— Edryan Queendom: Wyvern Roost, Year: 7291. Season: Color Fading.

The moment I walked into the room, a figure rushed toward me. My eyes widened in surprise and a small grunt escaped my lips.

“You should have woken me,” Madria said into my shirt as she squeezed tighter, arms wrapped around my back in a crushing hug.

Her body pressed against me and her scent entered my nose in a deep inhale. She wasn’t in the perfect state she normally presented herself in. Her hair and clothes were disheveled, and I was certain she hadn’t washed in a few days. It didn’t matter as we stood there silently.

My heart softened, and my remaining arm gently returned the hug using much less force, as I didn’t want the action to translate into an attack. A big sniff came from the young woman hugging me, and a patch of my shirt grew damp.

“Thank you,” I began, pointedly not staring at Minerva as the owl smirked at me. “…thank you for saving me.”

Madria sniffed and swiftly moved back, turning away in the process. Her hands moved up to swiftly wipe her eyes and fix her clothing. Minerva flew over and landed on my right shoulder.

‘ Now, you’re a real comic protagonist! The only thing you’re missing is your robotic arm! ’ Minerva teased before her face began rubbing against mine in affection.

My thoughts paused on her last sentence, but the idea was put aside as Madria finished.

Once she found herself presentable, she turned and faced me. “You saved my life, nearly at the cost of your own.”

“I did,” my gaze locking into hers.

Madria stepped forward and her hand flew.

SLAP!

There was no pain, and my face only moved out of instinct, but I found myself surprised at the actions of Madria. I turned back to face her, confusion in my eyes.

“There can be another Madria Gamal… but Edryan only has its one [Chosen of Madris]. Edryan only has one Lawruthian Edryani. Your life is far more valuable than mine. If such a situation arises again… let… me… die ,” she whispered the ending softly. Her rustic golden eyes filled with the power of divinity, faith, and more gazed deeply into my own eyes as she waited for my response.

“ No. ”

My voice was soft and my eyes gentle. They flickered to [A Mother’s Gift] which remained around Madria’s neck before they locked back into her eyes.

“You don’t get to decide who I can and can’t save. You don’t get to decide…”

‘ …What it means for me to be a hero. ’

For a brief moment, the remnants of Celina’s face flashed and superseded Madria’s. Then it merged and dispersed to reveal Madria once again. This was the second time I sacrificed myself. Both situations different… both situations the same . Only this time I got to keep my life.

Madria sighed and turned away. She walked to the bed and sat while fiddling with the necklace still around her neck. I moved to join her, Minerva on my shoulder. We sat in silence for a few minutes. Each in our thoughts before the conversation picked up as Madria asked a question.

“Have you met the Aspect Rasheed?”

I nodded, my eyes hardening. “A dragon, the Dragon. The [End of Adventure] is not what I expected.”

“Perhaps it is because we arrived under the circumstances we did,” Madria began. She took a deep breath and her eyes roamed my figure. She reached a hand out and gently placed it on my knee, the touch of healing magic flowed into me but did nothing.

“I’m ok, you saved my life.”

“Only after you saved mine.”

“I guess we’re even then,” I replied with a small smirk.

The conversation took a pause here once again as we both collected our thoughts.

“What… what exactly happened? The war… the {Magenta Mirage}… what was all of that?”

My face hardened, and my mind drifted back to the war and the illusions displayed. My mind drifted to the Demigoddess Kubrat. I was probably the only one to know what truly happened on the battlefield. Kubrat disappeared before anyone else was released from her illusions, and I held no clue what an outside observer may have seen during the events of Starglow Valley.

“Nearly from the moment we entered the valley… we were under the effect of a demigoddess. The Demigoddess Kubrat of Illusion seemed to put everyone, including the members of the Spatial Convocation, into a realistic illusion.”

Madria’s eyes widened, and her hand flew to her mouth as she covered it in shock. She gasped and quickly questioned me. “How do you know? A rogue demigoddess in Edryan? What did she want?”

Her eyes showed concern and a slight terror to them. As I began to tell her of Kubrat, Madria put her hands forward and offered a quick, silent prayer to the Goddess.

