"One fought to belong, the other fought to escape. And yet, in the chaos of battle, their fates intertwined."
"PROTECT THE CROWN PRINCE AND CALL THE GUARDS ON DUTY!"
A Hierophant's voice rang out, cutting through the thick tension in the air like a war horn. The command shattered the silence, jolting the frozen Acolytes and temple guards into action.
I felt my body being pulled back, shielded by several Hierophants who strengthened the magical barrier around me. But my eyes remained locked on one figure—Aarav.
He stood in the center of the chamber, surrounded by floating shards of deep violet crystal orbiting him like planets around a sun. His breathing was ragged, his eyes wild, and the energy radiating from his body pressed against everything in the room as if the very air was suffocating under its weight.
"Stop!" Isalinde stepped forward, her voice steady despite the tension in her face. "You won't get your answers by destroying this place, Aarav."
"Aarav, stop this!" Lumen called out, his tone firmer than before. "You're losing control—"
"Take me back to Febby!" Aarav cut him off, his voice trembling yet firm. "TAKE ME BACK TO FEBBY!"
I could feel the tension in the room thickening. The air itself grew heavier as if responding to Aarav's fury. Several Hierophants raised their hands, summoning their Arcana Codexes in an attempt to cast a binding spell, but before they could finish—
CRACK!
One of the crystals shattered, sending razor-sharp shards flying. A jagged piece embedded itself into a marble pillar near the eldest Hierophant. The stone split instantly, cracks spiderwebbing across its surface as a deep, unsettling rumble vibrated through the floor.
Aarav's power was crystal transmutation—a force that allowed him to conjure crystals from the air. At least, that was what we thought before…
His Arcana Codex spun violently beside him, pages flipping on their own as if possessed by an unseen will. The violet light surrounding him pulsed erratically, growing denser with every breath. The floating crystals did not just tremble—they began to shift.
Transmutation?
No, this was pure Alchemy.
I knew it because Grandpa had wielded the same magic. So had the previous Emperor. And the one before him.
I heard the hushed whispers of the Hierophants, some of them stepping back. One of them—a bearded elder who often lectured about the laws of the world—stared at Aarav's Arcana Codex with wide, disbelieving eyes.
"Impossible…" he whispered, his voice barely audible through the chaos. "This… this is the same as the First Emperor's magic…"
His words rang like a warning bell, sending shockwaves through everyone in the chamber.
I stiffened. The First Emperor? The first Astral Voyager?
Before the Hierophants could recover from their shock, Aarav
raised his hand, and the impossible happened.
The air around him folded as if reality itself was rejecting his presence. The broken stone shards didn't just mend themselves—they changed. The shattered marble pillar twisted into strands of metal, creeping across the floor like living roots.
Aarav wasn't just creating or destroying.
He was altering reality itself.
The eldest Hierophant gripped his staff, his Arcana Codex flipping rapidly as his voice wavered.
"Stop him before—"
Before what?
Before Aarav could do something beyond their control?
But I knew—no one could stop a man who had lost everything.
"I'm still alive! I have to go back to Earth! You can't force me to stay here! Take me back to Febby!"
The doors to the ritual chamber burst open. The heavy thud of boots filled the air as soldiers poured in, moving swiftly into a defensive formation. Their swords were drawn, shields raised, as if preparing to face a threat far greater than a mere Astral Voyager who had lost control.
I barely had time to blink before three more figures shot into the room.
Zura. Finnian. Tavon.
They arrived with wary expressions. Zura was the fastest—she paid no heed to the soldiers and sprinted straight toward me. In an instant, her Arcana Codex flew open, its pages shimmering with silver-blue runes.
"Glacialis Secure."
The air around her cracked with freezing cold. A wave of ice surged forward, wrapping around several of the pulsating purple crystals before they could explode. The frost didn't just freeze them—it absorbed the volatile energy within, suppressing Aarav's rampant power.
