PRELUDE TO THE SAGA OF OMEGA
You may have heard of "The Tragic Legend". Of how an evil Dark Dragon by name Armageddon sought to exterminate humans and rule Ryugaeia. You may have also heard of the Dragon Knights who fought back and the Dragons who united their spirits to create the Dragonheart.
But another legend was about to be born in our times, a legend of a king who would be like no other, who would be a warrior like no other yet without the desire for war. A king who would come to be known as the 'Wise One Of The Unison Courts'. This legend would come to be known as "The Hopeful Legend" and how did this legend begin?
It began many centuries after the formation of two great kingdoms. The greatest kingdoms of our age. The kingdom of Saggeese, which represented the 'Wisdom' of Ryugaeia and the kingdom of Novatio which represented the 'Light' of Ryugaeia.
In accordance with the will of God, Alpha the Dragon Sovereign and ruler of all Material Light gifted Kamikaze the Dragon's Eye with a vision. The Royal Family of Saggeese would be blessed with twins and the one gifted with the name of "Light" would rule Saggeese. In this way God was declaring that the Light of Ryugaeia would rule over the Wisdom of Ryugaeia. Many understood this to mean that Novatio would rule over Saggeese and dissatisfaction arose in the kingdom when King Hiram Saggeese made clear his intentions to make Princess Aurora Saggeese, his daughter, his heir after his death though Jared was the rightful heir.
This dissatisfaction you could say gave birth to an evil by the name of Erikkus Di Devilli. It was well known that the Queen was barren so to degrade the miracle of the birth of these two children, Erikkus Di Devilli spread rumours that they couldn't possibly be the children of the King and Queen. The people felt betrayed and their anger became even worse.
Then six years later, Galigaos, the Crimson Swordsman of Darkness, under the orders of Di Devilli made an assassination attempt on the lives of young Aurora and Jared Saggeese and that was when he first appeared; the principal guiding force for our time. The man called Jinrai the Lightning Blade. He defeated Galigaos with the power of the Golden Drakengaӓrd and rescued the heirs but a greater tragedy had occurred. The King and Queen had been assassinated by Erikkus Di Devilli himself and so it was that the Wisdom of Ryugaeia would be ruled by darkness instead of Light.
Jinrai looking to the future entrusted his own father with the task of training and preparing his son, then he himself began to train and prepare the heirs. Years later, he entrusted them into the hands of the guild he himself belonged to, the Dragon Rangers.
Due to an encounter of fate with three Dragon Rangers, his own son would make it there. His name was Reis Dragonhaӓrt. On a mission to Saggeese, it appeared several Dragon Rangers lost their lives including Jared Saggeese. The grief was enough to dim the light in Aurora's heart but due to Reis' courage, she managed to break free of her pain.
Alpha appeared to Reis in dreams offering him guidance whenever he was about to hit a roadblock and by a twist of fate, Reis was able to unify the fragments of Arӓlpheisl which involve acknowledgement from the most vital parts of Ryugaeia; the Human Princess, the Kaignis King, the Golden Drakengaӓrd and the Dragon Sovereign. By unifying these fragments, Ryugaeia underwent a mysterious change but the effects are still just barely noticeable.
And then a year passed. We were now definitely aware that the captured rangers were alive and began to make plans to rescue them. Little did we know then that the Dragon Knights scattered around the world would begin to make their own arbitrary moves and soon, we would all have to unite to confront Armageddon. Our only key to defeating Armageddon was a song Reis' parents left behind;
"What is a heart or rather who is the Heart?
So fragile that it can be rended apart.
One part strong, one part weak,
Broken He appears but wholeness He seeks
Origins and Endings, two contradictory ideals
But brothers they are and as one they feel.
Strong and weak,
Broken and whole,
Add one more element, when these two become One
They beckon to Him, the Heart
For when Human meets Divine, He will be born,
The Heart That Destroys Armageddon…
And His name is…Benedict!"
RYUGAEIA'S HISTORY PART XII: SAGA OF OMEGA PART I: TRANSITIONING
It was almost an hour to midnight in Novatio. The Dragonlord, Old Lady Kamikaze, Master Jin, Mistress Kira and Captain Hiru stood outside an isolated tower in the middle of the ocean. It was a prison for criminals with enough power to plunge the world into chaos.
The group was led to Galigaos' cell.
"Are you finally ready to talk Galigaos? We know the rangers you captured are alive. Where are you keeping them?!" Captain Hiru demanded an answer.
"I will give you a fair warning Dragon Rangers. Jinrai the Lightning Blade once trapped me in an isolated dimension. I broke free of that. What makes you believe a mere tower in the middle of the ocean is enough to hold me?" Lord Galigaos asked.
"Give it up already! Your plans have been foiled! It's been almost a year now!" Old Lady Kamikaze yelled.
"You presume to know my plans? Is it possible that your vision is failing you Kamikaze the Dragon's Eye?" Lord Galigaos asked.
"You've always been after the lives of Saggeese's heirs and now you're capturing Dragon Rangers for your dark experimentation!" Old Lady Kamikaze roared.
"Getting rid of Saggeese's heirs was merely a way to rid Ryugaeia of any of its symbols of hope. Using the captured rangers for dark experimentation…now that was interesting in its own right. Even Armageddon would need an army once he awakens and what better army than a legion of Dark Dragons" Galigaos said.
"WHAT?! You're telling me that's what the Wyverns actually are?!" the Dragonlord exclaimed in shock.
"Just you wait and see. Besides, the ones that should give it up is you Dragon Rangers. Haven't you ever wondered why I chose to set up my laboratory smack in the middle of Saggeese?" Galigaos bragged.
"Interesting, so your lab is in the middle of Saggeesian territory. That's new information that could be helpful to us. Thanks for sharing Galigaos" Mistress Kira said with a fiery look in her eyes.
Lord Galigaos looked foolish as though he regretted his words.
"Doing anything suspicious in Saggeesian territory would amount to a declaration of war. I suppose you wouldn't want that would you?" Galigaos challenged.
"If you ask me, using our rangers for inhumane experimentation was a declaration of war in its own right. And it's not one we're going to take lying down" Mistress Kira said.
"If I had to argue, you began this by performing covert operations in Saggeesian territory or would you claim to have forgotten that?!" Lord Galigaos asked.
"The Dragon Rangers' sole duty is to protect the Dragons so we will act wherever we sense a threat to the Dragons" the Dragonlord said.
"That is a little harsh towards humanity don't you think?" Galigaos asked.
"We won't debate ideals with a man who doesn't value human life" Mistress Kira said.
"You already have an idea of where my lab is so I'll give you a fair warning. It is an impenetrable fortress guarded by people who like I once was have bonded with the Wyverns" Lord Galigaos said.
