(October 3rd, 2017)

Justin

And as I expected, I did not feel like sleeping, especially with Mia and Rox sharing the room alongside Jessie and Selena. And as I say this and make it sound as if I am the ultimate Alpha male of all time, I come from a sense of dread and trepidation. Questions such as 'Will he attack me?' or 'Will he entrap me or my friends in a custom reality of his making?' haunted my mind every single time I tried to shut my eyes. And so, I now stand in front of the glass window and stare at the unbelievably ethereal city, where the glimmering lights danced beautifully and illuminated the lively streets and the magical ocean water filled with tiny boats and shining under the radiance of the moon. Store signs outside of buildings that one would usually ignore are works of art in their own right, gorgeously lit in different colors and making the city even livelier and more angelic. My gazing was interrupted by a phone call from commander Astralis, who decided to inform me that the empire is not done building bases and to be ready should they decide to visit us. After asking about the island, I happened to learn things about a certain brother of the commander, who was more important than I previously thought.

I learned that Martin Astralis had a mansion on the archipelago, where he could enjoy the view of the city on one side and the view of the ocean on another. I did not ask for details about it, as a man's property is not something I care about. But what was more shocking to me was when I asked how he could afford such a property in a place like this. To my shock, I learned that he, alongside his brother, is one of the wealthiest people in history. He is the first man to earn the title of Trillionaire after founding the Astralis International PMC alongside Benjamin. Aside from that, he also possesses the title of 'Lord' alongside his father and son. "Why does his son even possess the title?" I asked, to which I learned that Martin is the most revered one of the family among the late monarch and that monarch's father, so he and his older brother were given the title for their accomplishments throughout the decades.

Aside from that, she explained that the empire has expanded its territory through peaceful means that did not require violence throughout the world, as countries decided to either ally with the Solar Empire or wilfully gave them their territories out of fear of the harbinger. What little good news came from that was that even when these countries joined the empire, they did not declare our kingdom an enemy. Surprisingly enough, the Romans have agreed to this, stating that it's their holy duty to unite the world under a peaceful nation and thus will not subjugate their people and allies to war or hostility of any kind with other nations. "The countries and kingdoms that desire peace and safety will soon realize that our mission is just, and will therefore join our cause one way or another," The commander quoted one of the imperial spokespersons' translated speeches. "What a load of rubbish. We are their biggest threat, and so they will do whatever to achieve their plans."

"Although, you have to admit that keeping other countries out of the conflict is a commendable move, even if their motives are pure evil," I replied.

"They're only doing this because of their virtually limitless supply of war robots and resources. They don't need other countries, Justin," Elizabeth retorted. "Otherwise, they would be desperately forcing people from their territories into mandatory military training."

"That would be true, but that is not our reality right now," I replied. "They don't need nor want countries to interfere. I'm sure of this because Nova explained to me that their mission is to see the whole world united by a singular god and nothing else. But since we, the dawn alliance, and other countries oppose their views and actively fight them, we are their main targets."

"Well, I definitely want to know more from Nova after she returns with the others safe and sound. She knows secrets the empire doesn't want us to know and is now definitely a target for assassination, so keep her close, alright?"

"Sure thing," I replied before Mia called my name. I turned around to see her walking towards me, fully dressed in her new combat outfit. "Alright then, commander. I'll call if something comes up. Good night, now."

"So Zack isn't in his room, by the way," Mia stated.

I blinked twice before my brain registered that she was not in the room for a long time when I thought she was in bed. "And why were you spying on Zack, I wonder?" I asked her, still trying to wrap my head around not noticing her leave. She crossed her arms and wiggled her eyebrows while a smile drew itself on her pretty face.

"Take a guess," She replied, and so I stopped to think and then realized that the reigning monarch is too excited about meeting his lover.

"Ah, yes." I nodded my head. "It seems one lovebird snuck to meet another."

Mia nodded with a smile and grabbed my hand with both of hers, raising it just below her face while closing the distance between us. "The girls are tired and would not wake up if we snuck out," She stated, winking with a smile. "Why don't we go and spy on our king and see what he's up to?"

I chuckled to myself and went to grab my shirt and jacket, putting them on before exiting the room to the balcony and jumping down before flying alongside the demon girl down to the streets. The oracle lives in the giant castle to the north, where one would usually require an invitation to attend an audience with her. Zack, especially after obtaining the ability to fly, would prefer to sneak in uninvited. Naturally, I would not agree with his actions. However, with the urgency of the situation, I am glad that he decided to do this. In a way, he could make Aphroditia aware of us earlier than expected. But with that said, I believe that our meeting tomorrow is not on Zack's mind at the moment. To ensure Zack does not get caught and imprisoned, we decided to tail him and observe their interactions from a distance. To my surprise, I saw Zack on a walkway alongside the oracle, and so Mia and I decided to eavesdrop on their conversation, as friends do.

