「Eirian Continent – Milbong Rainforest」

In the depths of the rainforest, the beasts dwelling within were restless and fearful. Screeches and growls could be heard from every corner, creating an ominous cacophony alongside the chaotic footsteps of these fleeing.

Many sought refuge within their territories, hiding underground, inside caves, hollow trees, or even in the false security offered by their nests, even though they knew that the relentless energy rampaging through the rainforest was beyond control.

Storm clouds were gathering and expanding across the orange dawn sky at astonishing speed. The birds squawked in fear at the threatening thunders and flew off in different directions, trying to flee from where that dangerous energy was emanating. The gales shook the treetops violently and the earth's vibrations increased as the thunder roared with more ferocity.

In the heart of a vast crystal-clear lake floated an island surrounded by towering cliffs. But, unlike the rest of the rainforest, no sound emerged from within that island, now plunged in a gloomy silence under the grayish clouds.

The beasts, the plants, even the elements sensed it: something was awakening.

「Hathor Kingdom」

The Belenos district is located on the border where the kingdom of Hathor borders the Milbong rainforest. This district is renowned among warriors, hunters, herbalists, and merchants; a place visited by all those seeking to gain combat experience or harvest, as well as buy and sell medicinal plants and beast carcasses.

However, in recent months, Belenos was the topic of conversation in every mouth of the kingdom, not because of its known attractions, but rather because it had become the main stage where the beasts of the rainforest and the strongest warriors of the kingdom were clashing to death.

The beasts that inhabit the Milbong rainforest have certain degrees of intelligence depending on their evolution level, so many choose to ignore or avoid humans, focusing on hunting beasts of lower levels to satisfy their appetite and in turn protect their territory.

One day, without any precedent, the beasts joined forces to attack humans for reasons unknown, Hathor being one of the first kingdoms to be besieged. Humans thought that the beasts had finally reached an intermediate level of intelligence, inclined more towards conquest and expansion than the protection of a certain territory.

Thus, all the kingdoms bordering the Milbong rainforest were forced to dispatch their best warriors to form a line of defense to prevent the beasts from destroying everything in their path.

That morning, however, the infamous battlefield that for the past five months had greeted the dawn with cries of war, and stained with the blood of enemies and allies alike, was completely deserted.

This was not because either faction had emerged victorious, but rather, the beasts that had been constantly attacking the Belenos district had suddenly withdrawn, unleashing confusion and unrest among the warriors.

Several of them looked at the cloudy sky as they sensed the strange flow of aether that enveloped them like a veil, but they all remained calm and stayed at their posts in case the beasts took advantage of the situation to launch a surprise attack.

The storm clouds that had surged in the center of the rainforest had completely covered Belenos and spread rapidly over the other districts, reaching the capital of the kingdom in a matter of seconds.

The ground shook violently, causing everyone to lose their balance and sink to their knees. The warriors' mounts shrieked in terror and tried to flee. At that moment, they finally realized that something was wrong, although it was too late.

The impetuous aether penetrated every inch of the kingdom as if searching for something, and then suddenly stopped, though it remained pulsating in the air, exerting a slight pressure on humans and beasts alike.

In the kingdom's capital, Iabet, people who had begun their morning routine like any other day, now lay sprawled on the ground, trying to regain their footing after the sudden tremor that struck every district.

The hathi had never experienced an earthquake, so they were all bewildered and scared, not understanding what had happened or what to do in that kind of situation.

"The sky!" A woman from the crowd exclaimed in terror, and the people looked up with a sense of foreboding clutching their hearts.

Aside from the dark clouds, hundreds of strange, glowing sigils spread out in huge rings around Iabet, covering the entire capital like a dome.

Unconsciously, the hathi turned their gaze to a gigantic wisteria tree blooming in the heart of the capital. This tree was a national emblem that existed even before the founding of the kingdom, which was called 'enedina'. There were several enedinas around the world, and one of them was in the capital of Hathor.

The hathi valued and respected this tree as a sacred treasure, as it played a very important role in their survival. In addition, it was located on the Acropolis, where their monarchs and other important figures resided, making it the most influential and vital place in the kingdom.

As the lilac flowers fluttered wildly, the tree emitted an unusual golden glow similar to the sigils floating in the air. The thick branches that covered much of the capital like an umbrella swayed vigorously, producing eerie creaking noises.

When the noise became unbearable to the ears of the inhabitants, the enedina stopped swaying. The hathi looked nervously at the tree and then at the sigils that remained static in the sky.

For several minutes, there were no movements or sounds. Everyone waited anxiously, wishing that the sigils above their heads would fade away.

Dozens of rivers stretched throughout Iabet, converging on a lake in the heart of it. At its center stood a gigantic wisteria tree. Its trunk resembled huge snakes crawling up to the top, and the roots sank deep into the turquoise waters.

Two bridges went from the base of the enedina to the shore; one of them was for public use, while the other was exclusively for certain families of illustrious lineage.

Being a symbol of great importance for the kingdom, this tree was guarded by the sentries of the Civil Forces' Security Corps at all hours. Inhabitants were only allowed entry during certain national festivals, while eminent families could enter at any time, but only with the permission of the regents.

Underneath the enedina was a coliseum, where the largest and most important events were held, from speeches, to combat tournaments, funeral rituals, and other national spectacles.

But what not many knew was that, beneath this coliseum, there was a hypogeum; an underground crypt full of excavated passages that ran throughout the capital.

