Point of View: Eldrin
An hour later, we gathered once again in the council chamber.
This time, the atmosphere was different.
Heavier.
More serious.
Everyone had eaten something, but no one looked relaxed. Any trace of casual conversation had completely vanished.
"Now we will talk about the Guardian and each of the messages it left," I said, breaking the silence. "First, I want to know what you think the Guardian is."
Thistram was the first to speak.
"That's a difficult question to answer," he admitted. "We only learned of its existence four days ago, and according to its own words, we were not qualified to know about it."
Merlin slowly nodded.
"What troubles me is that it was able to communicate with Sylvanas through the system," he added. "We have tried countless times… and never received a response. Now something—or someone—appears that can."
Sylvanas spoke next, her voice firm.
"I don't believe it's a Primordial," she said. "When it spoke to me, it congratulated me for being the first of my race to ascend. Whatever it is… it's something entirely different from us."
Thistram frowned.
"What concerns me most is its stance toward Arcadia. It doesn't seem like an enemy… but it's not an ally either."
I nodded slowly.
"Then for now, we'll classify it as a being of another race, with unclear intentions toward Arcadia," I concluded. "Does anyone want to add anything?"
No one spoke.
"Very well," I continued. "Let's move on to the message it left."
I turned toward Sylvanas.
"Could you show it to us?"
She nodded without hesitation.
"System, allow the others to view my status screen. Display the messages left by the Guardian."
A transparent screen appeared before us.
[Request accepted]
[Loading messages]
[1. This planet and its inhabitants are unique in the universe]
[2. Origin Energy does not exist anywhere else]
[3. You are not the only civilization; countless others exist]
[4. The system is not free. Its price is tribulation. The more it is used, the greater the difficulty. Individual talent also influences it]
[5. Planets are sources of resources. You cannot grow stronger without them]
"Thank you, Sylvanas," I said. "What do you think this means?"
Merlin spoke first.
"The first message suggests that we are the only Primordials that exist… and possibly the only inhabitants of this planet."
Morgath crossed his arms.
"The second and third messages imply the existence of other civilizations," he added, "but they don't use Origin Energy like we do. They may have different cultivation methods or entirely different sources of power."
Sophia frowned thoughtfully.
"If we combine the first and fourth messages," she said, "it becomes clear that the system is the reason tribulation exists. That could mean other civilizations don't have a system at all… or that we're the only ones who do."
Sylvanas spoke quietly, but with certainty.
"The fifth message is clear," she said. "It speaks of war. Of conflicts over planets."
A tense silence filled the room.
I took a deep breath before speaking.
"If we assume the Guardian's information is true, then several things become clear," I said. "We could become the target of other civilizations… or perhaps we already are, without knowing it. The system is the cause of tribulation, and the more we rely on it, the harsher its judgment will become."
I looked at each of them in turn.
"What do you think?"
Lyriana was the first to answer.
"We must progress," she said. "The message mentions countless civilizations, but we can't assume they're all constantly at war. Some may be in situations similar to ours… or even more primitive."
I nodded.
"I agree," I replied. "This is a race for resources, for survival, and for power. And if the defeated planets are still inhabited… then their populations likely live in misery. Or worse."
No one spoke.
Sophia finally broke the silence.
"Then… what should we do, Leader?"
I slowly stood and walked toward the window. Arcadia stretched out before me, peaceful and unaware of everything we had just discussed.
"Until now, we've been too passive," I said. "We built a comfortable life, and there's nothing wrong with that. We fought for it. But now we know that comfort won't be enough."
I turned back to them.
"A city can only prosper if it stands on three pillars."
I raised one finger.
"First: strong military forces."
Another finger.
"Second: efficient infrastructure that reduces costs and maximizes resources."
The third.
"And third: a team dedicated to progress and innovation."
The ministers listened with absolute focus.
"Starting tomorrow," I continued, "we will increase the soldiers' training and redistribute more resources to them. We will organize campaigns to acquire materials from the forest, and over time, we will expand our borders."
I looked at Merlin.
"We will also build a center dedicated exclusively to research. It will be called OEI: Origin Energy Institute. You will be in charge. We'll gather our brightest minds… and anyone willing to devote themselves to knowledge."
"Yes, Leader," the ministers replied in unison.
"With that, this meeting is adjourned."
One by one, they left the chamber.
I remained there, gazing out at Arcadia through the window.
After a long moment, I murmured to myself:
"Don't worry… as long as I am the leader, you will never fall. No matter what we face.
That is my promise."