~ Chapter 02 ~
17 Years Later – Koren World
Hi everyone,
Well… let me introduce myself first.
I'm Mystic.
By the way, welcome to Koren World. Do you think it's a nice name?
Koren means bright, shining, and gleaming. It's a world much like your own Earth—another name for it is Earth 0007. Is that confusing? Let me explain.
Earth exists within a multiverse: a vast collection of potentially diverse observable universes. This means we are not alone. The physicist Hugh Everett first proposed this theory in the late 1950s. He envisioned our universe as just one of many parallel worlds, branching off from one another every nanosecond—existing side-by-side, yet never intersecting or communicating.
Why am I telling you this? Because when Princess Alliana unleashed her power to send the twins away to Earth, a sudden, explosive force—like a bomb tearing through reality—ripped open the pathways between these worlds. Her power, amplified by the Fire Stone, didn't just open one door; it flung open many.
One twin was cast into one reality, the other into a different realm, accompanied by the archangels. The Earth you know, the one where perfection and completeness reside, is simply called Earth. But the world we are in right now? This is Koren.
Okay, it's me again—Mystic.
People can't see me. They can't see or touch me, just like they can't see the other archangels the Creator sent here, or even the Princess herself. The Creator believes I perished long ago. But don't worry, I'm very much alive. I'm a Watcher and a Guardian. I observe quietly from the shadows, only stepping in when things take a dangerous turn.
Now, let's begin.
Welcome to Earth, Twins!
"Mom, I'm leaving for school now! I'm running out of time!" Vinese shouted frantically, hovering by the door, her bag slung over her shoulder.
She is Vinese Barton. Seventeen years old, and turning eighteen this year. She stood dressed in her uniform: a crisp white long-sleeved shirt with a tie, a dark green coat, and a black skirt that fell just above her knees.
"Hang on, honey," her mother called out, hurrying over.
"Take this with you!" She pressed a lunchbox into Vinese's hands.
Vinese snatched it up, her movements sharp and hurried. She was already late.
"Thanks, Mom!" she yelled over her shoulder as she bolted out the door.
It was a bright, sunny morning. Commuters rushed to work, and most students were already settled in their classrooms. But Vinese was on a bus, her leg bouncing nervously, knowing full well she was way behind schedule.
School
"Where is Vinese?" asked Izy Arilliana, her voice soft but laced with a quiet urgency. She had ash-blonde hair and a gentle, calm demeanor—though appearances could be deceiving. She was Vinese's best friend, and secretly, the Goddess of Water.
"I've been using my sand timer, turning back the minutes over and over, but she's still not here!" complained Alex Cruz. He ran a hand through his gray hair, clutching the hourglass that granted him his power. A little eccentric and prone to grumbling, he nevertheless obeyed Izy's every word. He was the God of Time and Invisibility, and he could fly.
You might wonder why they possess such abilities. It's simple: they were born to protect the mighty Princess. They were the children of the Creator, the Celestian of Koren World.
"Brex, do you see her yet?" pressed Xandrex Alejandro. With striking blue eyes, a sharp nose, and blond hair, he was undeniably handsome. He possessed the powers of telepathy.
"She's close now, Xandrex. Stop worrying so much," answered Brex Eugenio. With fiery red hair and a matching charm, he was the God of Mischief, but he also held the gift of foresight.
"Eli, I bet we have a quiz today," Kevin teased, nudging the boy beside him. Kevin had silver-gray hair, dark eyes, and a playful grin. He was the God of Electricity.
Eli Song was busy tapping away at his phone, engrossed in a game of Mobile Legends.
"What did you say?" he snapped, clearly annoyed. He was pale, though still handsome, and carried the heavy title of Future King of Apal and God of Bloody War.
"Waaa, why are you so pale, Eli? Didn't you eat… you know." Kevin lowered his voice to a whisper, uttering the forbidden word so no one else could hear.
Eli froze. Immediately, he pulled out a small mirror, inspecting his face with concern. He grabbed a tube of lip tint and dabbed it furiously onto his lips, staring intensely until the color looked right.
"Are you using Chillie's lip tint now?" Kevin asked, his confusion genuine.
"Who's using my lip tint?" a voice cut through the air. Chillie dela Cruz stood there, her long pink hair flowing around her. She was beautiful, with delicate features and bright, curious eyes—the Goddess of Wind.
The two boys went dead silent. Eli grabbed Kevin's arm and hissed,
"This is mine, idiot!"
"Clatty, I have a question. It's really important," Alex said seriously, turning to the girl behind him who was engrossed in a book.
