In the past…
. . .
"Erase."
Akwan's pale lavender eyes locked onto the veiled woman, terror squeezing his chest as the flow of time collapsed, his body prickling with dread as he felt himself dissolving into dust.
He fought to move his hand, panic surging, but an invisible, suffocating force seized him.
"What… this power… It's so… strong."
Standing before him were Asahi and Aletha. He caught his breath and tried to call them.
"Asahi! Aletha!"
No one answered; the wanderers didn't even flinch. Akwan snapped his head left—water, once flowing, now hovered midair, motionless.
The strange detail pricked his awareness, pushing him toward a single chilling conclusion.
"Time… is frozen."
He tried to lift his arms and legs, desperate to break free from the force that pinned him in place. Panic clawed at his chest as nothing worked. The suffocating silence rattled Akwan to his core.
Even as time seemed to freeze, dread prickled his skin—he could still hear footsteps drawing closer.
"Huh?"
Then, standing before him was a tall girl draped in a heavy, midnight-black cloak that shrouded her face and form.
Only her eyes were visible: sharp, dark magenta irises burning beneath her hood.
Akwan recognized the distinctive attire instantly and wondered how she moved freely while the world around him remained frozen.
"How are you…."
But then, as Akwan struggled to free himself, the Princess stared straight into his lavender eyes and sneered at him with pity.
"H-Huh?"
Akwan's breath became ragged. The Princess stepped closer, gloves brushing his cheek and threading cold fear into his hair—her icy touch making him tremble with terror, chills flooding his spine.
And then… as soon as his fingers grazed her skin, icy dread dragged up his spine, and the old chill of death clamped coldly onto him.
"Hmm, what a surprising encounter…."
At a glance, the veiled woman stood in front, the one who proclaimed herself as The Princess of The Ending.
Akwan fought to steady his breath, bitterness and defiance flickering behind his sneer at The Princess.
"Why are you doing this?!"
The Princess's locks of silver hair flew up in the air. She stepped forward and peered straight through Akwan's eyes, whispering with a tone of doubt.
"Your existence couldn't be erased. I don't know what, but SOMETHING is stopping me from doing that. You're the second force they have mentioned… aren't you?"
Akwan's legs flailed in the air. He tried to move but was stopped by the forces pushing up to him.
In all his years of living, he had never expected to oppose such a compelling force.
A familiar aura resonated within The Princess that he couldn't ignore.
He clenched his fists, voice fracturing in a scream torn from deep fear and helplessness.
"What… d-do you mean by 'they?' Do you even know what you're doing?"
The Princess pulled her veil over her eyes and made a slight grin.
"The best way to execute you is for you to vanish into dust."
Akwan's chest tightened suddenly, a gasp escaping in raw disbelief and dread.
"No. Your curse can't be fixed. Asahi and Aletha must go, even if it means waiting forever…"
The Princess sneered at Akwan with her dark magenta eyes. Her cold, pale lips drew out a heartless voice as her cloak fluctuated from the frozen time.
"You don't get it, Akwan. This curse is unpredictable. If only you were here before the end of The Second Incarnation…"
Akwan wrenched himself from paralysis, forcing his battered body upright. His lavender eyes flashed with stubborn pain as he faced The Princess, letting out a shuddering sigh.
"The Second Incarnation. No… what you have isn't a curse, it's—"
The Princess interrupted and clenched her fists.
"IT IS… A curse. A destructive... and powerful curse. The Adlement."
The Princess nodded and rubbed her hands together. Akwan closed his eyes and made a slight frown, gritting his teeth while speaking in a tone of frustration.
"The Adlement isn't natural. All of our memories had deteriorated after the end of the First Incarnation, when the Prism of Creation ruptured.
I am unaware of the events of my previous incarnations, nor do I recall why I was chosen to become The Creator for this world. But if it is to seal the fate of THIS universe, I could not ignore it."
Akwan closed his eyes, pulling in a shaky breath to steady his fraying resolve.
