Atop the highest mountain in the Sea of Mystery, on November 11th, 3125, as Apollis spoke the name Aaron Grimstall at exactly six in the afternoon, there was a feeling that emerged slowly.
Azaroth Pane furrowed his brow in confusion, his mouth sliding open to respond before that pressure could erupt.
He was too late.
The endlessly deep pit behind the Architect exploded with pressure, a beam of crystalline orange light shooting straight into the atmosphere.
Not only the Sovereign of Chains, but also the man who had sealed Great Ones stared upward in absolute awe.
Across the world, a light brighter than that of the attack waged by Masaru Kurogane illuminated the Gates of Heaven.
In every dimension around the universe, to every human who drew breath, to the souls of the Great Beyond and the gods in heaven, life wilted.
One year was simultaneously retracted from the lifespan of all life in the entire universe before one could even blink.
To immortals who existed outside the well of time, mana equal to that of a year was sapped without delay, all flowing into one single spot in a dimension without neighbors.
The doors of the Vault of Nautilus cracked ever-so-slightly as Aaron Grimstall emerged from the icy fog that had consumed the room.
Cauron Thorn had vanished, only the four other teenagers and the Knights of Crimson watching in absolute confusion as the boy returned.
To the child who had just emerged, the world around him was now five hours ahead of when he had entered at one.
Not only that, but he couldn't quite describe the emotions that echoed through his body as his mind reconstructed itself, the voice of Penelope returning in a flash.
『AARON!』
Her voice was faded as the deity inside his mind subdued her shouts, the place in his head from where the Naelith once rested now filled with something new.
As he took a step forward and the dust cleared around him, he gazed upon his fellow challengers, their faces wrought with confusion.
"Is that an…"
The Supreme Pontifex furrowed his brow at the sight of the egg, his mouth opening wide before bursting into laughter.
"AN EGG! HE BROUGHT BACK AN EGG!"
Of course, to those situated within a cavern devoid of the light of the surface, one could assume that the egg was nothing more than that; however, when the blinding orange hue that filled the atmosphere was taken into account, one could begin to connect the dots.
But in the present, none knew of such a scene, their minds working fervently to decode why the first-ranked challenger would choose an egg of all things.
"Aaron…?"
Akari walked over, tilting her head to get a better look at the orange object within his hands.
It was about the size of a dragon's egg; however, this one was scaly, not slimy like the draconic breeds.
"Is it some type of weapon?"
Raphael appeared by his side, following the pink-haired girl's lead of trying to examine the object and figure out why he would choose such a thing.
"C'mon! It's obviously some cool artifact!"
Ezra broke into the mix, pushing the white-haired noble out of the way for a better look at the item.
Alaric stood back beside the three Knights of Crimson who stared in absolute dismay at the strange instance.
Never before had they seen someone bring out an egg from the vault; the oddity of the situation was too confusing to even question.
Aaron, who was tired from his time in the vault, sat down on the stone steps that led up to the double doors, his eyes droopy as he spoke aloud.
"Where's Lord Thorn?"
It was an obvious question to ask, one that he expected to have a simple answer, yet much to his surprise, the seven others in the room went pale.
"H-he said he felt something that shouldn't exist right after you entered…"
The black-haired boy who now sat beside him answered his question quickly, an unknown variable beginning to appear.
Preparing to ask another query, he was interrupted by a sudden and sharp voice from the woman inside his head.
『BELOW!』
Slamming his hands to his ears at the loud noise that cut off quickly, he watched as the people in the real world around him stared at him oddly, their faces even more confused.
Composing himself quietly, he stood up, his eyes glancing over at the caves that led deeper into the island.
"I would assume he went down there, correct?"
There was a simultaneous nod throughout the group, a heavy sigh coming from the boy's throat as he tightened his grip on the egg.
"Well then, I shall follow him."
The Knights of Crimson interjected before he could even finish the sentence, their words harsh and unrelenting.