On the other side, Finnian positioned himself in front of me, his Arcana Codex floating beside him, its pages glowing with golden light. The runes carved into his shield ignited like miniature suns.
"Lumen Scutum!"
A translucent barrier radiated outward from his shield, shielding us from the shards of crystal that broke loose. His jaw was clenched tight, his muscles rigid, as though bracing himself for a tremendous impact. He didn't say a word, but his eyes said enough—he would stop anyone who posed a threat to me, even Aarav.
Tavon moved in silence, yet his presence was impossible to ignore. Unlike the others, he didn't reach for his Arcana Codex. He never relied on it much.
Instead, he advanced swiftly—almost like a shadow—before coming to a halt right in front of Aarav.
"Astral Voyager!" His voice was deep and resolute. "Stand down now."
But Aarav wasn't listening. Or rather, he refused to listen.
Tavon reached behind his back, grasping something.
The sharp rasp of metal filled the air as Colossus—one of the Thirteen Imperial Treasures—was drawn from its sheath.
The massive sword stood nearly as tall as Tavon himself, its blade broader than any greatsword I had ever seen. It was forged from a dark, almost obsidian-like metal, its surface reflecting only the faintest glimmers of light from the floating crystals above. Unlike most royal weapons, it bore no elaborate engravings, only subtle lines that hinted at centuries of meticulous craftsmanship. Its hilt was wrapped in dark brown wood, reinforced with a layer of metal at the base.
A weapon that chooses its wielder.
A blade that only awakens for the one it deems worthy—while for everyone else, it remains nothing more than an impressive hunk of dead weight.
Tavon did not strike. He simply stood there, lifting Colossus with one hand, its tip lightly embedded in the floor, effortlessly blocking the stray attacks that came his way.
"Calm yourself, Astral Voyager." His voice was deep and firm—not a shout, but sharp enough to cut through the crackling energy and the hum of Arcana Codices still open in the air.
Aarav gritted his teeth. His entire body trembled—not from fear, but from an uncontrollable surge of emotions. His dark eyes blazed with fury, his lips quivering slightly as he finally spoke. "Calm? Don't talk as if you understand my suffering..."
The air around him trembled again. His Arcana Codex hovered at his side, its pages flipping wildly, glowing runes scrawling themselves in ancient script across its surface.
Reality itself was shifting around him.
The shattered stones of the ritual chamber's floor fused back together—but not as they once were. They transformed into gleaming metal, etched with alchemical patterns beyond my comprehension. The violet crystals that had been frozen by Zura's magic began to vibrate once more, awaiting a command to detonate.
A heavy pressure settled on my chest. This wasn't ordinary magic.
Aarav was reshaping the world around him.
Then, a panicked cry rang out.
"That power—! It's ancient alchemy! Just like the First Emperor!"
The atmosphere in the chamber shifted instantly.
Fear spread like wildfire. The Hierophants, who had only been startled before, now looked genuinely terrified. One of them took an uneasy step back, his face drained of all color.
"If he truly inherited that power…" another Hierophant whispered shakily, "he could destroy us all—!"
"But we cannot kill him!" the eldest Hierophant interjected, his voice steadier than the rest. "We need his power! If he is truly like the First Emperor, then he is the only one who can save Midgaria!"
His words echoed through the chamber, barely rising above the crackling energy of Aarav's ongoing transmutation.
I turned to Tavon. He still hadn't moved, and his expression remained unreadable—not fearful, but not aggressive either. Colossus remained steady in his grasp, its dark blade reflecting the chaotic energy swirling around Aarav.
Then, Tavon took a single step forward.
"Aarav," he said again, this time with a quieter tone. "Look around you."
Aarav didn't respond, but his gaze flickered—just for a moment—taking in the devastation he had wrought.
"We are not going to kill you," Tavon continued. "But we cannot let you continue like this."
Aarav clenched his fists. I could see his jaw tighten, his breath uneven. His rage still burned—but beneath it, something else had surfaced.
Doubt.