"It has been way too long, Zack," Aphroditia spoke with a smile on her face as her eyes gazed at the monarch and admired the man he has become. It seems that Mia and I have arrived just moments after Zack. "Although I wish we reunited through better circumstances. The passing of your father still breaks my heart."

"I... I know," Zack replied. "I feel the same way. B-But we're back together now, aren't we?"

The oracle smiled at the king and nodded. "Yes, we are."

"Oh, it's finally good to see you," Zack stated. "I still have the pendant you got me. I couldn't bring it with me, though..."

"It's fine," She replied. I noticed that she was wearing a pendant that appeared to be part of a set. A pendant shaped like half a heart with angelic wings attached to it. "I doubt it would have remained intact throughout your journey, anyway. I want to see you, not a trinket, regardless of its value."

"Y-You're right, as always. It really doesn't matter, right? What matters is the time we spend together, but I'm afraid there is not enough of it, really."

"What do you mean?"

"My friends and I are here on a mission. We, uh... We need your help with something. I'm just disappointed I came to see you out of an urgent need, but not the desire to be with you at the moment. I hoped I would visit after things are over, but instead, we're putting you in danger." Zack sighed and leaned against the walkway handrails and crossed his arms. "We dragged enough people into this as it is, and I don't think you want to know that the worst is yet to come."

The oracle placed her hands on his shoulder and made her look at him. "It does not matter," She replied. "In fact, if I can help you, it would mean the world to me."

"Well, your help will mean the world anyway, because our plan is pretty dangerous," Zack informed. "I... We, uh... You know of the new dragon god, right? The chosen one to save the world?"

"Indeed. I sensed his presence during his ascension. I pray to him every morning and night, that he watches over you and protect you," The loving oracle replied.

"How adorable!" Mia whispered, touched by her words. "Now I see why Zack likes her."

"Oh, your prayers are being answered, Aphroditia. Hehehe..." I muttered to myself.

Zack ruffled the back of his head. "W-Well, uh... Let's just say that he does watch over me. More personally than you might think."

"I-I'm afraid I do not follow," The oracle stated, confused by her lover's statement.

Zack got off the railing and looked her deep in the eyes, making her visibly more confused and rather uncomfortable. "I believe you think he ascended into the heavens and now awaits his final battle with the harbinger of the darkness, correct?"

"I-I... Yes?" She answered. "I-Is that not what is supposed to happen?"

"No. No, it's not, I'm afraid," Zack replied, all the love and happiness in his voice gone. "The god is... The god is here with me."

The oracle gasped, taking a step away from the monarch and covering her mouth with her hands. "By the gods! Is that true?! Did he not ascend to the heavens?!"

"To keep it brief, yes. He did not ascend yet. In fact, that's why we require your aid."

Baffled and outright shocked beyond belief, the oracle did not say a word as her mouth hung open and eyes stared at the serious king, who was not lying or bluffing in any way. "You... You mean... You mean he's here right now? Alongside you?"

"Truth be told, I am alongside him. Turns out, the prophecy was intentionally misleading on some facts, but the general story remains the same. Juxtynoktrios —or Justin as I came to know him as—needs to obtain the powers of the dragons that lie dormant around the world. But as you can tell, there is not much time left. The forces of the underworld are rising and will decimate the world soon. There are hundreds of thousands of dragons, maybe even millions. We need to find them all at once. Knowing that your voice can commune with the gods, we were hoping that combining your powers with that of Justin's can-"

"Awaken the dormant creatures of legend?" She cut him off. "I... I don't know what to say..."

"I'm sorry I had to bring this up now, after reuniting years later, but I want to be truthful to you. I do not want to put you through this, but the fate of the world requires it."

The oracle paused for a second and looked at the ground, unsure of how to feel. It was clear to her that Zack does not want to do this and it pains him to bring it up. She understood his intentions well, but as I could clearly tell, she was unsure what to say to him. Me, Zack, Aphroditia, we all understood that this is an undertaking of unbelievable magnitudes. And yet, there is nothing we could do.

