A dark blue mist shimmered, curling upward like ethereal steam from a hidden fire.
White grass waved beneath windswept trees as the wanderers stepped carefully, leaving faint prints in the glowing landscape.
Luminous flora and clouds glowed across a landscape of white, midnight blue, and black.
Colors shimmered, bathing everything in ethereal light.The land was not blanketed in snow. Instead, it glowed with Cleiraian Soil—a celestial element that pulsed through the world, nourishing all living things and ensuring the land thrived.
Though it held no color, it was the most pristine and vital form of vegetation imaginable.
This region was a small world created by Rulers, and with the assistance of The Tempest, the Rulers' dreams would come true. This world was a glowing white sphere that encircled Gincad, serving as the 'moon' for times to come.
Among the sparkling cosmic dust, colorless plants stood alongside glowing petals. Bluish-purple clouds drifted overhead, and blue islands floated against the horizon.
Waterfalls tumbled into lavender rivers that flowed to a radiant ocean.
This was a realm where humans dared not tread. Only the purest of lifeforms could roam this milky, otherworldly vista.
If they were ever to wander this divine plain, they either were not human, to begin with, or an ambitious, foolish, and weak mortal.
He found himself nestled beside his siblings, Aiyana and Aletha, on a meadow of soft white grass. The day beckoned them beyond their usual refuge, offering a rare peace that deepened his bond with them.
As Aletha busied herself by touching the luminescent white flowers, Aiyana softly muttered nearby, her attention focused on the landscape.
"Whoa! This landscape is so pretty!"
He chuckled and dug his toes through the soft soil, enjoying its coolness.
"Of course. It's a region created by Rulers for Rulers. I feel more at home here than in the sky kingdom."
A beautiful snow-feathered bird swooped down, its gorgeous blue marble eyes glaring at Asahi, Aletha, and Aiyana. The bird cawed its beautiful melody as it soared downward to the lavender river. I watched as Aiyana's violet eyes broadened in awe.
"Wow! They sound so wonderful!"
Asahi couldn't possibly disagree. The melody soared, like thousands of angels chiming together. Taking a deep, refreshing breath, he bathed in the view as another Ruler sprinted up the hill, calling his name.
"Asahi!"
Then, three more Rulers sprinted behind them. One had dark blue hair, another had short, dark hair, and the last had a very light, pinkish-brown ponytail-shaped hairstyle. They all waved and yelled their names.
"Asahi, Aletha, Aiyana, what are you two doing there? Are you supposed to go to the academy?"
Asahi replied, chuckling and nodding his head.
"No, not at all. Today is a weekend, remember? Besides, I want to be in The Exordium for now. It's peaceful here, unlike Cleira."
The short, dark-haired girl stomped her feet on the ground and sighed.
"Weekend? Is that what Rulers are calling it these days? You know what, Asahi, for being in one of the strongest families in Gincad, you surely are a little hard-hitting at times. Perhaps those human traits of yours have gotten into you?"
"Is that my fault?" He replied, confused.
The tall, dark, blue-haired man responded while forming tiny meteorites over his fingers and hands.
"Probably. I don't know; I don't have the blessing to read people's minds. So, are you going to travel to Astrotio soon, or… are you three just gonna sit here and stare at the sky? This is pretty boring."
Aquaio shattered the tiny meteorites into dust, then tilted his head toward Asahi and his sisters.
Aletha pushed herself up and bent her head towards Asahi. She silently tilted her head toward the glimmering blue star in the distance. As the wind blew through her long, milky hair, she spoke faintly in a soft tone.
"I'm willing to return; how about you, Aiyana?"
Aiyana's left arm moved in the same pattern as mine and Aletha's attire. Her beautiful lavender flower blossomed. Bright amethyst eyes widened in excitement.
"Sure, I love that large mountain! Can I go with Aquaio?"
Aletha replied while crossing her arms.
"No, sister, you're too young. I want to go with him!"
Asahi stormed over to Aletha and Aiyana and pinched their ears to draw their attention toward him.
"Behave yourselves, you two. Think before you try."