Seeing their opening, several soldiers lunged forward.
"Stop! Don't attack him!" I shouted, my voice ringing through the chamber in warning.
As expected, the moment Aarav realized the danger coming from the soldiers, he suddenly raised his hand. The Arcana Codex beside him trembled violently, its pages flipping rapidly as if caught in a storm.
The air around him pulsed, and in an instant, the floor beneath the soldiers' feet changed. The cracked marble melted like hot wax and then reformed into sharp metallic spikes that shot upward.
"ARGH!"
One of the soldiers screamed as a metal spike pierced his leg. The others staggered, trying to retreat, but the material beneath them kept shifting—liquid metal crawled up their legs, binding them like living chains.
Aarav stepped forward, his hand raised high. The shattered marble pillars around the room crumbled into razor-sharp shards, hovering in the air like blades ready to strike.
With a single flick of his fingers, the shards shot toward the remaining soldiers.
Some managed to raise their shields in time, but not all of them were so lucky. One soldier took a shard through the shoulder, collapsing with a pained grunt. Another tried to dodge but was too slow—a large fragment slammed into him, sending him sprawling backward, blood seeping from a wound in his abdomen.
He was reshaping the world around him. What had once been mere ruins had become deadly weapons under his command.
And he wasn't only attacking the soldiers.
A Hierophant who had stood too close suddenly let out a strangled cry. The air around him shifted—his once-soft robes solidified into metal, trapping his body in a tightening cage of iron.
"Stop! I—I can't breathe—!"
An Acolyte attempting to flee tripped, but before he could rise, the floor beneath him erupted into jagged crystal spikes that tore through his legs.
Blood began pooling across the floor.
Aarav stood in the heart of the chaos, his breathing ragged. His teeth clenched, his body trembling.
But what terrified me most wasn't the destruction he had unleashed—it was the expression on his face.
Not satisfaction.
Not fury.
Not bloodlust.
But deep sorrow.
As if every wound he inflicted also hurt him. As if he knew this wasn't who he was—but he couldn't stop himself.
Finnian turned the pages of his Arcana Codex while maintaining the barrier that shielded us, the red-haired man struggling to stabilize his Mana so the protective ward could endure Aarav's relentless assault. Meanwhile, I racked my brain, desperate to find a way to stop him.
I stepped forward, even as the raw force of Aarav's energy shook the room. My legs nearly gave out, but I knew that right now, neither physical strength nor magic could stop him.
Only the right words might reach his shattered heart and mind.
"YOUR HIGHNESS, PLEASE STEP BACK! IT'S TOO DANGEROUS!"
The old Hierophant in white robes shouted, his voice echoing through the chaos, but I didn't stop. I turned to him and offered a small, reassuring smile—a silent message that I understood the risk.
He hesitated, his face tense, sweat beading on his forehead. I could see the conflict in his eyes—whether to trust my instincts or pull me back into the safety of their protection. After a brief pause, he exhaled sharply and signaled to lower the barrier.
The moment it dropped, a violent gust of wind slammed against me.
I held my breath, forcing myself to stay calm.
"Elenio! Come back!"
Zura.
Her panicked voice barely cut through the din of crumbling stone and pained screams of the soldiers.
I turned my head and found her standing there—positioned between me and Aarav.
Her hands were raised, and towering ice walls had formed in the air, a shimmering fortress desperately trying to block the razor-sharp metal shards still swirling wildly. Frozen crystals spread around us, their silver sheen glinting in the fractured light.
But I knew.
Her ice was cracking.
Aarav was too strong.
Zura clenched her teeth, her hands trembling as she maintained the icy shield around me. I could see frustration and fear written across her face.
Not fear of Aarav.
But fear for me.
Fear that I might get hurt.
I met her gaze, trying to signal that I was fine. But she wasn't listening—or rather, she didn't care.
I couldn't let this continue.
I turned to Aarav.
"Aarav!"
My hoarse voice barely carried over the cacophony of explosions and shattering ice.