"I think we'll manage somehow. We don't need your concern" Mistress Kira said.
Meanwhile, on a hill overlooking a monstrous fortress stood a girl with silver hair and emerald eyes.
"So that's Galigaos' lab isn't it?" the girl asked.
"Yes it is, shall we commence?" Omega asked.
"Omega…engage illumination!" Reia called.
"Of course!" Omega declared as Reia's eyes slowly assumed the likeness of a dragon and her breathing slowed down.
"I am Reia Dragonhaӓrt; daughter of Jinrai Dragonhaӓrt also known as the Lightning Blade. Sensing danger to the Royal Family Of Saggeese, my father sent my brother to be raised by my grandfather, my mother was entrusted with raising me while my father himself headed off to protect and raise Saggeese's heirs. Thanks to my mother's training, I managed to bond with Omega, the Dragon Sovereign of Immaterial Light. What is immaterial light you might ask me? Alpha is the Sovereign that governs light that manifests in the world while Omega is the Sovereign that governs light that manifests spiritually in other words 'knowledge', 'wisdom', 'illumination', 'enlightenment'. These are the attributes of Omega's domain. I have also awakened the powers of the Emerald Drakengaӓrd who governs nature. His ability allows me to resonate with the powers of the Kaignis King within Reis" Reia thought.
"Reia, they sensed your presence, they've all left the confines of the lab to take you out" Omega said.
"What is the best strategy to deal with them?" Reia asked.
She immediately felt her knowledge expand.
"I am unlike Reis in many ways and unlike him…" Reia said as she disappeared from the hill and streaked past all her foes overpowering them and knocking them all out with a single strike.
"…I feel no particular reserve for using my abilities to the fullest to take out my foes" Reia said as she landed and walked into the lab.
The Wyverns flew about aimlessly.
"It is as you said Omega, once they have no one to direct them, they are practically aimless" Reia said.
"Now let's free the captured Rangers" Omega said.
MEANWHILE…IN THE RANGERS' GUILD
Reis found himself in Alpha's Temple. The Dragon Sovereign descended from the skies and landed in front of him.
"Alpha" Reis called.
"I can sense him at last. I can sense my brother. It appears he is journeying with your sister. They have already freed the captured rangers. Like us, I sense that in time, multiple strong presences will gather around these two" Alpha said.
"Reia is alright then. I'd really like to see her. Perhaps I should search for her" Reis said.
"The time is not yet right. For now, you two will walk separate paths but in time your paths will intersect. I can tell it will also be a very joyful moment for Aurora" Alpha said.
"But why do we have to wait?" Reis asked.
"In time, you will understand" Alpha said.
Then Reis woke up. He freshened up and went downstairs. Kyla had already laid the table for breakfast. It was that time of year when the Dragon Students were on holidays. School had closed for the term so everyone had been taking things easy for a while.
Reis noticed Master Jin's absence.
"Where did Master Jin go?" he asked.
"Beats me" Kyla said.
"Heh, he tried so hard to conceal his presence while sneaking off around midnight" Shin said.
"How the heck do you know that?" Reis and Kyla exclaimed in shock.
Shin pointed to his head.
"It's grown much stronger lately and so has my bond with Draco" Shin said.
"I think my bond with Alpha is growing stronger too. I see him in my dreams a lot more often now except for the fact that…my dreams no longer seem dreamlike" Reis said.
"I don't know what you guys are talking about. It's probably because psychic and light are mysterious powers but Ehum and I are pretty much the same" Kyla said.
"So how goes your swordsmanship lessons. Aurora requested that you become her tutor a year ago. You've been teaching her so how has it been?" Shin asked.
"She is very dedicated to her training. In fact if I might add, a bit too dedicated. She seems to be in quite a bit of a hurry though I don't know why she's so frantic" Reis said.
"Reis" Shin called as he motioned to Reis to draw closer with his forefinger.
Reis drew closer. Shin slammed a fist on Reis' head.
"About a year ago, Aurora completely despised her homeland and everyone in it. That has begun to change since she met you. She at least loves one person from Saggeese" Shin said.
"And your point is…what exactly?" Reis asked.
"My point is, how do you expect her to completely despise the homeland of the one she loves?! Whether she realizes it or not, her feelings for you may have awakened feelings of responsibility towards Saggeese that she herself is unaware of. Right now, she feels the need to prepare herself but she does not know for what reason she needs to be prepared. It's not necessarily a bad thing" Shin said.
"You've grown much wiser in the past year but between the time it takes for the words that leave your mouth to reach my ears, I think a lot of them fall on the ground" Reis said.
"For someone who is the embodiment of balance for Ryugaeia, I am compelled to say…you're quite a moron" Shin said.
After they were done eating, Reis got up and said goodbye to the others and headed for Team Kira's residence.
Meanwhile, in Team Kira's residence, Aurora and Darak had already begun their morning exercises. They began with a bit of hand to hand combat without weapons, graduated to using their elements, then began to fuse their swordsmanship with their elements.
Aurora picked up the Twin Saggeesian Sabres.
"You really want to graduate to double handed swordsmanship now?" Darak asked.
"My brother is no longer here and both swords are needed to vanquish Armageddon. That means I have to take up his share of fighting" Aurora said.
MEANWHILE IN CYRIL VILLAGE…
Somewhere in Saggeese, Reia Dragonhaӓrt had managed to smuggle the rescued rangers into a safe hiding place. The village of Cyril was another insignificant village like Tyron was in the eyes of Erikkus Di Devilli. It was a village that posed no potential threat and that in hindsight also made it the perfect place to hide the captured rangers.
Another reason why it was the safest place was because the people there despised Erikkus Di Devilli though they did not show it openly. This made them allies to anyone who openly opposed Erikkus Di Devilli and they'd support such a person from the shadows.
Reia initially attempted to bargain with the innkeeper to take all eighteen of the Rangers in for the night for a reduced price while she went out to earn the rest of the money required to maintain their accommodations till they recovered.
The innkeeper was suspicious to see a girl pay for the accommodations of eighteen unconscious people.
"Don't worry, they are Di Devilli's enemies and so am I" Reia said.
"I see you do not address him as 'lord'. That is enough proof for me. Any enemy of Di Devilli is an enemy of mine. Just pay me what you can afford. I'll worry about the rest" the innkeeper said.
"I guess this is what they call finding help in strange places" Reia said as the innkeeper called some men to help her carry the unconscious rangers to their rooms.
IN NOVATIO…THE RANGERS' GUILD
Reis had finally arrived at Team Kira's residence. He found Darak and Aurora clashing blades energetically.
"You are still quite unfamiliar with this double handed style of swordsmanship" Darak said.
