The world of Xia is unlike any other. Born from the divine will of two gods, it was created as a sanctuary for all beings after Earth. Gaia, Goddess of Earth, Mother of All Creatures and Bringer of Life, and Phanes, God of Creation and Life, Creator of Men, looked upon Earth and saw it was too small, too fragile to hold the vastness of life they envisioned. Thus, they shaped Xia, a world based on Earth’s design but grander in scale, to offer refuge to those who faced famine, death, or lacked a place to call home. Here, all forms of life flourish—dwarves, elves, fairies, humans, including dragons. Yet, Xia was not a mere copy of Earth; it was a realm where magic flowed like rivers, where the very fabric of reality was infused with divine energy.

Dragons, however, are apart, residing in their own realm within the Upperworld, a domain shared only with phoenixes, where no other beings may enter without their permission. Below, in the Midworld, the four races inhabit four distinct continents. Arda, divided between the kingdom of Teleri, resident to the Dark Elves and the kingdom of Avari, where dwell Light Elves. The Dwarven Kingdom, Lotr, dwell in Khazïr. Within the continent of Fae, Fairies rule over Celestia, a land where immigrants— whether dwarves, elves, or humans— can live without fear of discrimination.

Lastly, the continent of Armetis houses the three human kingdoms: Nithinia, the city of mines in the east; Prartia, the city of sand in the west; and Alvan, the city of water in the south. The northern border was split between East and West during a war 400 years ago.

Then there is the Netherworld, a place shrouded in mystery. Here dwell demons, devils, and those humans deemed too wicked by Gaia and Phanes to remain in the upper realms. But nothing else is known about that place. It is said that some among them can walk among us, hidden in plain sight.

Magic has existed since Xia was created. Gaia bestowed fundamental magic for everyday use and hunting to dwarves, elves and fairies. She didn't bestow any powers to any humans for fear of what they were capable of. Back on Earth, Humans destroyed habitats and created war for power and their personal gain. She didn’t see a need for humans to possess magic because of the evil seeds inside them after seeing the atrocities on Earth. However, 300 years ago, a prophecy came. Each High priest from each race heard a message from both gods.

"My lovely children, this is a message for all of you. The other gods have discovered about Xia and have put their sight on turning it into their amusement. Phanes and I will only be able to protect Xia from them only for a little bit. Their powers have grown stronger than ours. Friends of ours will help you prepare for the upcoming battle. There's only a matter of time, please find a way to protect yourself."

The continents erupted in chaos as the message spread. And as Gaia foretold, three gods appeared before two kings and two queens. Hephaestus, the God of Fire and Iron, granted his power to the Dwarven King Ashgard Lotr and his people. Demeter, the Goddess of Nature, bestowed her gifts upon the Light Elven King Elrond Avari, the Dark Elven Queen Thalia Teleri, and their people. Artemis, the Goddess of the Hunt and Wild Animals, blessed the Fairy Queen Althea Celestia and her people.

***

"Pause," said Gou, looking up at me. "Big brother, why didn’t a god give powers to us and the human kings?"

Sitting on my lap, Gou's innocent eyes sparkled with curiosity. I met his gaze and answered softly, "We do have one, Gou. He just didn’t give us powers like the others did."

"Then what did he give us?" Gou asked, puzzled.

"He gave us time," I replied, watching as his confusion deepened.

"Time? Why time?" he questioned.

"Because our god is Chronos, the God of Time. It’s something only we humans know, though it’s not exactly a big secret. Chronos appeared before the three human kings and told them he couldn’t grant them powers like the other gods," I explained as I turned the pages of the book.

"So instead, he gave us time—time to prepare for the coming battle. He slowed down time in Xia, while the world outside moves faster," I said, glancing out the window.

"So we really didn’t get any powers," Gou said, his face falling into a pout.

I giggled. He looked so adorable when he was disappointed. "Maybe we did get powers," I teased.

"Huh?" Gou's confusion only grew.

"Maybe the kings kept the powers Chronos granted for themselves and their families," I continued.

"WHAT?! That’s not fair! The powers were supposed to be for all of us. Why would they keep everything to themselves?" Gou asked, his indignation clear.

"For the same reason Gaia didn’t give humans any power—selfishness. We’re really selfish creatures, always hungry for more power," I said with a knowing smile. I checked the time on the new phone Mom had gotten me. 8:00 p.m. "Gou, look at the time. We need to sleep before Mom comes and yells at us."

"But… please, finish the story," Gou pleaded.

"Fine. There’s not much left anyway," I conceded.

***

After the four gods bestowed their powers upon Xia and the four continents, all seven kingdoms met to discuss their future and that of Xia. This meeting took place in the free city of Lonkok, located at the center of all four continents, a neutral ground where all could come together without fear of conflict. The kingdoms agreed to a truce, fearing that any war among them might hasten the world’s doom. They selected seven families from each kingdom, now known as the Seven Great Families, to protect the people when the prophesied day arrived, no matter the era.

The families were: The Harts of Nithinia, the Mulong of Prartia, the Oaks of Alvan, the Duskblood of Teleri, the Ashwood of Avari, the Whitlock of Celestia, and the Gridgar of Lotr. Each was granted the title of Grand Duke, a position of great power and responsibility.  They returned to their kingdoms to prepare themselves and their descendants for the day foretold. But after three centuries, many have forgotten their duty. The Elven kingdoms have closed their doors to the world, and the Human kingdoms continue to war over land, blind to the impending catastrophe. The citizens of each kingdom now live in fear of the prophesied day.

***

"The End," I said aloud.

"Huh? That’s it?" Gou said, surprised.

"I told you the ending wasn’t great, but you never listen to me," I replied as I put the book back on the second shelf. "Now, let's go to sleep before Mom comes," I said, tucking him into bed and kissing him goodnight. "Goodnight, Gou."

"Goodnight, big brother," he replied. As I climbed into bed, I thought about Xia's history.

 ‘Xia really is different from Earth, yet similar in some ways, like its technology. A world of magic, huh?’

As you’ve probably guessed by now, I reincarnated into this world. I was an orphan in South Korea, and my name is no longer worth mentioning because now I am Yuzu Shiratori, a descendant of a Japanese man brought here by Gaia. My mother is Nithian, from Nithinia, and my father… well, he’s a demon from the Netherworld. Quite the mix, right? Honestly… yawn… I think it’s pretty coo—

He fell asleep.