"There is much left forgotten in the past… It's all sealed away with The Sky."
Akwan's body gradually dissolved into mist, unveiling a brilliant, sapphire-blue light that hovered inches above the ground. The Princess murmured, her voice blending with the hush as the moments crept onward.
"The Creators… Creationists are the one who takes responsibility for the actions of everything in this world. Every human, every creature, every disaster, you sustain every event. Nonetheless, it seems that you go by a different name… Akwan. Tell me… before you get placed into a different time… what is your true goal as The Creator, Prince of Creation?"
At first, Akwan recoiled from The Princess's cold, lunar stare. But even as memories gnawed at him, a faint, bewildering sense of trust pulsed within—a feeling that they were somehow bound together.
And so, as he sees the world fading away from his sight, Akwan replies to The Princess with a deep narrative.
"The only true goal I have… is to keep this world from perishing. To make it live forever, no matter the costs, something dangerous is lurking here, and I can't remember what it was. Nonetheless, until that anomaly has been banished… this world shall live on."
He stomped his foot, brushed the dust off his shoulder, and raised his voice.
"Even if it means tearing the Strings of Time or using a Forbidden Angel Factor, I'll ensure The Wanderer's Dream goes the right way."
"And… who is The Wanderer?"
Without resistance, Akwan answered the Princess with a face of pure seriousness.
"They… are The Adtraic Family."
Before The Princess could ask for any more information from The Happener/Akwan, he swiftly vanished into dust, with time accelerating back to its normal state.
"YOU MONSTER!"
Telos, in pure anger, swiftly struck The Princess with all the power he had, emitting a powerful cyan shockwave.
However, before anything was made, all flashed to black.
Blinking through darkness, Akwan suddenly found himself atop a weathered rooftop, slate tiles beneath his feet and the tangled sprawl of Pladtioa city below, its lamplight flickering in the distance.
* * *
Meanwhile, presently in The Palace...
Asahi muttered as he fiddled with his thumbs and stared at the moonlight.
"So, all I have to do is just go on this date, tell a secret, and then all the problems in this nation will be solved? I say that's suspicious, but if it's enough to stop this mess, I'm all for it."
The door finally opened after what felt like forever, revealing Narcissa wearing a beautiful, dazzling light gray dress stretching down to her ankles.
Asahi's eyes widened in awe, seeing her beautiful, long, dark mocha hair extend to her bottom, with the two horn-shaped things dangling perfectly on her head.
Now looking at himself, Asahi realized he looked 'unfit' to go on a date with such an elegant partner.
Luckily enough, just as he was about to flee toward the hallway, the same blond-haired maid raced to Asahi and asked with a look of shock.
"Mr… I believe your attire… doesn't look suitable to Lady Narcissa's standards…."
She turned to the woman herself, bowed her head, and asked politely while holding a knitted item.
"Please, Lady Narcissa, must you give some more time for that boy over there for preparation?"
Narcissa gave an elegant nod, smiled, and replied kindly.
"Of course, Maid Golla. Now that I think of it, even though Mr. Asahi's attire is already neat, I'm okay using my precious resources on developing a suitable suit for you."
She clapped her hands, alerting all the other maids and butlers to her location. One by one, they arrive with either a broom in their hands or a plate. They line up and bow down to Narcissa with dignity in an orderly fashion.
"Yes, Lady Narcissa?" They all said profoundly.
Narcissa batted her eyes at Asahi and ordered.
"Could you please make his suit a formal suit? We're going on… a request."
"A request?! Well, that's utterly surprising to say." Said a butler with dark hair.
The maids, without resisting, grabbed Asahi, raced through the hallways while carrying him, and responded to Narcissa with an ecstatic tone.
"Understood, your highness!"
Asahi, being so clueless, shouted in confusion.
"H-Hey… what are you all doing?!"
The maids didn't bother to reply; instead, they hurried up the stairs and dashed toward the central dressing room.
On the other hand, the butlers resumed their duties and walked toward the kitchen, cleaning dishes and tidying up in preparation for the date.
