Matías Castleboard's POV
(A Memory from the Past)
I could feel my body burning, just like the flames that were slowly devouring the land around me.
Standing amid the chaos, all I could do was witness the devastation left behind by the wars once fought on those lands. Ruins piled upon ruins—open scars on a world that had long forgotten how to heal.
Blood spread like an indelible stain across the waters that covered much of that continent, yet another among the many that had fallen under the so-called divine hand of false gods.
When I raised my gaze, I couldn't help but narrow my eyes in hatred.
Floating in the sky was a figure with an indifferent expression, utterly detached from the suffering that had reduced humanity to ashes.
His arms were crossed, and that mocking stare did nothing but confirm the truth: to him, humans were nothing more than a cruel joke.
"Looks like I didn't finish everyone off," he said from above. "I thought my order was clear."
With the speed of a lightning strike, his body slammed into the rubble below. The shockwave kicked up a massive cloud of dust that slowly dispersed with the breeze, heavy with the nauseating stench of death and decay.
"You shouldn't still be alive, human," he added as he recovered from the fall.
For a moment, I closed my eyes.
Slowing my breathing, I sank into the darkness of my own mind. The urge to kill that bastard burned fiercely within me; I wanted to shatter his teeth, to erase that arrogant smile from his face forever.
Rage coursed through my body.
Then I felt it—the intoxicating power of the Goddess of Fate made my skin prickle as divine energy began to surge through my veins, calling out to me, claiming me.
"I'll use your head as a trophy," I murmured, slowly opening my eyes.
I took a step forward.
The god's face twisted in horror. For some reason, his body trembled; the arrogance that once surrounded him evaporated like smoke.
I let a twisted smile slip as I watched him try to speak, stuttering through his words, instinctively bracing himself for the worst.
"Who the hell gave you those eyes?"
I didn't answer.
I let my body move on instinct, and in the blink of an eye I was right in front of him. Without giving him time to react, I drove my fist into his liver, feeling flesh cave in beneath the sheer brutality of the blow.
His body was sent flying, crashing through several walls of forgotten buildings—ancient structures that collapsed after centuries of silence.
The impact raised a colossal curtain of smoke that quickly reached me, wrapping me in a dense cloud that disoriented me for a moment.
My lungs burned as they filled with dust and debris. I had no choice but to fly into the sky, desperately searching for clean air.
"It's strange how everything ended up like this…"
I lifted my gaze and felt a stab of sadness.
Our satellite was gone. Shattered fragments of the moon drifted through the void, suspended in an unnatural stillness, like the remains of a celestial corpse abandoned to its fate.
The stars had gone dark, drowned out by massive portals that warped reality itself, blurring the line between what was real and what had once been nothing more than fantasy.
"Damn human… who do you think you are?"
I slowly turned my head toward the source of the voice.
In the distance, the god's figure rushed forward at full speed, shattering the sound barrier in his path.
A smile spread across my face as I prepared to fight once more.
"Let's see how tough you really are."
I clenched my fist and met his face with a direct blow that sent him reeling back at once. I watched him bring a hand to his mouth, blood sliding down from the corner of his lips.
Noticing that he was still disoriented, I didn't hesitate.
I lunged at him, unleashing a flurry of blows that landed cleanly. When I drove a hook into his hip, a sickening jolt ran through me as I heard his bones crack from within.
I wasn't the one taking the damage.
And yet, I could feel every wound as if it were my own. I knew the language of pain all too well… because I had spoken it my entire life.
So focused on my assault, I failed to notice the fatigue slowly creeping into my body.
My strikes grew sluggish. My vision blurred for a few brief seconds, leaving an opening the god wasted no time exploiting.
In an instant, I felt my jaw shift out of place. A sharp pain tore through my skull, snapping me violently back to reality.
"Damn it… even injured, you still hit hard."
Instinctively, I clenched my fist as I forced my jaw back into place. An unpleasant tingling spread through my mouth, accompanied by the metallic taste of blood.
Determined to end it once and for all, I abused my divine power again, forcing time itself to obey me.
The world slowed.