Aurora panted wearily.
"Hey look, Reis is here" Darak pointed.
Aurora turned and saw Reis. She sighed heavily and attempted to conceal her fatigue.
"Hello Reis" she greeted.
"Hi Aurora" Reis waved at her.
"I'm ready to begin. I want to master the Dragonhaӓrt Fencing Style of swordsmanship" Aurora said.
"You need to take a break first Aurora, I can see you are clearly fatigued" Reis said.
"I'm not exhausted! I can totally do it!" Aurora said with determination.
"Totally? You're not even sounding like yourself anymore. You need to take a break, tutor's orders" Reis said.
Aurora sighed.
"Tch! Fine" she grumbled.
She folded her arms angrily and sat on the grass. Reis sat beside her.
"Don't you think you've been trying to do a little too much lately?" Reis asked.
"What makes you think that?" Aurora asked him.
"You have been training with me and Darak and I may not be the kind to take it easy on you but Darak is the king of overkill" Reis said.
"If it were up to Darak, I would not be resting right now, I would be fighting" Aurora said angrily.
Reis sighed.
"Aurora, what is really bothering you?" Reis asked.
"Nothing" Aurora replied sharply.
"She says she wants to do Jared's share of the fighting" Darak suddenly said from behind them.
"SHUT UP DARAK! NO ONE ASKED YOU!" Aurora yelled angrily.
"Where did you suddenly pop out from?" Reis asked with a bored look on his face.
"I was always around. You lost sight of me the moment you started goo-gooing each other" Darak said.
"No one says that anymore" Reis said with a bored look on his face.
"Apparently I do" Darak said with a smirk.
"I'm ready to begin!" Aurora said suddenly.
Reis sighed.
"Fine then, if that is your wish" Reis said.
Reis took his stance. Aurora took her stance while wielding both Saggeesian Blades.
"I see you intend to master both Saggeesian Blades and your reasons are solid. To some extent I'm beginning to understand that sense of responsibility Shin said you might be starting to shoulder but precisely because the weight of your responsibility is great, I am going to teach you the flaws in your impatience" Reis said.
"Let's begin" Reis said.
Aurora wasted no time in charging at him from the front. She swung both blades while trying to coordinate them seamlessly.
"First of all Aurora, I believe I taught you that the first person to attack is vulnerable once their attacks are read and evaded or countered" Reis said as he parried Aurora's strikes and moved into an opening behind her.
He prepared for a strike and stopped his blade right before he could lop her head off.
"Try again!" Reis said.
Reis and Aurora took their stances. Aurora was careful this time. She did not approach recklessly.
"You are cautious, that is good. I understand that you feel you must carry the destiny of two heirs in order to defeat Armageddon however…attempting to fight a superior foe with nothing more than conviction is setting yourself up for an overwhelming defeat. You have not even begun to comprehend the motions of double handed swordsmanship, let alone began to master it" Reis said as he disarmed Aurora easily.
"Try again!" Reis said.
Aurora sighed and dropped the Dark Blade. She wielded the Light Blade in a stance similar to Reis'.
"I see, you've become a bit smarter. You've decided to abandon your weakness and focus on enforcing your strengths. That isn't bad" Reis said as he began to clash blades with Aurora.
For a while, they seemed evenly matched.
"However, don't be naïve enough to believe that your weaknesses will not be exploited by an enemy in a real fight" Reis said as he suddenly doubled his attack speed.
Aurora was powerless to resist.
"You might have been able to block that…if you wielded both Saggeesian Sabres" Reis said.
Aurora dropped on her knees. She felt totally beaten and utterly depressed.
"What do I do then? There is no way I can become stronger. Swordsmanship has never been for me but everyone keeps telling me that my destiny and the fate of my kingdom is tied to my swordsmanship" Aurora said.
"If that is what you believe, I suppose that then is the truth. After all, there is no way to master swordsmanship once you've given up. The Dragonhaӓrt Fencing Style is a swordsmanship style that is predominantly forged from the faith of the practitioner. It grows continuously, refines itself in the midst of battle. It's impossible to master it if you detest it and far more impossible to master it if you believe it cannot be mastered" Reis said.
"So what are you saying exactly?" Aurora asked.
"I will always be your friend Aurora and I will tell you the truth, whether or not you can master it is completely up to you" Reis said.
Aurora sat on the grass for a while. She clenched her teeth tightly and felt tears begin to flow down her face. She recalled the Kaignis King's bite and Reis' poisoning after he had saved her from the bite herself. She recalled Reis' pain as he lay dying in her arms after Galigaos' fatal strike.
"I never want to feel that powerless again" she swore to herself.
Darak suddenly appeared.
"I know why you're trying so hard and it's not just because of Jared. It's because of Reis too. You still feel guilty for the way you treated him when he initially came to the guild but that's so long ago. You also think the reason he's always in danger is because of you but every time he was fatally wounded for your sake, it was his own choice" Darak said.
"You wouldn't understand! You're strong! You don't know what it's like to almost be responsible for a person's death especially if that person is someone you love!" Aurora yelled.
"You're right, I don't understand. You're telling me you feel responsible for something that never happened?! How could I understand that?!" Darak roared.
Aurora gasped in realization. She had never really thought of it like that. Reis had never really died so she had no reason to feel guilty for his 'death'. It made no sense. If he was alive, and she didn't want him to die, she would just have to find a way to protect him. She needed to disconnect those two feelings from each other.
"I think you're right" Aurora said.
"Of course I am" Darak said.
Aurora smiled to herself.
MEANWHILE IN THE VILLAGE OF CYRIL…
It was finally morning in Saggeese, in the Village of Cyril. A boy with bright orange hair and crimson eyes sat on the bed in the room he had just awakened in. His surroundings were unfamiliar to him. He felt weak and was still slightly dazed.
"Where am I?" he wondered.
Reia walked into his room. The boy raised his eyes and beheld an unfamiliar girl with emerald eyes and silver hair. She looked slightly older than him.
"Who are you? Where am I?" he asked her.
"I am Reia Dragonhaӓrt and you are in the Village of Cyril in Saggeese. Do you remember anything about yourself?" Reia asked.
"Yes, my name is Jared. Jared Saggeese, and I am a Dragon Ranger" the boy said.
"Jared Saggeese. Interesting name…isn't that the name of the Saggeesian prince?" Reia asked.
"I am simply a Dragon Ranger. You appear to be an ally" Jared said as he stared at Reia's ring.
"You belong to a guild?" Reia asked.
"Yes, the Dragon Rangers Guild" Jared said.
"Interesting. It is such an ambiguous name. If there are going to be numerous guilds in the near future, I think you might have to consider changing that name" Reia said.