“I know because she spoke to me… and she wanted an audience with the Goddess… she wanted to join the Pantheon of New Genesis…”

The puzzle called the Elrunian Continen-, no, Genesis Realm… was on the table in sections and pieces before me. Pieces of a mystery were scattered and held outside my grasp, but things were beginning to come together. What I knew was Elrunian was the name of the God of Creation or something along those lines of this world, a tragedy struct which killed him and his fellow creation Gods off. Remnants of whatever event took place since the Jagged Crush were left behind. At least that was my thought process on it all… and I had a feeling the answers I sought to nearly all of these questions were held a short-distance away.

“What will happen since you are missing… the Queen… my mother… we have to return to Edrya as quickly as possible,” Madria responded, her gaze worried.

“We do…” I began slowly. “…but that’s only if the Aspect will let us leave. I do not understand what he is beside a dragon, but he is extremely powerful. I do not know if he will let us leave… at least without a price…”

Madria frown. “Aspect Rasheed has been nothing but cordial. He was the one to save us from freezing to death… why would he…,” her voice trailed off.

“Because of who I am,” I responded.

Madria sighed and she gazed away. “What will happen to Edryan if word spreads…”

“I… don’t know…,” I hesitantly said. I truly didn’t know how Edrya would react, but I did know how my mother would. “What do you think?”

She turned and looked back at me. Her eyes were steely and held the same faith, belief, and worship they always held when looking at me. “A purge of Starglow Valley at the very minimum. Your mother may declare them heretics if my own doesn’t. They will kill every single person who has stepped from the valley. No man, woman, or child will be spared.”

A heaviness settled on my shoulders, but I did not find myself remorseful about the fate of the inhabitants of Starglow Valley. The hubris of their leaders was what resulted in the start of the conflict between them and me. I held my responsibilities and prestige to maintain as the [Chosen of Madris]. For me to come before the Spatial Convocation and bow to them was nearly the same as Goddess Madris bowing to them. I was the [Holy Prince of Edryan] sole heir to the throne. I bowed before no mortals.

Minerva bristled at the thoughts that passed through my mind, but she did not comment. She knew there was no other way, without wasting years of time that we didn’t have. The clock was ticking down and within nine years and six months I would have to start a war to unify the continent… but what if there were other ways besides starting a continental war ?

What if I could start a United Nations of sorts? What if I invited leaders or their representatives to Edrya in hopes of stopping this conflict before it could start? Before I could ponder over this idea, a growling sound emerged.

Status Effect: De-Buff
Name:	{Hunger}
Description:	Uh, Oh! You haven’t eaten in a while. That’s not good.
Function:	-25% reduction to all regeneration stats.

I smiled ruefully at the loud sound, and Madria jumped up in a panic.

“Let me prepare you something,” she exclaimed as she rushed to the door. The heavy atmosphere that previously existed was gone by the interruption.

“Let me help!”

I stood and quickly followed Madria. It’d been a long time since I got to cook my own meals.

---

“Status,” I spoke, rubbing my full belly in the process. Madria sat a distance away, doing much of the same.

“Who do you think came up with all these recipes LSG sales? Did you believe they fell from the sky?”

“…well, no , but you cooking them never crossed my mind. I…,” Madria paused here, her eyes roaming up and down an invisible screen before she looked at me. “I guess I never imagined you to be so…”

“Human?”

Her eyes glanced over at mine briefly before gazing back at her status. We sat there in silence as she formulated her response. We found ourselves in a small dining area connected to the kitchen. The stone room lacked decor and was clearing meant for the servants of the structure we found ourselves in. Unfortunately, we hadn’t seen sign of such servants, but the small kitchen was fully stocked with food. We sat on a roughly cushioned bench as we formulated our next actions and updated our status. I began by quickly allocating the five levels I gained into my second class and unlocking my five new skill slots.

