POV of Matías Castleboard
I always hated these moments. Having to look into someone's eyes while their gaze pierced mine, as if they knew I was their executioner. The trembling hand, the weapon ready to extinguish the life of someone who still dared to call themselves innocent.
I always blamed myself for volunteering for this. For making it a priority to punish people whose past I didn't even know.
To my followers, I was a leader. Someone capable of making justified decisions, firm in his actions. Maybe they believed it because there was no other choice in a world ravaged by humanity itself...
Or maybe they simply saw me as a compass—the one who gives direction. Their guide. Their protector. The one who would never back down.
But having to kill one of your own...
"Please… I beg you, Matías. I didn't betray the insurgency," the accused said, his voice broken. "You know me. I have a family. Don't let me..."
What would you do, if in your hands rested not only the respect of your people, but also the possible future of something better? Perhaps a place worthy of rest...
The crowd shouted—not to save him, but to bury him further. They wanted to crush the life of a man who hadn't chosen to be born in one of humanity's darkest eras.
"People of Alkemist!" I shouted, my voice trembling at the response I expected. "We are not beasts! We are human, and humans make mistakes! We can't decide who gets to live and who must die..."
"So I ask again," I continued. "Will we give this man a second chance, or will we condemn his life?"The response came swiftly. Everyone in the massive coliseum—once belonging to one of the most storied nations in history—spoke with one voice:
"Let him die! There's no forgiveness for a traitor!" was the first cry. Then came the others.
"Let him die!"
"Let him die!"
The decision was made. There was no turning back. I looked into the man's eyes one last time and saw his entire life flash in a single moment… before letting my sword fall.
His head rolled to the ground. Time seemed to rewind. I returned, in my mind, to other days… when I wasn't the one holding the weapon, but someone I loved.
I sighed.
Returned to the present. The applause and cheers echoed like the drums of a false victory. We had won nothing. Death brings no justice—only more death.
A vicious cycle our minds refuse to break. Our attachment to pain makes us repeat the same actions again and again, unaware of the damage we cause ourselves.
I raised my sword, feigning conviction. Then I walked toward the exit of the coliseum, head held high, but soul in pieces.
The crowd hailed me… for something I never wanted to be:
A murderer.
Minutes later, walking through the luxurious hallways of the coliseum, lined with paintings and gold-plated artifacts, I ran into Marcois, waiting for me at the door.
"How did it go? Are you okay?" he asked with concern. "You know that..."
"Yes, I know," I interrupted. "It wasn't my fault. I was just doing my duty. There was no other choice… right?"
"No," he said with a sigh. "There was no other choice."
Alkemist was our main base. Completely under insurgent control, it had become a strategic stronghold on the desert continent that once was Europe. A brutal advantage over our enemies.
Those who didn't follow the Prophet came seeking refuge here. They believed the leader they called The Great Liberal was different from the Prophet… but they were wrong.
I fight for my cause too. It's not evil—it's ideology. I don't share their beliefs, and that's why I confront them.
"Champion Castleboard!" exclaimed a citizen as he passed. "Thank you for putting that traitor in his place!"
I returned a false salute, nodding, and kept walking beside Marcois toward our destination.
Outside, it was raining. The rain painfully reminded me of the supposed traitor's weeping.
I shook my head, frustrated, murmuring to myself:
"Surely, the only thing he betrayed… was other people's expectations."
"Well," said Marcois, placing a hand on my shoulder, "you know the people from the Sunken Continent play more by the rule of the cunning."
"Set those thoughts aside for a moment," he continued. "You need to be at a hundred percent. The information we're about to receive is critical."
Time changed us. Conditions twisted us. And yet, we still called ourselves human—beings with sanity, with a shred of mercy.
But no one was to blame for how it all ended. We never knew when the end would come, or how. We just adapted—like the last animals on Earth. Survival was all that remained.
I stepped into the small house where the guests from the north awaited us. Once, they were called weak, as if having everything made others superior. They never were.
"Well, well… if it isn't Champion Matías Castleboard himself," one of them said mockingly. "A pleasure to see you, Your Majesty."
"This isn't the time for jokes," I replied seriously. "Do you have what I asked for?"
"Of course," said another voice, handing me a bundle of documents. "We never fail. In this world, only the cunning survive."
Across what remained of the world, in every still-inhabited corner, we had informants. People who worked for us—for our cause. For a purpose.
"Thank you for the intel," I said, without looking up.