"I don't think so. It's who we are. Changing the guild name now would be like changing our identity" Jared said. "Though I don't think that decision is entirely up to me" he added.
"Your comrades should be recovering anytime soon. When you are recovered, you can make your way back to your guild can't you?" Reia asked.
"You rescued me…uh I mean us?" Jared seemed surprised.
"That doesn't really matter. You cause me greater financial loss the longer you stay at this inn" Reia said expressionlessly.
"You are quite the brutal one aren't you?" Jared said with a laugh.
"Well where do you think I get all the money? I don't want to go on any needless hunts" Reia growled angrily.
"Yeah yeah, we're quite a nuisance to you but you have a Dragon Ring. How is that possible if you do not belong to the guild?" Jared asked.
"I guess the world's a pretty big place" Reia said.
"Not so big enough that a Dragon Ring accidentally falls into the hands of a person" Jared said.
"I guess you're not aware of the changes that have been occurring recently" Reia said.
"What changes?" Jared asked.
"I'm leaving. Whenever you guys are completely recovered, you can leave" Reia said as she walked out of Jared's room.
Jared got up and chased after her. They ran into the rest of the rangers downstairs.
"I see you are all recovered. It shouldn't be difficult to make it back to Novatio from here. The Saggeesian border should be close. But you should probably leave under the cover of night."
"And where will you go?" Jared asked her.
"There may be others like you who need my help. This new world might be a bit puzzling to them…even a bit overwhelming. I also need to take into consideration that men like Galigaos the Crimson Swordsman Of Darkness and Erikkus Di Devilli might be after them for their abilities. I don't have a moment to lose" Reia said.
"Wait, are you suggesting that there are more people with Dragon Rings who do not belong to the Rangers' Guild?" Jared asked.
"At least not yet" Reia said.
"You did not deny it" a female ranger said.
"Let us come with you. If what you say is true, you will need all the help you can get" Jared suggested.
"You'd better not slow me down" Reia said.
"We won't" Jared promised.
"But could you at least tell us who you are? I introduced myself to you and though you are our rescuer, we still do not know your name" Jared said.
"The name is Reia, Reia Dragonhaӓrt" the girl introduced herself.
MEANWHILE IN THE RANGERS' GUILD
It was midday and Aurora stood at the Lake Of Kagua Beasts. Erasa sat beside her. Aurora had decided to take a walk to the lake and ran into Erasa. Recently, Erasa was a frequent visitor to the lake. Aurora knew she probably met Shin at the lake often.
She herself had hung around with Reis at the lake quite a few times though most of the time, it would result in them walking into the Caves Of Light. Since Alpha had inhabited the cave and transformed its darkness into Light, no one referred to the cave as the Cave Of Shadows anymore. It was now known as The Caves Of Light.
Anyway, Aurora sat with Erasa and both of them began to talk.
"You started training with Reis right? How does it feel to have your fiancé as your tutor" Erasa teased Aurora.
"F-F-Fiancé?! I d-don't th-think Reis and I have decided on what we are yet" Aurora said.
Erasa laughed.
"You both confessed your feelings for each other so what are you confused about? If you ask me, you're already a couple" Erasa said.
Aurora chuckled nervously.
"To answer your earlier question, it's kinda hard having Reis tutor me. He is a different person when he tutors me from when we are just friends" Aurora said.
"How so?" Erasa asked.
"Well let's just say he is a little scary and leave it at that" Aurora said.
"Now I'm curious, scary? How?" Erasa asked.
"It's almost as though he's reading me like a book" Aurora said.
"Well that is an essential part of combat so it shouldn't really surprise you" Erasa said.
"No, what Reis does is kinda different. I don't quite understand it but I believe I have experienced it once on the day I fought him with the Twin Saggeesian Sabres in order to free him from Armageddon though now that I think of it. That was also Reis tutoring me" Aurora said.
"Wow" Erasa did not really seem surprised.
"Come to think of it now, on that day I was battling with the Dragonhaӓrt Fencing Style" Aurora said.
"Aurora, are you sure you don't still despise Swordsmanship?" Erasa asked.
"I don't think I do. I mean, if it's necessary and it can help me protect Reis, then I guess…I am willing to learn" Aurora said.
"I see…did Reis say anything else?" Erasa asked.
"He said something about the Dragonhaӓrt Fencing Style predominantly being forged from the faith of its practitioner. Growing continuously and refining itself in the midst of battle. He said it was impossible to master if one detested it and far more impossible to master if you believed it could not be mastered" Aurora repeated Reis' words to Erasa.
"I see. Aurora, have you tried fighting anyone else with a sword aside from Reis and Darak?" Erasa asked.
"I did train with Sir Jinrai in the past. On missions, I rely mostly on Marina's power since I am unreliable with a sword" Aurora said.
"Aurora, as a swordsman, I don't think you have a problem. In fact I think you'd beat the snot out of anyone who'd be foolish enough to pick a sword fight with you. You've fought with a sword three people that possess otherworldly abilities" Erasa said.
"I don't get what you're trying to say" Aurora looked confused.
"The problem is those three people with otherworldly abilities are probably the only ones you've ever fought with a sword" Erasa said.
The sudden realization hit Aurora hard.
"We are Dragon Rangers Aurora, and our enemies are not exactly supposed to be ordinary however, we've been handling pretty ordinary situations. In situations like those, skill, strength, intelligence, they might be useful. But when dealing with a foe that defies or transcends natural law, those might not be helpful at all. If what I gather from what Reis said is correct, the Dragonhaӓrt Fencing Style is a style forged to deal with those kinds of foes" Erasa said.
"I see" Aurora said.
Erasa smiled.
"I'm always ready to help you whenever you need me" she said.
Aurora stood up.
"See you later Erasa. Thanks a lot" Aurora said as she headed for the Ayenhayze residence.
Meanwhile, Reis lay under a cluster of trees in the garden behind the Ayenhayze residence. He thought of Aurora's current struggle. He understood it since he had been where she was many times in the past. While training with his gramps, there were moments his gramps would place an overwhelming obstacle in his path that it almost seemed impossible to overcome. But while his gramps might occasionally drop useful hints to overcoming the obstacle, he would never directly tell Reis what the solution itself was. At times like that, he often said it was probably time for Reis to expand his range of experiences. Reis would often find the solution quite accidentally, almost coincidentally after trying to overcome the problem repeatedly.
"As painful as it is to watch Aurora's struggle, at times like this, it's probably best to allow her to seek the answer to her problem on her own" Reis said.
As he lay thinking, Aurora suddenly appeared before him.
"Hello Reis" she greeted.
"A-Aurora, wh-what are you doing here?" Reis was surprised by her sudden presence.