My eyes burned, and I felt warm blood spill from them. Even so, as I took in the result, a strange calm settled over me.
The clouds froze in place.
The crows' wings were suspended mid-flap.
Only I remained in motion within that plane—a domain I had made my own, capable of binding even gods to the laws of time.
Floating in the air, I approached the god. Grabbing his legs with both hands, I leaned close to his ear and whispered:
"Calur."
With a single word, the world resumed its flow. The ash hanging in the air began to fall again, slow and erratic.
I tightened my grip around the god's ankles and forced my body to lift him above my head.
My muscles strained to their limit. Veins bulged beneath my skin, betraying the sheer overexertion.
I knew my body was begging for rest. But I couldn't afford to waste time—not on my first mission.
"What are you doing?! Let me go!" he screamed in terror from above.
"As you wish," I murmured.
His desperate screams reached my ears… until they were cut short as his body slammed into the vast layer of water stretching beneath us.
I descended slowly from the sky.
Beneath my feet unfolded a grotesque scene that turned my stomach. From the depths, putrid corpses began to surface, dragged upward by the violence of the impact.
When I set foot on a floating piece of debris, my legs gave out. I dropped to my knees, watching the god's body drift unconscious among the dead.
It was horrifying to imagine how their lives had ended.
Just thinking about it was enough to stir memories I believed long buried.
I still hadn't overcome the death of my family. Even with a new purpose, the past continued to hunt me relentlessly.
Before I could sink any deeper into my thoughts, the crackle of static pierced my ear and tore me away from my hesitation.
A familiar voice echoed through my earpiece, reminding me that none of this was meaningless.
"This is Gorilla reporting. I've finished fishing out my god. How are you doing, Matías?"
"Shark reporting… my job's done. Heading back to base," I replied, my voice heavy with exhaustion.
I braced a hand against my knee and rose with effort, cutting the communicator as I did.
I still didn't understand why the Prophet wanted the gods' bodies. But for some reason, I felt no reason to doubt him.
I stepped toward the fallen god's body, hoping that everything would turn out well…
And that, at the end of it all, I would one day find my own freedom.
Kael Lanpar's POV
My eyes snapped open as the emotions from that memory began to cling to me, like a shadow that refused to let go.
The drowsiness weighing on my body made me realize I had fallen asleep during the journey. My vision was still blurred, but what truly unsettled me was the fact that I had experienced another memory.
I was deeply surprised that, after so much time, I had once again dreamed of Matías's past.
Still lost in my thoughts, I managed to catch Aiza's distant voice. It sounded calmer than usual.
"Looks like you're finally awake, little one."
I didn't respond right away. I needed to clear my head completely first.
I tried to stretch, raising my arms toward the sky and letting my body lean back… only to realize too late the emptiness behind me.
I was about to fall if not for Aiza's hand, which firmly grabbed my shirt.
The sudden shock snapped my senses fully awake.
I was on a horse.
I rested my head against Aiza's back again and wrapped my arms tightly around her waist, clinging to her in terror at the thought of hitting the ground.
Even as panic raced through my small body, I heard Aiza's amused laughter, which made a sting of embarrassment rise within me.
"Easy there, kid," she said between laughs. "I can feel your heart pounding against my back."
"This isn't funny," I replied irritably. "I almost fell."
Without any warning, Aiza snapped the reins hard, and her steed suddenly surged forward.
Instinctively, I pressed my face more firmly against her back.
On both sides, I could see Zeitra, Emira, and Soka keeping pace with us, riding massive horses of their own.
That sight made me truly aware of how high up I was… and just how far the ground lay beneath us.
Trying to clear my mind, I shifted my gaze toward the horizon, and that was when I became aware of the breathtaking place we were in.
In the distance, an orange sun slowly sank, surrendering the world to the night… a night no less beautiful in its own right.
Each strike of the hooves left behind a vast green field, dazzling in its beauty. From the grass, multicolored flowers bloomed, releasing a faint glow at intervals, as if the land itself pulsed with life.
Gripping the saddle tightly, I leaned to one side and lowered my hand to brush against the surface of that landscape, as though touching an ocean made of dancing fireflies.