"Zack, I-" The oracle looked at the king, only to see him staring at the ocean. Zack then slammed his fist on the railing as tears flowed from his eyes.

"First, I lost my mother..." Zack spoke. "Then, my father was murdered before my eyes. And now, I stand to lose you, too! Why do all of the people that I love must suffer?! I... I really don't want you to do this, Aphroditia, but... Goddamit!"

"Should we interfere?" Mia asked me, but I shook my head.

"So this is how Justin feels, huh? To fear losing everyone you love? Did we go through hell, only to cause those around us more suffering?!"

"Zack..." The oracle could not say anything else.

"My caretakers nearly got killed because of me, too. Even my friends were put in danger because of me."

The oracle could not stand to hear her love suffer anymore. She held his face in her hands and wiped the tears away, all while sporting a caring smile. "I understand how you must feel, believe me. But you must brave through it, regardless of who you put in danger, Zack. The people you love are relying on you to keep them safe. Until the threat of the harbinger is over, we cannot rest nor can we stop the dreading and fear. If you're there to protect me, I will rest easy. If you require my aid to help the fabled god of war, then I shall lend you my strength, my king. Be sure of that. If it's my safety that worries you, then promise me you'll be there for me, alright?"

"I... I promise," Zack replied before she kissed his lips for a brief moment.

"You believe the harbinger will come here as soon as we attempt to summon the dragons, correct? If that is to happen, then I'm afraid the lives of the people will be put in danger. I trust that you and your allies can handle evacuation? We prepared ships on the off-chance the empire decided to invade us. Some people have begun leaving the island as soon as I made my speech days ago, but a large portion of believers and refugees remain."

"Ever since I was a child, I hated my father for keeping me away from him, but now I can say for certain that I feel the same way. Still, I cannot abandon my duty as a king and leave my country and the rest of the world to die, can I? I am not afraid to put my life on the line, but yours? I..."

"No harm shall befall me if you are there to shield me. To keep me safe. It is an honor to provide my aid to you and the god of dragons, Zack. If this is the only way, then so be it."

"Zack thinks it's his fault his caretakers were put in danger?" Mia asked, feeling heartbroken to see her friend's conscience torture him like that. But seeing his love be there for him in his time of need brought me relief, knowing that Zack will have people to rely on once I'm gone.

"How about you stay with me for the rest of the night?" The oracle suggested. "I'll make some tea, too."

After they left for Aphroditia's room, Mia and I decided to leave them be and descended to the streets to walk and enjoy some time alone. As we walked the bright streets of the holy city, Mia wrapped her arms around my arm and inched closer to me. "You know, I want to be there for you, too," She stated. "Even if tomorrow might be the last day we see each other, I want you to know that I won't forget you. It'll be lonely, though..."

"Hey, don't think about that stuff, okay? You'll make me worry," I replied. "I don't want to leave knowing you'll live eternity in despair, okay?"

"Y-Yeah..."

"Hey." I stopped her and grabbed her face gently and raised it to look at me. Her red eyes glimmered beautifully as they met mine, our surroundings lit wonderfully by the lights around us. "Think of it as me traveling somewhere, ok? Immigrating, if you will. It's not too different from the truth, really."

Mia shook her head in disagreement, however. "If you immigrated anywhere in the world, I could still go to you and find you. Even if it took me days, months, or years, eventually I'd find you and be in your arms again..." She looked down on the ground, the gloom taking over once more. "But this is not the case."

"Don't think about it in that way, ok?" I responded. "Think of the time we spent together. All the moments we cherish and the journey we embarked on."

"They are what hurt the most..." She replied. "The more I remember them, the sadder I get that we'll never get to experience them again."

For a moment, I paused. I gave up on finding ways to cheer Mia up, as she kept destroying my arguments easily. If anything, she made me feel sad, as well. I looked around and found that we were alone and no one was around us at all. It made the situation more romantic, but also made Mia's pain more prominent. I found an empty bench, where she and I sat silently, but close to one another. 

"So this is it, huh?" I spoke after a long period of silence. "The end of the road..."

"Yeah..." Mia replied. "And after so long, huh?"

"You know?" I spoke. "Even if I'll never get to see you again, I gotta admit. I'm honored to have had you accompany me on this journey, Mia."

Mia did not answer, but instead of that, a smile formed on her face. A small smile that barely showed through her gloom. "Mia..." She spoke. "That's the name you gave me. Whenever I hear it, I always get reminded of that day we first met."

"Nearly a decade now..."

"I escaped the underworld through the aid of someone who sounded just like you. And if I remember correctly, looked just like you, as well," She stated.

