All that everyone could see was a mystical beauty that exuded an archaic majesty not quite befitting these war-torn regions of space. How could such a fantastical thing survive amidst all this chaos?
What they did not know was the agonising screeches that could not be heard. They spread far and wide with every pulse of a seemingly beating heart. They resounded in the depths of the Plane of Existence, but no one could hear it. After all, very few had the capability to even recognise it.
It was not the tormented death throes of the tortured people of this hidden paradise. Rather, it was the pained cries of Reality itself.
The presence of the Primordial Spirit Boundary, even just a mere fragment of it, was too much to bear for too long. There is a reason why most Realms were hidden in the first place. A Realm with seemingly no boundary separating itself from the rest of Existence, just like Eden for example, was a rarity.
Realms were created by the most foundational laws of Existence. This was especially the case for a Forbidden Realm on the scale of the Primordial Spirit Boundary.
And for such a Realm to impose itself onto the very fabric of Existence where there was not only the laws that created it, but an entire network of countless other laws that perpetuate Existence itself, it was nothing short of disastrous.
Think of it as an entire ocean's worth of water trying to fit into a river. No matter how wide or long or deep the river was, it would not be able to contain all that water. It will flood out, damaging even the surroundings.
The Foundational Laws of Existence are a curious thing. They are conceptual, ethereal, and yet they seek a living embodiment, an incarnation of sorts. That is why they create Realms.
This is not to say that the Foundational Laws of Existence are living and sentient things. Far from it actually. Think of them as particles that create matter. They are the building blocks of everything and everyone.
However, with such great powers, there is the risk of their authorities rejecting each other and trying to impose more of themselves unto Existence. This then leads to the natural creation of Realms where a Foundational Law would take hold of many other Laws of Existence and create mimicry of sorts.
After all, no matter how powerful a Foundational Law of Existence is, it was just one law. It would need countless others to create a proper environment, regardless of whether life may exist in it or not.
The current circumstances of the Primordial Spirit Boundary was very delicate. The proof alone was the agonising screeches of Reality.
How was it a proof when no once could hear it?
Well, there are always exceptions to the norm. In this case, a certain couple stood outside the boundary of the Primordial Spirit Boundary, their faces mildly twisted in annoyance as their ears and heads throbbed from the noise.
It was impossible for them not to hear it. After all, they were both the Masters of the Primordial Spirit Boundary.
Indeed, it was not just Caelum. Erta was also connected deeply to the Primordial Spirit Boundary, especially now that she had her True Phoenix Down while Caelum's true dragon Source was still a mystery.
"What is going on here, Cal? Why isn't it disappearing? It shouldn't stay here for too long."
"I don't know. Like I said, this is no longer the Primordial Spirit Boundary that we know. Treat it as an uncharted and possibly hostile territory."
"Then we need to enter right away. I have a feeling that it's not just Reality that's in danger here. I don't want to lose my home again."
Caelum looked at his wife's sharp eyes. He could see determination and resolve in them. She really meant to save the Primordial Spirit Boundary and bring it back to its former glory, but Caelum himself could only sigh weakly.
He did not want to tell Erta, but he felt that there was no way that things would end the way she was hoping. Judging from what they could observe right now, the Primordial Spirit Boundary was on its last legs.
It was truly a miracle that it even still exists and that it managed to appear before them like this. But he knew that this Forbidden Realm they once called home would soon be gone. And although it pierced his heart, he could not focus on it.
Their initial plan was to enter the Primordial Spirit Boundary and investigate. They wanted to know its current condition, how it appeared and what else was left of it. But the moment they came close to it, they were met with the crying Reality.
It was a maddenning phenomenon that not many even knew existed. This could only be observed when one's soul had reached a level of awakening and enlightenment that is capable of perceiving Existence itself as a living thing.
At the highest sensitivity, one would not be able to move without feeling absolutely horrified.
They would feel like they were passing through a tight tunnel of muscle fibres, tissues and fleshy sinews. It would feel like countless insects crawling on every single part of their bodies as they listen to the horrid screams blaring in their minds. That is the sound of space being torn as one moves through it.
Not many know of it because not many have reached such a level of soul sensitivity. And among those who have reached it, most have killed themselves in sheer disgust, horror and madness.
It was as though Existence itself was punishing them for reaching such a level of power rather than congratulating them on their grand achievement.
They could not be blamed for it. It was easy to call them cowards or fools without experiencing it for oneself. But honestly, those who suffered through it would not wish it on even their most hated enemies. No one deserves to suffer through that experience.
It was because of this that Caelum and Erta knew that something was wrong. A Forbidden Realm should not be maintaining its manifested presence in Existence for longer than a few minutes. Usually, it is only the gates to the Realms that are visible to Existence, not the whole Realm.
And worse yet, Reality is rejecting the Primordial Spirit Boundaries presence hence the constant screaming of space.
Without waiting a second longer, Caelum and Erta joined hands before entering the boundary of the Forbidden Realm. It was usually not necessary to do so considering that they were the Masters of the Primordial Spirit Boundary, but with all the anomalies surrounding it, they can never be too safe.
And indeed, their decision was correct as the moment they passed through the boundary, they immediately felt the assault of the laws that make up the Forbidden Realm.
The laws were in utter disarray. It was like a chaotic storm raging from within. The laws hit them like a tidal wave and they were shuttled through the space within the Primordial Spirit Boundary, sending them hurtling toward an unknown and unfamiliar place.
No matter how small this fragment was compared to full thing, this was still the Primordial Spirit Boundary. Even this mere fragment was the size of a hundred Earths. Considering that, it was easy to understand why Caelum and Erta knew it was a mere fragment.
After all, even the Sun could fit over a million Earths while the complete Primordial Spirit Boundary was about a third of an entire Domain of Existence. This fragment was like a grain of sand in comparison.
And that was also the reason why there were places that not even the two of them recognised, even without considering the fact that the Realm's features may have changed over time since its destruction.
What was curious, however, was the fact that Caelum and Erta fell from the sky, nearly crashing into a group of people. They were able to regain control over their bodies just before hitting the ground.
But all around them were signs of destruction. Death lingered about as numerous corpses scattered everywhere. The group they nearly crashed into was not the only group in the area either. There were others bunched up in the vicinity, spread out over a larger area.
This was a battlefield, an active one at that.
Even now, the other groups farther away from them continued fighting. But the ones closer to them, especially the group they nearly crashed into, had stopped altogether, looking at the two new entrants with wariness and palpable animosity.
And just when Caelum and Erta were about to calm them down to keep themselves from being attacked, Ciel's voice echoed in their minds.
[Your authority as the Master of the Primordial Spirit Boundary is now accessible.]
[Your authority as the Master of the Primordial Spirit Boundary is greatly weakened by unknown complications within the Forbidden Realm.]
[A fragment of the Heart of the Realm has been detected.]