"And our payment? You know nothing comes for free," one of them replied with a firm tone.
"Marcois will handle it," I said, pointing to him. "In the meantime, I want everyone out. This is confidential."
They obeyed. Smiling before leaving, as if enjoying the game. I was left alone, document in hand, dreading what I might find.
As I opened it, my worst fears were confirmed. I collapsed to my knees. Tears began to flow without permission. I knew it would hurt—but not this much.
It was clear: there was no turning back.
Perhaps… perhaps the meaning of humanity had been lost long ago.
POV of Kael Lanpar
I opened my eyes, emerging from the trance brought on by that memory. I returned to the present, standing before an old desk, staring at the image inside a scroll marked as classified.
I wished I'd never seen it. My hands began to tremble, overtaken by the chill of horror. The image was clear: the person who once cared for me as a child… crucified, bleeding, lifeless.
"So that's why Lilia disappeared," I murmured, still shaking.
I couldn't get her out of my mind. It was as if I had lived her suffering myself. I could hear her screams, begging for mercy. Just like the so-called traitor. Just like so many others.
I didn't know Lilia well. Not really. But I cared for her. She had sick parents to look after… and a dream she never got to fulfill.
I thought that by entering my grandfather's office I might find information about Alfin's whereabouts, or perhaps about the current situation in Auroria.
But out of all the books and scattered documents on the desk, I picked the worst one.
One that revealed a truth impossible to ignore.
One that proclaimed the end of the human kingdom was only a matter of time.
"What nonsense am I thinking…" I whispered.
I knew that kind of mindset would get me nowhere. Especially now, in such a delicate moment.
I picked up the scroll again. Gave it a quick glance, trusting my trained memory to absorb every word. I'd analyze it more thoroughly later. But right now…
"I think I've run out of time," I said, feeling a presence behind me.
"Well, well. How naughty. I see you're not as mature as you pretend to be," said my grandfather, entering the room. "That's good. You still have some childhood left to live."
"Heheheh…" I chuckled nervously, placing the scroll back on the desk. "I guess I got lost… and ended up here by accident."
"I would've believed you," he replied, "if this room weren't protected by sealed-type astral magic."
"Oh? There are more types of astral magic now? That's neat… And here I thought I'd already seen everything this world had to offer..."
What do I do now?
I'm in trouble. Serious trouble.
What am I even supposed to say?
"Sorry, Grandpa, it's just that I have the intelligence of an adult trapped in the body of a child trained in military and espionage tactics. I just wanted to find some information."
Yeah, like he'd ever believe that.
But I also don't have anything else to say.
I'm out of ideas.
"Kael," my grandfather called. "Come here, I'm not going to scold you… to be honest, you don't even deserve it. In fact, I should congratulate you."
"What?"
"Why are you congratulating me?" I asked, confused. "I know I shouldn't have come in here. I'm sorry, Grandpa…"
"Oh, don't worry about it. Your mother was the same at your age: curious, and way too clever when it came to deactivating seals," he said as he approached and affectionately ruffled my hair.
I still don't get why he's congratulating me, I thought. But the fact that he forgave me already feels like a victory.
Meanwhile, without drawing attention, I slipped one of the scrolls into my pocket. Luckily, they could resize at will—which gave me the upper hand.
After dodging a scolding—and listening to my grandfather explain that he was praising me for disarming the seals without breaking anything—I went for a walk around the grounds.
My sister had told me we'd meet at the central fountain. It had become our usual meeting spot… and I was glad to know she wasn't hurting herself like before.
She still trains, of course, but not with those extreme, borderline suicidal methods. Now she's more careful with herself. It took tears to convince her… but I did it.
The day was peaceful. Nothing out of the ordinary, except for the crystal birds flying through a clear blue sky, singing melodies that lifted the spirits of everyone in the Astral Clan. Everything felt calm.
Still, this world continues to surprise me with how strange it can be. It's funny: with all I've seen, nothing should feel strange anymore… and yet…
"Good morning, ma'am," I greeted some people as I walked by.
"Good morning, prince," some replied with warm smiles.
Unlike other human clans, the Astrals saw everyone as equals. That was their philosophy: no one is more or less than another. We are just different names sharing the same world.
And the irony is that this bloodline is split into multiple branches. I still don't fully understand how it works, but I'm sure I'll figure it out eventually.
