The skies above the floating island of Cielnisi rippled with strange magic, shimmering with an ethereal light that set the entire kingdom on high alert. Whispers of attack spread like wildfire, forcing the knights and nobles alike to prepare for a threat they barely understood.
One knight knocked firmly on the massive golden door of the royal chambers but received no answer. He turned and gazed out the window, his wings folding behind him as he admired the breathtaking view. The vast continent's edges stretched far beyond, the bottomless sky swirling endlessly as the island drifted among the clouds.
Above the kingdom, a man cloaked in white hovered silently.
"Your Highness!" the knight gasped, waving furiously, but the king paid him no attention.
Suddenly, the lock floating high above the island shattered into countless shards, each a glowing fragment of pure mana. As these shards drifted down, they touched the land and people below, empowering them with surges of temporary seraphic energy — enough to stand against the approaching Ichneumon.
A powerful beam of light burst from the forest's heart, filling the air with oppressive pressure. A thick white smog enveloped the island, then vanished as quickly as it came.
Shielding his eyes from the radiant glare, the knight looked again toward the spot where the king had hovered — but the throne was empty.
A cocoon of shimmering aura had formed on the ground, enclosing a body stained with strange pink and black blood. Nearby, a surfboard jutted from the earth, its tip pierced by vicious black claws. The shards of mana slowly drifted back, melding into the glowing cocoon, intensifying its light.
"Remus," the king whispered, eyes narrowing.
Alvaro studied the scene carefully: the strange blood, the claw marks, and the surfboard embedded in the ground. The aura cocoon pulsed as eerie eyeballs appeared, frantically scanning the surroundings.
"Tinsel! Aurela!" the king called. Space bent around him, and in a flash, the two appeared.
"Alvaro?" they asked in unison.
"Remus needs help," Alvaro said grimly.
Aurela stepped forward, her healing aura glowing green as she examined the cocoon. "Multiple perforations," she murmured, "blood loss critical. Essence mending alone won't fix this…" Her eyes widened. "Wait—the wounds are closing, and blood is rising. Incredible…"
Suddenly, diamond-hard dragon scales sprouted from the cocoon, wrapping it tightly. The body inside dropped to the ground with a soft thud as the glow grew blinding.
When their eyes adjusted, they saw her.
An ivory-skinned teenage girl lay beneath the remains of the cocoon. Her hair, a striking purplish-pink, framed a face so perfectly symmetrical it seemed sculpted by the gods themselves. Her wings rested folded behind her back, hinting at the immense power she held — power that radiated both light and shadow, seraphic and malicious energy fused into a new form altogether.
Tinsel hesitated before disappearing into shadow. Aurela's eyes burned with fury. "This is your sibling too, coward!"
Alvaro scratched his head, troubled. "The seal's breaking won't go unnoticed. They'll come for her sooner than we think. For now, take her to the infirmary. Notify me when she awakens."
As Aurela prepared to transport the girl, Alvaro lingered, his gaze fixed on the strange markings in the girl's aura.
In the infirmary, Ayla woke slowly, the sterile white walls blurring as she tried to focus. She caught sight of herself in a mirror — a girl stared back, fiery purple-pink hair cascading around a face too beautiful to be real.
She reached up, trembling. "Why do I look like this? When… did I become a girl?"
Aurela entered quietly, watching her with a mixture of concern and hesitation.
"You're awake," Aurela said softly.
Ayla spun, eyes sharp. "Why can't I remember anything? Who am I really?"
Aurela sighed, folding her hands. "It's complicated. The body you're in now… it's your original form."
Ayla frowned, confusion tightening her features. "Original? Then who was Remus? I thought I was him."
"You were Remus," Aurela said gently. "But that was a sealed identity, a mask to protect you."
Ayla shook her head, frustrated. "So everything I thought I was… was a lie?"
"Not a lie. A shield," Aurela corrected. "There are things about you that are different… things no one else here has."
Ayla's eyes narrowed. "Different how?"
Aurela glanced away briefly before meeting her gaze. "Your cells, your essence — I analyzed them. You carry both divinity and malice. Seraphic energy flows in you, but so does something darker."
Ayla clenched her fists, voice biting. "So what? I'm some kind of freak?"
"No," Aurela said firmly. "You're unique. Special. But because of that, your true origin is hidden, even from us."
Ayla's breath hitched. "If you know this, why won't you tell me everything? Who am I? Who are my real parents?"
Aurela bit her lip. "I don't know much more than this. But you need to find the woman who gave birth to you. She may have the answers."
Ayla's heart pounded, the weight of uncertainty crushing her. "And if she doesn't? If I'm alone?"
"You're not alone. You have us. And your power. That's why they want you."
Suddenly, a cold mechanical voice echoed inside her mind.
[MYTHOS SYSTEM ONLINE.]
[MISSION ASSIGNED: GET OFF CIELNISI.]
[REWARD ON SUCCESS: +5 ESSENCE, +2 SERAPHIC ENERGY.]
[FAILURE PENALTY: -10 ESSENCE, -3 VITALITY, SYSTEM TERMINATION POSSIBLE.]
Ayla blinked, startled. "What… was that?"
Before Aurela could answer, space shimmered, and King Alvaro appeared, his face hard as stone.
"This island can't protect you anymore," he said quietly.
Before Ayla could respond, a swift strike grazed her neck — cold pain exploding into darkness.
As she slipped unconscious, the final words ringing in her mind were the first command from Mythos — Get off Cielnisi.