"Yeah, I remember you told me about that. My guess is it's my predecessor's soul."

"You mentioned he helped you against Dominius, right?" Mia asked, the pain in her voice evident to anyone who'd listen.

"To think he brought us together..." 

"All the way to the very end..."

And so, a brief moment of silence later, I decided to speak my mind: "So yeah... Even if it's the end, you're here, everyone's here, I... This... I've prepared for this day, but... I can't take it..."

The tears fell, and my heart poured out. Mia, too, could not keep her emotions in check, although she tried her hardest to keep a stoic face. "Yeah..." She replied. "There's no arguing that..."

"Do you... regret anything?"

"No... I'm proud to be here. Even if it's leading to our final goodbye."

"I gotta say, though," I spoke, finally facing her with a smile that shone through the tears. "I'll miss your cooking."

Mia chuckled and said: "Gods, why do you make it so hard not to fall in love with you?"

To rid ourselves of this gloomy atmosphere, Mia and I decided to return to our room. But before making it there, we passed by a lounge called 'Ocean Hunter.' I grabbed Mia's hand and took her inside, where we found a lot of people hanging around, partying, and playing games. There were people playing billiards, drinking in front of the bar, and even playing darts. "This place looks very neat," Mia stated, to which I nodded. As we walked further in, I spotted a familiar-looking figure throwing darts at a board and getting some decent scores. However, it was not much to brag about. "Damn, I'm getting rusty," Axel mumbled to himself. 

"Yo, Axel," I called. Shocked and somewhat startled, he turned around and met my gaze, completely frozen in place and mouth agape.

"You're here?" He asked, surprised to meet me again in this rather large city. "Hi, I guess."

"Playing solo is kinda boring, don't you think?" I stated, hinting at the obvious. "How about a game. 301."

Axel nodded. "Sure."

And so the game began. "So what brings you here?" The boy asked.

Instantly prepared to answer it, I replied: "On vacation with the girlfriend and friends." I threw a shot and shaved off 50 points off the score at my first try, a 14 on my second, and an 18 on my third.

"That's cool," The boy replied before getting an 18 and then an 8. "Your girl has lots of eyes on her."

I looked to check on Mia and found her being gawked at by multiple men and women in the lounge as they all gazed in wonder at her beauty. I shrugged my shoulder and threw a dart after Axel's 20 and said: "Yeah, it's like that wherever we go. I'm quite used to it. So is she."

People tried to approach the demon, only for her to push them away using her mind-control. Boys and girls alike were drawn to Mia's natural beauty, but her heart is set on one lucky guy, who knows how lucky he is. Eventually, Axel got the last three hits and we won the game. After the game, we decided to sit down and have a conversation to get to know each other while omitting a great amount of information about myself. "Can you tell me what happened between you and the white-haired chick?" 

"Is she your sister, or something? You guys look quite alike," He replied.

That question made me even question my relationship with A1 at that moment and made me stop to think. "No, but we're related," I answered the man. "Anyway, you got her and her friend pretty pissed."

"As you might've heard, she and I first met in an imperial base. As I was trying to salvage some trinkets to sell for a quick buck, she decided to land her giant robot and act all high and mighty about not wanting me to take stuff. As if she owned the place..."

"And I take it you two fought?"

"You can say that," Axel replied. "Although I still don't understand her. What's her deal? Why does she like shoving her nose in other people's business? Earning money to put food on your table isn't something easy, alright? Especially during an invasion." 

I sighed and nodded. "I'll tell her not to bother you again, alright?" Mia told the redhead, who promptly nodded. "That's good. But if you don't mind me asking, the girl did mention something about runes. What were they?"

"They're runes from an ancient language with no origins. Someone I know taught me how to use 'em is all," Axel replied. "They're nice to use, but one can't rely on them on their own."

"And how do you put them on your person and activate them?" I asked.

Not hesitating to answer, the man immediately replied. "You just draw the symbol somewhere on your body, but unless you practice day and night to hone your skills, they'd be more of a liability." And suddenly, after explaining to us about his intriguing power, Axel's phone rang. "It's me. Y-Yeah, I'm actually with someone right now. I met them earlier today. Yes, I'll be back in five."

Axel got off his lounge couch and said: "Sorry, but I gotta leave. It was nice meeting you, Justin and..."

"Mia," The devil informed the redhead teen. He nodded at her with a smile before walking out of the lounge, leaving us two alone.

