Hyperion had left Etherion and was spending his time in a third realm—an unknown space where time and possibility intertwined, where all potential paths converged in a chaotic harmony. To him, he had merely closed his eyes for a brief moment of contemplation. Yet in Elysium, years had already passed—one, then two. While he lingered in tranquil thought, the world outside moved forward at a startling pace.
Seated on his throne in the third realm, Hyperion surveyed the endless branches of possibility laid out before him. Thousands of futures unraveled in his sight, and he quietly searched for the optimal path. But time in this realm did not flow as it did for mortals. A single day in Elysium passed in a blink for him. What he considered a short pause was, in reality, a long silence to the world he had once touched.
Hyperion:"Just a moment, I thought... Yet so much has changed. Elysium..."
Though his gaze reached Elysium, to him, all that transpired remained nothing more than unrealized possibilities. The passage of time held little weight.
Hyperion:"One year, two years... Long for them, fleeting for me. I will act when the time is right. Now is not that time."
Hyperion was aware of Elysium's growth. Yet he remained still, not from carelessness, but from purpose. This space, beyond time and form, where past and future intertwined, allowed him to refine his plans with unwavering calm.
Meanwhile, in Elysium, his silence had begun to breed unease. King Merslin sensed that Hyperion's inaction was no mere retreat. The king tightened national security and urged his people to prepare for threats that could arise without warning.
Merslin:"If Hyperion's silence is not simple patience, then we must transform this waiting into readiness. For the future of Elysium, we must prepare for every possibility."
Under his leadership, defensive systems were reinforced and new magical technologies developed. His trusted aides responded swiftly and faithfully.
Lisa:"The soldiers' training has been intensified. We're prepared for all conceivable threats."
Elena:"We've constructed new magical wards. The defensive barrier protecting Elysium is now stronger than ever."
Aria:"We've improved our healing magic protocols to ensure rapid treatment even during combat."
Merslin acknowledged their efforts with deep gratitude, though he remained burdened by the ominous weight of Hyperion's silence, like a storm cloud looming above the kingdom.
Back in the third realm, Hyperion slowly opened his eyes. He had believed only a moment had passed. But in his absence, change had swept across Elysium. While he meditated on fate, Merslin and his allies had been strengthening the kingdom.
Hyperion:"In my stillness, they forged ahead. Interesting. But it is not yet time. I will see if they are truly ready."
He reclined once more upon his throne. For him, time was a matter of will. He would wait until the precise moment arrived. He observed every unfolding possibility—and when he finally acted, none could foresee it.
Time, to Hyperion, was a hollow construct. While he lingered in this realm, analyzing the web of futures, Elysium continued to evolve at remarkable speed. Merslin, meanwhile, was not idle. With every passing day, he fortified his kingdom, determined not to be caught unaware.
But when Hyperion's silence finally breaks, Elysium will face its greatest trial yet. Merslin knows full well that this stillness is not simply the calm before a storm—it is the weight of something vast approaching. And as king, he prepares not just for the moment, but for every outcome.The true confrontation between Hyperion and Merslin… has only just begun.
**
Episode: The Starship of Etherion Opens the Age of Space
On Earth, Kim Young-min and a team of scientists and military experts struggled to prepare for Etherion's return. Etherion was a race possessing super-science capable of freely traversing the universe—their technological advancement was beyond anything Earth could comprehend. Kim and his team held onto a fragile hope: that by securing Etherion's technology, they could strengthen Earth's defenses and perhaps even open a new age of space exploration.
Although most of Etherion's ships had been retrieved during their retreat, fragments and devices remained scattered across Earth. Kim's team analyzed the remnants, but the gap in understanding was enormous. Some components were too damaged to restore, while others defied any known scientific framework.
Kim suspected that remnants might have also been left behind in Luminaria. To investigate, he sought to reestablish a consciousness link with Merslin, who remained in that world. Though they existed in separate realms, the two could connect through deep meditation and share thoughts and emotions in real time.
Kim entered a trance, focusing his mind. At the same moment, Merslin paused his defensive preparations in Luminaria and reached inward. Their minds aligned—no words were spoken aloud, but their intentions passed cleanly across the veil between worlds.
Kim Young-min: "Merslin, we've found very little of their ships here on Earth. Do you think there might be any Etherion wreckage left in Luminaria?"
Merslin heard Kim's voice echo within his thoughts and replied calmly.
Merslin: "I'll search. But why are you looking for a ship?"
Kim hesitated. He knew the burdens Merslin already carried, defending Elysium from constant threats. He didn't want to add more weight. But this was something both their worlds needed to understand.
Kim Young-min: "We can't remain passive forever. If we can decode Etherion's systems, we can fight them beyond Earth's borders—and understand how to defend ourselves better."
Merslin nodded heavily. He bore the full weight of Luminaria's fate on his shoulders.
Merslin: "Their systems are too different. Language, structure—everything. Honestly, it's exhausting. Just holding Elysium together is already overwhelming. Preparing for more... it's hard to even breathe."
Kim felt the fatigue behind his words and tried to offer strength.
Kim Young-min: "I know, Merslin. But you're not alone. Like you protect Elysium, we'll protect Earth. And there is one universal language—math."
Merslin allowed a faint smile to rise.
Merslin: "You're right. Math transcends borders. But their science—it feels like magic. Not just machines. It feels like they're harnessing the forces of nature itself."
Kim's eyes lit up.
Kim Young-min: "Yes! 'Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.' That applies here too. If we work together, we'll find a way."
Empowered by the exchange, Merslin resolved to search Luminaria's lands. Using his magic of memory, he traced back echoes of past battles, scanning areas for hidden wreckage. Eventually, in the deep woods of a remote region, he discovered the crash site of an Etherion ship.
Merslin used his magic to reconstruct the battle, revealing mechanical schematics and energy cores. Through this, he began to grasp fragments of how Etherion technology functioned.
Merslin: "Kim Young-min, I found what we were looking for. The wreckage... it reacts to magic. It's not just tech. It uses something akin to elemental energy."
Kim exhaled in relief.
Kim Young-min: "This could be it. The clue we needed. With this, we might be able to reverse-engineer parts of their systems. We couldn't have done this without you."
Yet despite the encouragement, a shadow lingered in Merslin's heart.
Merslin: "I'm glad I could help. But I still fear their return. Each day feels like war. Even if we win this one… I don't know if we'll win the next."
Kim felt the weight of those words and answered with quiet resolve.
Kim Young-min: "You've already done more than enough. And we're not alone. Together, we can face anything. Elysium is a beacon of hope—for all of us."
The information from the wreckage flowed through their consciousness link. Kim and his team began integrating that knowledge, blending magic and science in experimental simulations. They theorized how the energy sources could be mimicked and harnessed, creating models for use in Earth's defense systems.
Merslin continued to explore the principles behind the ship's propulsion.
Merslin: "It seems they distort space itself to move. If we apply our world's magic principles, we might be able to replicate it. Not all, but enough to build something of our own."
Kim Young-min: "Then our goal is simple: a perfect synthesis of magic and science. If we combine our strength, we can reach for the stars."
Their shared vision slowly began to take shape. What began as a desperate search for defense evolved into the dawn of a new frontier. The fusion of Luminaria's magic and Earth's science was the only true countermeasure against Etherion's super-science.
Kim Young-min: "We can't stay on defense forever. We'll make their weapons ours—and meet them as equals."
Merslin: "You're right. Together, we can protect everything we love."
Their determination forged a bridge between worlds. The age of fear had ended. The age of space had just begun.