Lawruthian Imperius Koltius Edryani – Level 40
HP: 675/675 (+300) SP: 675/675 (+420) MP: 960/960 (+420)		Base Atk: 120 (+95) Base Def: 73 (+59)	HP Regen: 33/Hour (+18) SP Regen: 33/Hour (+26) MP Regen: 47/Hour (+26)
Bloodline: ‎ [+]	Race: ‎ Magi-Human	Main Class: [Imperius Golemlord] - 30	Perks: Codex of Earth
Power: 240 (+190)		2nd Class: [Holy Prince of Edryan] - 10	Core Skills: [+]
Vitality: 225 (+100)		3rd Class: [LOCKED]	Racial Skills: [+]
Endurance: 225 (+140)		Faith: Goddess Madris	Status Effects: [+]
Mind: 320 (+140)		Faction: ‎ Imperius	Equipped: Basic Linens
Self: 176 (+150)		Faction Benefits:	Skills: [+]
Intent: 205 (+140)		Achievements: [+]	Active Quest: [+]
Magic Affinity: -
Attribute Points: 190

Five class skill slots have been unlocked for [Holy Prince of Edryan]. Please choose your next five skills.

I studied my status and pulled up a list of my skills for [Imperius Golemlord], [Holy Prince of Edryan], bloodline skills, and my general skills. My first class build was heavily influenced by the need to build and improve golems, but with all the current events I hadn’t had much opportunity to use the skills related. Minerva’s earlier words really stuck around as I glanced toward my missing right arm. I doubt Madria held the mana and ability to cast (Madris’s Touch) or (Breaking Dawn Last Night). These were mythical level healing spells that could restore the use of my right limb by completely regenerating it. I didn’t know what the Aspect Rasheed would do, but having full control of my limbs and getting rid of the {Crippled} de-buff was a necessary step in ensuring my, and Madria’s safety.

Skill List
[Imperius Golemlord]
CORE: (Imperius Battlelord)	CORE: (Imperius Synchronization)
CORE: (Party)
(Rune-Scribing of Elevation)	(Golem Forging)
(Golem Commander)	(Emergency Repairs)
(Overclocked)	(Golem Reconstruction)
(Critical Mass)	(Imperius Infusion)
(Heroic Sentinel)	(Grasping Talons)
[Holy Prince of Edryan]
CORE: (Strength of a Nation)	CORE: (Political Mind)
CORE: (Crown’s Blessing)
(Diplomatic Immunity)	(Sword of Edryan)
(Blessed Dominion)	(Shield of Edryan)
(Challenger’s Strike)
Bloodline Skills
(Magic’s Embrace)	(Unrivaled Might)
(Soul’s Burden)
General Skills
(Skill Prowess)	(Mindfulness)
(Parallel Casting)	(Forefather of Edryan Innovation)
(Imperius Combat Arts)	(The King’s Indifference)
(Elemental Harmonization)	Empty

“…human was not the word I was looking for,” Madria suddenly spoke.

“I never imagined you to be so… common. It is no wonder, the citizens of Edryan love you so. Outside just your status as [Chosen of Madris], you can relate to them far greater than most scions of a high noble house.”

I smiled and spoke, “…the same red blood that flows through my veins, flows through theirs as well. I see no reason to act differently.”

My first class skills were entirely formatted to taking care of golems and utilizing them effectively. Although it was an illusion, the Battle of Starglow Valley taught me much of what I lacked.

‘ I don’t understand how to fight large-scale battles in conjunction with my golems. ’

‘ I think it’s not that, the battle was outside our expectations. A demigoddess interfering was…, ’ Minerva responded, but she trailed off, her thought never finished.

‘ Practice will perfect your craft, ’ she finished.

I overviewed my skills in an attempt to know if there was anything I could have done differently, but as I stared at the screen, I realized I did everything I could with the abilities I had available. It was a shame my skillset could not meet the situation perfectly, but the interference of Kubrat and the strike from Thraag taught me valuable lessons. I truly began to understand my strength in this world… and it was far from the top. The power a Touch and Law possess was something far outside my reach. Yet, the destruction and change each law could cause onto reality was something I had to prepare for. If I were to ever conquer the Genesis Realm in its entirety… fighting demigods was a necessary step.

My eyes drifted back to my status sheet as I formulated the correct build. Things were shaping up nicely as I kept my Life Points in a decent range from the strangulation of Self. My regeneration was not what it could be, but it was not horrendous.

