In a world where clouds could shape themselves into men and become gods, and even twigs could rise to divinity, there lived a boy who thought life could not be any more beautiful. His name was Lucian, and he was mischievous beyond measure.
"Come back here if you dare!" The furious shout of an old god echoed for miles.
"There's no way I'm doing that, gramps!" Lucian laughed, racing away on his hover bike.
The god chasing him was the God of Wine, famous across Heaven for his unmatched brews. He had recently crafted a new wine, his masterpiece and Lucian had drunk half of it.
"Wait till I get you!" the Wine God bellowed, veins bulging with rage.
Lucian only shrugged, still speeding ahead. "Wine is made for drinking! Why so mad?"
All across Heaven, gods and demons caught sight of a red glow chasing a black streak. They shook their heads knowingly, the black hue was none other than young Prince Lucian, the terror of Heaven.
But Lucian's fun ended abruptly. A man in a purple robe suddenly thrust a spear across his path. Lucian's bike was too fast to stop; he slammed into the shaft and tumbled hard to the ground.
"Ugh…" Lucian groaned, clutching his sore backside as he rolled in the dust.
A tall figure stepped forward, the Emperor of Heaven himself. He raised his hand in apology to the enraged Wine God. "Forgive my son's reckless behavior. I will discipline him, and you will be compensated for your loss."
The Wine God spat in disgust. "That boy never listens! If he weren't born the very day Origin died, and his mother wasn't a Warborn, I'd have cut off one of his legs long ago." With a final curse, he stormed away.
The Emperor turned to his son, shaking his head. "You're lucky I'm the Great King of the Heavens. Otherwise, you really would be missing a leg." He helped Lucian up.
Still wincing, Lucian muttered, "His wine was made for drinking… And besides, didn't he just call me the God of Mischief?"
The Emperor burst into laughter. "At least he called you a god! You're the only one without a divinity to rule over."
"Hmph. That's your fault and Mom's," Lucian shot back.
"What?!" The Emperor froze. "Pray the God of Luck spares you when your mother hears that.."
Before he could finish, a gust of hot wind swept through. A woman appeared, her long dark hair flowing like night itself, her purple gown blazing with divine power. Her eyes burned with fury.
"I heard that, you unfilial child," she screamed in anger
Lucian gulped. "M-Mother… I can explain!"
The Emperor whispered under his breath, "Seems you've offended the Goddess of Misfortune too."
Lucian's face went pale. "It was a mistake!"
The Emperor gasped. No one offended her and survived, yet somehow, his son had.
"You'll pay for today's chaos!" Queen Zelda thundered. She seized Lucian by the ear and dragged him off, ignoring his cries of protest.
Just then, a soldier in white armor arrived before the Emperor, kneeling low. "Your Majesty, grave news. Some Void Beings have escaped into the Primordial Realm. The Mother requests that someone be sent to stop them."
The Emperor—Ray, ruler of Heaven and all realms—considered the words carefully. "He's caused enough trouble here. Perhaps… a change of place will do him good."
Meanwhile, Zelda dragged her son straight to the halls of the God of Scholars.
"I don't want to study!" Lucian protested. "What difference does it make? Heaven doesn't care."
"Enough!" Zelda snapped. Unlike the Emperor, she did not bend to Lucian's whining. She was a Warborn, fierce and unyielding. To her, his mischief shamed not only the royal family, but the Warborn as well.
As they approached the scholar's halls, they heard students reciting:
> "A day in Heaven is a thousand in the Primordial Realm. Heaven has two realms: the God Realm, and the Immortal Realm. The Immortal Realm is where children of gods, and mortals who defy fate, reside. The Great King of Heaven and the Red Knight share equal status…"
Lucian scoffed. "They're just puppets. I'm an Otaenian, born above gods. Why should I study with immortals?"
"Because knowledge humbles pride," Zelda warned.
Just then, a man in white stepped from the halls. His very presence radiated wisdom. "That is exactly why you need to learn."
"Greetings, God of Scholars," Zelda bowed.
He returned the gesture. "Empress."
Lucian frowned. "Aren't the Chaos Beings supposed to maintain the laws? What use is all this?"
The Scholar smiled. "There are fewer than twenty Chaos Beings, each tied to a primal law, the Law of Marriage, the Law of Stories, the Laws that bind all life. But who maintains the smaller laws? Who carries them out? That, child, is the work of immortals, and those who learn."
Lucian's curiosity flickered. For once, he had no answer.
The Scholar seized the moment. "Gods are born with knowledge of their domains. But you, born naturally, are different. Follow me, study under me, and I will make you greater than any god."
Lucian hesitated, glancing at his mother's hopeful eyes. After a thousand years of mischief, perhaps it was time to change.
"…Fine. I'll study. For a few years."
"Excellent!" The Scholar's eyes gleamed. He had long dreamed of training a god, and Lucian was the perfect pupil.
"I will shape you into more than just the God of Mischief," he vowed. "You will become the first true Great God of knowledge itself."