≪Luminous Country Capital Seaport, Blue Lagoons≫
Morning sunlight spilled across the harbor, turning the ocean into a sea of gold.
The Blue Lagoons bustled with activity as merchants shouted prices, sailors hauled cargo, and steamships released clouds of white vapor into the cool morning air.
Standing near the edge of the dock, Sean adjusted the cuffs of his uniform while waiting for the final boarding preparations.
Behind him stood three Cathedral Knights clad in silver armor emblazoned with the crest of the Sacred Wisdom Cathedral. As one of the kingdom's most important royal protectors, Sean rarely traveled without an escort, even when accompanied by someone as powerful
as Venus.
The young woman stood quietly beside him.
A sapphire-blue dress flowed around her figure, its hem embroidered with black stars that seemed to shimmer whenever sunlight touched them.
"Good morning, Venus."
Sean offered a respectful bow.
Venus returned a gentle smile.
"Morning, Sean."
Despite the smile, there was a faint exhaustion hidden beneath her eyes.
The previous day had been spent training within the Cathedral's Grand Plaza. Three years under the Archbishop's guidance had transformed her from an orphan into one of the kingdom's most celebrated young Ascenders.
The Heroine of Peace.
At least that was what the public called her.
"Ready to leave?" she asked.
Sean nodded.
His gaze drifted toward the massive steamship docked nearby.
Its iron hull towered over the harbor while sailors hurried across the decks preparing for departure.
A steel gangway descended toward the pier.
A middle-aged man with a neatly groomed beard approached them.
"Greetings."
He placed a hand over his chest and bowed.
"My name is Conrad Wells. I'll be serving as captain for this voyage."
His voice carried the confidence of a man who had spent decades commanding the sea.
"I'll personally ensure your safe arrival in Blackband."
"Thank you, Captain," Sean replied.
Behind him, Conrad's crew had already begun loading supplies and luggage onto the vessel.
As preparations continued, Venus stared toward the distant horizon.
Dark gray clouds lingered far away.
Far enough that no ordinary sailor would pay them any attention.
Yet her eyes remained fixed on them.
Sean noticed immediately.
He gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Something wrong?"
Venus blinked before quickly shaking her head.
"No."
But Sean knew better.
As the Candidate of the Fateweaver Pathway, Venus often sensed things long before they happened.
If something had caught her attention, it was rarely meaningless.
Still, she said nothing.
A few minutes later, the ship's horn sounded.
The passengers boarded.
And soon the steamship departed from Blue Lagoons, cutting through the ocean toward the northern city of Blackband.
The sea remained calm.
White waves rolled alongside the vessel while seabirds circled overhead.
Sean and Venus stood near the starboard railing as the coastline gradually disappeared behind them.
Their true purpose for this journey lingered at the forefront of Sean's mind.
Xion Trinity.
The future Divine Candidate.
Or perhaps something far more dangerous.
Sean folded his arms.
"Tell me everything you know about him."
Venus laughed softly.
"Everything?"
"Everything."
She leaned against the railing.
The wind gently carried strands of silver hair across her face.
"When I was seven years old, Xion suddenly appeared outside Blackband Orphanage."
Sean raised an eyebrow.
"Appeared?"
Venus nodded.
"He was covered in blood."
Her smile vanished.
"The kind of blood that shouldn't belong on a child."
The ocean breeze suddenly felt colder.
"When Mother Clara found him, he looked like someone who had lost everything."
Sean remained silent.
"He didn't cry."
Venus stared into the water below.
"He didn't speak."
Her voice softened.
"He barely reacted to anything."
The image remained vivid even after all these years.
A boy sitting alone.
Silent.
Broken.
Watching the world with empty eyes.
"The orphanage searched for his family."
Venus shook her head.
"They found nothing."
"No records?"
"None."
"No witnesses?"
"None."
"No missing child reports?"
"Nothing."
Sean frowned.
"That's impossible."
"I know."
Venus smiled bitterly.
"It was as if he simply appeared out of nowhere."
Sean felt a chill.
Not because of the mystery.
But because of how familiar it sounded.
Like the stories surrounding Genesis Crystal candidates.
Like fate had quietly placed someone where they needed to be.
"What happened afterward?" Sean asked.
Venus laughed.