The next day, the girls in my room woke up pretty early. Roxanna wrapped her arms around me from the back and gently bit my right ear. "Good morning, hot stuff," She spoke. "How was your sleep?"

"I didn't..." Was my only reply.

Shocked, Rox let go of me and approached me from the front. "Are you okay?" She asked, her playful tone completely gone. "Did something happen?"

"No, not really. It's just that I wasn't feeling it. Today's a big day, you know."

Rox sighed, knowing exactly what I mean. "Yeah... I better get ready."

When everyone prepared their battle gear and weapons, we met outside of the lobby. As the crusaders, Ethan, and Nova entered the building, the others all stood guard around it at different places. To keep our story intact, Zack led the group while we followed him. After scaling a long set of stairs, we eventually found ourselves at the main entrance of the castle. There, a formal greeting party comprised of three retainers welcomed us with bows and the most formal of words. The oracle immediately appeared with a group of her retainers that flanked her. All of them wore light knight clothing while sporting their main weapons and shields on the back. Their outfits were more suited for formal addresses than war, similar to the outfit Rox wore back at the church. 

"Your majesty, I present to you the holy oracle of Arakanya, lady Aphroditia Du Ciel Adrasteia," The retainer guiding us spoke. "Your holiness, I present to you the 120th monarch of the royal dragon kingdom, king Zachary Angelus Drakionis."

"There is no need for formalities among us," She stated, gazing at the man who captured her heart. "He and I know each other for a long time. You all may leave, my trusted guardians."

The oracle looked at each one of us, with each giving their own introduction.

"I am Ethan Silver, a knight serving under his majesty," Ethan spoke. "It is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance, your holiness."

"My name is Alex Miller. I am a cyborg who serves under Lord Juxtynoktrios."

"I am Mia Cooper. A pleasure to make you acquaintance, your holiness. I, too, serve under Lord Juxtynoktrios."

"My name is Nova Miller, your holiness. I, like my comrades before you, serve under the same diety, Lord Juxtynoktrios."

"Hi."

"Are you guys stupid?" Zack stated. "She literally said that there's no need for formalities. Why are you all here again?"

"You..." The oracle spoke, gazing straight at me. "I take it you are the mythical god of legend, Lord Juxtynoktrios." The lady bowed in honor.

"Justin's fine," I replied, surprising the oracle.

"Your holiness," Ethan began. "We apologize for this inconvenience, but the true purpose of our visit is to acquire your aid. We wish to speak in private if that is possible."

"Again, formalities are not required. It makes everything... Awkward," The oracle spoke, which made Zack sigh. 

Aphroditia led us to a hall with a long table in the center. She sat on one end while I sat on the other. Zack, Mia, and Alex sat to my left, while Nova and Ethan sat to my right. And promptly, Ethan began to explain our situation to the oracle. Ethan was rather confused to see her show no sign of shock at the proposal, and so after he finished explaining, the knight sat quietly.

"It may come as a surprise for you all, but Zack contacted me yesterday about this grave matter. Lord Juxty-... Justin. I am ready to provide any help necessary, but on one condition."

"Name it."

"You must provide evacuation for our people, leaving this entire city devoid of any civilians," The oracle stated, not to my surprise.

"I believe we can manage that," I replied.

"Tell me, Justin. Your victory over the imperial forces that invaded the capital has intrigued me. As you might be aware, the archipelago on which this meeting is taking place is a part of the greater kingdom which you govern. The roman empire is as much of a threat to me as it is for anyone else. I wish you could share with me your findings so that I can prepare strong magic defenses to withstand the imperial might."

"Simply put: The empire uses robotic forces to achieve their goals, that much is obvious. But as you may not know, their recourses are nigh infinite. This may come as a shock to you, but Nova here used to be an imperial general."

The oracle gasped loudly. "By the gods! Is that true?!"

Nova nodded with a slight hint of shame. "Indeed I was, although my main efforts were to aid the royal forces from within. With that said, I am aware of what the empire uses to make their weapons. They have access to portals of sorts that allow them to travel to other worlds in search of power. They happened to come across a world filled to its core with energy that they harness to create their soulless soldiers. I witnessed firsthand the methods they use to travel, as I have been deployed to a different world multiple times."

That was the first time Nova has ever mentioned herself whenever she recounted her experiences. Never before has she ever revealed that she had traveled between worlds, and everyone present was taken aback by her words. "You traveled to another world?!" Ethan exclaimed. "Why didn't you say anything?!"

"I... I am ashamed of my past..."

