"The Golden Continent is the strongest nation. With the power to face the world, they withhold it against their foes to fight the greater evil of tomorrow. Great be upon them and its citizens."— Aleric Flourd; December 6, 1967.
In the grandeur city of Angelica, giant, palm-like trees gleam under the warm, soothing breeze—their brightness ever so gracefully shining on the lively grass below.
The streets pulse with life. Street angels stand on corners, their harmonious hymns filling the air. "O' Mary, O' Mary, you come with my heart. Bring forth your great love, and make me all the more. For love, I have waited; it's all in your hands. Give me all your attention as this is my stand."
Each street angel's voice eased the shoulders of stress workers and relaxed the citizens' hardworking minds. Passerby's drop coins into their palms and go on about their day.
Inside bustling bars, chaos reigns as many gather as brethren—regardless of race, political, or social stature—to watch the airball tournament.
A massive TV broadcasts an airball tournament: an angel deftly evades the opponents' tackles with ease, causing the crowd to chant his name: "Ralsee! Ralsee! Ralsee!"
Ralsss nears the goal, but his flag is swiftly snatched by the rival team's speedster, ceasing his near-flawless run. The crowd explodes in outrage: "WHAT!" "Unfair!" "Really?!" "HOW?!" "BOO!"
Drinks fly and glasses shatter around the bar at the team's expense. The employees armed themselves with riot shields with practiced sighs.
Bartender: "Mr. Hassam doesn't pay us this much to babysit these sport fans. Why are we the only bar to not have a ban list?"
Janitor: "Amen."
Waitress: "I'm gonna ask him for a raise."
Waiter: "I'm coming with you and he better say yes."
Naïve cook: "Oo~, are we gonna do a revolution or some 'cause I'm down for it."
Security Guard: "Pimelo, you better not be afraid of prison then."
Outside relaxing hours, hard laboring workers toil tirelessly till night to please the consumers.
In a average toy shop, a young fairy sighs, arranging the remaining plush dragons on the highest shelf. "Replenishing my Phylx after a day's worth is so exhausting. We should've sold our building to the Gamapo company ages ago. That money could've brought us an island—oh, or a resort. We could've become shareholders with that money."
An elder fairy pats his back, letting out a belly laugh. "Tell me about it. But as long as business thrives, we'll manage, son. This right here"—he pats the walls—" has been in our hands for nearly seven hundred and forty years, and it's not coming out now. Some might call this generational trauma, but we call this life."
"Life of a miserable fairy," the son mutters.
The father steps closer, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I was once like you—rebellious, dreaming bigger. But I outgrew my rebellious phase and took up my responsibilities. We've built a reputation around here for being genuine with our craft. More so, many view us like it's the fortieth wonder of the world. I know it'll make you unhappy, but you gotta keep a smile on your face, even when it's tough."
The son slowly looks down at his hands, silent in thought. "Oh.. okay.."
Far from the chaos of communion, the onlookers of neutrality, the laborers of tomorrow, and drama filled beings comes the next challenger for Elrus, for he is what's important.
In a quiet hospital, an angelic woman grips her husband's hand during labor.
"Let me ease your pain, dear," David offers.
She smiles, her eyes sparkling in admiration. "Thank you, David. I really appreciate it."
The doctors enter the room in time to hear parts of their conversation.
One of the doctors, a young maiden, quickly butts in. "Easy, love birds. We'll supervise from here on out to avoid any complications. She'll be fine, sir. Leave it to us until you are required."
The doctors quickly settle in. The first doctor positions herself between the angelic woman's legs, while the other checks the vitals. Once settled, the doctor signals them to begin.
Healing magic flows from their hands while the doctors make haste with their craft. Soon enough, a newborn weeps in the doctor's arms. As they inspected the baby for any signs of illness or disability, they instead froze in awe.
The infant gleams faintly, his wet wings shimmering brightly, and his eyes more luminous than those of a typical Genesis angel.
"A charged Genesis baby?" one whispers.
"Unbelievable… this is my first time seeing one of this caliber!" the female doctor cries.
David and Sphyla stare in awe.
"God has blessed us," David exclaims, tears streaming from his cheeks.
"Indeed," Sphyla says faintly.