"Attention, kids. We're almost there."
Aiza's words forced me to sit upright again. In the distance, a village began to take shape before us.
The closer we got, the more apparent something unsettling became.
The silence.
It wasn't natural. It was heavy, unnatural… like the silence of a place abandoned far too hastily.
As we passed through the gate welcoming us into the village, we all dismounted at once, without saying a single word about what was happening. That only deepened the unease tightening around my chest.
I couldn't understand how the scent of freshly baked bread still lingered in the air. Nor why the lanterns lining every street remained lit, illuminating paths that were completely empty.
"What happened here…?" I murmured without realizing it.
Still wrapped in confusion, I suddenly felt hands rest on my shoulders.
I didn't think.
I turned on pure instinct and threw a hook that landed squarely against someone's face.
A bead of sweat slid down my forehead when I recognized Zeitra. Even with my fist buried in his cheek, he didn't show the slightest hint of pain.
"Why did you attack me?" he asked calmly, gripping my wrist before pushing my hand away from his face.
My lips curved into a nervous smile as I stepped backward, slowly distancing myself from Zeitra, who seemed unable to understand the reason for my reaction.
I had reasons to fear him.
I knew what a corrupted awakening meant. I understood all too well what it could do to a person's mind…
If his judgment were ever to become clouded, I wasn't sure any of us could stop him. I had no intention of risking my life—especially not at a moment like that.
"Everyone, listen. From now on, we move on foot," Aiza ordered in a firm voice.
I watched her raise her hand and point toward the three siblings before continuing.
"You three, take the horses to the stables."
Without questioning the order, they took hold of the massive animals' reins and began guiding them toward their shelters, slowly disappearing into the fog that was starting to spread through the area.
Without saying a word, Aiza tossed me a travel bag. I caught it midair, confusion clearly written across my face.
"Go find food. This is already a dead village," she said, turning her back on me before walking away.
Once I was alone, I activated my astral magic. I needed to see everyone's auras; seeing through that dense fog with my own eyes was impossible.
After confirming that everyone was safe, I moved toward one of the houses. I smashed the lock with my elbow and pushed the wooden door open, which creaked harshly as it swung inward.
I didn't waste any time.
I headed straight for the kitchen, moving down a narrow hallway… only to stop dead in my tracks.
My eyes widened.
A light was still on.
And on the wall—cast by that light—was the shadow of someone sitting perfectly still, as if they had been waiting for me all this time.
"I don't want to do anything stupid… but maybe whoever's there has some answers about what happened here," I murmured.
Carefully, I took a few steps forward.
Then I heard it.
The metallic clink of cutlery. The soft, unsettling sound of someone chewing.
Before I could announce my presence, I had to dodge on pure reflex.
A piece of cutlery grazed my cheek and slammed violently into the wall behind me, leaving a crack that was far from normal.
I ripped the knife from the wall and lunged blindly at my attacker, only to be plunged into darkness when their fingers crushed the flame of the only candle lighting the room.
Surrounded by uncertainty, I assumed a defensive stance, gathering atmospheric mana in my free hand.
I closed my eyes to focus.
Then I felt it.
The other person's presence was moving rapidly toward me. Even with my eyes shut, I could sense their aura cutting through the darkness. It wasn't malicious.
There was a mistake.
Without thinking further, I struck with my mana-reinforced hand straight at their neck, slamming them into the wooden table. The impact echoed throughout the room.
"Who are you?" I demanded, trying to sound threatening.
There was no response.
I guided the remaining fire particles still floating in the air back toward the candle, restoring its flame.
The light revealed a face hidden behind a lion-shaped mask. Only blond hair was visible, swaying gently in the draft coming through the open window.
"I never thought this was how you'd welcome your cousin."
At the sound of that voice, my body relaxed on its own. Carefully, I released him, never taking my eyes off him.
His hand moved to the mask. When he removed it, he revealed the face of a teenager marked by a scar across his face. His cunning smile confirmed what I already suspected.
With my voice filled with disbelief, I could only say:
"Alfin… what are you doing here?"