"Guys, relax," I spoke, calming everyone down. And then I thought of something that made me relax on my chair and drown in my thoughts.

'Another world... Could it be?'

"Nova," I spoke. "Did you happen to travel to a world with much less technology than we do?"

Much to my surprise, she nodded. My heart seemed like bursting from my chest. Knowing that information, there is a high chance that Nova might have visited the same world I hail from. And there would be a likely chance that she might have met the man who I felt the strong bond with when I attained Myzoroth...

"Nova... This might be like finding a needle in a world of haystacks, but... Did you happen upon a man wearing an eyepatch and wielding a giant sword on his back?"

Nova stared at me dumbfounded. "How did you...? Y-Yes, and he had a red iris in his right eye."

And that was all I needed to hear. With that, I confirmed something to myself that I never thought I'd find the answer to. "How do you know about him, Justin?" I did not answer that question, instead, I let out a tiny chuckle as my eyes gazed down. Nova then dropped another bombshell. "He reminds me a lot of you. A-And he fights in a similar way to you, albeit slightly more aggressively."

"What?" Zack got off his chair. "You mean that in another world, a man exists that not only bears resemblance to Justin but also fights like him?"

Aphroditia joined the conversation, adding: "Is it safe to assume that you are not from this world, Justin?" I simply nodded.

"Then, whoever it is Nova might have met, he might be related to you. I take it you know nothing about your previous world?" The oracle deduced. I simply nodded again. "I do not mean to pry, but if you can get me up to speed on your story, perhaps that can help us with our mission."

And so, I explained to the oracle who I was and where I came from; At least what I believe is correct. I informed her of everything, including his majesty taking care of us and my training for this mission, alongside the harbinger and the mysterious messenger. "I am very well acquainted with the messenger you speak of. He usually comes to inform me about Justin's predecessor. With more knowledge about the ancient dragon deity and his disciples, the better it will be for me to help save the world. Now I understand what he meant."

"So he's been taking us by the hand. He's been planning this meticulously for a while, though," Commented Ethan. 

"Who might he be? Do you happen to know more about him?" Aphroditia asked.

"We know some stuff," I replied. "We know that he was best buddies with the harbinger before the latter succumbed to the darkness. We also know that he has been roaming the earth for millennia, never dying, but watching everyone he knows and loves die as time went on."

The oracle was shocked. "By the gods, that's horrible..." She said.

"He swore his loyalty to the fallen dragon god and his mission is to help his successor awaken his power and ascend while also keeping the darkness in check. He knows all about me and promises that I'll learn everything after my ascension."

"I can see where he might be coming from," Aphroditia spoke. "To learn about your origins might distract you from your true mission. Whether the news is good or bad, your mind will be overwhelmed with questions and you might not be able to focus on your duty. Still, I cannot deny that you must know who you really are and where you really came from. I pray that you find your answers, Justin."

And after a few minutes of talking and deciding on a plan, it was time to call the dormant dragons. It was time to awaken them from their slumber to answer to their new god and rise to help me save the world. The oracle promptly went to prepare while a group of her retainers led us to a spacious circular hall on the top floor. Around the hall were statues of multiple kings, donning their mystical armor and holding their weapons of choice. I could not tell at a glance who was who, except for the founder king, who stood valiantly to the northern side of the giant circular room. 

"After so long..." The messenger spoke as he entered the hall with Aphroditia, who now wears a white dress, with golden shoulder pads and a golden tiara, alongside golden boots, gauntlets, and a belt. On the belt was a certain book of sorts. It looked very peculiar, especially on the waist of an oracle donning armor. An interesting crystal was located in the chest area of her dress. Even at a glance, I could tell that it was not a simple embellishment, but a magical instrument of great power.

"I'd be more surprised if you didn't come to witness this," I told the immortal man.

"My heart's racing," Mia spoke. "This... This is truly it..."

"Y-Yeah..." Alex concurred. "The end of the road..."

"Hold your horses, there, guys," I replied. "We're not sure what's gonna happen. And please keep your guard up."

"The chosen one is right," The messenger said. "We do not know what the harbinger is planning. I'm not here to simply watch, you know."

I felt the same sensation as Mia and the rest. My chest tightened and my heart was beating so fast I could feel it nearly burst out of my chest. My entire body shook with apprehension, as I dreaded what will happen next. Even when I told them that we are far from reaching the end, I still felt the same way. Still, I was not planning on letting my sorrow stop me from ascending and bringing deliverance to a world that craves it so badly.