"I just spoke to Erasa and I think I realized a bit of what my problem was" Aurora said.
"Really? I'd like to hear it" Reis teased her.
"I may not be bad with a sword. But you, Darak and your Dad were just too good" Aurora said.
Reis laughed.
"Now that's an interesting thing to say!" Reis laughed.
Aurora pretended to be offended.
"Don't laugh at me. I had to really mull this over you know?" she said.
"But that might be half the problem" Reis said.
Aurora's expression suddenly changed.
"Darak was right. I wanted to carry Jared's weight too by wielding both Saggeesian Sabres but my real weight was my memory of watching you almost die thrice" Aurora said.
"I see" Reis said.
"I wanted to become strong enough to protect you" Aurora said.
Reis raised his hand and gave her a light chop to the head.
"What was that for?" Aurora seemed irritated.
"You worry too much. No matter how much we might try, some things are just beyond us. As long as you do your best you don't have to regret it later" Reis said with a smile.
"So will you train me again?" Aurora asked.
"Well of course. Why don't we create a variation of the Dragonhaӓrt Fencing Style that aligns with your convictions" Reis said.
Aurora nodded with a smile.
In the Dragon Rangers' HQ, the Dragonlord stood with Old Lady Kamikaze, Master Jin, Mistress Kira and Captain Hiru. A day had passed since Reia freed the captured rangers and the rangers were already aware of this new development thanks to Old Lady Kamikaze.
She had also informed them of the changes she had felt recently. Though unconfirmed, it appeared from her visions that there were countless people worldwide with Dragon Rings on their fingers though they did not at the present time belong to any guild. However, they still appeared separated and confused.
"What do we do Dragonlord?" Old Lady Kamikaze asked.
The Dragonlord seemed to think on it for a while.
"What do you think?" he asked the rangers.
"I think it would be wise we avoid making unnecessarily suspicious moves for now" Mistress Kira said.
"But at the same time, we cannot afford to be idle" Master Jin added.
"You have both spoken wisely. We do have to protect anyone who has potentially been chosen by a dragon without needlessly alerting our enemies to our moves. I suppose it's about time I sent them out" the Dragonlord said.
"Them?" Master Jin seemed curious.
The Dragonlord smiled.
"You mean…?!" Mistress Kira exclaimed in shock.
"Yes, the Dragon Knights. They are scattered around the world, each with their own convictions and their own way of living out the Rangers' code. They enforce the Light while suppressing the darkness. I am very sure by now they themselves have noticed the changes in the world" the Dragonlord said as he shut his eyes.
In various locations throughout the world, his message was instantly relayed to them. The Dragon Knights opened their eyes as though filled with new determination and then they began to move from wherever they currently were to where they felt they would be needed most.
Meanwhile, Shin found himself before a vast ocean. Behind him was a lush green and well-watered land. It felt like he was at the beach. All of a sudden, he noticed two lights, one silver and the other he recognized as the presence of Draco. They both approached him with tremendous speed and when they were close, they assumed the forms of dragons.
"Draco, who is this Dragon? I've never seen him before" Shin asked.
"He will speak for himself. He has something of great importance to tell you Shin" Draco said.
"Something of great importance?" Shin wondered.
"I am Epsilon, the Dragon Sovereign that governs time. If Alpha represents the beginning of everything and Omega, the end of everything, then I represent all that is between them" the Silver Dragon, Epsilon, spoke.
"What do you want from me? I never even knew that there were three Dragon Sovereigns. It's unheard of" Shin said.
"Yet you know that God is One and Three. We share a similar nature, my two brothers and I" Epsilon said. "And so do the three Dragonhaӓrts" he added with firm resolve.
Remember that Shin. God, the Dragon Sovereigns and the Dragonhaӓrt share a similar nature. Though they seem separate, they are also one" Draco said.
"The Nameless Silver Truthful One. I feel the time is fast approaching when he must awaken and so must you Shin" Epsilon said.
"Why are all these strange things happening lately? Ever since Reis arrived in the guild, it's been one mystery after another" Shin said with genuine curiosity.
"Multiple strong presences are beginning to awaken, one after the other and I have sensed that to each of them a guardian force has been assigned. But that is not all. There will soon be a gathering and I sense it occurring with tremendous force. You too will have to remember" Epsilon said and as he uttered the final words, he departed slowly with Draco.
"Remember what Epsilon?!" Shin called out.
"I am what stands between the dark and the dawn. You too will have to remember that…like the other two…you are also a Dragonhaӓrt" Epsilon said and disappeared.
Shin opened his eyes. He was in his bedroom. Beads of sweat rolled down his brow. He got up quickly and took his bath. Then he hurried downstairs. When Kyla saw him, her mouth dropped open in shock.
"What's up Kyla? Why are you staring at me like that?" Shin asked with little concern.
Kyla grabbed him by the arm and took him to his room. She tapped on Reis to awaken him. When Reis was awake, he too stared at Shin in shock.
"Wh-What's going on? Is there something on my face?" he wondered.
"The vastness of the sky and ocean, the wisdom of the ages and the bond of the dragons. These are the virtues you represent" Shin heard Epsilon's voice over the breeze.
"Shin? What happened?" Reis asked.
Shin felt terror at these words. He ran to the bathroom to look in the mirror. He was so deep in thought about his dream that he hadn't noticed his reflection earlier but now he did. His eyes were blue and his hair was silver like Reis'. Out of impulse, he pulled his sleeve back and noticed a dragon shaped scar. He walked quietly past Kyla and Reis into the room, picked up a cap and wore it. Then he walked past them a second time and descended the stairs.
"Where are you going?" Kyla asked worriedly.
"To the barber's. I'm going to dye my hair back to its original colour. I don't want to be a Reis look alike no offence Reis" Shin said.
"None taken" Reis said.
Kyla rushed to him and held him in a tight lockhold.
"Like hell you are! We still need to know how this happened!" she declared.
When Shin sat down with the other two, he told them everything about his dream and what he had seen, everything he had heard.
"Epsilon, the Dragon Sovereign of Time. He is quite a mystery but it is said that amongst the Three Sovereigns, he is the one closest to humanity for humans dwell within time" Reis said.
"Sometimes I wonder how you know all that you do Reis" Shin said.
"Heh, if what Epsilon said is true, then you'd better start getting used to the fact that in time…a very short time, you will know all that I know" Reis teased.
"Hey, that doesn't sound like a joke. It sounds like a threat" Shin said with genuine concern.
Then Reis told them everything Alpha had told him concerning his father. He even mentioned the song.
"What song? And you have a sister?" Shin asked seriously.
