Kaiser gasped as the present snapped back into focus. The warmth of the hot spring replaced the freezing cold of the memory, but his body was still tense, his mind struggling to process what he’d just seen. Across from him, Shizuka blinked rapidly, her expression equally tight with disbelief.
“That… what the hell was that?” Kaiser muttered, his voice low, still shaken.
Shizuka inhaled deeply, rubbing her temples as she stared into the steaming water. “I… I don’t know,” she admitted. “Events from the Primordial Era aren’t well-documented. It’s as far back as 0 UE to 1000 UE, and most of what we know is vague at best.”
Kaiser shook his head, the image of the cyan-haired girl and the tragedy still fresh in his mind.
Shizuka slowly raised her eyes to meet his, still visibly shaken by the experience. “I’ll need to research this. Whatever we saw… I don’t think it’s just an isolated memory. We need to keep looking.”
Kaiser frowned. “What do you mean? There’s more?”
“Yes. I plan to do this for every district, covering all seven Timeline Eras.”
Kaiser’s tension began to ease, his mind already processing her plan. “That’s a lot to take in. But if it helps us figure out this prophecy, I’m all in.”
Shizuka nodded, her emerald eyes reflecting the same determination. “Exactly. If the prophecy is real, we might find evidence in the memories of other eras. And if not… well, it confirms that it might be fabricated.”
Kaiser and Shizuka left the hot springs in silence. They climbed into the sleek carriage waiting for them. The Mystic District loomed ahead. The towering castles, with their rooftops curved like sweeping wings, loomed above, each adorned with banners fluttering in the wind.
The streets were alive with knights in gleaming armor—back when Trionfi was nascent, more of a secret between sorcerers and warlocks. Everyone was gathered in ancient cathedrals dedicated to the Twelve Gods. Stone bridges arched over narrow canals, and cobblestone streets wound through the heart of the district.
Despite his usual indifference to grandeur, the Mystic District caught his attention.
“Here, the old guilds still operate, and knights train for tournaments. If you’re looking for relics of the past, this is where they’ll be.”
Kaiser nodded, his gaze drifting across the district’s battlements and cathedrals.
As they walked, Kaiser glanced at her, the memory of the Primordial Era still fresh. “If Trionfi was so scarce in this era,” he began, “why did the Primordial Era seem so full of it? Trionfi was everywhere.”
Shizuka didn’t pause as she answered. “We don’t know the full reason,” she admitted. “What we do know is that there was an event—a catastrophic one—that nearly wiped Trionfi from Terrarium. The Primordial Era was rich with it, but it became a scarce and hidden art for centuries after that event.”
Kaiser frowned, the mystery deepening in his mind as they turned a corner. The grandeur of the Mystic District remained a backdrop as they arrived at a traditional building with sliding paper doors and an indoor hot spring nestled inside.
Shizuka gestured for him to enter, and as they stepped inside, the warmth of the bath enveloped them once more, though this time, it was different. Servants waited by the side with bowls of fragrant oils and soft towels, ready to massage and pamper them while they drank the tea.
“We’ll be a little more comfortable here,” Shizuka said with a smile as she took her place by the water.
Kaiser nodded and settled in, his mind still turning over the pieces of the past as he prepared for whatever memory lay ahead in the Mystic Age.
The shift into the next memory felt more disorienting than the last. Kaiser found himself standing high within a colossal cathedral, far above a massive crowd that looked like ants scattered below. There was reverent chanting as people prayed in unison to some strange object displayed on a platform in the center. The crowd’s whispers floated upward, carrying on the echoing acoustics of the chamber.
Confused by the scene, Kaiser glanced around. Why were they here? But as he listened closer, he realized the voices around him were in an old version of Terrum. He strained his ears, catching fragments of conversation.
Two figures stood nearby, their faces hidden by ornate masquerade masks. One was unmistakable—a Xavier with golden eyes, crimson hair, and the same shifting markings Kaiser knew so well. But the other…
Kaiser’s breath caught. An Enfa girl with flowing pink hair and pink eyes, her clockwork halo was unmistakably similar to Shizuka’s. They whispered to each other, chuckling in amusement.
“They don’t suspect a thing,” the Xavier murmured with mischief.
“Foolish Acolytes,” the pink-haired Enfa agreed as she playfully smiled.
Before Kaiser could process the strangeness of it all, they kissed. A brief, almost careless kiss, as if it were a regular part of their routine. His stomach twisted in shock, unable to reconcile the sight before him. An Enfa and a Dirvah? He thought.
The Enfa girl suddenly leaped from the high ledge, plummeting toward the ground. For a split second, Kaiser thought she was going to die, but just as she was about to hit the floor, she activated her Chrononfi. Her fall reversed in a blur, and in one fluid motion, she grabbed the object from the platform below—a green jewel swirling with a miniature hurricane inside.
