Arthur stood in the center, hand resting on the Aether crystal, his eyes closed, consciousness seemingly elsewhere. Those gathered around him watched with growing concern. At first, there had been excitent and pride—they all believed Arthur was being summoned by a god, ready to receive a divine blessing. But as the minutes stretched to thirty, their joy turned to unease.
Awakenings never took this long, and an ominous feeling began to settle over the room.
Attempts to pull him back only intensified their worry, as they discovered an invisible barrier surrounding him, an impenetrable do that prevented anyone from even touching him. Fear crept in as they wondered if his consciousness be trapped by a evil deity?
Ilyana fidgeted nervously, unable to contain her anxiety. "What's happening? Why isn't Arthur waking up?"
Lucious shook his head. "I don't know. This is… unprecedented."
Thirty minutes earlier, when Arthur first touched the Aether Crystal, a sudden wave of energy overtook him, and his consciousness slipped away. When he opened his eyes again, he was no longer in the ancestral hall. Instead, he found himself in a forest, vibrant and lush, with towering trees and beams of sunlight filtering through dense foliage.
Birds chirped overhead, and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves.
Confused, Arthur looked around, scanning the area for any signs of life or clues about where he might be. He recalled his father's words, describing the God of War's sanctuary as a place filled with ancient weapons and statues of heroes—a scene of glory and battle. But this forest was serene, tranquil in a way that felt wholly unlike the sanctuary of Ares his father described.
He called for Sol, expecting his system companion to respond, but there was no answer. He attempted to summon his venom symbiote, but nothing happened. After a mont's hesitation, he decided to explore the forest, following a narrow path that wound through the trees.
After a short walk, he entered a clearing surrounded by trees on all sides. At the center of the clearing stood a massive tree, its branches spreading like a protective canopy. Beneath it, a round stone table sat, and at the table, a woman was seated, sipping from a delicate cup. Her movents were graceful, every gesture exuding elegance and poise.
It was as if she were part of the very forest, embodying its essence.
Sensing his presence, the woman turned toward him. Arthur felt himself freeze, captivated by her beauty. Her face was ethereal, ageless. She wore flowing robes of deep black and muted purple, their fabric seeming to absorb the light around her. Her figure was tall and slender, her presence both alluring and mysterious.
Her hair cascaded around her like a midnight waterfall, and her skin had a soft, luminescent quality. Her beauty held an aura of calm dignity, a quiet strength that inspired both reverence and awe.
Arthur stood srized until a light chuckle snapped him back to reality.
"Did I beco your crush at first glance?" she asked, a teasing smile playing on her lips.
Arthur blushed, quickly gathering his thoughts. "Ahem, well… you are very beautiful, to say the least."
She chuckled again. "How sweet of you."
Realizing he was straying from the more pressing questions, he shook his head, looking around. "But where am I? This doesn't look anything like the God of War's sanctuary, and you don't exactly look like Ares."
The lady laughed softly, her voice like a gentle breeze rustling through leaves. "You have quite the sense of humor," she said, a slight smile gracing her lips. "No, I am certainly not Ares, and this is not the God of War's sanctuary."
She set her cup down and looked him in the eyes. "I am Sylva, the consciousness of Eldora, the goddess of nature. And this," she gestured around her, "is my sanctuary, Luminara Garden."
Arthur's eyes widened. "Wait, the Eldora? The world itself?"
"Yes. I am the voice of this world's will," she replied, smiling serenely.
"Yes, Eldora—the world itself," Sylva said calmly. "I am its consciousness, the spokesperson of its will."
She looked at Arthur with a serene, knowing gaze. "And I've been watching you from the mont you set foot in this world."
Arthur's muscles tensed as a bead of sweat trickled down his face. "What do you an… watching ?" he asked cautiously, his thoughts racing. 'Does she know I'm from another world? Will she see
as an intruder and try to get rid of ? And where the hell is Sol? She had to disappear right when I need her most.'
Sylva smiled gently. "Yes, I know you're not the real Arthur. I sensed you the mont you entered Eldora. And no, I'm not here to kill you," she added with a reassuring smile. "As for your system, it can't respond because I only summoned your soul here; the system isn't part of it. Though, if it helps you feel more comfortable, I could bring it in."
'What! Can she read my thoughts?' Arthur thought, feeling a wave of panic rise.
"Yes, I can read your thoughts," Sylva said with a soft chuckle, clearly amused by his reaction. "So try not to think anything too rude. And relax—I already told you, I will not harm you."
Hearing her, Arthur began to relax. After a mont's thought, he asked, "Aren't you angry that an imposter is pretending to be part of this world?"
Sylva's gentle smile held no trace of resentnt. "Why would I be? You didn't killed the real Arthur to take his place—he had already passed on before you arrived. Far from anger, I feel a deep gratitude toward you, and we've been eager to et you."
"Grateful to ? Why?" Arthur asked, bewildered.
Sylva's gaze softened. "Because, in countless futures I've foreseen, humanity was always defeated. The demons eventually overpowered Eldora, plunging it into chaos. No matter what course the world took, the result was the sa—devastation, loss, and ruin. But the mont you entered this world, that future shifted. For the first ti, we saw hope."
Arthur listened intently, recalling how Sol had explained that his arrival had altered the fates of many. To hear this confird by the goddess herself made him realize just how significant his presence was. But sothing in her wording caught his attention. "Wait… you said 'we.' Does that an others know about ?"
Sylva nodded, a faint, knowing smile on her lips. "Yes, there are others who are aware of your presence here. In fact, they must have sensed your arrival and are likely on their way even now," she replied, her eyes gleaming with a hint of mystery. "You'll et them soon enough."
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