Present Day

Kai stumbled into a room on the other side of the LifeGate. He panted slightly and held his knees before standing up to view the area before him.

“Arcahmed, where in the Astia are we?”

For Kai, it was a scene that belonged in one of his mother’s bedtime stories. It was a large wooden space. The floor and walls were constructed with interwoven wooden limbs of varying types, like smooth tendrils overlapping each other. The walls spiralled around beautifully, creating a magnolious sight. It was also beautifully decorated with accompanying leaves and flowers of different sizes, colors and species. 

Perhaps most lovely of all, were the several thousand tiny yellow lights that floated around the room. Bugs. Somewhat reminiscent of fireflies, but appeared different all the same. One of them floated down to him. It calmly landed on his palm as he stretched out his hand. He immediately noticed it was a mechanical creation. In the bulb of its rear resided a strange yellow-green energy that swashed around violently and glowed brightly. The little machine fluttered away from his palm, flying upward. His eyes traced it all the way in its ascent until finally, he saw it.

“What is this place?”

The height of the area was indescribable . Swarms of the glowing bugs lit the air, but beyond them a light shone down from above at a peak that was not observable to him. The height of the space was at least that of an Astian skyscraper … maybe even more. That was just his guess however, he had only ever seen skyscrapers in picture books and while surfing the AllWeb on his Fass-Tablet. The area was so tall that trying to focus on what was at the very top made him feel dizzy. His eyes glanced to the sides. On the walls there were hundreds of doors littered along the spiraled surface. He noticed that the area beneath each one was hanging-

“Giant leaves? Are we inside…a tree? A plant?”

Archamed stepped past him and began to answer his question when another voice interrupted them.

“Correct. This lifeform is a tree… as well as something else entirely.” The voice answered.

The two of them turned to face the voice. It revealed itself to be another young man. He had light brown skin and fashioned curly hair that had a faded trim on the sides. He was also sloppily dressed in a white lab coat that covered a light blue shirt that said “Facts Over Feelings” printed in bright yellow. The combo did not at all compliment his black dress pants and dark blue slides. Finally, his face held large, circular rimmed glasses to complete his disheveled look.

“Hey Arch,” the boy greeted. 

“Alex. It’s been a whi…” He was interrupted by the boy who took a step forward, pulled back his arm, and punched him across the face.

Kai was alarmed as Archamed stumbled a step backwards. The boy in the lab coat shook his hand, feeling the refracting pain. He looked up angrily.

“Four years! You left for four years and didn’t even say anything! You could’ve at least told me something…anything! But no! The great Archamed doesn’t answer to anyone!” The boy yelled angrily.

Archamed’s head was still turned from the punch and his face was darkened as if it was shadowed under his hair. He looked up slowly, and bore the same emotionless expression as always with a slightly bruised cheek and swollen lip. He simply remained silent.

The boy with the lab coat sucked his teeth, then he sighed. 

“Is that who I think it is?” The boy asked, pointing at Kai without even looking in his direction.

“It is.” Archamed answered plainly.

The boy lowered his hand and finally turned towards Kai with a softer expression.

“My name is Alexander Yehison Corrington. You can call me Alex. Welcome to the Sanctuary.” He said, gesturing his hands to the beautiful area around him.

“Thanks…” Kai responded, still feeling unsure of what was going on.

He noticed behind the boy that there was a girl who appeared slightly older than Archamed seated at a reception-like wooden desk. She was caucasian and had long black flowing hair with dyed pink streaks running through it. She also wore a lab coat and glasses but fashioned a pink shirt that read “One truth to Rule us All” in golden text. Most of all, she was beautiful…almost as pretty as the blue haired girl from the Saints crew. She looked over to them and raised an eyebrow.

“Alex,” She called from across the room.

“I know,” Alex replied without turning around. He sighed again and adjusted his glasses.

“You know what comes next…don’t you? It would probably be best if you fled.”

Archamed shrugged.

“Protcol is protocol.”

The girl at the desk sighed and reached over to a small bulb cage on her desk. It was made of wooden tendrils and was filled with the glowing mechanical bugs. She shook the bulb violently which caused the bugs’ yellow, luminescent light to turn a harsh red. Suddenly, all the lights in the area switched to the alarming red and bore its threatening color down on them. It was as if they were under a large red spotlight. Kai was about to ask what was happening, but without a moment to react, a group of people swiftly rushed toward them.