With a rush of Chrononfi energy, she was back beside the Xavier with the jewel clutched in her hand. They both laughed, a carefree, reckless sound, as the cathedral below erupted into chaos. The crowd screamed, panic spreading like wildfire, but the two masked figures seemed to revel in it.
Instantly, they bolted toward the stained glass windows. With a crash, they shattered the glass, leaping into the open air, their laughter echoing as they plummeted toward the ground below. The Xavier acted quickly, raising his hand and summoning a massive bird of shimmering scarlet Trionfi. The bird spread its wings, catching both him and the Aizawa girl just before they could plummet to their deaths. The wind whipped around them as the bird soared, carrying them out of the cathedral and into the open air, far above the panicked masses below.
They clung to the bird, laughing as if they had just pulled off the greatest heist in history. Kaiser watched them in stunned silence. His eyes darted from the Xavier’s golden gaze to the Aizawa girl’s clockwork halo, trying to make sense of everything.
However, Xavier suddenly clutched his head with a pained groan. His body stiffened as though seized by some unseen force, and the bird beneath them faltered. Its wings lost their form as they disintegrated into a flurry of Bionfi energy. They began plummeting toward the ground.
“My love!” the Aizawa girl shouted in panic as she desperately tried to summon her Chrononfi. Her hands moved quickly, reversing the air around them, but the memory cut off before Kaiser could see whether they managed to save themselves.
Everything went dark, and then—
Kaiser snapped back, violently choking on a gasp of air as the steam of the hot springs surrounded him. His heart punded furiously, phantom pain throbbing in his skull from the Xavier in the memory. Across from him, Shizuka gripped the edge of the stone pool, her usual aristocratic composure entirely shattered as she struggled to catch her breath.
“That… what was that?” Kaiser gritted out, wiping sweat from his brow. “They didn't cause an apocalypse. They were just running.”
Shizuka’s fingers trembled as she pressed them to her temples. “I don’t understand,” she whispered. “The Apocalypse of Rewriting... perhaps it’s fabricated after all. But... did you feel that? The sudden severance in the memory?”
Kaiser exhaled heavily, the grim realization settling like a stone in his gut. He looked down at his own hands. “In the Primordial Era, the Necronfi Ascendant murdered the Bionfi Ascendant. In this one, the Xavier was struck down by some unseen force mid-flight. They didn't survive, Shizuka.”
Shizuka’s emerald eyes widened as the pattern locked into place. “Perhaps the prophecy isn't about the world ending,” she murmured, the chill of the thought cutting through the heat of the water. “It’s a curse. A divine failsafe. The universe itself actively purges Enfa and Dirvah unions.”
Kaiser’s jaw clenched. Sapphire was locked in Caspecorgia waiting for him, and if this pattern held true, marrying her was a death sentence. “We need to see more. We need to be sure.”
For a moment, both of them sat in tense silence. The memory had raised more questions than answers, and the truth now seemed more elusive than ever.
Eventually, Kaiser and Shizuka climbed into the carriage again, this time heading toward the coast where the Rogue District awaited. The ride was shorter, and soon, the scent of saltwater hit Kaiser’s nose as they neared the lively coastline.
The Rogue District came into view—a maze of winding streets lined with wooden and stone buildings—their rooftops adorned with sails and rigging. Merchants, sailors, and adventurers moved through the bustling streets, exchanging goods, stories, and the occasional punch in one of the tavern doorways. Trionfi-powered ships hovered just above the district.
“Welcome to the Rogue District,” Shizuka said. “The merchant hub of the Viceroyalty.”
Kaiser glanced out the carriage window. The energy of the place was infectious, a far cry from the more refined districts of Hisakizora. Everything felt wild, alive, and unpolished here—just like the stories of pirates and explorers he’d heard growing up.
The carriage stopped near the docks, where the creaking of wooden planks and the distant calls of seagulls filled the air. Shizuka stepped out first, her kimono catching the breeze as she looked back at Kaiser. “Ready to dive into another memory?” she asked.
Kaiser stepped out, feeling the uneven cobblestone under his boots as he took in the scene around him. The Rogue District was unlike any other—chaotic, but in a way that made him feel more at home. This place didn’t pretend to be something it wasn’t.
“Lead the way,” he said, nodding to Shizuka. As they walked toward a secluded spot by the docks, Kaiser heard merchants shouting over the price of goods and adventurers sharing tales of their latest finds. It was a place of boundless energy, and it felt like anything could happen here.
This time, the hot spring they approached was nestled between two towering ships, the steam rising lazily into the cool coastal air. Shizuka set down the tea service again, and the familiar glow of the Moon Tears shimmered in the cups.
“Let’s see what this time period holds for us,” Shizuka said, handing Kaiser his cup with a smile.
He took the cup, preparing himself for whatever mystery the Rogue Era had hidden in its past.
