The portal opened directly into the large open area where we'd left the Ishgar Empire citizens three days ago. Though with everything that had happened—the Sentinels, the Guardians, the trials, and finally Bahamut—it felt like we'd been gone for weeks, maybe even months.
The moment we stepped through, I could see Valerius straightening up from where he'd been talking with a group of advisors. His face lit up with relief and excitement when he spotted us.
"Aiden! Irene!" he called out, hurrying over with long strides. "Thank the gods you're back. We were starting to worry as it's been days since you two left."
"Sorry about that," I said, stretching my shoulders. "Things got... complicated up there."
"Complicated how?" Valerius asked, his expression shifting to concern.
"Long story.." I replied. "But that's not the most important thing right now. Valerius, I need everyone to start preparing for immediate travel."
Valerius said slowly.. "Actually, we've already prepared for departure."
I blinked. The reality of their situation hit me then. A millennium trapped in monster forms meant no possessions, no homes to return to, no material ties to their past lives. They don't exactly have... belongings to pack.
Everything they'd once owned had crumbled to dust centuries ago.
"Right…" I replied, slightly feeling awkward now.
Irene stepped forward without hesitation, her magic already shimmering around her hands like silver threads as she prepared portals
The first groups started walking through the portals.
Hope could be seen on their faces.
It didn't take long before the last of them stepped through the portal. As we followed behind, Irene grasped my hand. I nodded to her and followed suit.
As the scenery shifted back to the northern territory, I saw amazement on their faces. They were clearly amazed by the lush, fertile land—and of course, the massive World Tree.
"Incredible," someone breathed behind me, voice filled with wonder.
After a while, I spoke to them, introducing the place.
"This is the Mu Continent," I said, pointing ahead. "We're in the northern territories right now." I paused, letting them take in the view. "That big tree you're all staring at? That's the World Tree."
A few of them nodded, still looking around with wide eyes.
After a while, I led them to an open area. That's when I realized something—we didn't have any shelters prepared. I smacked my forehead, annoyed at myself for forgetting such a simple thing.
Irene burst out laughing beside me, "Really, Aiden? The all-powerful King of the Fairies forgot to build houses?"
"Hey, cut me some slack," I muttered, feeling heat rise in my cheeks.
But then I grinned, remembering exactly what I had access to. "This won't be a problem at all."
With a thought, I pulled out the Omni-Constructor—a device from some advanced civilization that could materialize entire cities in minutes. The device hummed to life in my hands, its crystalline surface pulsing with energy.
"What is that thing?" Irene said, clearly curious.
Something that's about to solve our housing problem," I replied, inputting the specifications.
Let's see... residential districts, commercial zones, administrative buildings, hospitals, schools, entertainment areas, proper sanitation, community areas, defensive walls just in case.
The device projected a holographic blueprint above us, showing a sprawling city that could easily house half a million people. Multi-story apartment complexes, wide boulevards, parks, a proper sewer system, magical lighting, defensive barriers - everything a modern city could need.
Now THAT'S more like it.
I activated the Omni-Constructor at full capacity. The device hummed louder, its crystal core blazing with energy. The ground rumbled beneath our feet as the construction began on a scale none of them had ever seen.
Skyscrapers erupted from the earth like metallic trees. Roads carved themselves into perfect patterns. Fountains materialized in parks that grew from nothing. The World Tree's branches stretched overhead as if blessing the new city rising beneath it.
"Holy..." one of the former Ishgar citizens whispered.
"This is impossible," another breathed.
Impossible? Please, I thought, watching entire city blocks snap into existence.
I've got access to technology from civilizations that build dyson spheres for fun.
This is child's play.
Within thirty minutes, a gleaming metropolis stood before us, complete with everything from hospitals to entertainment districts.
"There," I said, finally dusting off my hands. "Now THAT'S home sweet home."
The crowd had gone completely silent, just staring at the city I'd created from nothing.
