of the surrounding area, and even the signatures of the Scourges around them flashed into the air.

He splashed on the holographic windows that revealed themselves around him. The fortress as a whole was a very advanced and ancient technology, lost to the ages. It had been discovered by the organization centuries ago, and while working on it to try to unravel its mysteries, Using the knowledge passed down by their ancestors, he had managed to understand how the machine worked and how to control it.

As leader and heir to the will of Avalon, Kai had spent his life understanding the workings of the flying fortress, the way to pilot it to the point of using it as a weapon. His entire life had been dedicated to this triumphant day. For him, his real life began now.

Seeing the fortress coming their way, the scourges charged towards it. Kai activated the weapon system and cannons popped out from all over the flying castle.

"Fire up!"

Responding to the given voice command, sparks gathered in the muzzles of the cannons, concentrating laser beams and firing at the same time. The shots, powerful and rapid, pulverized everything in their path and caused an enormous explosion of light. In the blink of an eye, they made the clouds around the portal disappear, along with the entire horde of scourge swarming in the area.

Kai contemplated his work, but instead of expressing joy, satisfaction, or even a smile, he seemed displeased.

"Even with such firepower... Our ancestors still lost to these monsters. How formidable could these scourges be?" he said, putting the gear on.

The fortress approached the gate. Now the gate was fully open, its size more than enough for the fortress to pass through without any problems.

As the fortress was about to enter the gate, a scream echoed from far away.

"KAAAAAAI!!"

Kai was carried away by someone coming at him at full speed. He crashed into the wall and the fortress stopped a few meters from the gate.

"Honestly, I almost got lost in that sea of clouds, but I have to thank you; it was thanks to your little show of strength that I was able to find out where you were. And now I'm here to stop you."

Ryouma had just made a spectacular entrance.

Kai straightened up and stood next to Ryouma. They were seen side by side, and both represented polar opposites, both in appearance and behavior.

"It's you, Kirishima. I was expecting someone more experienced like Joy or Kate to arrive. However, it makes sense since you're the only one who can get this far with your wings." Kai declared.

"What do I say to that? Sorry for being a rookie? And why do you think I'm that inexperienced in the first place?" Ryouma replied sarcastically.

"I read your file. I know everything about you."

"Do you seriously think you can learn everything about someone by reading documents?"

Kai nodded confidently.

"Okay, what's my astrological sign?" asked Ryouma.

"Gemini," replied Kai.

"My favorite game?"

"Final Fantasy VII."

"My favorite color?"

"Azure blue."

"My first girlfriend's name?"

"It's a trap. You've never had a girlfriend, that's also noted in your file," Kai said with a small smirk playing on his lips.

Ryouma groaned, but not because Kai had guessed everything right. No, it was that smirk of his that was annoying him.

"I have to say it's not bad, all things considered, that you came. According to my information, you had only recently joined the guild and only discovered the truth about your origins a few days ago, to boot."

"So what? What are you getting at, exactly?"

"Unlike other guild members, I could talk with you, and you would be more inclined to listen to my goals."

"Are you stupid or what!? What don't you understand? I don't want to listen to your monologue about your evil plan, going straight to the scene where you get beaten up."

"Violence should only be used as a last resort. Perhaps we could avoid it if you would listen to me for a minute," he said.

Despite his words, Ryouma remained the peaceful type. He avoided conflict as much as possible, even in his daily life, unlike his friend Joy, who constantly found himself in street fights. He lowered his bident. Kai took that as a 'yes' and began to explain.

"Ryouma Kirishima, do you know what people do when they have power?"

"They abuse it," Ryouma replied curtly.

Kai shook his head, sensing a hint of hostility despite the apparent calm of his interlocutor, and although his question was rather rhetorical.

“They use it to improve the world and people’s lives. That’s what Avalon is all about. But sadly, those who stand against that and muzzle us with their arbitrary rules… These are the members of the Legacy guild."

"Oh yeah, that's a great plan of yours! You could say it's really working, considering the mess you've made!" Ryouma exclaimed sarcastically. 

“Yes, I know everything people like you have done, and it hasn’t improved the world at all. Worse still, you are responsible for everything that has gone wrong in history.” he added.

"I recognize that our ancestors made mistakes in the past, but who doesn't?" Kai asked.

Ryouma raised an eyebrow. On the one hand, these weren't simple mistakes, but global issues. On the other hand, Kai wasn't entirely wrong. Everyone made mistakes. However, that didn't justify everything he did knowingly.

“Logically speaking, concepts and notions from one world could be very problematic if imported into another. On the Eldrath, for example, there were several species, and war between them was normal, as was the imposition of one's race's supremacy over others. The winning race enslaved the losing race, that was the norm in this world."

Kai paused and raised his index finger, indicating the number '1'.

“However, on Earth there is only one species, and that is the problem. No one should subjugate one of their own kind, and wars within the same species are prohibited. These were the basic rules about Eldrath. So, logically, concepts like war, supremacy or slavery pose big problems on Earth, where there is only one species: the humans."

