In the holy city of the Slein Church Nation within Saint Soren World, beneath the stained glass dome of the Grand Cathedral, the morning sun descended, its rays casting alternating patches of light and shadow, instilling a sense of reverence in anyone who entered.
Countless statues, chronicling ancient histories, stood like divine sentinels throughout the cathedral. Candle flames flickered solemnly, adding a somber grace to the sanctuary. At the heart of the cathedral, statues of four deities towered, as if overseeing all of humanity.
Beneath these divine effigies, an elderly man with a kind face stood in prayer, his eyes closed in devotion. Abruptly, a candle flame extinguished beneath a statue, prompting a sigh of sorrow from the man.
"Ah, Abiel has fallen... He perished before taking that final step."
His words, heavy with grief, slowed his prayer as he bowed lower.
"May your spirit ascend to the heavens and enter the realm of the gods..."
After a lengthy prayer, the elder pivoted slowly to face a darkened corner where a shadowy figure leaned against a column, almost like an illusion untouched by light.
"Who slew Abiel? There aren't many on this continent who could dispatch him with such ease. Did the Queen of the Silver Moon Kingdom personally intervene?"
The elder addressed the dark silhouette.
The shadow straightened from its casual pose to a more formal stance, its large, seemingly feathered wings spreading behind it. Yet, eerily, even as the wings unfurled, they cast no reflection; the eyes of onlookers met only a disquieting darkness.
"I've been watching the Silver Moon Kingdom, waiting for their queen to make a move. Should she dare step outside her kingdom, she will be besieged and fall upon this land."
A voice of celestial purity responded, slow and powerful, making even the most heinous criminal cower in penitence.
"If not the queen, then who would dare?"
Puzzlement creased the aged visage of the elder.
"A primordial demi-god dragon, a relic from a bygone era, lost amidst the endless stars. I know not how it descended upon this world, but it must be connected to Ariella."
The seraphic voice continued, then suddenly shifted tone, becoming bloodthirsty and bewitching, "Shall we test this dragon? A primordial demi-god dragon is a fascinating enigma. I'm quite curious now."
Unfazed by the schizoid shift in the shadow's demeanor, the elder pondered briefly before shaking his head, "A demi-god is fearsome, but even they can fall once their divine power is exhausted. However, we should not provoke an ancient demi-god dragon without understanding its origins. A full-scale war with the church would be devastating, even if victorious. It would only give opportunities to those lying in wait—I shall not grant them such a chance."
"The Grand Paladin of the Order of the Saint Iris has fallen, the capital city lost, and yet you endure. Humans are indeed strange creatures."
Mockery laced the sultry voice.
The elder remained stoic before her scorn, replying softly, "The future holds far greater importance for humanity than transient gains or losses."
As they spoke, the cathedral doors burst open, and a woman of ethereal beauty, pure as the iris, strode in. Clad in silver-white armor beneath a matching cleric's robe, she knelt before the elder upon sighting him, her noble voice ringing clear, "Your Holiness!"
The eerie figure retreated into the shadows at the woman's arrival, while the elder turned to address the noble girl, "Rosalía."
...
"Hello, Earth, I'm back!"
Drake felt a wanderer's nostalgia as he stepped onto Earth once more. He scanned his surroundings, half-expecting the unreliable AI to have sent him to some mountain peak or city center. Thankfully, he found himself in the same tropical jungle, the terrain unchanged.
Looking down at the pool where he once reveled as a lizard, which had seemed as vast as a lake, he now saw it as nothing more than a puddle from his ten-meter-long dragon form. Much time had passed since his transformation, but in the mere day and a half since awakening, Drake's life had changed immensely.
Having experienced both rebirth and transworld travel, Drake closed his eyes, reaching out with his senses to discern the differences between Earth and the other realm.
Inside the 'Crown of Dominion,' Drake breathed a sigh of relief. Magic was usable on Earth; the mana of Earth existed, albeit inert compared to the vibrant mana of the other world. If the other realm's mana was like a flowing river, Earth's was stubbornly solid.
Given Earth's own mana—or spiritual energy—supernatural forces should have existed, yet the AI claimed the absence of magical beings. The true source of transcendent power wasn't the carrier of mana but the unique energy fluctuations present only in Saint Soren World.
Devoid of this energy, Earth had bred no true supernaturals, explaining humanity's long history devoid of genuine psychics or mediums.
"So, I've become Earth's sole magical creature, the only being capable of wielding supernatural power?"
His eyes sparkled with the realization that he might have a unique role to play on Earth.
Though Earth's technology was advanced, and its people could decimate legends with nuclear arms, they stood little chance against divine beings. And Earth's science could not grasp the arcane mysteries of Tyren, leaving Drake a vast playground for his newfound powers.