Around 10 billion years ago, two divine siblings were entrusted with the mission of watching over Earth. But over time, something in their relationship grew cold. The sky stretched like an ocean of divine light, torn apart by the forces of two titans locked in battle. High above the celestial realm, two gods stood face to face, their eyes burning with fury and sorrow, two primordial forces ready to decide their fate. Metheor, god of elements, destruction, and darkness, glared at his sister, Diana, goddess of nature, creation, and light.

— Diana! Just the person I wanted to see! What is the meaning of this? What are these creatures?!

In front of him, Diana, goddess of life and nature’s creator, raised her protective arms, shielding two terrified humans, Laurence and Norris, the first human beings, born of her divine power. She met her brother’s gaze without fear, knowing this confrontation had always been inevitable.

— They are the humans I told you about. My children.

— Humans?! roared Metheor, each step igniting the ground beneath him. I forbade you from creating them! How could I not sense them until now?!

— I used an isolation spell to...

Metheor didn’t wait for her to finish. A surge of fury exploded within him, his fist igniting with fire. With a swift motion, he launched a blast toward Diana and her creations. Diana reacted immediately, forming a natural shield around them.

— Lies, betrayal, disobedience! His voice tore through the air, and with each step he took toward her, the ground echoed with terrifying thunder.

Realizing she couldn’t escape without a fight, Diana opened a portal for Laurence and Norris to flee to Earth. But before they could step through, Metheor snapped his fingers, sealing the portal shut with a vortex of divine energy.

— There’s no more running, Diana. The time has come for you to face judgment, both you and your precious creations!

Metheor raised his hand, and the sky darkened. Black clouds gathered, crackling with lightning. In response, Diana crafted a dome around the two humans and stepped forward. With a violent gesture, Metheor summoned a colossal bolt of lightning and hurled it at her. But the goddess of life would not fall so easily. In an instant, her body shifted into the form of a massive turtle. Her shell gleamed like an impenetrable shield, deflecting the lightning back into the heavens. Without hesitation, she transformed again, this time into an enormous serpent, weaving through the clouds with astonishing speed. She slithered up to Metheor and coiled around him tightly.

— Calm down, Metheor! Let’s talk!

Metheor grinned wickedly, his eyes glowing with wild power. His body began to shift, his skin turning to molten stone. He became a flaming golem, breaking free of her grip. Unshaken, Diana changed form once more, becoming an Ankylosaurus. With a powerful swing of her tail, she sent Metheor flying. She followed up, transforming into a mighty gorilla, pounding him with brutal force. But Metheor retaliated by turning into water, trapping Diana in a prison of liquid. It began to freeze around her rapidly, trying to encase her in ice. Using the last of her strength, she morphed into a swordfish and shot out of the frozen prison. But there was no time to breathe, Metheor transformed into gas, surrounding her. The air turned toxic, and Diana began to suffocate. Laurence and Norris, horrified, combined their strength and threw a glowing stone toward her. In her fading consciousness, Diana caught the stone and directed its divine energy at Metheor. The power overwhelmed him, forcing him to his knees. But just before defeat could take him, Metheor raised his hand and summoned a storm of massive meteors.

— If I die... I’ll take your creatures from Earth with me!

Diana’s eyes widened. Overcome with fury, she instinctively crushed the divine stone in her palm, scattering its essence across Earth. As the meteors fell, she summoned a colossal tree whose branches shot into the sky, piercing each falling meteor. Where they struck, celestial flowers bloomed. But the price was steep. Diana grew weak and aged rapidly. Knowing her end was near, she poured her essence into humankind, granting them the powers of animals and elements. Thus, the Primals and the Elementals were born. With her last breath, she walked to a barren plain and lay down to await the end. When her body vanished, the land bloomed into a sacred sanctuary filled with life and harmony, where humans would come to worship and thank the goddess for her divine gifts.

A hand holding a remote appears, flipping through TV channels. Each one flashes scenes of natural disasters, tornadoes tearing through cities, towering tsunamis crashing onto coastlines, volcanoes spewing lava into the sky. Each report more terrifying than the last.

"Disastro ovunque! Il tornado ha distrutto le case delle persone!"

("Disaster everywhere! The tornado destroyed people’s homes!")

"数百メートルの連続した津波が海岸のどこからともなく現れた!"

("Hundred-meter-high tsunamis appeared out of nowhere on the coast!")

"El volcán sigue en erupción! Las autoridades están haciendo todo lo posible para evacuar a todos los ciudadanos!"

("The volcano is still erupting! Authorities are doing everything they can to evacuate everyone!")