"Shall we start, then?" I asked the oracle. And that's when we stepped into the center of the hall and held hands. I took a deep breath before closing my eyes and merging my communing power with that of the Aphroditia and... I spoke.

"O dormant dragons of yore. I calleth upon thee. O dormant dragons of yore. I, thy new god Juxtynoktrios, summon thee. Awaken. Awaken and cometh to me, for 'tis time to rise. The time hath cometh for thee to giveth me thy power so that the darkness can beest vanquished."

Suddenly, our surroundings got shrouded in darkness as a blue magical circle formed beneath Aphroditia and me. Everyone went silent after gasps of shock and wonder. The oracle an I, we were illuminated by the ethereal crystal, but aside from us, everything was devoured by the darkness. And then, I started to feel the presence of multiple ethereal beings around us, looking at us. And then, a voice spoke.

"O chosen deity of light, you stand before us, having summoned our souls to you using the powers of the oracle... Such a plan was not anticipated."

From the audible reactions of everyone else, I realized that they, too, can hear the disembodied voice that spoke to me. So after letting go of Aphroditia, I asked: "Who are you?"

"My name is Mordaelyth. I speaketh on behalf of the countless beings thee hath called upon. Tis no secret that thee art more than what thy predecessor wast. We cannot weigh thy potential, and that is intriguing beyond measure. Just who might thee best?"

"Trust me, I wanna know that myself."

"Thee seek our power, yet tis not possible for thee to attain it all at this moment. Despite thy tremendous power and immeasurable potential, thee doth not possess the power to calleth upon us all at once."

"What?! No! I refuse to believe it! We do not have enough time! There must be something I can do!"

"Thee required the aid of a human oracle just to communicate with us. To summon us would require much more power than what thee, or any of thy allies, possess. As much as we wish to awaken to serveth our Lord, our powers remain dormant with us. It falleth upon thee to discover a method by which thee may beest able to awaken all of us at once and defeat the Caesar of darkness."

"So we came all this way, and for what? To hear more of the same words that I've been hearing for nearly a decade! We've wasted enough time to come all this way, and this is what we get?!"

"Your frustration is understandable. All of us feel the same way. It pains us that we cannot come to your aid in your time of need. As you clearly know, time is of the essence. But I bear some good news despite everything I just said."

I held my fist in my hand, feeling the need to punch something, anything, to let my frustration out. But I kept myself contained. "Tell me. What good news can come after this?" I spoke with the voice choked by sorrow and despair. "I don't know if anything can better my mood after wasting so much of my, and everyone's time."

"Ere the falleth of the great Zanoktryus, millions of us wenteth into hiding. We hid in mountains, underground, at the deepest parts of oceans, and even throughout other worlds far beyond the reacheth of any being, no matter how powerful. The more powerful the dragons are, the harder they madeth themselves attainable. Thee may not beest able to summon all dragons at once, but thither is one dragon in particular that can muster the strength to reacheth out to thee. So calleth forth once more, O chosen"

That little piece of information did manage to slightly alter my mood for the better, but it was not enough to know that only one out of millions can come to me. But even so, I retained my focus and closed my eyes, taking a deep breath. "Hear me. Reach out to me. Come forth and give me your power... Awaken!"

Suddenly, the circle started to get brighter and brighter, until it swallowed the entire room with its light. The light was so bright that I closed my eyes. When I opened them, I found myself alone on a dirt road under a starry night sky. Walking for a bit, I found myself standing before a rather familiar house. When I saw it, my heart sensed something strange, something... inexplicable. There was no mistaking it, this was the same house I saw within Myzoroth's volcano. 

The lights of the house were on and I could even tell that there were people inside, but what I could not tell was who they were, or where I was exactly. My watch did not work, nor did my phone. With no option left, I decided to approach the house and knock. Suddenly, a deafening sound came from the sky, where the four dragons emerged and flew in a circle over the house. The dragons then landed down around the house, shaking the very earth I stood on to the point where I fell down. When I got up, I watched as the roof was torn off the house and left to the side.

"Hey!" I shouted at the dragons. "What are you doing?!"

"You won't hurt my family!" A voice spoke from within the house. "I will proudly sacrifice my life if it means their safety!"

"This is where it all began," A voice spoke in my head. A voice that unbelievably resembled mine, but just slightly lower-pitched. "This is where your story began. The night the dragons emerged from the sky and whisked you away from the hands of your beloved mother."

