Noah Heavenfall.
The main character of the story, the protagonist, the hero.
Like many stories out there, Noah will undergo many trials, meet adversaries, yet move forward to a better tomorrow.
In a world where foes are vastly superior in every way compared to humans, sacrifices had to be made.
A story that wasn't lighthearted in the slightest.
Because of that, Noah, who lost everything since the beginning, was never an expressive person to begin with.
He was stoic, awkward, and one who wishes to end all suffering— even if he perishes at the end to save everyone.
…But what if things were different? What if fate took an alternate turn influenced by an outsider?
No matter how insignificant it was, chains of events will happen, triggering the infamous butterfly effect.
From their first meeting to being stranded together in another dimension, many things have changed in a short amount of time.
Noah, who always felt alone and shouldered a heavy burden, met someone he, out of all people, could depend on.
A single nudge was all it takes to completely change Noah's personality, whom always seemed so refined—
—Had his stomach grumble due to hunger.
—Groowl…
'…Hungry.'
Noah opened his eyes and woke up from a dream.
'When was the last time I ate a proper meal?'
Ever since Noah and Kuro were transported to Aleph, he lost track due to how abnormal this situation is.
From talking to each other in a cafe as civilized people (Noah was being creepy) to falling into another dimension, chased by grotesque monsters…
Only now he felt hungry because of the smell that came from somewhere in their temporary shelter.
'Is this smell coming from the kitchen?'
Noah sat down and stretched. He noticed that Kuro wasn't on his bed.
Speaking of Kuro, the smell got stronger and Noah saw him holding two plates on both hands. It was for both of them.
"Oh. Morning, you look like shit by the way." The man in question called him out.
"Hmm? You mean my hair?" Noah hovered his hand on his hair, unable to acknowledge his crude language when he recently woke up.
"It's above your right ear."
"Oh, thanks."
—Groowl…
Begging for attention, his stomach grumbled louder, asserting its presence.
His companion, Kuro Cyth, or the now esteemed Kuro Historia must've cooked something incredible for the kitchen to smell so good that he woke up.
"You're that hungry, huh? Good timing. Let's eat."
—Thud!
Kuro placed two plates on the table near the kitchen; one for Noah and for himself.
"G-Gulp…!"
Noah expected to eat nothing or luckily, something at least edible in another dimension, devoid of life. Though he didn't expect to be served such high-quality meat down here.
To him, Kuro's identity was still a huge mystery.
The more he knew, the more questions he had.
Yes, he's a person from another world and his lineage was of the Historia family, but his vast knowledge about everything was the most suspicious of them all.
'Kgh…! That can wait after I eat. The food smells so good I'm gonna start drooling…'
—All of these questions were forgotten due to the sweet scent of the food.
As a favor for his first friend that didn't try to murder him, he'll set these thoughts aside and prioritize filling his stomach.
Intruding someone's secret wasn't a good idea anyways.
=======
"Today's menu is steak."
I placed our food on the table. It wasn't the type of food you'd see in a place that isn't from our original world.
"Wait- Meat?!"
Noah gasped in shock, confused how I obtained two slabs of meat.
"Yep, Meat. This place has frozen foods including meat for some reason." I opened the refrigerator-looking thing behind the stove.
"Are… are they safe to eat?"
"Surprisingly… yes."
I nodded my head to guarantee that the food in their fridge was, in fact, safe to eat.
Well… it really wasn't a refrigerator, but a magic storage where time stopped.
"They also had spices, salt and pepper, so I used them." I showed him where the seasonings were located, putting my hands inside the dimensional… fridge, storage, whatever.
'How do these things even work?' I looked at the odd looking refrigerator that stored all of these ingredients.
What surprised me the most was that this fridge, after thousands of years in a perpetual state deep inside another dimension… it was still working.
The food was still good and fresh, as if time had truly stopped.
Time Magic was a Magic Art that does not exist. It might require several decades to grasp how it works, this isn't even including the amount of mana it needs.
—Snap!
'…I should take a picture of this just in case." I took a photo in case I wanted to learn Time Magic
It's worth a try, you know? Not like I want one for myself or anything!
"Oh my god, mhgphm… so good…!" Busy admiring the artifacts (it was a fridge) in Eclecia, Noah was in bliss, eating his portion of meat.
"Once I get out of here, I'll start a new religion based off of you."
"No."
At the dining table in the house we borrowed, we ate breakfast in a beautiful, yet lonely house.
Safe to say that Noah and I focused on the present rather than remembering what happened yesterday with delicious food.
"Ugh… this is divine…" Noah actually cried from happiness.
