Chapter 9 - The Fall

Myles clung to Lilian's body as they soared through the air, his grip tightening instinctively. His heart raced, but not just from the dizzying height but from the way her large, elastic chest pressed against his face.The sensation was both distracting and unnerving, making it difficult for him to think clearly. Then there was her scent. He don't know what smell is this but he found it so intoxicating. It wasn't like any perfume he had ever smelled before; it was more like a mix of flowers and something like from anothere world.As they flew, Myles found himself growing increasingly flustered. He didn't realize it but Lilian was fully aware of his reaction. Her smile widened, but she chose not to say anything, instead she focusing on their destination. Myles was too overwhelmed to notice the subtle amusement in her eyes.Soon, Myles felt his feet touch solid ground. He stumbled slightly as Lilian released him. Then he steadying himself as he looked around. They were on the rooftop of a tall building. What caught Myles' attention was the scene below. Flames flickered from several floors below them, the fire spreading rapidly through the structure.Myles' eyes widened in alarm as he realized the danger. "Is this building really safe?" he asked.Lilian however, seemed unfazed. "You don't need to worry. It'll take a few more minutes before this building collapses. Hopefully, that's enough time.""Enough time for what?" Myles asked.Instead of answering directly, Lilian turned to him and asking her own question. "Do you know what is really happening to your world?"Myles shook his head. "I haven't had time to think about it because I've been too busy just trying not to die."Lilian nodded as if she expected that answer. "It's understandable. But there's more going on than just the chaos you've witnessed."Myles frowned, his mind racing as he tried to grasp her words. "What do you mean? What's really going on?"Lilian took a step closer. "The world you knew has been changed by forces beyond your understanding. The thing you called magic has come, creatures from other world, powers that defy logic, all kind of thing like that. All of it has been unleashed upon your world. And now there's only chaos."Myles listened quitely. He had to hear the explanation first.Lilian began her explanation in a tone so casual that it almost felt like a conversation whent they just sitting in a café and drink coffee, not like anything big like reavealing a cataclysmic event that had changed the world forever."All of this is called the Etherfall," she said with wistfull look as if she was just recounting a story she had told many times before. "But the real cause behind it was an event known as the Breaking of the Veil."Myles listened intently, his curiosity piqued.Lilian continued."Eons ago, the universe wasn't just a void of stars and planets. It was infused with very powerful magical energies, all of it held in check by a metaphysical barrier known as the Veil. This Veil was a carefully constructed boundary, designed by beings that beyond understanding. Even my kind still doesn't understand them fully."They are ancient architects of reality, you could say. Their purpose was to keep the chaotic energies of a dimension called the Etherium from spilling into the world that isn't ready for it yet."She paused for a few seconds, letting her words sink in before moving on."The Etherium is a vast dimension where raw magic flows like boudless ocean. It's unpredictable, wild, and incredibly dangerous if left unchecked. The Veil was like a dam, controlling how much of that power seeped into our reality and ensuring that the world remained stable."Myles frowned, trying to wrap his mind around the explanation. "So what happened to this veil?" he asked."It was shattered by a cosmic alignment. Three celestial entities suddenly aligned themselves together and it triggered the Etherfall to happen to the cosmic. Even to the world that not ready for it yet." Lilian look at Myles. "Such as your world."Then, she began to describe the celestial entities."First, there was The Luminal Star. Then, there was The Shadow Moon, and finally, The Voidheart."Myles couldn't picture those celestial entities in his mind. Just like what Lilian had said, it is beyond his understanding."When these three are working together, the magical energies from the Luminal Star and the Shadow Moon were drawn into the Voidheart. The result was an overwhelming surge of magic that ripped through The Veil and tearing it apart. This unleashed the raw power of the Etherium into the worlds in what we now call the Etherfall."Then, as you can see, worlds suddenly bathed in chaotic magic. Creatures evolved rapidly, some turning into monstrous craetures. The environment mutated, with some areas merging with the Etherium itself. The laws of physics became unstable, creating places where reality as we know it no longer applied. You know, all of that fun things."Lilian's beautiful smile back again. Myles can only swallowed his saliva hard. But Lilian wasn't finished."The Etherfall didn't just transform the world and mutating its residents," she added. "It also awakened ancient forces and entities. Beings that had been dormant for eons, waiting for the right moment to rise again. Now, they're out there and you and your friends caught in the middle of it."Myles eyes widened with that revelation. His mind is buzzing."Fortunately, I don't have friends," Myles only managed to squeeze that words from his mind."How about family?" Lilian asked."Never know them. Maybe they're somewhere and already dead. I don't really care."Lilian looked at Myles with a smile and a mysterious look when he mentioned his family. As if she knows something, but she won't discuss it for now.Then, after regaining some of his wits, Myles narrowed his eyes suspiciously and asked, "Why did you save me? And why are you bothering to explain all this to me?"Lilian's smile faded into a more serious expression. "I saved you because I need someone to help me.""Help you?" Myles echoed, frowning. "Help with what, exactly?""I need someone who can help me navigate the chaos and help me reclaim what was lost from me."Myles felt a shiver run down his spine. "And you think I can help with that? Why me?"A shadow of a smile returned to Lilian's lips. "There's something about you, Myles. You are resilience and brave, not like any other human I saw when I got to this world. You survived when a lot of other is dying misereably. I saw potential in you. And with my help, you can gain more."Of course, she didn't tell all of her reason for now.Myles was silent for a moment, processing her words. He wasn't convince that the reason this otherworld beauty helping him just because she saw potential in him. However, right now she was his best choice to become stronger and thriving in this chaotic world."So what exactly do you want me to do?" Myles asked."When the time come I will tell you what you need to do. But for now, you need to get stronger first." Lilian closed the distance between them in the blink of an eye and place her hands on Myles cheek. "When was the last time you had sex?"---