The vast, dark expanse of space stretched endlessly, dotted with thousands of stars. A spacecraft glided silently among them.
Mas spoke, hands on the controls, maneuvering the ship with precision.
"We're heading to Terra. We'll reach Rah Terra soon. But first, Ruby, tell him."
Ruby, sitting in the ship, turned to Kai and said,
"I know you're curious about Terra, aren't you, meow? But first, I should tell you… we belong to a large organization called the Overseers. Our mission is to find the ruler of the Eastern Continent. And I have to warn you, meow, it's a very dangerous job."
Kai frowned, clearly confused. "Dangerous how? And why do we have to find the ruler of the Eastern Continent? I don't understand."
Ruby's expression turned serious.
"They call themselves the Invaders. They are our enemies, the Overseers' enemies. And why we have to find the ruler of the Eastern Continent… well, meow, that's a good question."
Ruby glanced at Mas, who was piloting the ship, then fell silent.
"Why, Mas?"
Mas spoke calmly as he steered the spacecraft through the void.
"The universe is out of balance right now. The Eastern Continent lacks a proper guardian. That's why a space war could break out at any moment—because someone is seeking that position for themselves."
"Everyone, prepare yourselves. We've arrived at Terra."
The spacecraft entered Terra's atmosphere. The planet, a beautiful mix of blues and greens, was slightly smaller than Earth. As the ship descended through the clouds, floating islands appeared, with buildings perched atop them. Below, vast fields of green grass stretched as far as the eye could see, dotted with cities reminiscent of a medieval fantasy world.
Mas prepared to land the ship. "Here we are… Terra."
Kai pressed his face to the window, watching the cities grow larger as the ship descended, eyes wide with excitement.
He whispered to himself, "So this is another planet… I expected something more modern. But it does look like a medieval city after all."
Ruby stood, her tail flicking as she walked through a small door in the ship labeled "Ruby." In a flash, she transformed from a black cat into a human and began changing her clothes. She stepped out of the room, now fully human.
Kai's eyes widened. "H-Huh… that's you, Ruby?"
He thought to himself, "That black cat… actually looks pretty cute as a human."
The spacecraft touched down in a landing area filled with other ships. People bustled around, and the trio disembarked. They walked past buildings painted in warm tones, small market stalls lining the streets. People—some human, some not—bargained and chatted.
Ruby's eyes sparkled as she peered at a stall selling unusual items. She crouched slightly, tail swishing.
"Hmm… what should I get, meow? I can't decide."
Mas, standing behind her, glanced around.
Kai, curious, asked, "Mas… I just noticed something. Why does everyone here speak the same language?"
Mas looked at him and replied, "We don't actually speak the same language. We communicate through awakened minds."
Kai tilted his head, confused.
"Awakened minds," Mas explained, "allow individuals to tap into their original consciousness, letting them understand others. On planets called Public Planets, most people can access this. But on developing planets or those with low consciousness, communication is limited. Those are considered 'Off-Limits Planets' for outsiders."
"So… that means I'm not really understanding your language, but you can understand mine, right?"
Mas raised an eyebrow and replied, a hint of amusement on his face, "You catch on fast." He then looked at Ruby, crouched and focused on her shopping.
"Decided yet… little kitty?"
"Don't rush me, meow. I'm concentrating."
Amid the crowd, eyes watched the three from a rooftop not far away.
A young girl in a gothic lolita dress with long, wavy black hair, pale skin, and bright red eyes spoke softly and clearly, her tone refined like that of a noblewoman.
"Eugene… I think I've found the Overseers."
Beside her crouched a taller girl, about 180 cm, with piercing red eyes and long red hair. She wore black leggings, a loose black T-shirt, and black sandals. Her voice was deep and commanding.
Eugene rose, his expression cold and detached, and said firmly, "Hmm…"