"Aiden," Irene said quietly, "sometimes I even forget just how ridiculous you actually are."
Being overpowered definitely has its perks, I thought with satisfaction, watching as hundreds of thousands of people began exploring their new home.
Even I had to admit, I was pretty amazed at what I'd just done.
This was my first time building something on this scale, and seeing an entire city rise from nothing in half an hour was mind-blowing even for me.
But what really got to me was watching the faces of the Ishgar residents. The pure amazement, the joy, the hope shining in their eyes as they stared at their new home - it brought a genuine smile to my face.
After a thousand years of suffering, finally..they are home.
The Omni-Constructor powered down with a soft hum, its job complete. I was about to turn to the crowd and start explaining how to navigate their new city when something unexpected happened.
Valerius stepped forward, and then he dropped to one knee in front of me.
"What are you-" I started, but my words died as I watched other Ishgar residents follow suit. First dozens, then hundreds, then thousands.
Within moments, every single person - all hundreds of thousands of them - was kneeling before me. The sight was overwhelming. An entire sea of people, heads bowed, stretching as far as I could see.
"Valerius, what the hell are you doing?" I asked, genuinely confused.
"Aiden," he said, his voice carrying across the silent crowd. "You have given us more than life itself. You have given us hope, purpose, and now... a home beyond our wildest dreams."
"We pledge ourselves to you," Valerius continued. "Not out of debt, but out of genuine loyalty and respect. You are our king, Aiden. Our true king."
The crowd murmured in agreement, thousands of voices joining in a unified declaration of loyalty.
I stood there for a moment, taking it all in.
The weight of their expectation, their hope, their trust - it all settled on my shoulders.
I straightened up, letting my voice carry across the massive crowd with the authority of someone who commanded nations.
"I accept," I said, my words echoing clearly to every corner of the gathering. "I accept your loyalty, your pledge, and your trust."
A ripple of emotion passed through the kneeling masses - relief, joy, hope all mixed together.
"But let me make something clear to all of you," I continued, my voice growing stronger.
I will not let you down. Not now, not ever. You've suffered for a millennium, and that ends today."
I gestured toward the gleaming city behind me. "This is just the beginning. I will take care of each and every one of you. I will protect you, provide for you, and give you opportunities to thrive like you never could before."
The silence was absolute, every person hanging on my words.
"And I promise you this," I said, my voice filled with absolute conviction. "I will show you a future brighter than anything your empire ever achieved. A future where your children will grow up free, prosperous, and proud."
They all cheered.
After a while, I led the massive crowd toward their new city but as we reached the city's entrance, I realized there were still countless things to organize - housing assignments, job distributions, setting up the infrastructure properly.
Way too many details for me to handle personally.
"Valerius," I called out, and he immediately approached.
"Yes, my lord?"
"I'm putting you in charge of getting everyone settled," I said. "You know these people better than I do. Help them find their places, figure out the living arrangements, all that organizational stuff."
"Of course," he nodded eagerly. "We won't disappoint you."
"And NIMO will be supervising and guiding you about the city's systems," I added, as my AI companion materialized beside us.
"Already calculating optimal housing distributions and resource management protocols," NIMO announced in his usual efficient tone. "The city's infrastructure is quite advanced. I will ensure proper orientation for all residents."
Perfect. Let the experts handle the details.
With the immediate concerns handled, I found myself walking away from the bustling activity with Irene. We ended up on a small hill overlooking the new city, watching as our people began exploring their new home.
Irene leaned against my shoulder, her warmth comforting after such an intense day. The setting sun painted the sky in brilliant oranges and purples above us.
"I'm so proud of you, Aiden," she said softly, her voice filled with genuine affection.
She tilted her head to look up at me, her eyes shining with emotion. "I love you so much. More than I ever thought possible."
And this, I thought, pulling her closer as we watched our city come to life below us, this makes everything worth it.
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