"And you think that's enough to apologize?"

“That wasn’t my intention. I just wanted to enlighten you on the subject. Although problems have spread because of our mistakes, this should not prevent us from using our powers to protect this world."

“If you want to protect the world, it’s simple. Just abandon your stupid plans and join the guild to fight the scourges.”

"I'm not talking to you about that. The guild continues to claim to protect Earth from a future threat, distant and uncertain. Who really knows if this will ever happen? And even if it did, it would already be too late because the Earth would have burned itself out before these plagues even arrived. This world is fragile, far too fragile compared to Eldrath, and humans are destroying it a little more every day. Pollution, deforestation, global warming... the world will be destroyed long before that, because the real scourges of this world... are humans. Do you think we should just stand here and watch the world go to hell? Letting our ancestors' legacy burn, when we have the power to prevent it!?" Kai raised his voice, his face etched with anger. 

Ryouma watched him, taking in every word Kai said. He wasn't entirely wrong... but he didn't entirely agree either.

“Do you know what the solution is to all this? Wars, discrimination, the devastation of the Earth… all these problems could be easily solved.”

This time, Ryouma understood that it was a rhetorical question and simply waited for the answer, frowning.

“It’s very simple. All we need to do is appoint a supreme leader,” Kai said.

"Like a king? Are you serious? You want us to go back to the Middle Ages and the monarchy, damn it!" Ryouma exclaimed.

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned from everything that’s been happening to me since the beginning, it’s that… this isn’t an Isekai, damn it! This is reality!”

“Just listen to me until the end. In Eldrath, each species had a leader who represented their entire race. The one who made the decisions, his orders were indisputable. It ensured cohesion and order, and that is why the race prospered and lived in harmony. That was the role of a supreme leader," Kai said, staring at him. 

Damn, that's worse! At least now I know that democracy is an invention of Earth, created by humans... that's reassuring.

“Humans had too many leaders and kings back then, and today they have too many rulers, presidents, and sovereigns. Too many fields, too many goals, too many ideas. This is why wars continue, and why each side has different ideals from the others. Therefore, they can never truly cooperate.”

In a debate, silence was considered an admission of defeat. And at this moment, Ryouma had no objection to Kai's arguments.

“Imagine if humanity had a single leader. A leader who would unite them into one camp. Wars would disappear immediately. If all humans were part of the same family, sharing the same ideals and values, hatred and discrimination would no longer exist. If all humans worked together, hand in hand, for common goals, it would be possible to preserve the world, improve it and make it better. Isn't that what everyone wants? That's what Avalon is all about."

His words resonated like the voice of wisdom and reason. When Kai spoke like this, it seemed as if a light radiated from his body and a luminous halo appeared above his head. It was like an angel coming to bring the holy words of God.

“Alas, it is not easy, because whether in Eldrath or on Earth, not all species obey a single law. That of the strongest. They must therefore be united by force—it is the price to pay to restore order. This fortress is a technological marvel that is the glory of Eldrath. It far surpasses any weapon known on Earth, even those of the Legacy Guild, which prides itself on its technological advancements. With her, we could subdue any country in the blink of an eye. The world would be under our command in no time, and the guild would be powerless."

After a heavy silence, Ryouma's eyes remained hidden behind his wild, disheveled silver hair.

“So, Kirishima… what do you think, now that you know everything about us?” Kai asked.

“I have a question… What do you do with the people who died to carry out your projects? Those who got mixed up in your affairs and became victims... and all those who risk perishing in the final phase of your plans? What are you doing with all these lives, huh!?" Ryouma cried.

Throughout their plans and in order to accomplish them, Avalon had taken the lives of many people. Whether it was people who died because it was necessary for their plans, or guild members like Joy's mother who opposed their goals, or others who had the misfortune to find themselves mixed up in their affairs - like Ryouma's family - and finally all the other people who perished during the final phase of their plans.

The number would be far too large to count.

“It’s unfortunate, but sadly, great causes require great sacrifice. However, I can promise you that all the suffering of the past and present will be used to create a better future.” Kai replied, reaching out his hand, hoping Ryouma would take it.

"Stop your bullshit!!" Ryouma roared, wiping Kai's smile away and he lowered his hand.

"So you have not learned from the mistakes of your ancestors! I, if I have learned anything from my own mistakes, It's no use making long-term plans, because life is unpredictable. We must remember the past to learn from our mistakes, live the present to the fullest because it is short and fleeting, and there is no point in planning for the future. We shape it in the present, leaving a legacy for future generations.”

Ryouma's outburst left Kai breathless. For the first time, his smile vanished, replaced by a stone face.

“If you agree to commit atrocities in the name of order, to sacrifice lives—including those of my family, of my friends and everyone I know — so it will be without me. And you know what? I will put an end to your foolish ideas and make Avalon disappear," Ryouma declared. His black eyes appeared, filled with anger.

The time for talking was over and there was no longer any possibility of agreement.