He didn't respond.
His eyes were empty, filled with something deeper than mere rage—grief, fear, and despair.
I swallowed hard, feeling the creeping dread slither down my spine. But I knew that if I didn't act now, there would be nothing left of this room, including me.
My feet moved forward, even as every fiber of my being screamed at me to run. Yet, I closed the distance between us, stepping toward the living storm that Aarav had become.
For a brief moment, he hesitated, his furious gaze locking onto me as if he were ready to tear me apart. Though the explosions around him hadn't ceased, the razor-sharp crystals stopped forming. His eyes softened just slightly as he took in my thin frame, so much smaller than his.
I swallowed the lump in my throat.
"Aarav, listen to me!" I called out again, louder this time. My hands trembled, but I forced myself to keep speaking. "I know you're angry. I know you feel broken. But this won't fix anything!"
For a split second, Aarav faltered, though his eyes remained filled with hatred and agony.
"What do you know about fixing anything?!" he spat. "You don't even know what it means to lose everything!"
I wanted to yell, to tell him he was wrong. But instead, I held back and took a deep breath.
"I do," I said softly but firmly. "I know what it feels like to lose everything. I know what it feels like to be powerless, trapped in a place you never chose. But I also know that destroying everything won't bring back what's been lost."
Aarav trembled, the conflict in his eyes deepening. Yet, the swirling crystals around him remained, poised to strike at any moment.
"I don't care!" he shouted, his voice breaking as tears began to stream down his face. "I just want to go back!"
"I know that," I said softly, my voice steady despite the chaos around us. "And I also know one thing—your anger and fear are valid. Anyone in your position would feel the same. But lashing out, destroying everything in your path, won't take you back to Earth. It will only trap you in even more suffering here."
Aarav remained silent, his eyes still burning with rage, but he didn't strike again.
I held my breath for a moment before continuing, "I understand what it feels like to have no control over your own fate. I was born without magic—something crucial in this world. People see me as a burden, a failure. I know what it's like to be forced into something you never wanted to be."
"Aarav," I said, my voice still calm yet firm, "we're not asking you to forget who you are or where you came from. All we ask is for you to give yourself a chance—to understand this situation. I believe there's a reason you were the one summoned here. And maybe, just maybe, this isn't the end of everything. Maybe this is the beginning of something greater."
"I… I can't just accept this," he said, his voice trembling, filled with tension that had yet to fade. "You don't know what my life on Earth meant to me! I had dreams and plans—I had everything! And I had Febby! I knew I was still alive! I was still struggling, trying to reach the riverbank, trying to survive! And then you… you ripped everything away from me without warning!"
"It wasn't us!" I snapped. "This ritual only catches souls that have already slipped away from Earth!"
I took a deep breath, trying to calm the tremor in my chest.
"At least… that's what the ancient records say."
I met Aarav's gaze. His expression was still full of rage and pain, but there was a crack—a tiny opening that told me he was starting to listen.
But I knew words alone wouldn't be enough.
So I did something reckless.
I lunged toward him.
"ELENIO!"
Zura's panicked voice rang out, and in the next second, I felt something sharp cut across my shoulder—a stray shard of energy still raging around Aarav.
The wound burned, searing with pain, but I didn't stop.
I had to reach him.
I could hear Zura yelling something and feel the frost forming around me as she tried to shield me, but I kept pushing forward until I stood right in front of Aarav.
He stared at me, eyes wide in disbelief, as if he couldn't fathom my audacity.
Blood dripped from my arm, but I didn't care. I leaned forward, bringing my face closer to his ear.
Then, I whispered.
"I will find a way to send you home… as long as you help us face Midgaria's crisis."
Aarav's body tensed.
His breath came in sharp gasps.
I could see the conflict in his eyes.
And at that moment, something inside him began to shift.
He remained silent, his gaze still burning with tension, but now, there was something else—hope.
The wild surges of energy around the room began to subside slightly.
