'So... What you're trying to say is that you fell here from another world?'

'But when you tried to leave it and go to the next world, your way had been blocked by an unknown god?'

ϾѻϿ

The golden-haired youth stood in front of a cluster of pillars, white as snow, and pure as a temple. From the platform in the sky, nothing could be seen beyond the horizon. Looking over the edge, an infinite abyss stretched downwards.

There was nothing but themselves, the sacred circle in which they stood, and the many clouds that surrounded them.

Until she turned up.

A black opening appeared in front of them, out of nowhere. Chaotic, abyssal darkness was visible inside that crack that tore through known space and time, breaking every rule of logic and reason.

'Strangers, your journey ends here.' Said a deep but determined female voice.

Emerging from the black abyss, a tall, slender figure watched them. Her white robes, decorated with black and red, gave her an air of majestic beauty. Her hair, as white as the celestial platform on which the golden-haired siblings stood, floated behind her in a brilliant and beautiful wake. Her orange eyes stood out against the pale colour of her face, taut with blatant determination.

The woman watched the twins from above, where she hovered in the same spot, like a celestial walker, completely alienated from the world they knew.

'Who are you?' exclaimed the youngest of the siblings.

'The sustainer of celestial principles.' The woman replied, staring at her as she raised her right hand. A golden-black glow formed in it. 'The arrogance of humanity will end here.'

Ass he finished her threat, the flash in her hand grew. Despite its innocent cubic shape, it emitted an aura of deadly danger.

Suddenly, a shadow formed beneath the brothers. With swift, almost superhuman reflexes, they leapt to either side, dodging the abrupt lifting of the stone slab at their feet.

Spreading their wings, the twins kept out of reach of the attacking goddess. Glittering blades were forged from nothingness in their hands, flashing like a golden glow, like the six wings that had appeared on their backs. Like warrior-seraphim rebelling against the Creator, they lunged at their opponent.

The white-haired woman stretched her left arm forward, commanding more orange and black flashes. Gliding through the air as if they were extensions of her own limbs, they chased the young twins around the ruined Paradise in which they found themselves. The siblings, as if of one mind, dodged each attack with spectacular grace, as if dancing in mid-air.

Each time they managed to get closer and closer to the goddess. Extending their swords, they prepared to strike the final blow.

However, the blows never made an impact.

As if time had stopped, the three figures hovered for what seemed like an eternity.

Then, the older brother felt a chill. He turned his gaze towards the unknown attacker, only to be horrified to see her eyes on him, menacingly. An intense feeling of murder flashed through them. A formless substance began to spread across his sword, even brushing against his hands. Instinctively, the boy lunged backwards, away from his assailant.

However, the formless substance had already managed to cover his sister almost entirely.

'Hotaru!' The young man shouted.

However, his younger sister was only able to exchange a brief glance with him before she was completely covered by the strange element. To her brother's horror, the unknown matter solidified and began to shrink in size, until it was no bigger than the palm of a hand. Slowly, the unknown woman drew the now golden glow towards herself, until she had it gently levitating above her hand.

A massive rage filled the boy's heart, and he lunged towards his opponent, ready to cut her in two. Stepping behind her, he raised his sword, now charged with energy, and swung it at the goddess.

Again, his attack never hit. A massive explosion erupted, surrounding him in reddish-black smoke. By the time it had dissipated, he could only watch as his body no longer responded. His free hand tried futilely to reach out for the small flash of gold that his sister had become.

Unmoved, the woman began to cover him with the same unknown substance, watching him without interest or mercy.

'Stop! Don't go!' Shouted the boy. 'Give me back my sister!'

Then everything went black.

ϾѻϿ

'And so, the god took my sister. Some kind of seal was cast upon me, and I lost my power.'

'So while we used to travel through various worlds, now we are stuck here.'

The boy, sitting on a rock, looked with nostalgia and concern at the trace he had made on the beach, illustrating in a simple way what had happened.

'How many years ago was it? I don't know... But I intend to find out. When I woke up, I was all alone—until I met you two months ago...'

The boy looked slightly at his interlocutor, who was listening attentively.

'Yes, I really owe you one. If it wasn't for you, I would have drowned that time... So I'll do my best to be a good guide!' Replied the small figure, remembering how the traveller had saved her from drowning some time ago—albeit in an unconventional way.

ϾѻϿ

What had happened on that occasion was that hungry, the traveller was fishing in a pond. When he felt something tugging at the line of the fishing rod, the boy used all his strength to pull out his lunch. However, instead of a fish or an octopus, at the end of the hook was a small creature. With white clothes and white hair, the little girl was deeply grateful for the help.

'Thank you for saving me! If it wasn't for your help, I would have drowned in that place.' Said the little creature, floating around the traveller while leaving a trail of gold in her wake, the girl seemed to be quite friendly. Was she a fairy, perhaps? Or an angel, because she was wearing a sort of golden halo floating above her head?

'It was nothing.' Replied the boy. 'But why were you there?'

'Ah... I was starving, so I wanted to look for a crab and try to fry it myself. But, when I was near the water, a fish tried to eat me. I was so scared that I fell in...' Replied the girl, scratching her head in embarrassment.

'You fly.' Said the young traveller, laughing. 'How come you didn't go out on your own? I don't see you use wings to fly.'

'My wet clothes increased my weight, so I couldn't fly...'

The young man gave a nod of understanding and watched the little girl a moment longer. He didn't much care what the little girl was. It was, after all, his first encounter with another intelligent being since he had come to this world.

'Do you have a name?' Asked the traveller.

'Hmm? Oh, yes, my name!' The girl curtsied slightly in the air. 'My name is Paimon.'

'It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Sora.' Said the boy finally.

'So...ra?' Asked Paimon. 'It's a peculiar name. And that outfit... Are you an outsider?'

Sora got up from the rock from which he was fishing, and headed towards another pond nearby, hoping to find luck in his next catch.

I knew it... This is another world, he thought.

'Sora?' Paimon insisted.

'That's a story for another time, don't you think?' Proposed the boy. 'For the moment, I'll just say that I am indeed an outsider.'

'Ah! I understand! Then, in gratitude, I will accompany you on your journey. After all, who better than Paimon, the gastronomic expert, to tell you what is safe to eat and what is poisonous?'

Sora watched her for a moment.

'Of course, thank you!' He replied, with a smile.

Finally, he would no longer be alone in that unknown world.

ϾѻϿ

Smiling at the memory of those two months on the road, the boy rose from his seat.

'We should leave, let's go!' Said Paimon, enthusiastically.