Alex blinked, the titles echoing in his head. Seven Sacred Houses… divine order… these were terms he'd never heard, words that carried weight he couldn't yet comprehend.
His mind flitted back and forth, trying to piece together what this all meant, until Viktor's question snapped him into focus.
"Tell me, Alex," he said, his voice heavy with years of burden, "what do you know about the Seven Guardian Gods?"
He took a steadying breath, forcing his thoughts into order, not wanting to sound ignorant.
"I know what everybody knows," Alex said carefully. "Two hundred years ago, something catastrophic was about to happen to Earth, but seven Gods chose to sacrifice themselves for us… for humanity's sake."
"Exactly," Viktor said, his single word carrying bitter gravity.
He struggled to sit up straighter, pain etching deep lines across his face.
