In a grand and magnificent temple, constructed from lava rocks as walls and marble stones as pillars, the temple depicts the beauty of traditional art with ornaments of gold such as mystical creatures like dragons coiled around the pillars, phoenix birds, horned beetles on the walls, and gates and floors made of glass. Clear, calm water is visible beneath this temple.
From the tiered roof, the most prominent feature is the eight giant statues in the main hall, creating a mystical atmosphere. Sculpted skillfully from marble, these eight giant statues visualize the ancestors of each creature:
- Adam, the ancestor of humans, sculpted as a naked man wearing fig leaves to cover his genitals, kneeling in a submissive pose, looking up to the sky. This statue is placed in the middle among all statues.
- Azazil, the ancestor of supernatural beings; khodams and another spirit like creatures, sculpted as a man wearing a full-face heavenly armor in gold and silver, with black wings and a standing pose crossing his arms. This statue is on the right side of the Adam statue.
- Tamiel, the ancestor of wizards, sculpted as a short-haired man wearing a white toga, sitting cross-legged on a head of giant coiled snake. This statue is on the left side of the Adam statue.
- Araqiel, the ancestor of dragons, sculpted as a man wearing black and red full-face heavenly armor, standing while embracing head of a coiled dragon. This statue is on the right side of the Azazil statue.
- Samyaza, the ancestor of half-animal creatures, sculpted as a long-haired man with long canine teeths protruding from his mouth, black wings, wearing a black cloak covering his entire body, standing with wings covering his body. This statue is on the left side of the Tamiel statue.
- Kokabiel, the ancestor of elves, sculpted as a beautiful long-haired man with white wings, wearing a long white tunic, kneeling and holding a long staff in his lap. This statue is on the left side of the Samyaza statue.
- Ramiel, the ancestor of goblins, sculpted as a naked man with long ears and black wings, kneeling submissively, looking at the floor while covering his private parts. This statue is on the right side of the Araqiel statue.
- Lucifer, the ancestor of demons, sculpted as a man with six broad wings, wearing white full-face heavenly armor, standing with a sword held high in front of his chest, with wings spreading up to the Kokabiel statue on the left and the right wing along the Ramiel statue. This statue is behind the Adam statue.
This place is located at the summit of Mount Eilighste on the Eilighste Peninsula in the territory of the Baratana kingdom.
To reach this place, Yarok, an old man with a long white beard, climbs a thousand stairs to reach the grand temple atop the monument where he teleports under the dawn sky in sync with the sunrise.
Barely concealing his almost uncontrollable anger, his white shining eyes hidden beneath the thick green leafy hooded robe, Yarok frequents this place to meet someone he respects, a person of the same age who is currently in front of the temple statues, Ziel: looks still young, tall, and gallant man, with thick black hair, wearing a black robe.
Yarok's footsteps resonate throughout the temple, silencing Ziel; he won't inquire about who is behind him because he already knows who is coming to meet him, especially with his instinct that can sense the emotions of that person.
"My lord, it's time."
"Now, I'm speaking with Samyaza,
Everyone must hurry, about this plan,
in this era."
***
This morning, Rozer feels very disturbed by Esh, who repeatedly appears in the form of animals,
On the way to school, he appears as a crow, perching on Rozer's shoulder and saying, "My lord, if you are still thinking about the power of Zonnen's eyes, I can clarify. Zonnen is not a power descended to control others but a power to be controlled. This power must be used wisely, as Brian mentioned yesterday. If you want six more patterns, I can teach you how to get them—"
Then,
While witnessing a dispute in the basic academy hallway between a student and another student who brings his family name as a royal noble, "Look, my lord, this is an example that sows the seeds of hatred. Words can be as sharp as a sword to hurt feelings; hatred is the beginning of war among humans. You must be wise in choosing your words—"
And
During class, when Edele explains a math lesson, he appears in the form of a spider, perched on Rozer's shoulder, and says, "My lord, I suggest you meet—"
Rozer, with too much on his mind, feels annoyed. All his emotions explode simultaneously with his hand slamming the table hard, making everyone surprised while focusing on the lesson.
"Can't you be quiet for a moment?!"
After Rozer shouts, Esh apologizes and disappears, returning to his realm.
Offended, Edele looks at Rozer with a sharp gaze, "Oh-ho, so you don't like my explanation, Rozer?" she says with a clear and firm voice.
Rozer feels very relieved after saying that, but he doesn't know what excuse to give to Edele and chooses to remain silent with a blank stare.
"Please leave the class to introspect your words before returning to class," Edele orders, pointing to the exit.
Rozer knows that at this moment, he should apologize and resolve the misunderstanding with Edele by begging to continue the current lesson, but he chooses to leave without a word. Perhaps this is the right time to clear his mind somewhere in the academy, he thinks.
Upon leaving, he unintentionally slams the classroom door, adding more tension to everyone.
"Oh my, on the third day, he seems even less inclined to accept my teachings. Am I wrong? Oh God, guide me to be a good teacher for my students," Edele thinks.
Poetica on her bench looks at Rozer before leaving the class with a sympathetic expression, wanting to chase after him, but she lacks the determination.
Rozer pauses in the middle of the hallway to find the right place to clear his mind. Then he walks towards the garden where he saw pink-leaved trees yesterday.
Like yesterday, there are first-year children around 4-5 years old playing in the garden, guided by a teacher, but their faces do not look the same as the ones he saw before, from another first-year class.
Rozer sits on a garden bench, on the other side from the children playing. A female teacher comes with some students to ask some questions before
her other students call her from a distance.
Here, he questions his purpose for studying at the academy and predicts some steps in his life at the academy.
"Go to school every day—chat with friends—and go home from school,
Will anything change?"
Aleta, carrying a lunchbox, walks cheerfully from the alchemy magic laboratory towards the cafeteria. When she accidentally sees Rozer in the garden sitting with his head leaned back, looking at the sky, she stops and wonders why Rozer is there when the basic academy lesson is still ongoing.
With a happy expression painted on her face, Aleta approaches Rozer quietly from behind.
"Dor!"
Such surprises are usually enough to make someone startled, but Rozer doesn't show the expression Aleta expected.
"Aleta?"
She sits beside him, and just by looking at his face, Aleta feels a considerable burden in her heart.
"Why are you here, Rozer?"
"Nothing, just that Edele told me to leave the class."
"How come?"
Rozer then recounts the events in class clearly but doesn't mention that Esh made everything more complicated. He only says that there is something bothering him.
"Uh... Is that so?" she says, then smiles.
"Why are you smiling like that? Are you mocking me?"
"...nn... Not really. If there's something you want to talk about, just say it."
"Is it okay?"
"Of course! Because we're friends!"
"Friends?"
"Do you like this school?" Aleta asks before Rozer can answer, Aleta continues,
"I really, really like it,
Nothing will stay unchanged and nothing will lasts forever,
Things that are fun... Or things that make you happy... Or things that make you sad, anger, or anything else...
All of it...
They all can't possibly lasts forever,
Even so, can you still like this place?
This is where you find and create those things with your friends,
So, let sadness pass and, create new fun and happy things."
The girl Rozer met yesterday with a scary and rough impression has turned into a beautiful and energetic figure. Those words turn Rozer's monochrome life into a colorful one.
As cherry blossom petals fall swayed by the gentle spring breeze, the world, at this moment, everything becomes very colorful in Rozer's eyes.
"Fun and happy things?"
Aleta holds Rozer's hand and invites him,
"Let's go!"
They then go to a distant place...
Climbing—ascending
A steep path.