"Yes, I do but Alpha says the time for our paths to cross is still in the distant future. It won't happen now. He thinks it's best if we stay separate for now. There is also this thing about a song. A song called 'The Heart That Destroys Darkness' and it goes like this;
'What is a heart or rather Who is the Heart?
So fragile that it can be rended apart
One part strong, one part weak
Broken He appears but wholeness He seeks
Origins and Endings, two contradictory ideals
But brothers they are and as one they feel
Strong and weak
Broken and whole,
Add one more element, when these two become One
They beckon to Him, the Heart
For when Human meets Divine, He will be born,
The Heart that Destroys Armageddon
And His name is…Benedict!'
Reis sang 'The Heart That Destroys Darkness' to Kyla and Shin.
"You must tell the Dragonlord about this" Kyla suggested.
"Somehow I think he already knows" Shin said in a way that showed he thought the Dragonlord capable of almost anything.
Almost immediately, Shin, Kyla and Reis heard Old Lady Kamikaze's voice. It was being broadcasted throughout the entire Guild.
"All Dragon Rangers the rank of Dragon Student and above are to assemble at the Rangers' HQ immediately. The Dragonlord has something to say" she said and then her voice faded off.
"See? What did I tell you? That man can speak to all the dragons as though he were talking with friends. Anything that happened to us could not be kept secret. It would be like trying to conceal an obvious fact from gossips" Shin said.
"Sheesh, when will you ever learn?!" Kyla said as she slapped him on the head.
"My words to you!" Shin yelled back angrily.
"The Dragonlord is planning something. Something big…I can almost sense it" Reis said seriously.
"Reis?" the other two stared at him seriously.
"It is obvious that a great change is occurring worldwide. The Auroran Lights were a big enough sign and the Dragonlord has Kamikaze who practically speaks straight from the Dragons' mouth. There are two ways this could end. We see all this and do nothing or we see it and act. So which is it Dragonlord?" Reis wondered.
Reis walked out with everyone. The streets were full of people flocking to Rangers' HQ. Reis never actually thought of it till the battle waged against Galigaos but the Guild was a formidable force with numerous people who had dedicated their lives to protecting the Dragons. And this was one of the rare occasions where the unity of the guild was obvious.
Soon enough, they stood before the Rangers' HQ in a large circle. Dragon Masters and multiple Dragon Knights who had been notified beforehand were inside the HQ which was also a Temple. The multitude of these Dragon Knights were currently unreachable. Dragon Knights were a class of Ranger whose dedication to the dragons was so severe that they began to embody the virtues. The Dragonlord no longer needed to tell them what to do at this point because every moment of their lives was an affront to the darkness and an enforcement of Light. It was believed that their hearts were always in the right place so they were given freedom to act in whatever way they felt their hearts were guiding them. The word of Arӓlpheisl echoed their conviction, 'The will of the Heart is the Key to Destiny'.
Dragon Masters on the other hand had reached a level of maturity that allowed them to be entrusted with the tutelage of Dragon Students and Drakes. Each was entrusted with at least three Drakes and they were not only to guide them through the teaching of Guild virtues but they were to guard them from antagonistic forces and people.
Dragon Students and Drakes on the other hand stood outside the Temple. It wasn't so much a case of who was allowed where as it was the simple fact that there was not enough room for everyone. The order was formed thus out of a mutual respect of the classes and experience and age of the Rangers.
It took almost an hour for everyone to gather. The Rangers generally did not ride their dragons in the Guild and the Guild was like a compact town so they could walk wherever they went. The delay was hence due to distance. When everyone had gathered, Old Lady Kamikaze motioned to them via telepathy to be silent.
Then the Dragonlord began to speak.
"I am sure you have all been wanting to know about all these strange signs that have been occurring since the Dragon-shaped lights descended to the earth. You may have seen certain things in visions and dreams. The long and short of it is this. The world is changing. It is being transformed and this transformation is going to occur through people. Throughout history, the Dragons have always and only ever bonded with members of this guild once they completed certain trials. However, starting from the day Arӓlpheisl revealed himself to us and the Dragon-shaped lights descended to the earth, the Dragons out of their own will have chosen to bond with people outside of this guild regardless of nationality or affiliation. But these people will start out confused. They will share a bond with the dragons they will not understand. They will have glimpses of the supernatural that they will not understand. That is where we come in. Together we will seek out these distant brothers of ours and bring them back with us to the Guild. Hence from this moment, I declare an all-out effort to expand the guild. We are going to have to pull on more weight than we usually do. Here is the plan I have devised. To find them, we will first need a way to identify them. They will be wearing Dragon rings which leak a unique energy reminiscent of the Dragons'.
Leaving that aside, there is the issue of accommodation. Fortunately we live in a forest so we need our architects and builders working on construction and finally, there is the issue of the mission itself…we cannot afford to be beaten once…to lose once. These are missions that need to be carried out with the knowledge and essence of finality. We cannot lose even a single one of them. Aside from our elemental affinities with the dragons, we need to use all our unique raw ability as humans to make this a home for them. That is all for now" the Dragonlord declared.
There was deep silence for a while as each ranger thought deeply on the Dragonlord's words and then they began to cheer loudly.
From that moment on, as though a spark had been set ablaze in the heart of every ranger, they began to work with unity of purpose. The Dragonlord's role as head of the guild was visibly seen as he coordinated the efforts to build. Shops in the guild began expansion projects. The builders built multiple houses and didn't stop building till sunset. The Drakes also did their part with developing all sorts of talented artwork for the guild. The artisans would teach them to construct musical instruments.
The Dragonlord prioritized their food supply so barns were erected to accommodate harvests and hunts and irrigation projects were also put in place. Many Dragon Masters graduated to Dragon Knights including Mistress Kira, Master Jin, Captain Hiru and Mistress Suzuna. They chose however to stick to their old duties until such a time they saw it necessary to do anything else.
While all of this was going on, the Dragon Knights journeyed the world gathering those the Dragons had chosen and leading them back to the guild. Entire families were gathered. And when they arrived, each had a huge celebration just for them. They were made so welcome they adjusted easily and then as they began to learn how the guild operated they desired to help more with guild work offering their unique talents. No one outside the guild was aware of the happenings within it and no one knew how rapidly it was growing. Dragon High was expanded to accommodate new Dragon Students.
Due to the new arrivals, the Rangers were so shorthanded that Reis' entire class was promoted to the class of Dragon Master and made to aid with the teaching of the Drakes. Those were quiet happy days.
At certain times however, the Rangers felt like they had bitten off more than they could chew. Instead of a guild, they now had a town on their hands and it was rapidly becoming a city. Little did they know that this was merely a sign of things to come.