Setting that aside, I approached the meeting point. A few meters away, I saw Mai… and apparently, Airis was with her. I didn't recognize her at first because of the hood, but that sour expression gave her away instantly.
"Hey!" I shouted, raising my hand. "I made it on time… I think."
"Just a few minutes late, little brother," Mai said with her usual half-sweet, half-scolding smile. "What were you doing? We agreed on a specific time, you know?"
I don't know what she's complaining about—she's just as bad, if not worse. I don't think she even knows what "punctuality" means.
"I was with Grandpa, talking about some things," I said, scratching my head. "So… where are we going?"
"You'll see soon. This place is new for both of us, so it'll be a surprise," Mai replied, addressing both Airis and me.
She knew I hated surprises. This was probably some kind of payback. So cruel.
We started walking toward the forest.
Along the way, we passed many areas of the compound: academies, shops, forges, and various types of merchants.
Everything reminded me a little of Luzarion… but something was different. Here, crystal was integrated harmoniously into everything.
It was something you could feel—not just see.
The houses were a perfect blend of wood, stone, and crystal, with natural lamps that also functioned as seals. Even the trees looked interwoven with glowing fragments.
"This place is… very eco-friendly," I commented, noticing crystals sprouting from the ground like protective flowers decorating the landscape.
"Eco… what did you just say, Kael?" my sister asked, raising an eyebrow.
Shit.
I was thinking out loud. Again. I didn't even realize a thought slipped out… hahaha.
"Nothing… it's just interesting to think that this crystal works as a natural defense," I said, trying to change the subject.
"It's one of the benefits of having a connective sub-element," Airis spoke for the first time, her voice sharp. "I see you're not very smart."
Why does she always want to pick a fight?
Every time there's peace and quiet, she just has to show up and bother me.
"Thanks for the info, Airis," I said sarcastically. "I'll keep that in mind next time I actually ask you something."
She just frowned and stayed silent.
It was obvious she couldn't stand losing an argument—especially not to me.
I still wonder what the Lanpars have to do with Airis's life.
It's so strange that someone who hates our bloodline is standing next to the heir to the throne.
Although, thinking about it…
Mai isn't a Lanpar.
That would explain a lot: no hostility toward her, but plenty toward me.
"Well, we're here," Mai said. "This place is sacred to our family, so even if you don't want to… please show some respect."
What I saw before me could only be described as beautiful.
Maybe in my world, cemeteries were eerie and grim, but this one…
This was a place where anyone could truly rest in peace.
A vast, shallow lake stretched before us, allowing you to walk calmly among thousands of gravestones shaped like crystal-carved stones. Each one bore a name—thousands of them.
"It's a cemetery, isn't it?" I asked aloud, my throat tightening. "Why are there so many people here?"
"Yes," Mai replied, her voice calm. "And as for the people… same old story: a massive bloodshed."
That moment made me question whether the clans and races we know today are really the only ones that ever existed…
or if there were others—forgotten by time.
"Airis… can I ask you something?" I said, turning to her.
"What do you want now?" she replied, locking eyes with me.
"How much did you have to lose to have eyes like that?" I asked, staring at her like I could see through the mask she wore.
And that's when I understood.
I had already reached a conclusion: Airis was adopted by my grandparents.
And seeing this place… I knew her story wasn't what it seemed.
She didn't answer. But her silence said everything.
I had found the root of her hatred.
I understood what she lost, even if I still didn't know exactly how the Lanpars had massacred her family.
Now I understood why my father once told me that, in the past, hard decisions had to be made.
Later, we all headed back home. Each of us took a different path.
As for me, I went straight to training.
I needed to focus my mind on something.
On this new phase of astral magic.
I'm still nowhere near understanding its true essence…
But at least there's good news. Something that brings me a bit of peace, especially knowing tomorrow is an important day.
My birthday.
[Scroll fragment]
After the arrival of the other Brokers and a large portion of the Empire's army to the capital, control has been regained in several cities, leaving the revolutionaries severely weakened.
The arrival of Broker Lola was the most impactful; her mere presence was enough to turn the tide of the war in the capital.
Sincerely: The Royal Council of Auroria
I closed the scroll.
Then burned it with a fireball.
I don't think Grandpa needs that information right now.
I… just need to focus.
On my magic.
On tomorrow.
Tomorrow is an important day.
If I'm not mistaken, it's my fifth birthday in this world.
Which means… trial.
What kind of trial? No idea.
But I want to be ready.
For those who've fallen.
And to write a better story.
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