The wind blew gently; a droplet of water fell with a quiet tap, lost among the rustling leaves and chirping birds. A mountain of water was cascading downhill, creating a view like heaven itself had descended on the mortal realm. The rainfall's water spread across the vast land, spreading life into every corner of the boundless realm. On a huge branch of a tall tree, two tiny creatures were embracing each other; the two small souls embraced, their beaks touching in affection. High above, the sun shone in all its glory, eradicating any darkness that would dare to approach this land.
If an ordinary person were to witness this, they would think that a paradise with blessed nature had descended to the realm of muggles from the land of actual deities. And this beautiful endless paradise was inside an ancient chamber, where the fate of countless beings lies. A chamber where one can find the history of the universe itself.
And in that chamber, on a divan, sat a graceful lady. Her feet resting flat on the ground, the cushions dipped gently beneath her. Her posture—neither tall nor small—carried an elegant pose with great authority. The white silk gown created a striking resemblance to the black hair of the beautiful lady and ocean-deep eyes with striking blue pupils. Her fair skin shining under the rays of the sun, hair fluttering gently in the gust of wind. The lady simply looked like a goddess that has decided to come to the human realm.
The lady was seeing all the activities that were happening around her with great interest, a subtle yet beautiful smile on her lips, from the waterfall to a large tree to a tiny pair of creatures making love. She was taking all these scenes while having a smile on her lips.
While she was enjoying herself, suddenly the gate of the chamber opened and a woman—the same size as the lady sitting on the divan—came into view. Upon arriving, she looked at the women sitting in front of her; after a second or two, she bowed.
"My lady, there's something you need to know."
The woman sitting on the divan turned her gaze toward the newcomer, who remained bowed. Looking at her, anyone can tell that she was the same age as the woman sitting on the divan. Her white hair was glowing by the radiance of the sun, just like the moon shines from the sun's bright kiss. Her eyes were covered; no one can penetrate through the veil that covered her eyes without her permission. After some time the woman sitting on the divan finally spoke.
"And what do I need to know, Melissa?"
Every word she said was as pure and sweet as if it had, like a cascade of warm honey, poured over the listener, leaving a sweetness lingering in the air.
"He's dead," said Melissa
"Who?" the lady asked, confused, not understanding who had died.
Melissa's lip parted, then closed, as if weighing the gravity of her next words
"'That man'"
Silence
Everything seemed to move in slow motion—the sound of water splashing rhythmically against the riverbanks, birds chirping, the wind flowing, brushing against the blades of grass; everything can be heard.
After what? every second had dragged like a lifetime, the lady asked
"How?"
Melissa met the gaze of the lady, though her eyes remained hidden behind the veil
"We don't know the direct cause of his death," she said carefully, "but he went to the 'Planet Of Cripples' and opened the gate. The gate was opened for 32 minutes."
The lady's smile vanished, her ocean-deep eyes narrowing as she processed the words. The 'Planet Of Cripples'—a planet where not a single drop of mana resided in the air, a forsaken world, a graveyard for broken dreams and shattered souls. That was the definition of the 'Planet Of Cripples,' where no one wanted to venture without any specific goal. But even if someone wanted to visit, they needed to cross 'the gate,' which was guarded by more than 100,000 sentinels. Only those with the permission, were allowed to go to the 'Planet of Cripples.'
"Thirty-two minutes," the lady murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. Her fingers tightened around the edge of the divan, the silk of her gown shifting as her posture stiffened. "And did anything come through the gate?"
Melissa shook her head. "Nothing came out through the gate. The sentinels stationed there reported only "that man's" arrival and the gates opening. By the time they could reach him, he vanished through the gate to the 'Planet of Cripples.' And after thirty-two minutes it was found out that he was gone—his body cold, his essence and soul… absent."
The lady rose from her divan, her movements fluid yet deliberate, as if an unimaginable weight rested on her shoulders. She stepped towards the edge of the chamber, where the waterfall's mist kissed the air, and gazed out at the endless paradise. The pair of tiny creatures on the tree branch had vanished, their fleeting movement of love now a distant memory. The sun still shone, but its light felt colder, as if it, too, mourned the loss
"That man," she said gently. Her voice carried a trace of sorrow. "He was reckless, but not foolish. So, whatever he had done on that planet, I can only hope that he knew the consequences of his actions. But why would he go there…?"
Her words trailed off, unanswered questions hanging in the air. Melissa stepped closer, her veiled gaze fixed on the lady. "The sentinels at 'the gate' say that they heard the whispers of the universe," she said cautiously. "Some say that they heard that he sought something beyond 'the gate'—something tied to himself or the Arya. Others believe that they heard he was… compelled."
"Compelled?" The lady turned sharply, blue electricity flowing like a torrent of tsunami around her blue pupils, threatening to devour the whole world. "By whom?"
Melissa's silence spoke louder than words. The veil covering over her eyes seemed to shimmer, as if guarding secrets too dangerous to unveil. "We don't know," she admitted. "But the gate's opening had stirred things up. The sentinels have reported strange phenomena happening in the mana. The level of mana had increased by 0.004 percent, and there are some places that were found where mana was not supposed to be found, but now there are traces of mana that can be found in the air."
The lady's gaze drifted back to the waterfall, it relentless flow a reminder of time's unyielding march. "If 'the gate' was open for thirty-two minutes, something may have crossed over—or have been released by 'that man.' We cannot ignore this." She came to a halt, her voice sharpening with the conviction. "Send words to the 'Keepers of Time'. I want every record of the 'Planet of Cripples' scoured; see to it that not a scrap of information slips through our fingers. And summon the seers. If something or someone has entered our planet, we must know what or who it is—and what it is they seek."
Melissa bowed once more "It will be done, my lady." She hesitated, then added, "And what about 'that man'? His death… It will not go unnoticed. Others will ask questions about his sudden disappearance."
The lady's lips curved into a faint, bittersweet smile. "Let them ask. For now, the truth stays with us. Make sure no one at 'the gate' breathes a word of this—no slips, no whispers." Her gaze darkened. "His death is a warning, Melissa—our planet had lived in peace for a long time; now it seems like the peace we all enjoyed has started to come to an end." Her smile deepened, oddly amused. "Hee…'he' certainly knew how to say goodbye, didn't he?"
As Melissa turned to leave, the lady's gaze lingered on the horizon, where the sun's light met the endless cascade of water. The chamber, once a sanctuary of peace, now hummed with an undercurrent of unease.
Somewhere, beyond the chamber, a lone figure stood atop the crumbling remains of a house; looking toward the sky, the man had the biggest smile of his life.
"Haa… haa… haaa!" The laugh escaped him in bursts. Wild, breathless, the man laughed like a child who had gotten the biggest present of his life.
"My lord!! I, Rawa, welcome you to this world!!"