A month passed and the Guild had expanded quite a bit. Reis, Aurora, Shin, Darak, Kyla, Erasa and the rest of the new Dragon Masters were instructing the multitude of Drakes in how to summon their Dragons and protect themselves. There was something visibly noticeable though and it became more pronounced as the days passed. In the days before these changes occurred, the Dragon Rangers were all fearsome combatants but among these new members, there were many not talented in combat. Some found difficulty in riding dragons and many more were simply not interested in combat.
The Dragon Knights pointed these facts to the Dragonlord but he said,
"Let us trust in the will of Arӓlpheisl".
He had assigned some Dragon Knights to seek out and aid the Rangers travelling with Reia.
Darak and Reis, Aurora, Shin and Kyla on a certain day were gathered at the Lake Of Kagua Beasts. Reis was sparring with Aurora as he usually did. He was helping her raise her skill in single sword style swordsmanship. Darak sparred with Shin while Kyla and Erasa spoke with each other.
"I don't understand it. As rangers, our purpose is to protect the Dragons and oppose Armageddon so why would the Dragons choose people that have neither the skill nor desire for combat?" Aurora asked.
"You know Aurora…" Reis began.
"Huh?" everyone turned to listen to him.
"There are many more variations of battle than those that are fought with a sword" Reis said.
"What do you mean?" Shin asked.
"The fragments of Arӓlpheisl for instance. Think how they were gathered. In the case of Sabre-fang, I fought him, then fought his poison. The battle was fought on a medical front. In terms of the Golden Drakengaӓrd, I fought the hatred of Armageddon within me with your help. It was a battle fought in my spirit. In the case of Alpha, I fought an enemy that oppressed the home I belonged to, it was fought on a militaristic front and in your case Aurora, I fell for you" Reis said with a smirk at the end of his sentence.
Aurora laughed.
"You sure can be funny sometimes but…I see your point. There are many fronts on which to fight than a battlefield" Aurora said.
"And the Dragons might be doing this to capture them all. All those different battlefields" Reis said.
"When you put things that way, it makes a strange sort of sense" Darak said.
"For now, why don't we observe our students…try to find out what they're good at, what they're bad at…stuff like that. It might help us understand why the Dragons chose them" Erasa suggested.
Everyone stared at her in surprise.
"I think you've changed quite a bit Erasa" Reis said.
"She certainly has. Heck, she even offers me words of advice sometimes" Shin said proudly.
"Don't mind him. Shin's just too much. Sometimes it's like he knows everything" Erasa said with a nervous laugh.
"Symptoms…" Reis said with a very deliberate cough.
Shin opened his eyes in fear as he recalled Epsilon.
"Damn you Reis! That's not funny!" Shin said angrily.
Reis laughed.
"Now you know how I feel around Reis" Aurora said nostalgically.
Meanwhile, Reia's company had grown quite a bit in the last month. Reia, Jared and the other eighteen Dragon Rangers composed of six Dragon Masters each with three Dragon Students under their wing were doing their best to tutor the new rangers. They decided it would be risky to keep moving about since their company had become quite large so they needed a safe haven to stay. It had to be a place away from the villages of Saggeese lest a spy placed the entire village in danger by reporting them. They made their journey into a thick unexplored Saggeesian forest. There they decided to start building a village modelled after the original guild. They wouldn't remain stationary though. Their present company numbered roughly about a hundred.
Just like in the original guild, the new guild members had some extremely gifted in combat and some without combat skills at all. However, one gift was prominent in those without talent for combat. They were great builders. Those with similar skillsets began to bond together. This bonding was happening on a larger scale in the original guild. Reia's party did not focus completely on building. A bit of the party gifted in combat stayed with the rest of the guild. A rough number of about twenty five. The other twenty five including Reia set out to seek more of those virtuous souls chosen by the Dragons. Reia encouraged Jared to make contact with the main Guild. Jared did so and reported all that was going on.
Mistress Kira now knew without a doubt that Jared was alive with the other rangers. Reia explained the situation to the Dragonlord. He began to see a better way around the entire situation. He encouraged the Dragon Knights to establish Guilds wherever they were and gather the people they found into those guilds. However they were to keep contact with the central guild so that support could be offered them whenever they needed it.
That then was the story of how Ryugaeia began to transform from a world with extinct Dragons into a world with abundant Dragon life. For a while, these guilds continued their growth in mystery. Due to the inexperience of the new Rangers though, we were yet to witness it; a sky filled with Dragons.
Five months passed and now the guild was a bustling city with a strong culture both economic and historical. The new Dragon Rangers were taught the history of Ryugaeia and the 'Tragic Legend'. There was a new legend that was taught to the students as well. They called it 'The Hopeful Legend' and it was a record of the heroic exploits of the Dragon Rangers and Arӓlpheisl. The new Rangers were proud of their heritage. This pride governed all that they did.
I said earlier on that the Dragon Rangers in the central guild with similar skillsets began to bond together. That was true. Even if they could not all summon their Dragons, it did not change the fact that a Dragon had bonded with them and it was only a matter of time before they began to realize their peculiar abilities. Some like Erasa began to realize superhuman strength. They used their abilities to build and perform tasks that required great strength. Others began to realize a peculiar ability to interact with plants. They used this to boost agriculture in the guild. Others began to realize the ability to interact with the minerals in the earth and with this they began to mine through a process that called the minerals to themselves. It was an extraction process that did not require digging.
The Dragonlord realized that this was another way to combat Armageddon; to help Ryugaeia flourish, to put hope into people's hearts. These other creative abilities born from the affinity with the Dragons that did not involve combat were collectively called 'Improvised Dragon Abilities'.
On a certain clear day, Mistress Kira got Aurora settled down and informed her of the fact that Jared was alive as well as the missing Dragon Rangers who were presumed dead on the tragic mission. Aurora and Darak could not conceal their joy. They asked for Jared's location but Mistress Kira said,
"Though they are alive, I cannot tell you where they are yet. They are after all in Saggeese and any suspicious moves by the Rangers will alert Di Devilli to our intentions".
Aurora and Darak reluctantly agreed.
On that same day at dawn, Reis had had a very peculiar dream. It appeared to recount the events that occurred at Arӓlpheisl's advent but there was an element mixed in the dream that Reis did not completely understand. It appeared that at the moment of his death, among the experiences he had experienced with Alpha, he had journeyed with Alpha to the Lords Of Light and had begun to recount his story to them. He had also dreamt of a strange place very much like a guild and throughout his dream, a voice echoed,
"Seek out your predecessor. He will teach you an important lesson. Life is but a day, and time but a dream".
Then once more he stood before Alpha, the Dragon Sovereign.
"What am I seeing Alpha?" he had asked.
"He has begun to piece the fragments of the world together. This is a summoning Reis Dragonhaӓrt. You are to journey into the world of the Silver-Haired One and learn the secrets of Benedict's Ark" Alpha had said.
