Many years ago, before life was called life, the world of the living lived in complete harmony. At that time, nations were beginning to form across the continent, and great civilizations were emerging. However, one mystery persisted: one that not even its inhabitants could solve. What was life? What was death?
Kings from around the world gathered to seek the answer to these questions. Twenty-seven rulers of the world of the living gathered, but, although decades and even centuries passed, they never found the answers. In the sky, souls ascended in spirals visible from different points in the mortal world. But along with this phenomenon came a darkness that tried to devour those ascending souls.
One of the 27 kings, a young man who was no more than 19 years old, promised to find the answers. Determined, he set out on a journey across the earth. On his journey, he traveled through unknown lands until, exhausted, he stopped to rest. He lit a fire and sat down to look at the map he had drawn himself following the stars. Little by little, the heat of the flames and fatigue began to overcome him, and he fell asleep.
That night, a stranger approached the fire.
"Traveler, I have walked through dense plains and ancient cities forgotten for eons," said the stranger. "Does it bother you that I stay by your side?"
The young king looked at him suspiciously and replied:
"Where do you come from, traveler? These lands have not been explored by anyone, and yet you come to me and wish to share my fire. Why should I trust someone I do not know?"
The stranger removed his hood, revealing a serene face, and replied as he sat by the fire:
"I come from a place between places, where time is not time and years are not your years. I have walked through many places, and when I saw you, I knew that perhaps I was not alone." The young king, intrigued but still distrustful, held out his map.
—If what you say is true, point out where you came from on this map, and I will believe you.
The traveler took the map, looked at it for a moment… and then threw it into the fire.
Enraged, the young king drew his sword and pointed it at the stranger.
—What have you done?! Tell me the truth. What are you and what do you want from me?
The traveler stood up calmly and pointed at the flames.
—Look at the fire, and you will know where I come from.
The young king looked at the fire and saw how the flames began to spiral. Frightened, he raised his sword again.
—Tell me, what are you really?
The traveler looked directly at him and answered firmly:
—You seek answers about that darkness that stalks the world, that entity that devours the spirals of souls. I am the one who can give you those answers.
With that, the traveler handed the young king a bag and a seed. Confused, the king asked, "A seed? Is this a mockery? Do you think I have traveled so long just to receive… a seed? I challenge you to a duel, stranger! No one plays with me."
The two fought for hours. The traveler dodged with movements reminiscent of wind currents, while the young king attacked with increasing fury.
"Why don't you fight?" the king shouted, frustrated. "Are you too weak to face me?"
The traveler smiled and calmly replied, "What is fighting, if not a desperate act of the heart?"
"Stop talking nonsense and fight at once!"
When the first ray of dawn light appeared on the horizon, the traveler took the king's sword in his bare hand. Blood began to flow down the blade, dripping down to the seed.
"What's done is done," the traveler said solemnly.
The young king watched in amazement as the seed began to germinate, but instead of growing upward, its roots sank into the ground.
"What is this seed? What is it doing? Answer me!"
The traveler, whose hand was beginning to fade away like dust, looked at him one last time.
"No one has come as far as you. If you wish to know the truth of ascending souls, face your destiny. Be their herald. Be their savior."
Suddenly, the entire environment transformed into a spiral that absorbed both of them. When the young king regained consciousness, he was in a strange world. It seemed identical to his own, but empty, lifeless. In the distance, he saw that the seed had germinated into a huge tree with spiral-shaped branches.
As the tree grew, souls from the world of the living were drawn to it, filling it with life. People began to appear around it. One of them, a man who had just died, came up and asked:
"Sir, my family is alone. Do you think they will be okay?"
Another woman, holding a newborn, said sadly:
"I have just given birth, but I will not be around to see it grow. Is there hope of returning?"
The young king remembered the traveler's words: "Face your task and be its savior."
He stood up, climbed a high rock, raised his sword, and proclaimed:
"I am Ethel, ruler of the kingdom of Sabaria. I promise you that this will be your home, now and forever. Your families will be well."
The spiral tree grew even larger, spreading its branches to protect the wandering souls.
A man asked:
"My lord, then, what shall we call this place?"
Ethel replied firmly:
"We will call it the Citadel of the Great Spiral Tree, home of the wandering souls."
Meanwhile, in the world of the living, the columns of light began to disappear. The living forgot what the soul spirals were, but the remaining 26 kings never forgot. And they swore to find the truth, even if it was too late.
They spent nearly 50 years in that new world, which they called the Spiral World. Ethel, who decades ago swore to make this place a refuge for the dead, was keeping her promise. The dimensions of this world were vast, and most people built their homes near the Great Spiral Tree, which they considered sacred. What amazed the inhabitants most were the seasons: a non-scorching summer, a pleasant spring, and a mild winter. The fields flourished thanks to the fruits and grains that the tree provided, sustaining the life of everyone.
