Time – The 1st Epoch, Series-7
Year – 52,709, Aetherion, 17th Day
Midnight
Location – Tower of Infinity, 27th Floor
A white-gray fog blanketed the vast void of the 27th Floor. The silence was deep—too deep. Only the faint hum of mana resonated through the air as two figures darted from one floating platform to another, suspended in endless space.
One of them—his hair abyssal black with streaks of moonlight silver—landed without sound. His eyes, sharp and focused, bore five-pointed black stars swirling within deep blue irises. The air around him shimmered faintly, warped by sheer pressure.
The other, trailing just behind, had jet-black hair tied into a loose ponytail. His crimson eyes glowed slightly beneath his long elven ears. Landing on a larger platform shaped like an ancient stone road, he huffed and called out:
"Wú-hyung, are we near the gates yet?"
The first man didn't look back.
"I haven't given you permission to call me by my name. And be prepared, Manas Antrodhes."
Before Antrodhes could retort, a mechanical chime echoed around them.
> [Skill: Quantum Drive – Activated]
Suddenly, space ahead of them twisted and rippled. The fog bent unnaturally. The two shot forward, entering the distortion. Their speed exploded—100 times the speed of light—as they entered the Quantum Dimension. In that realm, 10,000 kilometers compressed into 10. The entire journey lasted only ⅓ milliseconds.
They stopped abruptly in front of a colossal black door inlaid with gold and silver glyphs—ancient, divine, unreadable. Without hesitation, both Xyrus and Antrodhes punched forward, channeling all their energy from the Quantum Drive into the door.
The explosion of power should have annihilated continents—200 times stronger than the Tsar Bomba—yet the door didn't so much as tremble.
Xyrus stepped forward, extending his previously closed hand. A cluster of shimmering Information Particles burst out, forming a translucent hand-clock around his wrist.
"The time has come," he murmured. He bowed low, placing one hand over his chest.
"May the prayers be accomplished."
And then—
> [The Spirit Moon is shimmering with the light of the Soul Sun]
[The Divine Day of Creation has arrived]
The dense fog above the castle gates thinned, revealing a Waxing Crescent Moon glowing faintly. Its dim light fell upon the door like a divine key.
Creeeeak—
The door began to open. A slow, unsettling mist flowed outward—black, but alive, coiling like smoke with intent.
> [The Sefirah: Fog of Space-Time has opened its doors]
[The 3rd Realm: Fog of Errors hasn't received a Prayer]
[The 3rd Realm: Fog of Errors is humming with Sadness]
Antrodhes blinked, disturbed by the final line.
"Hyung… what is a Sefirah?"
Xyrus froze.
"…What did you just say?" His voice dropped, collapsing under its own restraint.
"You…" Xyrus turned slowly, his eyes darkening.
"You're asking me what a Sefirah is?"
A step forward.
An aura erupted.
The air around them shattered like glass. His calm face twisted into fury.
"A Sefirah is a Divine Kingdom—ruled by a Sequence 0 or higher in a specific Pathway. Each Sefirah represents the apex of that Path. And you—of our blood—don't even know that?"
His words cut sharper than blades.
"Please just say you hit your head and lost your memories—or I swear, I'll kill you myself."
With that, Xyrus turned and entered the slowly opening gates. Antrodhes followed, silently.
They arrived before a towering structure—a tree, yet unlike any other. Its bark was white but glowed with vibrant streaks of red, blue, black, and every other color known and unknown.
> [Personal Quest – Updated]
<<<• Personal Quest •>>>
Objective: Protect the Tree of Fate and identify the source of the distortion
Commissioner: The Divine Council
Reward: 100 Transcended Credits, Pathway's Scripture, 1 Random Legendary Grade Skill
Antrodhes peered up. "Isn't the Divine Council the one formed by the Lord to carry out His will?"
Xyrus didn't answer immediately.
Instead, his mind spiraled back…
---
[Flashback: The Divine Council]
The sky was a canvas of flowing clouds—Ahilium, the sacred skies.
Xyrus stood on a floating marble platform that stretched into a massive citadel suspended in the heavens. The Divine Castle, crafted from white marble and veins of black and gold, hovered by means of celestial thrusters. It radiated holy power.
Inside, a long table with nine empty chairs waited. But at the head sat a single figure:
A man with silver-white hair, jet-black eyes, and three wings—each sprouting not from his back, but from behind his ear. The lowest wing was white, the middle black, and the highest mirrored starlight.
He looked at Xyrus—and in that gaze, the prince felt thousands of eyes looking through him, emotions clashing: Lust. Pride. Wrath. Kindness. Sadness. Love. All at once.
Xyrus didn't flinch.
"I don't fear destruction," he said quietly. "Only ignorance of the world around me."
The man smiled.
"My name is Myrelth… or ???. I am the Anchor of Time."
Xyrus raised an eyebrow. "Then, Myrelth—what have I been summoned for?"
Myrelth leaned forward.
"Here are your quest details… from the Divine Council."
---
[Back to Present]
Xyrus stood before the Tree of Fate once again. Without another word, he raised his hand—sigil glowing—and touched the bark.
A pulse.
The world… cracked.
> [Warning: Dimensional Instability Detected]
[Abyssal Residue Flare – Triggered]
[Fate Binding Initiated – Subject: Xyrus]
[Temporal Anchor Lost – Emergency Protocol: Rebirth Through Time]
"Xyrus!" Antrodhes shouted.
But it was too late.
Light exploded. Space twisted. Time convulsed.
The very fabric of reality shattered like glass.
---
Xyrus vanished.
In his place, only a faint shimmer of the sigil remained—his fate now guarded by the Tree of Fate.
[End of Prologue]