"Zan-... Is that you?!" I did not know how to feel or what to say... Should I be more shocked to know that the dragons stand between me and my real parents, or that I am viewing this repeat of history from a new perspective? Or that my predecessor, who was deceased for millennia, is speaking to me with a voice too similar to mine? 

Then, I heard a loud bang coming from the inside of the house. By instinct, I rushed inside the house, pushing the door open. There, I found a man being pinned down by the red dragon while a woman ran to grab a baby on the ground that wept loudly from fear as another child floated through the air and landed on the back of the golden dragon. The woman looked around and yelled none other than my own name. "Justin?! Justin!" Her voice spoke fear and her tears alone were enough to make me tear up. She looked at the golden dragon, her eyes unable to believe what they saw. "My son... Where... Where are you taking my son?!"

Unable to believe what I heard, I looked at the woman, whose short blonde hair was all too familiar and her eyes were the same green eyes that wept with a smile as they looked at me. "M... Mom?" I cried, slowly walking towards her and attempting to reach her, only for my hand to go through her, as did my entire body. "No... No, no, no! NO!"

And to be shocked once more, I witnessed the dragons bow their heads down towards the mother, expressing their own sorrow and grief, as if they were deeply regretful about what they were doing. They were... "Apologizing?"

The dragons then took flight, going back where they came from and leaving my mother to cry my name before everything faded into white. Once again, I looked around me and saw nothing but white before hearing the sounds of footsteps approaching me. When I turned around, I saw Mia walking in my directions, but her eyes were fixated on her surroundings. That was until she saw me and gasped, running towards me to see tears go down my face.

"Justin?! What's wrong?!" She asked, but I replied by simply shaking my head and wiping my tears. "Where... Where are we?"

"I doubt this is the workings of the harbinger," The messenger said as he walked towards us. "This seems reminiscent of you, Justin. Did you... do this?"

For the first time, I saw the harbinger as confused as the rest of us, and it felt as refreshing as it was unsettling to know that even he knows nothing about this. "I-I... I don't know."

"Guys!" I watched as Ethan spoke while he and Alex ran towards us. "Where are we?"

Aphroditia and Nova then appeared, each walking towards us from a different direction. And finally, Zack appeared last, confused as the rest of us. "Somehow I doubt this was exactly Justin's doing, but I feel as if we're supposed to see something right about now? Anything?"

"Justin?" Alex asked. "Did you see anything before appearing here?"

I paused for a moment before shaking my head. But they knew I was not telling the truth. "You were crying earlier, weren't you?" Mia asked. 

"Whatever it was, I say it is best to leave it until we leave this place." The messenger suggested and everyone agreed.

"Are you okay?" Zanoktryus spoke, much to everyone's shock. I, however, remained idle. 

"Justin!" Mia exclaimed. "That's your voice!"

"Yes, I am."

The predecessor then continued. "Good. Can you remember?"

"Remember?" I asked.

Zanoktryus then said: "Yes. The stronger you grow, the more you'll remember. Or have you forgotten who I am?"

"I guess I did."

"I don't blame you. We were distant for a while, were we not?"

"You're... right."

"Justin?" Zack asked. "What's going on?"

"Focus," the fallen god spoke. "Remember. Remember yourself."

And so, I started getting the feeling that there are memories that I have long forgotten. Memories that I experienced and did not experience at the same time. They felt familiar, yet unfamiliar at the same time. "I see... But... You're not who I think you are... Or are you?" Slowly, those memories started returning one at a time, but they still felt distant. But then, the memory of the harbinger flashed in my mind.

"What about him?" I asked. Then suddenly, a dark crystal appeared in the distance, enshrouded by a dark aura that contrasted with the surrounding whiteness.

"He suffers," My predecessor replied. "Even to this day, he still suffers. I wish I could have killed him, but... I am..."

"Incomplete."

"Lord Zanoktryus? Is that you?!" The harbinger spoke, but he got no response.

"I killed him..."

"To rid him of his suffering. But that couldn't be done. And so he killed... Y-You?" As the memories within my head started to contradict one another, I held my head and tried to maintain my balance.

"And yet I forgave him," Zanoktryus stated, much to everyone's shock. "Can you?"

"I... I don't know."

"Hm... I don't blame you."

"Where are you, anyway?" I asked a question that is on everyone's mind. Hearing a supposed deceased deity talk is not something you hear every day.

"I don't know," He simply responded. "But we're close to finding out."

"A-Are you dead, or not?!" I shouted.

"Not dead, but not living, either. I am simply... Incomplete."