Ethel used to spend long afternoons near the tree, watching how the city grew little by little. Despite her achievements, she could not stop wondering about the true purpose of her arrival to this place. Her encounter with the traveler marked her deeply; the unknowns about life and death continued to weigh on her mind. She remembered the 26 kings who shared her quest, but even in this new world she had not found the answers. One evening, as she gazed out at the sunset-tinged horizon, a familiar voice interrupted her thoughts.
"What is a kingdom if its king hesitates?" the voice said. "What is desire that clouds the gaze and judgment? Young king, do you doubt that your call to these places was the right decision?"
Ethel turned quickly and saw the traveler. But he was no longer the same: now he looked like a ghost, emaciated and without an arm.
"It is you… the traveler who told me of the task," Ethel answered, in amazement. "What is this task? What must I save? This place, surrounded by this majestic tree, gives us everything. But what is "everything"? Why was I its herald?"
The traveler looked at him gravely.
"It is true that this tree gives life to those who have left the mortal world. But, young king, there is no such thing as good or evil here. There is no time or place here. Tell me, what is your heart's true desire?
Ethel did not know what to answer. She had spent so much time searching for the meaning of life and death, and now her mind was flooded with doubts.
"What is death if not the end of a cycle?" the traveler continued. "The living forget the dead. That is the cycle of life."
Ethel frowned, worried.
"How is that? What happens in the world of the living?"
The traveler did not answer directly, but left more questions in the air.
"The leaves are falling, but it is not autumn. The night shadows stalk the weak. Young king, what sacrifice are you willing to make to save this world? The forgotten do not wait."
With those words, the traveler disappeared, leaving Ethel full of questions.
150 years later, the Citadel of the Great Spiral Tree was a vast empire. Ethel, now old, watched from the balcony of his castle. His hands trembled, but his spirit remained restless. Had it been wise to accept the traveler's challenge? Was his role as herald an act of fate or a cruel whim? Despite these doubts, as he watched the children playing and the families prospering, a part of him felt at peace.
That night, Ethel, weakened but determined, walked with the aid of a cane to the place where he had last spoken to the traveler. There, under the stars, he cried out:
"Have you forgotten me, wandering traveler? Appear once more!"
Silence enveloped him. With his last strength, he cried out again:
"Wandering traveler! Do you not wish to know my answer? Or do you expect me to wither like the autumn leaves?"
The traveler then appeared, shrouded in shadow, and Ethel unsheathed her sword.
"Is this the twilight of your destiny, young king?" —the traveler asked.
Ethel smiled bitterly.
"Fate? If my friends were here, they would say that I have finally found the germ that consumes life."
The traveler removed his hood, revealing that his face was identical to Ethel's.
"Ironies of life," the old king murmured. "I have been fighting against myself all this time."
"My name is Dusk," the traveler said. "And your life is too precious to me to be lost."
With determination, Ethel stood up and raised her sword.
"Loyal friends, I have fulfilled my duty! This will be my last challenge. For what I have loved most in my life!"
The traveler pulled out an identical sword, and the two began a final fight. Ethel's grandson, Kael, arrived on the scene, alarmed.
"Grandfather! You have no strength to fight!"
"Kael, this is my destiny. Do not intervene."
"But, Grandfather…"
Ethel interrupted him with a smile.
"Kael, my young grandson, you will lead this people." What is tied here is tied forever. Protect this place!
At dawn, Ethel plunged her sword into herself, shouting:
—Dusk, my life does not belong to you!
The traveler began to fade.
—Your answer was correct, young king —she said—. But those who follow you must face the forgotten ones of the abyss.
With her last strength, Ethel lay down next to the tree.
Kael cried for his grandfather saying "but why am I still not prepared?" To which Ethel again said "when I came to this world, I left home without hope looking for an answer to something, and that answer, I found it and it is all this, what has been achieved, happy people living, and it fills me with emotion, that my life was worth it, and when the one who brings balance and ends the darkness comes, then I will say, everything is fulfilled
The old king smiled one last time, and his soul ascended to the heart of the Great Spiral Tree.
The death of King Ethel brought great shock to his faithful followers, especially to his grandson Kael, to whom he left the great responsibility of being his successor. The funeral carriage of the founding king of the world advanced through the wide streets of the citadel, while the people, with love and respect, threw flowers of all colors in his honor. His body was buried in front of the spiral tree, in a mausoleum that his own grandson ordered to be built near the place where he used to contemplate the city.
While he watched how the people gathered to say goodbye to him, Kael saw the withered leaves fall from the great tree. When he took one of them in his hands, he understood in that painful moment his true role in saving the Spiral Kingdom. When he touched the leaf, he felt what souls were like and decided to take measures that would change the destiny of the kingdom forever. His idea was to find a way to preserve the souls that arrived at the Spiral Kingdom. He thought of the castle archivist, where his grandfather kept his memoirs and some books about the history of the kingdom.
Kael called the scholars together to speak to them about his grandfather's great dream: the preservation of souls. However, before he could materialize his plan, the kingdom's peace abruptly ended and the 400-year War began, a conflict for the control of the citadel.
