In the corner of Ford Town stood a small chapel covered in vines. Rarely did townsfolk come to worship there. There was no priest, no bishop—only a few benches where the homeless could rest and a half-bodied statue. Arthur and Little Ford wandered past food stalls along the roadside until they arrived near the chapel. The chapel had no steps, and the tall wooden doors stood broken, revealing the entire view inside.
On previous visits to Ford Town, Arthur had ventured inside alone, but quickly left—there was nothing in this dilapidated chapel that interested a child. Standing at the main entrance, Arthur peered past two scruffy men lying on the benches and looked at the half-statue. It depicted only the lower half of a figure, barefoot, in a long robe reaching to the knees.
"Who is that?" Arthur asked Little Ford, his curiosity piqued now that they would soon be leaving the area. He wanted to turn this statue into a story or a legend.
"That should be a symbol of the goddess of harvest, the Earth Mother, Gaia." It wasn't Little Ford who answered Arthur, but Dodge, the penguin Enforcer squad captain who had appeared nearby without warning. Dodge nodded to Little Ford and looked deeply at the half-statue of Gaia before continuing.
"About six hundred years ago, it's said that various gods still walked our lands—like the Gaia you see here. They roamed the continent, blessing all the races, answering their prayers. People of all kinds—humans, elves, goblins, and dwarves—built many chapels and churches like this, praying for blessings for all."
"But my father said the gods are gone."
"Yes, the gods are gone," Dodge said, glancing at the sky and the midday sun. "That happened in the last year of the old calendar. All living beings united to rebel against the high and mighty gods, and the result is what you see now. The gods have fallen, in what we now call the Fall of the Gods."
As Dodge finished speaking, Arthur seemed to hear a bell toll in his mind—a clash of shields and spears, the swish of arrows and fiery projectiles, the roars of countless people, and the vanishing of countless lives. Arthur felt as though he was standing in the midst of a battlefield. Fragmented images appeared: a land of twilight, a few winged angels falling, and several figures pointing towards Arthur...
"A-Arthur…" Voices calling his name pulled Arthur back to reality. His head throbbed with pain, and he quickly pressed a hand to his temple, massaging it gently.
"Arthur, are you alright? You seemed distracted just now." After Arthur confirmed he was fine, Dodge continued, "The main reason for the Fall of the Gods was that some beings learned to communicate with nature. Although only a few, the power they gained from nature was enough to rival some gods."
"But isn't that a good thing? Why would we fight the gods just because we gained the ability to communicate with nature?"
"You're still young, Arthur," Dodge said, shifting his gaze. "When you reach a certain height, you'll see that those above you become obstacles. And then, you'll want nothing more than to pull them down from their position, to make yourself the master of everything." A breeze blew from behind the chapel, brushing Arthur's face, carrying an indescribable scent.
Arthur looked again at the half-statue. He was still too young to understand why gods and living beings would go to war. But one thing Dodge said stayed with him—the living beings had learned to communicate with nature. This made Arthur think of the fire in Green Village. Could fire be communicated with? Could the flames somehow bring the villagers back?
"Since the beginning of the new calendar, there have been no more gods," Dodge murmured softly. "Arthur, these historical facts are part of the curriculum now. When we reach Brighton City, we'll enroll you in a welfare institution, where you'll receive a good education." Dodge gave Arthur a friendly smile, as the voice of Josh, the deputy captain, came from afar, bringing two chestnut-maned horses.
"Come on, young sir. If we leave now, we should reach Brighton City before midnight, when the Earth Moon is at its peak." Dodge took the lead toward Josh.
Arthur glanced back one last time at Gaia's half-statue before turning to follow Dodge.
"Captain Dodge, what is a school? And what does midnight mean, or the Earth Moon? And what is a welfare institution?" His voice faded into the distance.
...
Brighton City, one of the five main human cities, was located on the upper left side of the southern continent. It was one of the most technologically advanced cities, with streets paved with cobblestone, crisscrossing in a grid. Every intersection was lit by kerosene lamps, and the surrounding buildings displayed signs—cafés, flower shops, restaurants, clothing stores, and even banks for the wealthy. In the city's streets and alleys, humans mingled with elves and goblins dressed in the same shirts and formal suits, working all kinds of jobs.
On Brighton's main street, Etzikri Street, a variety of people moved to and fro. Several newsboys dashed through the crowd, handing out the midday paper to busy pedestrians and asking for a paper bill bearing the face of Emperor Ellington II, the ruler of the Southern Continent's human empire. Unlike in Ford Town, where goods were exchanged, paper currency was the basis of the economy in the major human cities.
A refined female elf with purple skin, golden eyes, waist-length blonde hair, and a tailored suit with a bowtie and black-rimmed glasses accepted a newspaper from a newsboy, giving him a bill after a brief glance at its contents. She tucked the paper under her arm and skillfully followed the crowd down the street and into a five-story building.
Upon reaching the third floor, she passed several colleagues in enforcer uniforms heading out. "Good afternoon, Livlan," they greeted her as she entered the Enforcer's office. "Tea, Amy. Also, any word on whether our captain has returned?" Livlan called to a red-haired, freckled human girl as she opened the newspaper.
"Captain Dodge went to Ford Town; it's about a ten-hour journey, so he should arrive tonight."
"It's my turn to be on duty tonight, isn't it? So tiresome—missing sleep at night is a terrible beauty hazard," Livlan grumbled, scrunching her delicate nose and thinking of her penguin-uniformed Captain Dodge.
"But you're only twenty-five; that's the equivalent of a five-year-old human. You don't need to worry about keeping your skin firm yet," Amy quipped.
"Beauty knows no age. By the way, what is Captain Dodge up to?"
"That's confidential, Livlan. This mission is classified at the highest level. Do you remember Old Ford, the former general captain? After the last Ford Town mayor died, Old Ford retired and returned to take over the town."
Livlan recalled the famously strict former general captain. She'd only been three at the time—human age, that is.
Confidential missions were so dull. Under the cover of her newspaper, Livlan glanced at Amy's desk. The receptionist's desk had various mission details, and though she couldn't see the contents, Livlan could make out some locations for mission handovers.
"Etzikri...Etzikri Charity?" What mission would involve that charity next door? Livlan adjusted her glasses. If she couldn't find out about the captain's mission, she might as well go and take a look herself for some amusement. With a glance at the mechanical clock hanging above the Enforcer Hall's entrance, Livlan leisurely settled down at her desk—she'd gone four days without a mission.