He didn’t even see them enter or approach, but before he could move his eyes, the edges of blades were held to both of their necks. He dared not move, but turned his eyes slowly toward the attackers. They were all men, judging by their builds. Tall and burly. They were clad in shoddy white armor and cracked helms that were all wrapped around by tattered egg-white cloaks. They held odd looking weapons as well. Kai remembered them from his history lessons in Pinkshell. He believed those of the Old World referred to them as … swords. Crude metal things with strong handles at the base. Five of these ‘soldiers’ surrounded them in a circular formation. He could not see their faces, but the few pairs of eyes he could see peeping through the helms reflected an unexpected feeling for this situation.

Fear

He knew of course that  it couldn’t be of him, so that could only mean-

Kai glanced over to the other side and saw Archamed’s face. He was extremely calm, but a strange pressure emanated from him again, almost like a warning.

One of the white clad men cleared his throat and spoke up.

“Archamed Ocarin of the Seventh Generation of the Saints. You are charged with trespassing and colluding with an intruder. How do you plead?”

The boy remained silent.

Alex approached them cautiously.

“Look, Seraph 3. This is unnecessary. There is no need to approach a Saint with such hosti-”

Without looking at him, the soldier who spoke swiftly drew another sword from under his cloak and pointed it at Alex.

“Alexander Corrington, your words imply collusion with the accused. How do you plead?”

“What?! Not guilty! I’m just-”

“Then you should remain silent.”

Alex sucked his teeth again and backed off.

“In place of execution, the court has called you to counsel,” The lead soldier continued, “Do you accept these terms?”

Archamed nodded his head.

A few more seconds passed and the five soldiers finally pulled away and sheathed their blades. Kai was sure he heard a sigh of relief from at least one of them.

“You know the way. Do. Not. Delay.”

Kai was surprised at himself. Perhaps it was because of the creature he faced at the school, but he did not feel anywhere as scared as he should when being threatened by these few. It did also help that he had a legendary Saint standing next to him.

Before the two could gather their thoughts further, a loud whirring sound disrupted the space above them. Kai looked up to see one of the giant leaves of the Sanctuary’s wall descending as if it was some sort of lift. The two boys moved out of the way and the leaf landed snuggly on the ground. On the green platform stood a very elderly man. Kai could not tell if his eyes were opened or closed while he feebly gripped on to his wooden staff. 

“Good afternoon, Master Archamed. It pleases me to see you in good health.”

“Good Day, Chaperone. The same to you, old friend.” Archamed stated as he rested his palm on the old man’s shoulder.

“Where to today, sir?”

“100A please.”

The old man nodded. He tightened his grip on his staff, causing a bulb of interwoven tendrils to open up at the top. A small swarm of the surrounding light bugs flew downwards to him and entered the bulb, causing it to glow.

He gestured for them to join him on the leaf. Kai was very concerned about this chosen mode of transport but had no choice but to join Arch as he got on. The Chaperone turned to him. 

“If I may sir, it is recommended that you face your head outward the first time.”

Kai raised an eyebrow.

“What do you mean by thAAAAAAA-”

The leaf soared upward with great speed. Kai watched as the soldiers, Alex and the receptionist all turned into tiny dots as they rose higher into the air. He was sure that he died at some point during the ascent and came back to life. Before he knew it, the platform had stopped.

Kai held on to the edge of the leaf and barfed all of the amazing breakfast that Sacclin had made him over the edge. When he thought he was finished, he felt another wave rise up inside him. He panted while looking over dizzily and the Chaperone knelt next to him, tapping his back.

“That is why it is recommended sir,” He said with a slight smile. He removed a handkerchief from his back pocket and offered it to Kai who accepted it gratefully.

The three stood before a large door with no handle. The wooden surface was engraved with a strange language, unfamiliar to Kai. However, it was obvious it led to somewhere important.

The Chaperone held out his arm and a device similar to Archamed’s translucent own appeared on his arm. He pressed a few keys and then touched the door. The wooden planks of the door stretched to the sides like rubber, revealing another golden gateway. As Archamed stepped towards the gate, the Chaperone stopped him.

“The administrative space of the remaining followers has been rather…volatile, sir. For the well-being of your guest here, I would advise not antagonizing them.”

Archamed turned to him.

“What ever do you mean Chaperone? I’m known for my diplomacy.”

The old man froze, before letting out a wet chuckle.

“Very well then.”

The young Saint stepped through the gate and Kai quickly followed behind.