"You know how?" he asked, his voice trembling between doubt and desperation.
I didn't answer immediately. I could feel Zura's breath hitch behind me and hear the anxious murmurs from the Hierophants standing behind the barrier.
Then, finally, I spoke.
"There has never been a recorded case of an Astral Voyager returning to Earth," I said slowly. "No records, no solid theories."
The glimmer of hope in Aarav's eyes began to fade.
But before he could react, I continued, "…However, I might know a way."
Aarav's gaze sharpened. "Might?"
I nodded. "I once read that the first summoning ritual was conducted in an ancient ruin. That ruin still exists in Midgaria, and I've been there. I saw something—a stone engraved with ancient inscriptions."
I swallowed hard before continuing. "I couldn't fully decipher it at the time, but there was one part that stood out. A clue that… could be connected to your way home."
I watched as Aarav clenched his fists. Doubt still lingered, but now, the blazing fury within him was beginning to dim, replaced by something stronger—purpose.
"I promise you a way home, but in return, help me restore Midgaria's glory."
Tears welled up in his eyes. He shut them tightly, trying to hold back, but he failed. A single tear fell, followed by another, tracing a path down his face. "I don't ask for anything but to go back to Febby. Why… why did this have to happen to me?"
I looked at him, letting his words hang in the air. The tears streaming down his face were proof that the rage consuming him moments ago was now crumbling, leaving only despair and emptiness.
I took a slow breath, suppressing the pain in my shoulder. Blood still seeped from my wound, but I knew this was the moment to push further.
I spoke, my voice softer now but firm with conviction.
"Aarav, I won't lie to you." I raised my hand, palm open as if offering myself to him. "I can't promise anything certain, but I can promise you one thing—you have a chance."
His breath hitched, his stare locked onto mine.
I continued, "If you truly want to return to Febby, you have to be strong. You have to survive in this world. You must gain enough power to seek the answer yourself." I let a pause linger before sealing my words with unwavering resolve. "And the only way to do that… is by helping me save Midgaria."
I saw his expression shift—denial, then hesitation.
"Think about it," I murmured, almost like a whisper. "If you refuse and keep destroying everything, you'll die in this world without ever knowing the truth. But if you endure… if you survive long enough to uncover it… there may be a way."
His gaze remained locked on mine, yet I noticed how his grip loosened, the tension in his hands easing.
I took the final step, planting the seed that would lead him to the path I needed him to take.
"Aarav," I whispered, "I know you want to go home. But if you want to go home, you must first become part of this world." I took a steady breath. "Gain power, seek the truth. And when the time comes, I promise I will stand beside you to find the way back."
I saw his lips tremble as if he wanted to deny it, to scream that this was all unfair. But he couldn't. Because beneath it all… he knew I was right.
And at that moment, the first spark of an alliance was formed.
Aarav remained silent, his shoulders shaking. His breath hitched, and in an instant, his defenses crumbled.
Tears streamed down his face, not just tears of sorrow—but the sobs of a man who had lost everything.
"I… I just want to go home…" His voice broke between sobs, his hand clutching his chest as if trying to hold back an invisible wound.
And with that, the wild light surrounding him began to fade.
The flames raging around him dimmed, and the howling winds that had stormed through the room weakened into a mere whisper. The suffocating pressure in the air gradually lifted.
I saw the Arcana Codex floating behind him lose its brilliance. The glow of its magical inscriptions flickered, then slowly faded as the energy was reabsorbed back into him.
And in the end, silence fell.
Aarav collapsed to his knees, his hands still covering his face. His body trembled, overwhelmed by the remnants of emotions still surging within him.
I exhaled deeply, feeling the weight of the lingering atmosphere. Behind me, I heard Zura take a sharp breath, still trying to process what had just happened.
I stepped forward, then slowly knelt in front of Aarav.
"You are not alone," I said gently. "And I will help you find your way home."
Aarav didn't respond.
But for the first time since he unleashed his wrath upon this world—he stopped fighting.