Narcissa gave a nervous chuckle and turned to the window, holding a small black vase in the palm of her hand.
"Don't worry, father, I'm almost there…."
. . .
Meanwhile, far outside the palace, within the streets of Pladtioa City.
Throughout the city, clusters of people prepared feverishly for the coming rebellion.
Sparks flew as steel clanged in blacksmith shops; wagons rumbled over cobblestone streets, stockpiled and reinforced for the climb ahead.
Pladtioa seethed with life unlike any night before, every alley echoing with purpose.
"Hey, what's wrong?"
Drimi darted through the throng, nimble hands checking gears and bolts as she rushed to the jumble of men tinkering around a creaking, slanted carriage. The crowded street buzzed as she knelt to investigate.
Although three wheels were attached with solid durability, one looked to be missing from the pair. A man who had a brown beard and blue eyes approached Drimi, scratching his head in frustration.
"We lost a wheel."
Drimi clicked her tongue, scanned the road, and spotted a wooden wheel half-submerged in a puddle among scattered cobblestones. She hefted it easily, tossing it beside the wagon as she called out to the men.
"That wheel has a loose bolt. I suggest you tighten it and add more nails to make it more durable."
The men rushed to place the wheel back in its original position; they tilted to Drimi and said with gratitude.
"Thank you… stranger!"
She gave a slight chuckle and raced through the crowd, knowing what she did. Drimi noticed that many people in the city had the same idea on the streets—some with larger carriages than others, many with actual horses drawn to them.
She advanced further and saw Aletha, speaking to Brich and Phthonus, carrying a pocket-sized map to trace the planned route.
"So… are you finished planning now?"
Aletha placed the map in one of her pockets and replied as she rushed out of the table.
"Y-Yeah… I think we're almost done."
Phthonus nodded, stepped toward the crowd, and commented as he stared into the distance.
"Good. It's been an hour since we started preparations, and I can hardly believe that most people have already constructed their wagons, let alone forage for new weapons.
In under twenty minutes, Aletha, please travel to the entrance with me, Brich, and Drimi. Grab that microphone and speaker, too.
Then, in a little less from now… scream at the microphone to your heart's content and will wait for whenever you're ready to send the rebellion up the hill."
Though it was a lot to settle in, Aletha understood what Phthonus asked and replied as she hastily grabbed the microphone.
"Okay! Thank you, Phthonus! Drimi and Brich, follow me!"
Grabbing the speakers, Drimi and Brich answered while they raced through the streets and up the steep stairs.
"Yes, ma'am!"
And so… Aletha went through with Phthonus' plan, rushing through the cheerful crowds and advancing further toward the city's entrance, leading Drimi and Phthonus.
Aletha would never have thought that, out of all people, she would be the one to lead an entire nation just by using her words.
Even though she lost her godly powers, Aletha kept something even better: accuracy, Leadership, Respect, and Dignity.
Responsibility and Determination.
With these six specifics, perhaps they could eclipse her weakness and push her closer to the strong goddess she was in the past.
A Ruler who led an entire world.
. . .
Back inside The Palace.
"Okay, Mr. Adtraic, step out of the door..." Hollered to the maid as she placed Asahi's old attire on the bench.
For a moment, there was complete silence.
However, as they measured his waist and height, it didn't take long for them to sew and create a new suit tailored to Asahi's measurements.
A few more minutes later...
"Are you ready… Asahi?~" Said a maid with long, pale green hair.
His silhouette shone behind the elegant curtains, revealing his long hair and surprisingly unique shape. The bells jingled as the maids awaited the outcome. They worked hard on that suit, hoping that he wouldn't complain.
But then, as the curtains slowly pushed over, it felt like the room's entire atmosphere changed.
Followed by the loud taps of his sleek black boots, coupled with the jingles of the small silver bells jingling near his hips, and the moon's rays mixed with the warm ceiling lights shone on the boy like a spotlight; it was Asahi's voice.