Lawruthian Imperius Koltius Edryani – Level 40
HP: 825/825 (+300) SP: 765/765 (+420) MP: 1050/1050 (+420)		Base Atk: 120 (+95) Base Def: 73 (+59)	HP Regen: 36/Hour (+18) SP Regen: 34/Hour (+26) MP Regen: 46/Hour (+26)
Bloodline: ‎ [+]	Race: ‎ Magi-Human	Main Class: [Imperius Golemlord] - 30	Perks: Codex of Earth
Power: 286 (+190)		2nd Class: [Holy Prince of Edryan] - 10	Core Skills: [+]
Vitality: 275 (+100)		3rd Class: [LOCKED]	Racial Skills: [+]
Endurance: 255 (+140)		Faith: Goddess Madris	Status Effects: [+]
Mind: 350 (+140)		Faction: ‎ Imperius	Equipped: Basic Linens
Self: 200 (+150)		Faction Benefits:	Skills: [+]
Intent: 215 (+140)		Achievements: [+]	Active Quest: [+]
Magic Affinity: -
Attribute Points: 0

I stood and stretched as I finished updating my status sheet. My eyes focused on my missing arm, and I thought back to the blacksmith sign we passed on our way to the kitchen. I itched to get my hands back into crafting, as our gracious host had yet to show themselves. I held no plans of escaping, not yet unless an opportunity presented itself. Before I did anything, it was time to adjust my body to its new level of strength.

Madria stood as I did, and I smiled ruefully. Since her awakening, the young woman hadn’t let me out of her sight. It seems where I went, she would follow.

Slowly I got into the starting stance of the (Imperius Combat Art). My legs were positioned sightly apart, ready to spring forward at a moment noticed. Madria, seeing that I was only adjusting myself, began to do the same. Whereas I simulated different attacks and stomps to the ground to judge how much an increase in my strength was, Madria was the opposite with flowing movements that seemed like a worshipful dance. I couldn’t help but pause and watch… she’s beautiful .

‘ She always has been, ’ Minerva responded.

I rolled my eyes, the moment ruined, and returned to my practice. Although my increase in Power was not great, understanding the minuet differences was important. My set finished just as the large door was pushed open.

The Aspect Rasheed’s gazed locked onto my own. “Join me, the both of you.”

After simply stating that brief sentence, the Aspect turned and walked away. I glanced at Madria as she pulled up close next to me, whispering as she narrowed her eyes at the back of Aspect Rasheed. “I am full on all Life Points and can cast buffs if need be.”

I shook my head slightly, “…there will be no fighting.”

---

The Aspect led us through several torch lit halls. In each, paintings showed depictions of dragons… blues, greens, reds, blacks, and more. In some, they flew together in formation, flying through the endless blue sky. In others… they fought against giants… Gods and other colossal beings… Titans . An untold history bore themselves on the wall before us. A history that reminded me of my time in the Ruined Temple, watching the murals that showed me the earliest history and the birth of magi-humans. Madria walked next to me, tightly sticking close, but her eyes roam as much as mine. These paintings told a tale before the recorded history of the ‘Elrunian Continent,’ better known to me now as the Genesis Realm.

They were expressive, and I felt the same feeling that drew me into the mural of the Ruined Temple through some of them. In each painting, the main expression was dragons. Large, beautiful, scaled creatures with long majestic horns in which no two were the same. I looked at the large giant before us, but I couldn’t picture what his true form was.

We found ourselves in a circular study, a large fireplace was behind a well-stocked desk. Instead of walls, row upon row of the study was filled with shelves of books. Tomes that radiated power as the runes within them shined with brilliance.

The Aspect led us behind the desk, where a few chairs and couches appeared over a lush red carpet. Aspect Rasheed gestured to the two-seater couch, his eyes briefly flickering to Minerva, who remained quiet on my shoulder. Since the appearance of the Aspect, my perk hadn’t said a word. She only cocked her head to the side, owl-like, as her gaze never left the Aspect.

‘ Are you ok, Minerva? ’

We settled on the couch, an uneasy feeling began to rise within me as Minerva didn’t respond. Aspect Rasheed settled into the large comforter across from us. His gaze unreadable as it was hours before.

“Do you understand what an Aspect is?”

Of all the things I expected Rasheed to say. This was not one of them. We both looked at him and Madria hesitated before speaking. I was uncertain of what an Aspect was but from the feeling Rasheed gave me, they were very powerful.