"What is it now, Alex? Make it fast!" she snapped, not looking up from her iPod. Clatty Peña was the Goddess of Fire, and her patience was as short as her temper was hot.
"It's written here in the book. Page 123: 5 + 3 = 8 ÷ 8 = 1 × 9 = 9 √10 = 28.46 π6 = 536.49 ÷ 10 = ? … What's the answer?" Alex looked at her, his eyes wide with desperation.
"Clatty???" he called again when she didn't respond. He looked like a man about to plunge from a skyscraper—terrified of the consequences if he failed to solve it.
"Ask the idiot who made up that stupid problem, not me! I don't know the answer. Seriously! Ugh, how ridiculous!" she shouted, her frustration boiling over.
"Do you know where I can find him?" Alex pressed, still desperate.
"On Mars! Go look for him there, maybe he's hiding under a rock!" Clatty screamed, finally losing her cool.
"Really?" Alex wonder expression.
"I lost because of you! Ugh! Damn it!" she yelled a moment later, slamming her device down as her game ended in defeat. Alex merely groaned in defeat, realizing he was on his own.
"She's here," announced Chezty Arilliana. With long orange hair and a stunning figure, she was Izy's sister and the Goddess of Ice.
Vinese stumbled into the room, gasping for breath, and collapsed into her seat next to her best friend.
"Am I late?" she panted.
"Really?" Izy replied, her tone dry and unimpressed.
"Did you know Alex has been turning back time again and again this morning? I feel sorry for Ms. Nilla. It must be exhausting for her to repeat the same lessons over and over because of him," said Aiko Yamamoto from behind them. She looked like a typical nerd with her round glasses and braces, but she was breathtakingly beautiful—the hidden Goddess of Weapons.
"Aiko is right," agreed Chezterlyn Calio, known as Che-che. She was a secret warrior and the Goddess of All Living Animals.
"Sorry, I thought it was e-early," Vinese mumbled, pouting her lips, trying to look innocent.
"Is 10 AM early to you?" Chillie asked, her eyes wide in disbelief.
"Next time, wake up when it's actually early," Alex grumbled.
"Fine, fine," Vinese said, flashing them a sweet, apologetic smile.
At that moment, their teacher, Ms. Nilla, walked in. The class went quiet as she sat down heavily, letting out a long sigh.
"I'm just going to sit here for a moment, okay? Don't bother standing to greet me—my foot is killing me. Oh? Vinese, it's a miracle you're not late today! Good job. Let's get started."
But before she could reach for her book, Ms. Nilla paused, her eyes scanning the room. She frowned.
"Clatty, hija, what is going on with your hair? And you too, Xandrex, Kevin, Chezty, Izy, and Chillie? What is this, a gulaman party? The only color missing is yellow!" she scolded sharply.
Clatty shot a murderous glare at Alex and the others.
"Ugh! Why did you idiots follow me to the salon? Look at the mess we're in!"
"Ma'am, with all due respect, our hair looks like the colors of a rainbow, not gulaman, right?" Kevin shot back, trying to defend them.
"Do you even know what the actual colors of the rainbow are, Kevin?" the teacher asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Uh… red, yellow, pink, gray, orange, silver-gray, and white? Wait, no, clouds are white. Oh right, brown!" he answered, looking incredibly proud of himself.
The entire class erupted in laughter. The hilarity only grew when Ms. Nilla ordered him to go to the library and read a nursery book to brush up on his basics.
Just as she was about to distribute the quiz papers, a sharp knock came at the door.
"You have new classmates. They transferred from St. Luke University, so please treat them with respect."
Four young men walked in, each one strikingly handsome. The classroom erupted into whispers and excited gasps, especially from the girls.
But among Vinese's group, the atmosphere shifted instantly.
"I have a really bad feeling about them," Kevin thought, his voice projecting into their shared mental link.
"Me too," Eli agreed, his eyes narrowing.
"Could they be from Black City?" Xandrex's voice echoed sharply in their minds.
"Stay calm. Don't be obvious. Be careful," Che-che warned softly.
But before anyone could stop her, Chillie blurted out, a dreamy smile spreading across her face,
"I like him."
As the boy she pointed to walked past their desks, every eye in the room turned to stare.
Black Kingdom
"Your Majesty, Prince Ovan and the others have arrived in the world of mortals," reported the King's right-hand man, bowing low.
The King's voice was cold and deliberate.
"As soon as they locate the Princess of Rhoda, bring her directly here to Black City. I need her crystal, and I need her caretaker. My father must awaken soon."
This was part of a grand, dark plan: seize the Princess's power, resurrect his father, and finally free the ancient entity known as Darkness from his eternal prison.
To be continued…
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