"…Is it that good?" I tilted my head. Seeing him eat so hearty made me hungry as well.
"Munch munch… are you saying that to show off?"
"Oh… no, I wasn't. Hmm… that's good then."
Compared to my siblings who threw away my food like trash, this guy was the opposite. He takes every chance he gets and compliments my food.
As much as my sisters want to hide it, they can't deny that the food I make was great. They hated it because it was made by me.
"…Hmph." I grunted, a little happy that someone complimented my food.
I'll never get to meet them again, but if I do, I hope they eat horrible food for the next few days.
"You know, you should open up a restaurant, you'll be successful."
"Sounds fun, but I have other plans in the future."
"Aw… well, can't be helped I guess."
Noah sulked and played around with the spoon, slouching in his chair.
"Give me that."
—Fwip!
I took his spoon and washed it with magic because he kept playing with it, turning it spotless.
"…Interesting, I didn't know you could use magic like that."
"Is that a compliment from you?"
"No, it's called wasting your talent."
"Hah, would you believe me I developed my control to do small chores like these?"
"…" He turned silent.
Noah mostly likely used the Eyes of Verity just now.
"…You, you're insane."
"Then go cry about it." I perked my chest and found that as a compliment.
=======
'Alright… ready?"
"I'm ready."
After I drove him insane, it's time to move to our destination and obtain the artifact in the center of Eclecia's capital, Celia.
Our long needed rest came to a close. Next stop, the tower from afar.
This will be a dangerous journey that will be filled with otherworldly monsters, but there is no more turning back. Not anymore.
—Ving!
I opened the automatic door and, like before, reality struck us once again.
A city filled with architecture incomparable to the current technology on Earth.
Its gloomy, vast and spacious environment felt eerie, a remnant of an ancient civilization.
—This place truly screams, a Fallen Kingdom.
"…I forgot we are stuck in a place like this."
For safety measures, we weren't using any light sources since Eldias might be attracted to them.
"Alright, let's go." I marched on ahead.
Noah and I were planning to go to the tower that connected the inverted spaces.
Returning to our main goal comes after we get ourselves the artifact that allows us to protect ourselves.
"Still… how on earth were they wiped out so easily despite having the technology to do all of this…?"
Noah looked at the world above, astonished by the supernatural structures.
"Just like the family we saw yesterday, everyone in the capital of Eclecia was infected by a virus with no cure." I marked the most notable fact of the disease— no cure.
His eyes turned grim and remembered the family who tried to protect their child.
"That was the work of a single virus?"
"Yes. It's called Vanum, named after the one who discovered it."
I recalled how the victims of the Vanum Virus looked, their shadows there forever, marking their demise.
They weren't the only victims.
Every house, every structure, every building, everything that had a roof,
Millions of shadows lingered, remnants of what they once were.
Noah and I… were walking over corpses, disturbing their ungodly graves. A purgatory that is not fit to be their resting place.
"…It's a deadly disease that devours you whole, soul and body. Leaving only your shadow behind."
"…What a horrible disease." Noah shivered at the thought.
If Eclecia couldn't find a cure for this, then no one can.
"Ahem… in any case, we can't stay in this city for too long. There's a chance we won't come back alive."
"Alright… wait, you mean, the v-virus is still airborne?"
"Hmm, not so sure, but it's better to be safe and sound."
I increased my walking speed and didn't pay attention to Noah's stuttering.
"…Alright." Noah silently nodded.
It's obvious that he was scared by the disease that took over Eclecia.
…Well, he's still 17 years old so that explains a lot. But I'm also 17… plus 27.
So currently, I'm… a 44 year old uncle telling horror stories to a kid.
…Dammit, I completely forgot about the vast age difference between the both of us.
"Ahem! No need to worry about it! As scary as it sounds, it's easy to discern if it's the virus or not." I gave him some good news so he doesn't think about it too much.
"From what I know, Vanum are just a bunch of flying microorganisms— or insects, that multiply at a terrifying pace. They come in such large numbers that they turn into a black and red mist that can cover the whole city." I spat out definitely credible info as if I were reading from a script.
"But they don't multiply if they aren't in contact with a human being, so as long as you don't let even one inside you, it'll be fine!" I gave a thumbs up and patted his shoulder.
"So don't be too tense. Besides, isn't the situation we are in much more dangerous than some weird, ancient virus?"
"…Don't say that."
"Hmmm, what do you mean?"
"…"
"…"
"Do you wanna know more about Ecleci-"
"Shut up."
"Okay."
…
…
Since when was this guy a scaredy cat?