"The next day he started talking."
Sean blinked.
"The next day?"
"The next day."
Her eyes softened with nostalgia.
"He suddenly started telling stories to all the children."
"What kind of stories?"
Venus looked toward the horizon.
"Heroes."
"Monsters."
"Kings."
"Ancient wars."
"Dragons."
Sean nodded.
"Fairy tales?"
Venus slowly shook her head.
"No."
Her expression became complicated.
"The Trinity Conquest Era."
Sean froze.
"The what?"
"The Trinity Conquest Era."
The silence between them stretched.
Sean stared at her.
"That's impossible."
The Trinity Conquest Era was one of the oldest periods ever recorded.
Ancient beyond comprehension.
Older than the God's Apocalypse Era.
Older than nearly every surviving civilization.
Nearly four hundred thousand years lost to history.
Yet Venus nodded.
"He spoke about it like he'd been there."
Sean's expression darkened.
"How could a child know that much?"
Venus smiled faintly.
"That's exactly what everyone wanted to know."
The sea breeze passed between them.
Sean turned toward her again.
Only then did he notice something strange.
Venus was breathing harder than before.
A faint blush colored her cheeks.
Her gaze had become unfocused.
Sean stared.
"…Venus."
"Hm?"
"…Are you okay?"
"Perfectly fine."
"You don't look fine."
"I'm fine."
Sean narrowed his eyes.
Venus immediately looked away.
The blush deepened.
Sean suddenly understood.
A terrible realization.
A horrifying realization.
One that explained far too many things.
The stories.
The nostalgia.
The smile.
The way she talked about him.
"…Don't tell me."
Venus instantly waved her hands.
"W-What? No."
Sean deadpanned.
"Venus."
"I'm not."
"Venus."
"I am absolutely not thinking what you're thinking."
Sean stared at her.
Venus stared back.
Neither spoke.
A few seconds later, she lost.
"…Maybe a little."
Sean slowly covered his face.
Of course.
The strongest Divine Candidate in the kingdom.
The Heroine of Peace.
The future successor of the Fateweaver
Portfolio.
Completely obsessed with a boy from an orphanage.
Sean turned toward the ocean and silently prayed.
Poor kid. I sincerely hope he runs.
…
Achoo!
"You okay, Xion?" Lucy asked, holding his hand as they walked through the city. Xion nodded vaguely. "I feel like something awkward is going to happen to me."
"Maybe it's the fact you're going to school soon. Lucy chuckled as Xion smiled softly.
"Maybe."
They stopped by the clothing store, run by one of the most talented fashion designers in the land. When they entered the building, a tall
man wearing a golden-and-white leopard-print suit was Hans Vida.
"Welcome to the Link Fashion. I'm Hans Vida, you're tailor."
He bowed as he examined his new customer, Xion. Lucy spoke up while closing the door behind her. "This is Xion Trinity, he's my son, and I wanted to get him a school uniform."
"Understandable… Wait, did you say, Trinity?"
Xion immediately raised his guard.
The change was almost invisible. His shoulders lowered, his breathing stilled, and his eyes sharpened into something cold enough to cut skin.
Hans Vida was trembling before him, arms lifted over his face as though expecting death.
Silence spread across the room.
Lucy quickly raised one hand, signaling Xion not to move.
Not to kill.
Not yet.
Xion did not lower his guard.
He watched Hans carefully as the man squirmed on the floor, his expression hidden behind his sleeves.
Yet something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Behind Hans, stretching across the wall like spilled ink, was a shadow that did not match his body.
It was too large.
Too twisted.
Too aware.
Xion's eyes narrowed.
Hans Vida… what the hell are you?
Then Hans suddenly sprang to his feet.
"This is wonderful!"
The man's frightened act vanished so quickly it almost felt insulting.
His eyes sparkled with excitement as he clapped his hands together.
"I've never designed a uniform for a Trinity before!"
Xion stared at him.
Lucy's hand slowly lowered.
The air, which had been seconds away from becoming a murder scene, became awkward instead.
Xion tilted his head, his expression calm again, though his eyes remained watchful.
"You've never designed clothing for the Trinity Family?"
Hans shook his head.
"Of course not."
His smile faded slightly.
"As you surely know, most members of the Trinity Family were executed by the gods in the name of peace."
