Before the science camp, Kell and Jiya walk along the riverfront of the Eris River.
Kell is quiet, lost in thought. His eyes remain on the rippling water, but his mind is far away.
Jiya, walking beside him, glances over with concern. After a long silence, she finally speaks.
"Is something bothering you?"
Kell does not answer.
Jiya gently places her hand over his. "I'm your friend, Kell. You can tell me anything that's weighing on your heart."
After a pause, he replies, his voice low and distant. "It's nothing… Just memories. There was a girl I once loved more than anything. I thought she felt the same. But I was wrong. She and her friends… they mocked me. Bullied me. After that, my heart shut down. Forever."
Jiya's voice is soft but firm. "That's terrible… but I understand. And I want you to know, not everyone is like that. There are still kind people out there. One day, you might find your soulmate."
"I don't want to," he says quietly. "I've become emotionless. In the corridors of my heart, no doors are left. After a long time, I see this beautiful sky again, but at the cost of her love."
Jiya nods slowly. She understands. And she says nothing more.
Together, they watch the sunrise over the Eris River. The golden light dances across the water's surface, casting shimmering reflections that look like scattered hopes.
Then they return home.
That night, after dinner, Jiya sits alone in her room, thinking about Kell's words. Her mind swirls with emotion, but she steels herself and whispers, "My goal is to protect the research… nothing else."
Soon after, Jiya joins the same college as Kell, Hasagiri Medical College.
Kell's friends, curious, begin to ask questions.
"Hey Kell, is Jiya your girlfriend or something?"
He shakes his head. "No. We're just good friends."
But not everyone is happy about it.
In another part of the college, Ruhi, the same girl who once hurt Kell, watches them with narrowed eyes.
Her friend Liz whispers, "Ruhi, why are you getting mad? He's just a loser. And she's only here for a short time, right? I heard she's brilliant, finished three years by age twenty. She'll leave next year anyway."
Ruhi's tone is cold. "I'm not angry. Or jealous. I'm just… waiting for the right time."
***
The next day, Kell gets ready for the science camp. Jiya is going too.
They travel together to the hill-based Medical Research Laboratory, a serene place tucked among forests and clouds. They explore cutting-edge technology and innovative research during the day.
That night, under the stars, the students sit around a campfire.
Jiya sits beside Kell, the warm light of the fire dancing in her eyes.
Life goes on as usual for everyone. But far above, in the heavens where the gods dwell, something stirs. Peace no longer exists there.
All the gods of heaven sit in a grand hall, ornate with golden pillars and white, intricate designs. The room glows softly, illuminated by natural light flowing through divine vents carved into the sky itself.
One god speaks:
"We only have twenty years left... after that, he will escape."
Lord of War:
"Our former Lord sacrificed himself to seal him. It's now our duty to try and seal him again. Everyone must be ready. This may be our final battle."
Current Lord of the Heavens:
"They think we can succeed... but it's nearly impossible. He is the Lord of Origins."
Long ago, the Lord of Origins was their friend. But his hunger for power blinded him. That desire led to a war between him and the heavens.
Many gods from other universes sided with him, supporting his quest to take control of the Origin of this universe.
There is a myth:
"If one possesses all the Infinity Origins, they gain control over infinity itself and become ruler of endless worlds, wielding limitless power."
Now you may be wondering, who am I? And why am I interrupting this story?
I am the one who knows everything.
I exist behind all things… or perhaps, I do not exist at all.
I am lost to this world and the universe beyond.
No one knows me, and no one ever will.
Because I am the—
(A mesmerizing voice echoes, but the last words are too faint to hear... heee! heee! another shameless author)
After this, the gods decide to remove the spiritual barrier of Earth for the upcoming war. They need warriors too. So, at midnight, everything changes.
A strange voice echoes across the entire world, heard by every living being.
"All living beings of Earth, listen carefully. The spiritual barrier of your planet has been removed. The limitations placed by the gods are gone. You have ten years to become powerful. After that, the Test begins. Those who pass will ascend to the God Realm and be chosen as disciples. Those who fail will be erased from existence."
Panic erupts across the globe.
People demand answers. Is this a prank? A virus? A threat?
Governments scramble to respond. Every world leader gathers for an emergency summit.
The meeting is led by the leader of Roseria, the richest nation on the southern continent. A being appears before them, Frazaris, a divine messenger.
He speaks with authority and grace:
"I am Frazaris, messenger of the gods. The time has come. The era of limitations is over. Now you must cultivate strength. I will remain on Earth for ten years to teach and guide you."
None of the leaders can speak. The being before them radiates such overwhelming power that even their bravest warriors remain silent.
The summit lasts three days. By the end, the truth is undeniable.
The gods are real. The test is coming.
The leaders return and address their nations. But the world has already fallen into chaos. Some people commit suicide. Others lose their minds. Doomsday cults rise overnight.
The same announcement echoes on other planets with life: Jubera375, Des, Rihana, and more.
The gods are forming an army for a war across realms.
Kell and Jiya watch the news unfold. Both are shaken. But Jiya understands more than she lets on.
She whispers to herself, "L37… it's happening again."
Her thoughts spiral.
"I don't have a choice. I trust Uncle Karlos… or I run. But where could I go? They'd find me anywhere. This… this is the only safe place I have left."
She makes a decision that night. She will tell Kell everything.
Because right now, he is the only person she can truly rely on.
She still does not know about his father. She still believes Kell's family is ordinary.
But soon… that illusion will shatter.