The memory burst into view as Kaiser blinked, finding himself atop the crow’s nest of a grand pirate ship. The wind howled past him, the smell of saltwater overtaking him. A crimson flag, adorned with the emblem of a red Dirvah with horns, flapped violently above him.
Below, a harsh voice cut through the roaring wind. “Captain! We're in range! Break out the cannons?”
Kaiser turned. Standing confidently atop the crow’s nest was a bearded Xavier, his crimson hair bound tightly beneath a leather wrap. His dark Dirvah markings flared aggressively across his scarred, muscular arms, and his golden eyes were sharp with predatory focus.
“Push the wind, Tempest!” the captain bellowed to the deck below. “Or I’ll strip your feathers to fletch our arrows myself!”
At his command, a bird-like Aves Nalea crewmate channeled a massive burst of Aeronfi into the sails. The wooden hull groaned, surging violently through the crushing waves as it closed the distance on a sleek, heavily armored vessel bearing the flag of Caspecorgia.
“Keep her steady,” the Xavier muttered, a reckless, wicked grin spreading across his face. “We’re paying our old friends a visit.”
Without a word, he dove from the crow’s nest. Plunging through the sea spray, he summoned two heavy Bionfi-infused flintlocks from the ether. He hit the enemy deck with a bone-rattling thud, rolling into a crouch as a Fallen Enfa marines instantly swarmed him.
“Where is Cassiel?” the Xavier barked, twirling the smoking pistols.
An Enfa officer stepped forward, blade drawn. “Captain Cassiel will not grant a savage the pleasure of a duel. You’ll be leaving empty-handed.”
The Red Dirvah let out a dark, roaring laugh. “Empty-handed? Not today.” His pistols flashed. Three precise, lethal bursts of life-energy punched through the Enfa marines, dropping them instantly. “Hand over the Gaian ice-witch you took, and I might let the rest of your crew live.”
More marines charged. The Xavier captain flowed through them with terrifying agility, his pistols blazing. “Tell your captain to show her face before I send the lot of you to Xenovia myself!”
The sound of footsteps echoed from the cabin, and Kaiser turned to see her. A tall, striking Enfa with her hair tied back into a sleek ponytail. Her halo glowed faintly above her head. Her black hair had purple highlights that shimmered in the light, and her purple eyes fixed on the Xavier captain with a look that could freeze fire.
“Still running your mouth?” she asked with a smirk. Her tone was sharp, but her smile said otherwise. “Some things never change.”
Red Dirvah lowered his pistols slightly. “Cassy,” he said, drawing out her name in a slow, mocking tone. “I knew ya' couldn’t stay away. We’ve always been a storm waitin’ to happen, haven’t we?”
She narrowed her eyes. “You always did have a knack for dramatics, love.”
Kaiser held his breath. It was clear from the tension in their words—they had a history together.
Without warning, Cassiel snapped her fingers. The sailors the Xavier captain had just gunned down stirred, rising from where they had fallen. Their eyes glowed a faint purple, with jerky and unnatural movements.
“Ah, ya' dirty cheat!” Red Dirvah barked with a laugh. “Always fightin’ dirty.”
Cassiel shrugged, keeping her smirk. “If you wanted a fair fight, you came to the wrong ship, love.”
The deck erupted into chaos as the reanimated Enfa sailors lunged at the Xavier captain, their lifeless eyes fixed on him. Red Dirvah dodged and weaved, his pistols blazing as he fired into the approaching horde. Each shot dropped one of the undead, but they kept coming, closing in with lifeless persistence. Cassiel stood back, watching with that same amused smirk.
“Ya' always did like it rough, didn’t ya', Cassy?” the captain said with a grin.
As the fight raged on, the door to one of the ship’s lower cabins burst open. A young girl with cyan hair stumbled out, her eyes wide with fear. Kaiser’s heart lurched as he saw her—she was a Gaian—nearly identical to the woman in the first memory.
“Please, you need to trust me!” the girl screamed.
Red Dirvah hesitated for just a split second, turning his head toward her. “What are you doin’ out here?!” he yelled, but his attention had already slipped.
Cassiel saw her chance. With a swift movement, she swung her scythe, its blade shimmering with Necronfi. It pierced through the Xavier captain’s chest with a crunch. His pistols clattered to the deck as he gasped, blood seeping from the wound.
Cassiel’s smirk faltered momentarily as she looked into his eyes—her fingers tightening around the hilt of her scythe. “You always did have a weak spot for the helpless, love,” she whispered, her voice softer now. She leaned in close, her lips brushing against his in a fleeting, tender kiss. “And I still can’t thank you enough for that.”
Her Enfa markings dimmed, and her halo slightly lowered as she murmured, “Goodbye, my love. And… thank you.”
With a sharp, deliberate shove, she pushed him backward, sending his body crashing into the churning water below. Her gaze lingered on his sinking form for a moment before turning away as her expression hardened once more.