"D…Does this look good? I hope you have my clothes safe. There's something important in there…."
And then, presented with such a majestic aura, it looked to the maids that Asahi… right now…
"So handsome!" They cried out with a warm blush.
"Eh? What did you say? Is my attire okay?"
Asahi's heels glistened on the polished floor, and his long, dark pants dappled brightly under the warm, yellow light, with white stripes stretching from his ankles toward his knees. He wore a handsomely tailored formal suit. The patterns were so precise and accurate that they gave the maids a brief shock.
His suit was thin and neatly strapped, with shiny white buttons placed in the right places; his sharp collar gleamed vividly like a cliff, and his long dark tie swung back and forth with an S pattern imprinted on it.
One white earring was attached to his right ear, followed by his long, bright white hair neatly tied up and straightened.
When he stepped out and stared directly at the mirror, he saw his eyes widen in pure awe.
"Oh… my goodness. This… I look like an entirely different person."
The maids pivoted their feet and turned their heads away, trying to hide their blush.
"I mean, it's not a mutual date, but… still… You did an amazing job on this."
"T-Thank you, sir…." The maids thanked nervously, twiddling their thumbs and fidgeting with their hair.
As he tried to step closer to the maids to give them a handshake, they swiftly scampered out of the hallway with excited noises bursting from their mouths.
"Tee hee hee hee.~."
Asahi scratched his head, questioning why the maids had acted that way.
(Perhaps it's the color of my hair?) Asahi thought, examining himself in the mirror.
As his footsteps echoed over the walls, he peered through the hallway and toward the ballroom, beyond the yellow lights and red carpet.
There, he saw a brown-haired woman drop a plate onto the solid tile floor, her face a look of pure shock.
The shattered plate echoed over the walls, with the butler rushing to it to clean it up. Narcissa's face flushed bright red as Asahi slowly approached her, his boots extending his height.
His height towered over Narcissa while wearing the shoes, making him look more like a man than a boy.
Narcissa asked, anxiously turning her head up to Asahi.
"H-Huh… s-suitable interest… i-is that… you?"
Asahi tilted his head down to the flustered Narcissa and slowly nodded, replying with a casual voice.
"Just call me Asahi."
Quickly, Narcissa jumped up and nodded her head with a trembling smile, covering her mouth and tapping her feet against the floor.
"Y-Yes, sir."
. . .
After a brief silence, Asahi stepped carefully over the glossy tiled floors and tilted his head toward the windows. Narcissa's eyes followed each movement Asahi made, unable to describe the emotions that were bubbling inside her at this moment.
As the moonlight shone on their faces, Asahi bent his head to her and asked politely.
"So… Narcissa. How should we start this… date?"
Narcissa, being absolutely flustered… tremblingly fiddled with the silk locks of her long brown hair and replied without thinking.
"U-Um… we should s-start… i-in the courtyard."
"Are you sure…?" Asahi asked while squinting his eyes.
Narcissa closed her eyes and took short, exasperated breaths. Trying to calm herself down, she swiftly wrapped her hands over Asahi's fingers and clenched them tightly, pulling closer to his shoulder.
A heat grew in Asahi as he felt Narcissa's head rub against his arm.
He never thought he would be in a state like this, especially after knowing what Narcissa was in the past.
(I don't even know where the 'courtyard' is, but I presume it should be outside.) Asahi thought while he began walking next to Narcissa.
Even though this was just one date, Asahi could feel his emotions rising, spreading throughout his body. He took a deep breath and calmed down, stepping forward while holding Narcissa's hands. He closed his eyes, tightened his grip, and walked down the wooden stairs.
As he stared at Narcissa's makeup, Asahi reminded himself, then looked away toward the walls.
(Remember, even though this might be silly, this date is for the nation of Pladtioa. Don't forget about Devlin, and definitely don't forget about Aletha.)
After a moment of thought, Asahi and Aletha stepped out the front doors, feeling the cold evening breeze blow on their faces; the 'date' that would stop Narcissa's curse commenced.