“The Church of Madris has mentioned it in the Origins of Madris Edryani, but only a single passage,” Madria began as she took a moment to recall. “ The Aspects were the first to fall, their connection to the Realm the strongest, and thus their downfall was the greatest blow to the Elrunian Continent. ”

Aspect Rasheed, hairless brows raised, sharp horns tilting forward as he nodded. “Yes, Aspects of the three paths were the first to fall. We rely on our connection to the realm for power, and when the Jagged Crush occurred, we were hit the hardest.”

“What is…,” Madria hesitated, but she glanced at me and I nodded in reassurance. “What is the Jagged Crush?”

A heavy sigh escaped from Rasheed’s lips… and the weight of the room seemed to increase. Our shoulders sagged, and our bodies felt as if an extra hundred pounds appeared.

“It was the death of the Genesis Continent… the death of all our Creator worked so hard to build,” Rasheed paused here. His eyes took on a milky, blind-like appearance, and the Aspect began his tale.

“For you Saphens, the year is seven thousand two hundred and ninety-one… but this Genesis Realm is far older, far grandeur than a mere seven thousand years… I’ve lost count now but the realm is over a hundred thousand years old, perhaps older as I was only born in the few thousand years before the Jagged Crush. Before the hubris of Elrunian’s first creations drew an entity they should not have messed with to Genesis.”

As Rasheed spoke, a picture appeared before us. Like an illusion , we saw a prosperous realm, with worlds upon worlds, that experienced and shared that prosperity. We saw radiant beings, Gods , that towered high within the stars, changing the wind and flying through the sky. Mountainous Titans controlled the earth and seas, casting their nets in the depths. Dragons roamed wherever, within the earth and above the skies.

“Arrogant. They were all arrogant, believing themselves to be the multiverses chosen. As they traveled outside the Genesis Realm and into the Genesis Zone, they provoked whoever, killed whoever, and did whatever because they believed in their might and the power of their Creator. After all, how could one who create them so powerful, with the ability to become even more powerful through leveling, be any less than them?”

Gods broke through dimensional barriers, into system and systemless realms, slaying the beings within as they churned the seas and broke the Laws. Titans gathered riches, exhausting other realms until death as they cast their people into slavery. Dragons raided throughout it all, spreading their seed and taking whatever they fancied. Cities burned, ancient heritage that stood for millennia… gone.

Madria’s hand reached out in the small space between us as the voice of Rasheed spoke. I hesitated, unsure, but that hesitation didn’t last as a sharp beak bit my ear…

Apparently, someone was paying attention.

My hand reached out and grasped hers, and the tale Aspect Rasheed told continued. Images formed before us, lights dancing in intricate patterns as the mana moved to Aspect Rasheed’s command. At the edges of this image, a heavy darkness seemed to tear at the edges of the realm. Red-black lightning sparked as chaos made itself known. Some thingwas swimming within the growing chaos.

“Elrunian’s creations explored the Greater Realm and drew monsters to the Genesis Zone. They provoked a being called [Oblivion ], a being born from the same chaos as our Creator… as Elrunian… yet one that was far older than He.”

Red eyes and a smoky visage were all we could see as the image took on the shape of a circular realm. Hundreds… thousands… tens of thousands… millions of stars blinked out as [ Oblivion ] swallowed them. The Realm turned into a shield and the one who wielded it was the Realm Lord as his creations fell to a power far beyond their own. Their hubris brought down a judgement not even their [Realm Lord] could face.

As Elrunian fought, pieces of his shield broke off as did pieces of [ Oblivion ], scattering into the wind like embers from a dying fire. A brief image of a dragon fleeing showed, in its arms, the hope of its people as it landed upon a dying ember. Blues… greens… reds… blacks… and more of the embers drifted off. Lifeboats too few of Elrunian’s creations, a ruinous grave to most. Only a single spark appeared to survive… that and the Dream of one.

The spark gently landed in the Aspect Rasheed’s hand pieces of [ Oblivion ] gnawing at it. Its shape and look ever so familiar. It was a map I spent countless days gazing at… it was the Elrunian Continent… leftovers of the Genesis Realm.