"What is Benedict's Ark? And how will all of this happen?" Reis asked.
"As it always has. Progressively…and through dreams" Alpha had said.
All of a sudden, Reis found himself in a whiteness that appeared to stretch on forever. Then he saw a gate appear a distance before him and out of the gate sprang walls that stretched endlessly on both sides. Out of the white ground sprang grasses and trees and shrubs all around. Alpha was no longer with Reis. Reis walked ahead and reached the gate.
"State your business. This is a place commonly referred to as the Town Of Ole otherwise called the Academy Of The Old Living Everlasting Entity and only two categories of people are allowed in here. Those who teach and those who learn so which are you?" a male guard asked sternly.
"I recently graduated as a Dragon Student. I am a Dragon Master in name but have no experience whatsoever" Reis said.
"Choose a designated class" the boy said and stretched out his hand.
Words appeared in front of Reis. They were strange words but Reis understood the language clearly. He stretched forth his hand and touched the word for 'Student'.
"Welcome to the Academy of the Old Living Everlasting Entity. Within these walls you will find a crystal. There is presently a single destination encoded into the crystal. Touch it and head to your quarters" the male guard said.
"And do not be afraid. Within these walls, you will encounter friends from both your world and other worlds. Think of this world as a passing experience. A single day in your life" the female guard said.
Reis walked ahead through the gates and entered a garden that was well kept. There were people here and there but he was more interested in what lay ahead of him. There was a path through the garden which Reis followed and then there was an entrance into the Academy Halls. Reis walked down a long corridor. Along the corridor were walls without windows. Ahead of him, Reis saw the crystal. He ran towards it but was stopped by a lady.
"You're new here aren't you?" she asked.
"Is it that obvious?" he said with a laugh.
"This is an Academy that exists at the centre of…well you could say the universe" the lady said.
Reis was surprised to hear this. So surprised he didn't know how to react.
"A bit hard to take in isn't it? Then let me lower the scale a bit. This is the heart of your universe. You could think of it as a dream, an illusion or anything that makes you feel better but just as you entered one gate through your world to come here, different people from many different worlds enter through gates connected to their worlds. The 'worlds' or 'halls' within this Academy are fashioned according to the various worlds of the people who inhabit it and through their actions they build, shape and expand their worlds, halls or lands, whichever reference makes you feel better" the lady said.
"Why am I here?" Reis asked.
"If you are a student, you are here to learn. If you are a teacher, you are here to teach but if your intention was to ask the purpose behind why you were called here, then I can't answer you because I do not know it myself. I can only say that answers come with time" the lady said.
"Thank you" Reis said and headed to the crystal.
He touched it and was teleported to a Temple very much like the Rangers' HQ. He felt for a while like he would be all alone in this strange world but was surprised to find the Dragonlord, Kyla, Shin, Erasa and Aurora. There were many unfamiliar faces walking the halls of this 'Temple' and many others walking out.
Reis ran to his friends. They were overjoyed to see him.
"Why are you here?" was a question that circled the table for a while.
Everyone had the same answer except for Reis who did not yet know his. They were there to aid with whatever he was there to do.
"So I guess the real question now Reis is…what are you here for?" Aurora asked.
"I don't quite know yet" Reis said.
"You don't know?" Kyla was shocked.
"I don't know yet" Reis said.
There was utter silence for a while.
Then a voice said to Reis or at least he thought he had heard a voice say,
"Come up to the Director's Office".
Reis sat up.
"Wait for me here. I'll be right back" Reis said and ran to the crystal.
He touched it but this time it did not teleport him. It displayed two words in a bright blue light. The words 'Dream Knight Jurisdiction' and 'Director's Office'. Reis chose to go to the Director's Office and in an instant found himself standing in a strange brick walled place. There was a fireplace ahead of him and a huge desk. Seated on the desk was a man with Silver Hair and piercing crimson eyes. He was relatively dark skinned and had certain decorative lines on his face.
"The Seals Of Identity" Reis understood what the lines meant instantly.
"Come here Reis" the man called calmly.
He had a serious look but there was no malice or impatience in that look. Reis felt safe in his presence. Reis walked towards him.
"You are from the world of Ryugaeia and it appears to be nearing its consummation" the man said.
Reis did not understand what the man meant. He wasn't sure he wanted to understand.
"I want you Reis Dragonhaӓrt to establish a class within this realm. People come here every day and most of them are at a loss as to what to do initially. Most of them though from different worlds bond together and establish a set of social activities through which they learn from each other and grow. I would like you to establish one of these 'social' gatherings. A place to belong to so to speak" the Silver Haired man said.
"B-But how do I do something like that? These are all people from different worlds. How do I interact with people with completely different value systems and cultures from Ryugaeia's" Reis said.
"Yet this is what I am asking you to do. You are right to say that all these people are from diverse cultures but they have one thing in common regardless of world" the Silver Haired man said.
"And that is…" Reis asked.
"They are fundamentally human and human values, the things that really define humanity remain the same regardless of world. Language is not a barrier within this realm and you will find that most of the things that seemed to be barriers before are very much trivial and practically non-existent" the Silver Haired man said.
"What do I do?" Reis asked.
"First of all, I would like for you to establish social bonds with five special people" the Silver Haired Man said with a smile.
"What do you mean…special?" Reis asked.
The Silver Haired Man laughed.
"For now you can begin by seeking out a boy that turns into lightning and a girl that has lost her memories" the man said.
"I see" Reis said.
"I hereby upgrade your crystal location access privileges and grant you access to five new locations. I revoke your access to this office until such a time we will need to talk and we have a lot to talk about" the Silver Haired Man said and Reis found himself being teleported out of the man's office.
Reis was in 'Dream Knight Jurisdiction' now. He looked around and saw a crystal ahead of him. He walked hurriedly towards it and passed by a boy with golden hair and the same 'Seals Of Identity' he had seen the man in the office have. He felt his heart pulsate and turned to look at the boy he had just passed. The boy turned to look at him and their eyes locked. For a while it felt like a communication of power between the two without any visible signs of communication. Then the boy smirked and walked away.
"I will certainly remember you" he heard the boy say as he disappeared.
"For now, you can begin by seeking out a boy that turns into lightning and a girl that has lost her memories" Reis recalled the Silver Haired Man's words.
"And now it is time to begin my adventures in the Academy Of The Old Living Everlasting Entity or rather…I should call you as you are truly named…Benedict's Ark" Reis said with a determined smile.
Within the Academy stood a boy called Reis Dragonhaӓrt. Surrounding the Academy was a wall of great height spreading endlessly on all sides and beyond the Academy…was everything in existence.