The words landed quietly.
Too quietly.
Hans turned and walked toward a nearby table covered in fabrics and pattern sheets.
"I witnessed one of their most recent deaths myself. Aria Trinity."
Xion's expression tightened.
Hans continued, his voice softer now.
"A woman known across the world for revolutionizing steam engines and modern vehicles. Some called her a genius. Others called her a threat."
He glanced back at Xion.
"The gods called her Trinity."
That was enough.
Xion understood.
"I see."
His gaze drifted toward a newspaper lying open on a nearby counter.
The headline mentioned the Cathedral of Sacred Wisdom sending representatives to Blackband City.
His eyes darkened.
Are they trying to bring the war here?
Hans noticed the direction of his stare.
"The War of Liberation is one of the few wars of this era," he said. "The Southern Kingdom has grown infamous for permitting slave trade and
enslaving citizens who cannot pay their taxes. However, there seems to be a darker plot behind this coy."
Xion's face changed.
The calm mask cracked, just slightly.
"How long has this been happening?"
Hans adjusted his glasses.
"Since the beginning of the era."
He let out a quiet sigh.
"Humans are strange creatures. War, jealousy, greed, fear, love, hatred, regret, pride… all of it lives inside us. We claim we want to change the world, yet generation after generation, we sharpen the same knives and give them new names."
Xion said nothing.
But inside, his thoughts turned heavy.
That's what being human means…
His mind drifted somewhere far away.
Not to Blackband.
Not to the Southern Kingdom.
To another world.
Another history.
This is the same rot from back home.
People stolen from their homelands.
Chained.
Sold.
Worked until their bodies broke.
Judged by the color of their skin.
Denied dignity.
Denied protection.
Denied humanity by humans who dared call themselves civilized.
Xion's fists tightened.
One of those enslaved people was my ancestor.
For a moment, the room felt smaller.
The air felt harder to breathe. Then Xion closed his eyes.
He forced the anger down.
Buried it where all old pain went.
Deep enough to survive.
When his eyes opened again, he smiled.
It was not a happy smile.
Just a practiced one.
"Anyway," Xion said, "when can I get my uniform?"
Hans studied him for a moment.
Then, wisely, he chose not to comment.
He grabbed a measuring tape and gestured toward the back of the building.
"This way, young man."
Xion followed.
The rear workshop was larger than he expected. Racks of clothing lined the walls. Some resembled outfits from medieval kingdoms, with embroidered cloaks, leather belts, and formal coats. Others carried a more modern design, tailored with cleaner cuts and sharper silhouettes.
To the right stood a long table cluttered with fabrics, needles, chalk, thread, buttons, and a sewing machine that looked old enough to have secrets.
At the center of the room stood a three-way mirror.
One panel faced forward.
The other two angled toward his sides.
Xion stepped before it.
For a split second, he froze.
The mirror in front showed himself.
But not as he was now.
It showed the old him.
The man before transmigration.
His clothes soaked in blood.
His eyes hollow.
His body standing there as if he had never truly died.
Xion's breath caught.
He looked to the right mirror.
That one showed his current body.
Young.
Smaller.
Alive.
Then he looked left.
Nothing human stared back.
Only an enormous shadow.
So large it could not fit within the mirror's frame.
Its shape pressed against the cold, smooth glass like an ancient, forgotten entity struggling to recall how to inhabit a body.
Xion blinked.
The images vanished.
All three mirrors reflected only him.
"Maybe it's the sleepiness getting to me," Xion muttered.
Hans glanced up while wrapping the measuring tape around his arm.
"Did you say something?"
Xion stiffened.
"W-What? Nothing."
Hans smiled faintly.
"If you say so."
The measurements took several minutes.
Chest.
Shoulders.
Arms.
Waist.
Legs.
Hans worked with practiced precision, occasionally muttering to himself about balance, color, and how difficult it was to design something worthy of "Trinity proportions."
Xion chose not to ask what that meant.
When they finished, he stepped out of the measuring section and returned to the front of the shop.
Lucy was outside.
She was speaking with two people.
One was a young man in priestly attire.
The other was Venus.
Xion's eyes widened.
He immediately headed outside.
"Venus?"
That was all he managed to say before disaster struck.