"Absolutely not. Those tunnels stretch out for kilometers and could lead you straight into the dried magma—"
Aaron interrupted the Supreme Pontifex without hesitation, his own voice thick with determination.
"Is there an issue?"
Moving the egg exclusively into his left hand and against his shoulder, where he balanced it precariously, he placed his right onto his hip, where Ocean's Bane flashed turquoise.
Pulling gently on its hilt, a wave of pressure so vast that it consumed the room emerged without delay, Penelope's false aura that resembled the Old Man's slamming into the Knights of Crimson.
All but the Pontifex paled fast, not daring to respond under the pressure that, while fake, was still so vile that they considered slitting their own throats rather than face head-on.
"Well, with that…"
He turned to his friends and Alaric.
"I'll see you soon."
…
Cauron Thorn stared at the incarnated form of Augustus Twynam with disgust written across his face.
It had taken him mere minutes to reach the bottom, but a barrier blocking his entry had been installed by someone so proficient in magecraft that it took him hours to decode.
Unbeknownst to him, the elites of the Seven Head Order had already triggered the chambers' defense protocols, causing that very barrier to come into existence, blocking any entrance or exit.
Every second he had wasted trying to shatter it had felt like years, the images of that day echoing in his mind like they had been burned behind his eyes.
Yet now, as the clock struck six o' five, he stood staring into the ruined magma chamber that smelled of ash and blood.
Near the center, a tiny girl was sprawled out with nearly all her bones broken and her presence fading fast.
Three adults with the aura of a Devil tried fighting against the new foe, only to lose, lose, and lose again.
However, now that a Sea King had appeared, the attention of the incarnation shifted away from the Seven Head Elites.
"I watched you die."
The orange-haired man's words were cold and solemn, his right hand flashing with sparks only to reveal a metal hammer a moment later.
Augustus Twynam did not speak, nor could it, a simple recreation modeled after the man as he drew his last breath in the Holy Capital sixty years ago.
Before Thorn could even react, the illusory copy was on him, its false sword swinging in an arc so dangerous that he sensed his own death.
Slamming his hammer into the air, a barrier of Forever Magic erupted into existence, the gentle hum of electricity mixed with mana emerging at once.
It did not stop the illusion; however, its form danced around, striking at the hastily constructed shield until cracks began to form.
The man gritted his teeth as he reinforced it with all his might, his glasses erupting with Divine Interference.
『Prismatic Hourglass』
Light refracting off the molten magma crossed the barrier between the spectrum of color, its radiance being converted into force and slamming into the illusory figure without delay.
His body flung backwards, landing beside the seal that it fought valiantly to protect even after death.
Cauron stared at the scene before him, taking it all in while deciphering what was truly happening.
It's one of the seals… Its blessing is the remembrance of the dead and the restraint of magma… The injured humans watching me are of the Seven Head Order…
With knowledge far surpassing any other, he figured out the entire situation in mere moments, his eyes darting around with their enhanced ability.
Gripping his hammer tight, he prepared for another barrage from the illusory man; however, he watched as its eyes turned back to behind where the Sea King stood.
Furrowing his brow in confusion, he turned his gaze slightly towards the entrance, a look of shock and surprise following as he noticed a familiar face walk in.
Aaron Grimstall, having leaped down the caves without any sane thought running through his head, had appeared in the room.
Similar to Cauron, while the caves were vast and nearly endless like a labyrinth, if one could sense a direct landmark, a simple descent was guaranteed.
So, within the span of ten minutes, he had appeared from the Vault of Nautilus and into the underground chamber.
In his left hand, he held an egg that was unfamiliar to the Sea King yet radiated a power of life itself, rivaling his own.
What could he possibly…
Removing Ocean's Bane from his hilt, Aaron gently placed the egg down on a solid rock, holding the hilt of his longsword with both hands.
He knew he was out of his league in this cavern full of monsters; however, he had a duty to try, and try he would as he swung his sword with all his might.