Annoyed by the chaos, a man with slicked-back, black hair and a crisp white shirt abruptly switches off the TV. He exhales deeply and tilts his head back, closing his eyes for a few seconds.

— Feels like the planet’s trying to get rid of us...

He grabs his jacket from the coat rack. Behind him, a well-dressed butler adjusts his glasses and steps forward.

— Young master Arthur, lunch is ready.

— Thanks, Vincent. But I think I’ll skip lunch today.

— Understood, sir. The butler gives a small bow and quietly exits.

Arthur steps out of the building, hands in his pockets, and walks down a path near the river. The leaves sway gently in the breeze, and the sunlight dances across the flowing water. But the peace doesn’t last. From the forest, the sound of fast footsteps breaks the silence. A young woman bursts through the trees, flinching at every sound. Her face is scratched, her clothes torn. Her wide blue eyes are filled with terror. Before Arthur can react, she crashes into him and falls to the ground.

— Ugh... she groans faintly as she hits the dirt.

Arthur stares at her, startled, but her expression alarms him. He kneels down, reaching a hand out.

— Hey... are you okay?

But she doesn’t answer. Her eyes are fixed on the forest behind her. Arthur turns to look, and a chill runs down his spine. From the shadows, three insect-like humanoids emerge, their skeletal frames elongated, with thin wings and massive dragonfly-like eyes. They hover, then land on the ground. Arthur instinctively steps in front of the girl. The middle creature steps forward.

— Come back home, Astra. It extends a hand toward her, not even looking at Arthur.

Arthur narrows his eyes.

— She doesn’t seem like she wants to go with you. The creature turns its head sharply toward him, scanning him coldly.

— Stay out of this. This doesn’t concern you, inferior being.

Arthur lets out a small laugh. A device in his hand expands with a mechanical snap into a spear.

— It concerns me when you're on my land, bug.

— What did you say?! hisses the creature, furious.

In a flash, it lunges at Arthur, claws raised. But Arthur reacts instantly. In a smooth motion, his spear extends fully and pierces straight through the creature’s chest. It freezes in mid-air, stunned, before collapsing. Its body crumbles into ash and is carried away by the wind. The two remaining insectoids stare in disbelief.

— One down. Two to go.

Behind him, Astra stared with wide eyes, filled with awe.

From behind, hurried footsteps approached. A group of soldiers in metallic uniforms appeared, led by Kennedy, a man with greying hair at the temples and a thick mustache.

– What the hell are those things? – asked Kennedy, head of the special forces.

Arthur threw his spear over his shoulder and replied calmly:

– Seems like we’re dealing with an insect invasion. Get the girl to safety. I’ll join you shortly.

– Understood!

Kennedy gave a sharp command, and two of his men quickly escorted Astra away.

But the remaining dragonflies weren’t planning to retreat.

Tonya, one of the creatures, stepped toward the ashes of their fallen comrade, clenching her fists.

– You’ll pay for what you did to Eros! Come on, Viktor!

The two launched at the same time.

Arthur narrowly dodged their claws, leaping back and raising his spear.

– Tsch... they’re fast.

Tonya tilted her head, her cold gaze analyzing him.

– Hmm... you move well for your species. But let’s see how you handle this!

In a flash, Viktor wrapped his chitinous tail around Arthur’s leg and hurled him into a tree. Arthur crashed to the ground but quickly got up, wiping a trail of blood from his cheek.

– That’s all you’ve got?

Tonya laughed.

– That was just the beginning.

They joined their tails together and spun toward him in a spiraling attack. Arthur lifted his spear and, with a swift movement, entangled their tails with it. With immense force, he slammed them into the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

He jumped onto a tree branch for a better vantage point. As the dust cleared, he saw no one.

His eyes narrowed, sensing movement behind him. He turned quickly but not fast enough—Tonya slashed his face with her claw, and from the opposite side, Viktor lunged to bite him.

Arthur reacted instantly, placing his spear between himself and Viktor to block the attack.

With Viktor held at bay, Tonya tried to take advantage of the opening. Seeing the incoming attack from both sides, Arthur deliberately dropped from the branch. Viktor, still gripping the spear, lost balance and fell too. In that moment, Arthur twisted mid-air and kicked Viktor with full force, sending him flying into Tonya.

Arthur narrowed his gaze, his spear held at the ready. The two dragonflies slowly got up, trembling with rage. Their chitinous bodies began healing, but their labored breaths betrayed their exhaustion.

Tonya bent her hind legs, preparing for another charge.

– This won’t end so easily, human!

Arthur smirked slightly, ignoring the blood dripping down his cheek.