Sphyla reaches out and grabs her baby, cradling the newborn in his arms, murmuring. "Just what will you become, little one?"
The life of Kailus:
—When the boy grew to be eight, David sets him on the ground.
"Okay Kailus, as your first training, I'll need you to do one thing for papa." He gestures to a young, wounded dove frantically staring at them. "Can you heal it?"
"Okay, daddy!" Kailus walks up to the dove with a big grin. "Don't worry dovey, I'll heal you."
The dove tries to run away but his legs were too damage. Kailus grabs ahold of the dove, and in an instant, the dove's leg were back to normal as if nothing happened.
"Okay ducky, you can go now!" Kailus says, letting go of the dove.
The dove pauses for a while before running into the forest.
David watches it in awe. "Look as you, buddy. Your powers are already kicking in."
"My father, David, trained me under the Solomon Rule for the first time. My first task was simple, healing animals and whatnot, but it had grown harder over time—or so I thought."
—At ten years old, he ventures into the hidden library beneath his home. As he aimlessly wanders, he stumbles upon his father's open autobiography.
Overwhelmed by curiosity, he takes a glimpse at its content: "During my teenage years, my sister ate my chocolate ice cream, so as a consequence, I dunked her toothbrush in the toilet. You like to steal ice cream, huh? How about you taste its remains! She used it for 4 years, and I never said anything about it ever again."
Kailus was disgusted yet immersed in his father's younger self. He was tempted to read more, but his fear of being caught kept him at bay.
"I know reading a living relative's book is forbidden, but it was just too irresistible. But~, the book proves one thing, and one thing only, and that's my Father's pettiness. I still remember he pushed me to the point of exhaustion over a two-topping sandwich. A sandwich you could've made in three minutes! After all, he's the same man as yesterday and forevermore."
—When Kailus is twelve, his mother drags him into the hospital. "Sweetie, don't be a problem for mother. You hardly do anything with me. We're just going to see your auntie and that'll be it. Will you calm down?"
"No, I don't want to," Kailus whines. "I want to go home and talk to Jessica."
Sphyla grasp his arm with a tight grip. "You will come and that's final," her voice demanding.
Kailus has no choice but to oblige. With his head tilted low, he walked sluggishly throughout the hospital.
"I was forced to visit Aunt Anabel during her break. I thought it'd be boring, but while they were chatting, I managed to sip some of Auntie's poison liquor. Guess what? It was absolutely disgusting! Honestly, made my time there worse. I don't really get the hype for it. And now looking back, why was she even drinking near patients?"
—At sixteen years old, Kailus, with his father, enters the Vampire Queen's estate.
"Father calls it 'training', but she drank more than I could regenerate, and I'm a CHARGED GENESIS ANGEL! I was stiff for days, missed a week of school, and had a nervous breakdown. And all he gave me was a golden bracelet to make up for it—pathetic."
—At eighteen, he reclines with his parents on a branch, watching the amazing view.
"Son, are you ready to leave?" David asks.
"…yes, I think I'm ready," Kailus says, staring at the sunset.
Sphyla holds his arm. "Then promise us you'll come back here when you have grandkids of your own."
"That's if I can find one," Kailius adds.
David and Sphyla laugh at Kailus' response as the sun fades in th distance.
"At eighteen, I finally left my home for the Oldest Solomon College," he wrote, "ready to begin anew and leave this life behind… Oh yeah, the branch beneath us broke, and my father forgot to fly. So he fell twenty-seven feet down and broke his spinal cord. Karma~!"
As he's writing in his autobiography, Sphyla yells out. "Kailus, sweetie, come out of the library or you'll miss your first day!"
"It's time already?" Kailus mumbles to himself. "I thought I'd be done by then."
He leaps up in an instant and grabs his autobiography.
'The college opens to all who turn eighteen across the Golden Continent with a 100% rate. It's meant to teach economics, social cues, intense biology (you know what that means), and you get the point—it's to prepare everyone for the real world. I only heard of it through whispers about its own economy system. Everything I've heard about it sounds so amazing!'
Kailus rushes to his room, but his parents stop him at the door.
Sphyla smothers him with kisses, causing him to drop his book. "Oh, Kalie, how you've grown so much. Be sure to take care of yourself," she says.