"XION!"
Venus launched herself at him.
The impact sent him crashing to the ground.
Several nearby pedestrians stopped and stared.
Xion groaned against the pavement.
Venus hovered above him, smiling so brightly it could have offended the sun.
"It's good to see you again!"
Xion opened one eye.
His ribs were still negotiating whether they wanted to forgive her.
"Yeah," he wheezed. "Good to see you too, Sis."
Venus laughed.
After a second, Xion laughed too.
For a brief moment, the world became simpler.
No gods.
No war.
No Trinity bloodline.
No strange shadow in the mirror.
Just two people who had once survived the same orphanage.
Then Sean stepped forward.
The warmth disappeared.
"Hello, Xion."
His voice was polite.
Too polite.
"My name is Sean Lados. I serve the Cathedral of Sacred Wisdom as a young priest."
Xion's laughter stopped.
Sean placed a hand over his chest.
"I am also known as the Holy Owl Guardian of the Fateweaver Portfolio."
The change in Xion was immediate.
His expression emptied.
The smile vanished from his face as if it had never existed.
Venus noticed.
Lucy noticed.
Even Sean noticed.
Xion slowly sat up beneath Venus, his eyes fixed on the priest.
The boy who had laughed seconds ago was gone.
In his place sat someone quiet.
Guarded.
Unreachable.
"So," Xion said softly.
"The Cathedral finally came to Blackband."
"Nice to meet you, Sean." Xion quickly stood up, letting Venus fall off him and onto her rear. "So, why are you here?"
"We need your help," Sean answered almost immediately, yet with composure.
…
"You want to do what?!" Marcus did not seem to like the young priest's request.
Venus nervously waves her arms in defense, "We know it's hard to believe it, but Xion is a candidate of the 12 Gods. There are currently two candidates besides Venus and Xion; they are already being recruited as we speak.
"Why Xion then? He's only 10 years old." Xion then placed his hand on Marcus' shirt. Marcus looked down at the child, who wore a determined expression.
Sean then spoke once again. "Don't worry, we'll make sure he's well treated and educated properly before the real war begins."
Dolan asked depressingly, "Xion, what's your decision?"
Xion remained silent for a few moments, his mind racing as he weighed the gravity of the situation. If there was one certainty he held, it was that he had to emerge victorious in order to put an end to the cruel slavery act afflicting the Southern Kingdom.
'I mean, it's war, what's the worst thing that could happen?' Xion joked before standing up from the couch. "I'll go, but you already knew that, didn't you?"
Sean smirked, looking at Xion. The others were shocked by his answer. "Xion, are you sure about this? War is not a game."
"I know, father! I can't let innocents die because that kingdom wants to keep their slaves." Xion said with a small smile, yet his eyes showed he was terrified. 'Of course, war is a game; it's a strategy game that requires patience and understanding of the battlefield.'
"Great! Then we'd best get moving."
"Wait, now?" Asked Venus.
"Of course, Xion needs time to prepare, and we can't wait since one of our outposts was seized."
Xion understood the goal as he looked at Dolan. "Guess it means I won't go to the Academy…" Truth be told, Xion was excited to go, but now it's different.
"Are you going to be okay?" Dolan asked, looking down.
"Of course, I will be, I did have a strong teacher and the best big brother to teach me, and who knows, maybe we will meet again."
Marcus grips Xion up, hugging him tightly, "I'm going to miss you, kid!"
Xion smiled softly, "I will be back, so don't worry…"
As the three hugged him, Lucy didn't know how to say goodbye. She was still helping him adjust to his new life. Marcus and Dolan giggled as Lucy watched. She quickly hurried upstairs, not showing anyone the tears that
flooded her eyes. Xion watched Lucy hurry upstairs; even his heart knew he didn't want to leave.
Outside the bakery, Xion and the others entered a parked car. Each person took a moment to say their heartfelt goodbyes to him, including the mother from the orphanage, her eyes glistening with emotion. Dolan and Xion exchanged a final meaningful glance and nodded subtly, signaling their silent farewell.
"Remember to stick to your daily training, little brother."
"I would say the same to you, big brother."
The two chuckled once more. They had really gotten close since that incident, but now these two were brothers forever.
'No matter what, I won't die… that's a promise.'