– Then let’s see if you can still fly after this.

Viktor and Tonya spread their wings in a rapid flutter, kicking up another cloud of dust. In a blink, they vanished from sight.

– They’re faster than before, Arthur thought, feeling the wind around him grow more violent.

A sharp metallic whistle passed by his ear. Arthur barely had time to raise his spear before Viktor struck from the right, smashing him with his tail. The impact sent him skidding across the ground.

– They’re more aggressive... he muttered, quickly getting back to his feet.

Tonya came spinning from behind with dizzying speed. Arthur dodged just in time, but her sharp tail scraped his arm.

– You already tried that move once. Are you really that predictable?

The dragonflies zoomed around him, creating a mini tornado that trapped Arthur and flung him into a river.

He slowly rose from the water, watching as the two charged at him again. Arthur extended his arm downward into the river, summoning a powerful air current that launched the water upward, slamming the creatures into a nearby rock. Soaked, their wings now useless, they couldn’t fly.

– You’re pathetic. I’m almost sorry I wasted my time on you.

Arthur lifted his spear and began spinning it rapidly, creating a mini-tornado that pinned them against the rock. He then pulled out four knives and threw them into the swirling wind. The blades caught the current, accelerating wildly until they pinned the insects like specimens in a display.

Before they could react, they found themselves face-to-face with the blade of Arthur’s spear.

He stepped toward them slowly, his voice cold:

– Tell me what you are and why you’re after that girl.

Tonya, trying to steady herself, spat on the ground, the fury still burning in her eyes.

– We’d rather die than tell you anything!

Arthur raised an eyebrow and drew his spear back.

– Fine. I’ll grant you your wish.

He charged at them, his speed boosted by his control of the wind.

At the last second, Viktor and Tonya slashed off their own wings with their tails, shedding chunks of chitin. Arthur struck with full force, but only managed to cleave through part of the rock behind them.

The creatures vanished in an explosion of dust, using their final trick to escape.

As the dust settled, Arthur stood alone, breathing heavily. He looked around at the battlefield.

– Huh... what were those things?

He slung his spear over his shoulder and began walking back home, knowing the answers would come soon enough.

But what he didn’t know was that meeting Astra would change the course of his destiny forever.

In a dimly lit room, with cold concrete walls and a single yellowish lamp buzzing overhead, Astra sat on an uncomfortable chair, visibly tense.

In front of her stood Kennedy, dressed in his officer uniform, his badge gleaming in the dull light. Though he smiled, his eyes held something unsettling, insincere.

– Come on, girl, no need to be so quiet, he said with a fake-friendly tone. I pulled you out of a tough spot, didn’t I? You should be grateful...

Astra stayed silent, her hands clenched in her lap. Every second in that room felt wrong. Kennedy’s stare grew heavier, and then, in a gesture that made her skin crawl, he placed a hand on her knee. His thick fingers pressed lightly, yet with unmistakable intent.

– Tell me... who were those creatures? Don’t be afraid. I’ll take good care of you...

His voice dripped with something vile, his grin wide and revolting.

Astra felt a knot in her throat. She tried to pull her leg back, but Kennedy gripped harder, as if trying to assert dominance. Her breath quickened—every instinct screamed at her to run.

Before she could act, a sharp, cold blade touched Kennedy’s neck.

A firm, commanding voice broke through the room.

– I’ll take it from here.

Kennedy froze.

He swallowed hard, his eyes darting between the blade at his throat and the figure looming over him.

Arthur.

– I... I was just trying to... Kennedy stammered, grasping for a quick excuse.

– I don’t need excuses, Arthur replied coldly. Take the girl to my office. Now.

Kennedy, sweating, nodded and stood up with shaky movements. He slowly pulled his hand off Astra’s leg and stepped back, gaze dropped to the floor.

As they exited the room, Astra still felt uneasy. But for the first time since arriving there, in Arthur’s presence, she felt safe.

Far away, in the darkness of a secluded mountain, the two survivors of the earlier battle stood before a massive metallic gate embedded in stone. Tonya, panting, pressed trembling fingers to a digital panel and typed in a code. With a loud hiss of releasing pressure, the door slid open, revealing a dimly lit corridor. At the end of that hallway, two yellow eyes glowed in the dark, an imposing figure waited on a throne.

— Where is my precious treasure? the deep voice rumbled, making both of them flinch.

Tonya and Viktor instinctively bowed, their bodies trembling with fear. Despite all the bravery they showed before their enemies, now, under his gaze, they felt like helpless children.