While the library was analyzing the details to be followed, Il-Seong was very weak in his office while reading different reports regarding the state of the soul diaries and the road maps. However, he felt a deep pain in his right arm, something he had hidden even from Jun himself, who visited him briefly that night. But someone knew how he really was, and that someone was In-Su. While Il-Seong was focused on his own thing, In-Su entered his office and spoke to him, saying:
—I see that you do not know the word rest, Il-Seong. To which I wonder, what is so anxious about?
Il-Seong replied:
—Founder, did you or any member of your family participate in the 400-year war of the citadel?
In-Su answered, sitting in front of him:
—My grandfather participated in that bloody, unjustified war that devastated this world. It was a time that is not easy to forget: innocent souls lost, the royal archivist where the library was actually founded razed by fire... And all for the control of the kingdom after the death of King Kael. Why do you ask?
Il-Seong showed him a book with the title History of the Spiral Kingdom Volume I and said:
—This book was found in the librarians' hall, a hall that you built. Not even in my six years at the academy did they teach us who our rulers were or who founded this kingdom. But this book tells everything, and it was written by none other than the founding king, Ethel. That's a curious name.
In-Su, surprised, replied:
—When the 400-year war ended, the ruling house was destroyed and it was determined that, with no heirs, this world would have no rulers...
Il-Seong interrupted him:
—In that book, the royal lineage is discussed, and in it I was surprised by something very interesting. Theron the Serene was the son of Kael the Wise, and he had two sons: Zephyr and Aric. Zephyr was a very corrupt prince, causing several incidents over the years, including the mysterious fire at the founding king's castle, where the famous court of souls is now located. But Aric, who was king in that turbulent time, had two children: Aldric and Princess Elara. Do those names sound familiar to you?
In-Su looked at him in silence, and Il-Seong continued, confronting him:
—Princess Elara went into exile because her brother Aldric usurped the throne from her. She lived until the end of her days on Elysia Island, where she had a single son, the fruit of a love with a royal guard. As a result of her love, she gave her son away and named him...
In-Su interrupted him:
—My mother called me In-Su, meaning the one who perseveres in wisdom. She always taught me about everything, about how great my grandfather was and, above all, about the greatest pain: leaving this land and being dethroned from her throne by inheritance. She did not care. Despite how cruel my uncle was, who called the Orphans of the Abyss to finish her off, my mother, knowing the danger, escaped pregnant with me. If you think I'm a conspirator, you've come to the wrong person, Il-Seong. When I created the library, I followed Kael's dream: to preserve the souls of those trapped in that spiral tree. He knew that it was not a product of nature. And even if you tell me that I should have been king of the citadel in my own right, it is not my place at all. I chose to help you and therefore I gave up my eternal life in the spiral tree. I know very well that you want to arrive in time to discover who is behind the attacks, but you know that your arm began to corrupt. By not telling Jun, you are damaging him. Do you know that?
Il-Seong replied regretfully:
—I know very well that I have little time left, but seeing his face filled with tears, blaming himself, that it was his fault, and the simple fact that I was not in his life causes me pain. I wonder: how long will he wait for me? What will become of him when I am gone? And that saddens me greatly.
Hearing those words, In-Su was moved, took out a briefcase, and began to heal his arm. The damage was noticeable: the black miasma was slowly consuming his arm, and no one could do anything. In-Su comforted him by saying:
—Il-Seong, be strong and don't give up. I will find a way to stop this. There are special people outside who depend on you. Without you, this library would have no life. Without you, Jun would not be the same unruly boy that he is. Despite not knowing him in person, I know that he will be a great leader, successor to Ethel the Original, because the fake one bears no resemblance at all.
Il-Seong replied:
—Ethel's real name is Taeyang and, unfortunately, he is my brother. He now works for the Orphans of the Abyss and I always knew that. When he took over as librarian and ordered the librarians' hall to be sealed, it was the work of that organization. The spiral pencil was also their work. I regret so much the decisions I made and trusting my brother so much.
In-Su asked,
—Does everyone know about your relationship with Taeyang?
Il-Seong replied without hesitation,
—Tae-Ho and Young-Chil know the truth. The only person I have kept this from is Jun, because he is very impulsive. Yuuki, Minho, Saem, and Ji-Hoon were in danger because of my decisions, but I know that one day they will forgive me.
After their arduous conversation Asawin found them both in the hallway to inform them that the golden express was at the station and they were preparing it with several contingents to go to the soul bank, while they headed to the communications room, Anya tried all the ways to link communications, but the signals were dead, to which Tae-Ho asked Wittawat to check the railway connections and told him "sir, I have checked with Anya the railway connections to the east side, they are 100% operational, Minjun has just reported that he is in control sector C, to get quickly to the soul bank station, it is through line 2, but sending a contingent is riskier, even more so with the signal so weak throughout the world, the train is our only method of going, and the risk is 80% ", when everyone heard the high percentage they did not hesitate and decided to go all to the library, Asawin who knew about telecommunications control would be at command, while Minjun in Sector C would be support, so they set out for the soul bank, and the dangers that lay ahead were about to be discovered.