This was a restricted area that only the Vikram family, the regents of the kingdom of Hathor, could visit, since there was a lararium, an altar to dedicate offerings to their eloah —a deity they venerated—, and also their columbarium, where all their ancestors rested for eternity.

Several statues and candlesticks flanked the flagstone paths that led to a dome-shaped chapel. The ivies and wisteria covering the chapel added a delicate contrast to the immaculate marble walls, giving it a sacred air.

Two people stood motionless in front of the threshold that served as the entrance to the small chapel.

One of the women had shoulder-length orange hair, decked out in a long, low-cut amber dress that accentuated her sun-kissed wheat skin. The semi-sheer tulle sleeves trailed on the floor and her back was completely exposed. Necklaces, bracelets and other extravagant jewelry adorned her body, revealing her high birth. Her long eyelashes, thick eyebrows, and drooping eyes gave her a lethargic appearance, but the rigidity of her features betrayed her unyielding temperament.

The woman next to her, on the other hand, had plum-colored hair tied in a high ponytail, falling in silky waves to her waist. Inserted in her hair was a simple hairpin with tiny flowers that matched her plain and demure attire. The pale lilac cotton dress was tied in a knot over one of her shoulders, leaving the other shoulder bare, and her sleeve split down the middle, falling gently to the floor. Her elongated feline-like eyes combined with her thin eyebrows gave her a sly and mischievous air, but her overall delicate features enhanced her gentle nature.

“Great erna!” A young woman behind her exclaimed urgently.

Upon hearing the call, they both turned and watched two other people run towards where they were.

A teenage girl with apricot-colored hair was holding the hand of a boy who barely reached her hip. The girl was dressed in a simple uniform consisting of pants and a loose-fitting shirt, while the boy wore an exotic matching black tunic and toga. Both had grim expressions, brimming with worry and anxiety.

As she turned around, the woman in the lilac dress wore a dismayed expression and her amethyst eyes reflected turmoil. After seeing the little boy rush towards her, the woman knelt on the ground and took him in her arms.

The boy, who had inherited the same traits as his mother, upon feeling her familiar body heat and scent, finally relaxed his tense muscles and burst into silent tears.

“I really appreciate you bringing Aliyah to me, Ciaran.” The erna, known as the second wife of the great rhig, the monarch of Hathor, expressed her gratitude and hugged Aliyah tightly before standing up and continuing to appease her son.

Ciaran gave a soft smile and nodded at her, extending her greetings to the erna, and then looked over to where the great erna, the first wife of great rhig, was indifferently watching the exchange between them.

“Mo- Great erna.” Ciaran quickly corrected herself and greeted her mother politely, remembering that she hated the lack of manners no matter the situation. She had better avoid making any more mistakes or then she would have to attend the tedious etiquette classes again.

The great erna, Klezara, nodded and continued to ignore her daughter to focus her attention on the pressing situation in front of them. Ciaran, accustomed to her mother's apathy, shrugged and mimicked her actions.

The vault of the underground chamber was covered by the thick roots of the enedina, which descended through the pillars that supported the structure. The walls and door of the chapel were engraved with hundreds of symbols and texts written in an archaic language.

Everyone present could see the lararium that lay at the end of the hallway, on the other side of the threshold. Various types of offerings were arranged in front of it; from gems, flowers, exotic animal carcasses, books, among other things that the members of the Vikram family considered valuable and presented to the eloah who protected the lands of Hathor.

Ciaran, seeing her mother and the erna waiting outside, knew it could only mean one thing: her father, the great rhig, was inside. Without a second thought, she made her way past the women and through the open doors.

Upon entering the chapel, her vision blurred for a few seconds as the concentrated energy coming from the lararium collided with her own. Accustomed to this, she continued walking until she climbed a circular platform and stopped in front of the offerings.

The moment she had entered the chapel and the golden energy, called aether, had entered her body, the ceremony had begun. This tested her obeisance, allegiance, and devotion, so she had to be very careful not to mess it up.

After calming her fluttering heart, she grasped the delicate dagger resting on the lararium and sank to one knee. Then, she closed her eyes to concentrate on circulating the aether within her body as she lightly cut the tips of the middle and index fingers of her left hand, then brought them to her lips and colored them with blood in the process.

“Behold me here, a vestige of thy lineage.” After murmuring these words in Anatta, the archaic language of her world, the lararium glowed and the symbols scattered on the platform began to move slowly. “I present thee the blessing's proof. Grant me thy permission.”

Lily-shaped marks appeared on her left hand, but her fingers continued to move to her eyelids, smearing them with some of her blood. The sclerae of Ciaran's eyes began to turn black, all the way to the center of the pupils. At last, she touched the platform beneath her feet and it began to glow like the lararium.

“May thou find redemption in thine ephemeral rest.”

Unexpectedly, the enedina above them rustled and the branches swayed in protest.

Aliyah, still in his mother's arms, hid his face in her chest and hugged her tighter. His eyes, red and swollen, kept shedding tears, and his small face was contorted in a grimace of pain, yet not a sound escaped his lips.

{Mom, it's crying... and it's hurting. It's suffering}, Aliyah communicated telepathically to Stellia, the erna.

Stellia, in response, rubbed her cheek over the boy's silky hair and caressed his back, trying to soothe him. Her amethyst eyes focused again on the platform illuminated by the light of the candlesticks, where the figure of a young girl should be, however, there was nothing.

Ciaran had disappeared.