Aquaio gave a puzzled face towards the three of them, sighed, then jolted down the hill, gliding toward the massive mountain in the distance. The pink-haired girl, Tylisia, the goddess of caring, swiftly tailgated Aquaio with a worried tone in her voice.
"Hey! D-Don't go too far, please!"
The short, dark-haired girl, Teresa, shook her head and deeply chuckled.
"It's fine; you three can stay here and chill. The others and I will return to the kingdom. Think of traveling in The Exordium as a privilege. Most Rulers don't bother to go here simply because it grants no value to them."
She swiftly pulled out her large, brown luminescent spear and pointed the tip toward the sky. Beautiful, divine wings flock into the air, with her yellow halo hovering over her head.
Her dark blue eyes stared at me one more time before darting toward the mountain at the speed of sound.
"Farewell, you three!"
Asahi nodded his head and waved at her with a slight blush on his face.
"Goodbye!"
Asahi could never resist her charm. Something about her always set his heart racing when he was younger. It was haunting to remember how she vanished without warning months later, leaving him with only memories and the ache of never seeing her face again.
. . .
Afterward, Asahi and his sisters wandered deeper into The Exordium. They marveled at pale, enchanting wildlife dancing through snowy white forests.
He drifted through a meadow of luminous blue flowers, their gentle glow casting a purifying light over the lake below.
White flower petals floated gracefully down from the towering, pale-stalked trees, swirling in the gentle breeze.
Asahi noticed that the blue trunks pulsed, sending life from their roots to fading leaves. He also saw his own attire shimmering with starry patterns, drawing his gaze down.
He felt the land humming in tune with his soul. When he glanced at Aletha and Aiyana, their clothes glowed too. Yet they seemed lost in the moment's magic, unaware of the change.
Suddenly, his mind was flooded with voices—horrible, desperate cries echoing endlessly within.
Hopelessness threatened to consume him until Aletha's hand suddenly tugged at his arm, anchoring him to reality.
"Big Brother, are you alright?"
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine… It's just—
Aiyana shook Asahi continuously. She tried her best to break him out of his trance, but it wasn't enough. He started to question whether he was connected to this world, not only The Exordium but possibly Gincad as a whole.
Aiyana's terrified screams pierced the air as she collapsed, clutching her head. Aletha rushed to her side, and Asahi watched in horror as she trembled, darkness unfurling from the roots beneath her.
Asahi could not break free from the night's grip. He fought to escape, but a powerful force seized his entire body, dragging him down.
He was pulled into the darkness, his sister's horrifying scream echoing in his ears.
"ASAHI!"
Their screams reverberated through the endless void. Emptiness surged through his heart, his senses numbed, his breath icy. Then, from the darkness, a voice rang out.
"Brother!"
He felt a warm grasp on his left hand. Asahi saw Aiyana staring straight at him with her glittering amethyst eyes, her expression stern. Suddenly, a massive 'S'-shaped arm engulfed her, and Asahi realized he was waking from the nightmare.
. . .
Asahi screamed at the top of his lungs.
"AHHH!"
He found himself and Aletha resting on a rolling wagon, dashing through the forest with dark mechanical boxes with wheels, quickly pulling the wagon.
Drimi tilts her head to Asahi, thinking as if he were insane. She curiously asked while a carriage rolled over a stone.
"Asahi? Why are you screaming? Oh, is it because you slept too long? We apologize; we had to bring you to the carriage since time was running short for us. I carried you on my back, then placed you in the wagon with Aletha."
The faint morning mist resonated within the forest, with raindrops trickling from the sky and showering down at a slower pace. As he heard the loud sounds of the wooden wagon, Asahi whispered to himself.
"It's still raining?"
Aletha softly replied while she rubbed her eyes and stretched her arms.
"Yes…"
Asahi nervously rolls his fingers and whispers in his mind.
"So, was all of that a dream? Was it a memory mixed with a nightmare? I can't tell; it's too late to even recognize. I didn't know they were in a rush. Let alone, never would I think that I would be in slumber for that long. What's with that 'S' mark that engulfed everything? What… could that mean?"
Aletha responded as well, pushing her white silk hair to the side.
"I saw The Exordium, brother, did you too?"