David hugs him tightly. "Train daily, son. And stay strong like your father. Trust in God for stability like always."
Kailus nods proudly with a hint of irritation. "Yes, Father."
Sphyla pouts. "No love for me? Oh, how you've always been a daddy's boy your entire life. I still remember when you were, but a mere child, flying for the first time. I opened my arms, expecting your precious presence in between them, because that's what all babies do: 'Favor their mother'. But oh nooo~, instead, you went into your bumbling-idiot dad! He didn't even see it coming. But I guess that's what I get for getting my hopes up in having a mama's boy."
David pulls her close, gently pinching her cheek. "Well, at least you have me..."
"Save that for the bedroom," she quips, turning her head away.
Kailus, not wanting to add any substance to the conversation, picks up his book and enters his room.
While he's packing, the eye watches from above. The flying eye, a pure black and white star, stares with elongated pupils, her presence bringing an odd aura as if she can conjure up an abyss from within. Her wings flapped continuously in the air—alerting anyone to her presence.
Kailus smiles. "Why are you always thinking? You barely said anything yesterday."
Jessica responds blankly. "I'm still trying to process the elimination of you from this household."
Kailus puts his shoe boxes and undergarments in the suitcase. "That's a weird way to put it into perspective."
Jessica replies. "It's not really. I've seen all parts of your life. From spoiledness to accountability, I'm surprised you were able to find adulthood years before the moment came. Many of my own lack merely two years behind their maturity. You should be grateful for your foresight. Many, and I mean many, successful people exude a different aura around them. And I can sense that very well within you."
Kailus stops packing and stares at her. "Don't mention my spoiledness again."
Jessica widens her eyelids for a bit. She then blinks irregularly, signaling her understanding.
He finishes packing his suitcases and leaves his room. David and Sphyla are loudly speaking in the living room.
'This is my chance to leave without another monologue. Sweet baby Jesus, here I come!'
As he grips the front door, Sphyla suddenly calls out. "One last thing, sweetie," she says, hurriedly running toward him.
She grasps both of his hands and looks him dead in the eye. "Learn to forgive yourself. I hear you at night screaming in your room at things you should've forgiven yourself years ago."
A vivid memory surfaces:
In class, the teacher announces. "Take notes—this is for your finals."
He looks around in his bag to find nothing.
'Aww, I've given all of my pencils to my friends. I hope my classmates have some spare ones.'
He asks the bunny girl beside him. "Do you have a pencil?"
She scoffs loudly. "How about you get your own supplies? This isn't daycare, Kailus!"
The class roared with laughter as Kailus sank into his seat, mortified.
Flashback ends.
Kailus jerks back to the present as Sphyla hugs him. "Just don't embarrass yourself, darling."
Kailus lightly nods. "I will," he says with feigned confidence.
He waves one last time before stepping outside and taking off. They wave back with tears in their eyes, watching their child disappear in the distance—leaving them for the last time.
When he's out of view, David pinches Sphyla's waist, causing her to yelp. "Great, you reminded him of that."
She smacks his head. "I was just being cautious!"
"You know that's my weak spot!" David groans.
Sphyla whispers into his ear. "How about I make it up since the house is empty?"
"Fine," he mumbles, rubbing his head.
Jessica exits Kailus' room. "David, Sphyla, let me follow the boy for just a moment."
Meanwhile:
Outside, Kailus soars ahead, passing many along the way. Angelica's golden roads gleam, lined with shops, bars, and entertainment venues—forever vibrant.
On speakers, The Magical Musicians' vocals drift throughout the area, enchanting the air around: "I know that you believe~ that good is defeated, but I'll tell you that the coin's on the roll. Hope did it! (Yeah) Hope did it! Now that the coin's on the roll."
"Ah, "Last Chance" was one of my favorites when I was five," Kailus sighs heavily, reflecting on his time.
'Now that I'm leaving my home for a place full of strangers, it feels isolating. Yes, I was silent for most of my time, but it's because they always deviate the conversation into 'Lovey Dovey', rather than about me. Losing my only source of comfort is my greatest fear—and fear, one way or another, always comes to challenge me out of all beings. Now, I'm left with only myself, my parents' lessons, and no allies to save me. I-I think I'm prepared for what's about to happen.'I