— You see… we ran into a guy with a spear, Tonya tried to explain. We fought him, and his men took Astra…

The figure remained silent for a moment. Then, in a low, dangerous tone, he said:

— So you lost… to a man with a spear?

— Actually, it was a draw! Viktor blurted, desperate to save himself.

— I see. A draw, you say.

The shadowed figure slowly raised his head. His eyes began to glow gold, and in the next second, Viktor’s body jolted violently as dozens of spikes erupted from inside his heart. Blood poured from the corners of his mouth. His body collapsed, lifeless.

Tonya took a shaky step back, trembling.

— P-please… I’ll go back. I’ll bring her to you, I swear. Just give me another chance!

The dark figure leaned his chin on his palm, watching her with boredom.

— I’ll give you a thirty-second head start. If you manage to get far enough, you live.

Tonya swallowed hard, panic rising in her eyes. She tried one last desperate plea.

— L-Listen! I have an idea, what if....

— Now. Run.

Without another word, the dragonfly-like creature turned and bolted toward the exit.

Ezequiel glanced at the watch on his wrist, calmly tracking the seconds. Her injured wings beat erratically as she flew in a desperate zigzag, her heart pounding in her chest. Finally, she reached a high branch and stopped, gasping, thinking she had escaped.

At that moment, the dark figure’s eyes lit up once again.

Tonya’s body suddenly stiffened. Invisible spikes pierced her from the inside, and a scream of pain escaped her lips.

— You bastard… she whispered with her final breath before her life faded.

The dark figure stood by the open door, hand resting under his chin, the setting sun revealing his slicked-back white hair.

— Clean up this mess, he ordered, referring to Viktor’s ashes, and the armed guards rushed forward to obey.

Meanwhile, in an elegant office, Arthur sat calmly at his desk, sipping tea from a porcelain cup. Across from him, Astra kept her hands folded in her lap, her gaze locked on the floor.

Vincent, the butler, approached with a tray and carefully placed the teapot and cups before them.

— Kennedy, you and your men may leave, Arthur ordered.

— Understood, sir, Kennedy replied, bowing before leaving the room quickly.

Astra remained silent, fidgeting nervously with the hem of her dress.

— I’m sorry about Kennedy, Arthur said, lifting the cup to his lips. He’s a good kid, but his eyes tend to wander where they shouldn’t...

Astra said nothing.

— What’s your name? Arthur asked calmly.

No answer.

— What were those creatures that were chasing you?

Still, silence.

Arthur sighed and set the cup down on its saucer.

— Alright. I won’t press further. But I can’t let you leave tonight. It’s late. In the morning, you may do as you please.

Arthur stood and turned toward Vincent.

— Vincent, show the young lady to the guest room. Post a guard. Make sure nothing happens to her.

— Of course, sir.

Vincent gave Astra a discreet nod to follow.

Astra rose and followed silently.

She walked slowly down the long corridor behind Vincent, who kept his pace calm and composed. Every step felt like she was sinking deeper into a place she didn’t belong. Her eyes wandered along the dimly lit hallway, glancing at the paintings on the walls, depictions of historical events and unknown figures.

They stopped in front of a large wooden door. Vincent opened it with an elegant gesture. Astra looked inside a spacious room, with a large bed, pristine white linens, and a wide window overlooking the castle garden. Beside the bed, a mahogany nightstand held a lamp glowing warmly, and across from it stood an imposing, finely carved wardrobe.

— This will be your room, miss, said Vincent as he stepped in, motioning gracefully. If you need anything, simply press this button, and I’ll be at your service.

Astra nodded absently, her gaze drifting around the room.

— Thank you, Mr. Vincent.

The butler bowed slightly with a gentle smile.

— Sleep well, miss, he said before leaving and closing the door behind him.

Astra stood alone. The silence of the room weighed down on her, broken only by the soft beat of her heart. She approached the window, looking out at the starry sky. A light wind rustled the leaves in the garden. She gently touched her arm, feeling her fingers tremble, then threw herself onto the bed, trying to calm her thoughts.

Eventually, she drifted off, slipping into a strange dream.

She was running through a twisting maze, chased by dozens of small, snarling creatures.

At the edge of a cliff that dropped into nothing, she stopped. But something shoved her from behind and she fell.

Only to land in a giant hand. As she turned, glowing yellow eyes stared at her.

A deep voice echoed in her mind.

"No matter where you run… I’ll find you."

Astra jolted awake, gasping for air.

I can’t stay here, she told herself.

The thought echoed in her mind like a drumbeat. She didn’t trust these people not even Arthur. He had saved her, yes, but that didn’t mean she was safe. Not with that shadow still chasing her.

She had to leave.