Yacha stood before the statue, watching as Shino placed the crystal upon it. The stone blazed white again.
This time, Shino seemed ready to tell him more.
"The land of Eretz," she began, her voice steady.
The birthplace of Sargon and the site of the Holy War holds deeper secrets than you know.
Yacha listened, intrigued, as she continued.
During that war, the god Yahweh was gravely wounded, his mana core shattered. It wasn't just a simple injury. A part of his soul was trapped in the weapon used by the unknown deity that attacked him.
That weapon... it was taken by Bezalel and sealed inside an ark he built. The Ark of the Covenant. Why Bezalel did this remains a mystery. But when he completed the ark, two angels descended from the heavens, transforming into golden statues, guarding it with a divine barrier. Yet two relics from that era remain lost.
The first relic is a seal, shaped like a ring. It is said to grant its wielder power over the jinns and shedim. Two races born of fire.
The second is the staff of Movses, which is rumored to raise the dead and turn stone into pure water.
Yacha's mind raced, grappling with the enormity of what he had just learned.
But Shino wasn't finished.
Once every era, the gods bless a human with powers beyond imagination. There is one thing these chosen humans share. A homeland. Eretz. The first was Nuach, the second Enoch, the third Solomon, the fourth Movses, and the last one... Sargon.
Each carried power beyond that of any mortal, and each served the gods. Yet one of them failed. Solomon.
Though he ruled over the shedim, jinns, and beasts, he chose neutrality. Before his death, he hid his seal in the promised land. As for the other relics, no one knows how they were lost or where they are now.
Yacha was silent, overwhelmed by the weight of these revelations. After a moment, he finally spoke, his voice low.
"Who... who was the unknown deity? The one who managed to nearly kill the gods?"
Shino's face darkened. She lowered her head, refusing to answer. Yacha knew better than to press. He shifted his question, gentler this time.
"Shino... how do you know all this?"
After a long pause, she raised her head, sorrow shadowing her features.
"Just as the gods send their messengers… The unknown deity did too."
Realization struck Yacha, and his heart sank. Shino was a messenger, but not of any god he had known.
"I'm not from any land on Terra… I am something different."
Her arms wrapped tightly around her chest as she closed her eyes, and her body began to glow.
Two cores emerged from her. One, a perfect sphere of hazel light. The other was a shifting, dark, formless mass. Within the second, Yacha could see entire galaxies swirl.
"Yacha… I have two cores. One is from my human side. The other..."
Before she could finish, Yacha stepped forward and hugged her tightly. He understood. The other core was from her unknown side. The part of her that was not human.
Shino, half human, half deity, trembled in his arms, worried that Yacha might fear her, might abandon her. But instead, he whispered into her ear.
"There's nothing to worry about, Shino."
He pulled back just enough to look into her eyes and said.
"I swear to you, by the stars above, through every war, through every battle, I'll be right by your side."
His words melted Shino's fears, and she clung to him, tears brimming in her eyes.
The next morning, Shino began to teach Yacha the basics of wind magic, an element he needed to master before the upcoming war. She showed him how to manipulate the wind with his entire body, allowing him to leap higher, even fly.
"What tier are you in wind magic?" Yacha asked, curiously.
"Diamond tier," she replied.
Yacha's eyes widened. Impressive for someone so young.
"What about overall?"
Shino's answer surprised him. "I'm diamond tier in normal magic, but gold tier in abnormal magic."
Yacha's mind spun, eager to learn more. Shino smiled softly but withheld some of her secrets.
"You'll see for yourself, Yacha. Gravity magic and black flames are just part of it. I have abilities from both sides."
A week passed in the blink of an eye, and the time for war was upon them. Their first target: was the territory of Lagash.
The Seikens had not been meant to participate, but plans had changed. Naramsin, the division general, gathered both armies, splitting it into seven battalions. Each would strike a different city.
That night, Shino and Yacha were briefed on their first mission.
Their target: the city of Einmar. Shino, her eyes gleaming with resolve, glanced at Yacha. He met her gaze and knew this battle would be only the beginning of something far greater.
The night was thick with silence, concealing the danger lurking beneath.
Yacha and Shino, shadows in the moonlight, made their way through the narrow streets of Einmar towards the palace.
Their plan had been set: Yacha would act as the decoy, drawing the attention of the royal guards, while Shino, cloaked in her shadow attribute, would slip past unnoticed and find the king, Gudea.
Einmar's ruler was no match for Shino. Unlike Sargon, who was revered for his unparalleled power, Gudea's rule was fragile. Shino struck swiftly, beheading the king without hesitation. His lifeless body vanished into the sphere pocket.
With the mission complete, the two combined their earth attributes, bringing the palace crashing down in a cloud of dust and debris. The sight of their king's decapitated body atop the rubble sent the soldiers of Einmar into a panic. Confusion spread as Akkadia's army began its assault, marching towards the now leaderless city.
The fall of Einmar was only the beginning. Yacha and Shino moved like whispers of destruction, tearing through the second city, Laid Waste, and the third, Umma, in a single night. The territory of Lagash crumbled under their relentless attack, city by city.
Their combination of thunder and wind magic turned them into a deadly storm, faster than any other soldiers. It was why they had been chosen for this task. Over three months, all thirty-three cities of the east side fell, leaving only one: Uruk.
But Uruk was different. Its king, Gilgamesh, was no ordinary ruler. A demi-god, his name was whispered in awe and fear throughout Arctyra. Taller than any man, stronger than any warrior, it was said he was the only king who could rival Sargon in both might and magic. To challenge Uruk was to face something ancient and powerful.
One afternoon, as Yacha and Shino rested under a tree, a royal guard approached them.
"The both of you," he announced.
"King Sargon requests your presence."
Shino glanced at the guard, suspicion in her eyes. "What for? Didn't he give us orders?"
"As far as I know, there's been a change of plans."
Though wary, Shino followed, Yacha by her side. When they entered the command tent, all the generals were gathered around the war table, with King Sargon standing at its head, his golden armor gleaming in the firelight.
"Good work, both of you, Quick and efficient, as always, Shino." King Sargon said complimenting.
Shino nodded. "Thank you, my liege, though Yacha deserves just as much credit."
Before the conversation could continue, Naramsin, his eyes filled with disdain, interrupted. "We're not here for praise,"
He said coldly. "We have a problem."
Naramsin's dislike for Yacha was well clear, and his words only underscored the tension.
But the problem at hand was Uruk. Reports from an Akkadian spy, captured and killed before revealing all, had confirmed that Uruk was prepared for their assault. Two hundred thousand soldiers stood ready, each more powerful than the average Akkadian soldier. Worse, Gilgamesh himself was an orihalcon-tier mage, far stronger than any they had faced so far.
Tricks and assassinations wouldn't work on him, and Sargon craved the glory of defeating such a man in open battle.
Shino understood the challenge but stepped forward, unwavering. "My liege, I have a request."
"Speak, Shino," Sargon said.
"I want Yacha and me to fight on the frontlines. He needs to experience a true battle."
Naramsin's face twisted with anger. He stormed forward, towering over her.
"This isn't a playground for a Seiken to prove himself,"
he growled. "Seikens are tools, nothing more. They're not Akkadians, and they'll never be treated as equals."
"Silence!"
Sargon's command echoed through the tent, silencing Naramsin immediately. He turned to Shino and Yacha, his presence dominating the space.
"Slayer of Nergal, you've always had my trust. But do you think this boy can live up to your expectations?"
Yacha, standing firm, met the king's gaze. "I am ready, my liege."
Sargon's lips curled into a grin. "Then go. Show Uruk what you are capable of."