Back on the Helliones Continent, at the far northeastern corner, beside one of the lower ridges of the Lunar Mountain.
After Millus introducing the new flavors brought by a humble salt and pepper to Lina and Kaela, he wandered off along the mountainside, trying to seek solitude.
After a while he found a quiet spot at the edge of a cliff, overlooking a vast valley and an ancient forest in the distance. The cold, clean air rushed around him, while a heavy silence pressed against his thoughts.
'Ever since I came to this world… I haven't felt like myself, I've done questionable things that I wouldn't even be able to do before. What's happening to me?'
Then, Veda's voice echoed softly in his mind, her tone was comforting and oddly familiar.
'What seems to be bothering you?'
Millus hesitated before asking. 'Veda… your voice, why do you… sounded familiar...' He stopped himself, he sensed that his question would just bring more weight to his thoughts.
Instead, he spoke aloud. "Are you truly what, or who, you claim to be?"
'Yes. I am, Like I said, I was born from your consciousness, I am a part of you, the moment you left your old world and entered that place, I came to be,' Veda replied gently.
Millus, still seated at the cliff's edge, his thoughts were already heavy as is, then he muttered, "I understand… You know, I don't like being watched from the dark, is there something you want from me?... Kaela?"
Kaela blinked in surprise, watching him from afar. She hadn't made a sound, yet he sensed her. Curiosity stirred inside her, and she approached him, landing quietly behind him.
She stood in her humanoid form, she was naked, tall, and athletic. Her long, grayish hair flowed like a wild river, two wolf-like ears twitching atop her head. Her golden, predatory eyes gleamed with mana as she looked down at him.
"I'm curious about you," Kaela said, one of her sharp fangs was peeking from her lips in a mischievous smile. "So I came here to ask a few questions and clear up something."
Without turning to look at her, Millus responded flatly, "Then what is it that you want to know that you followed me?"
"Then turn around first," she said.
"No, you're naked. At least wear something, like Lina does," he replied without hesitation, "Are you some exhibitionist or something?"
Kaela scoffed. "Exhi- what? Well anyway, so what? Is that a problem? What's more important are the questions that needs answering."
Millus sighed and stood up and threw her a cloak, before finally turning to face her. "...Alright, ask away then."
Kaela did not understand what to do with the cloak and just wrapped it around to cover her body, then she scanned him slowly, from head to toe, before she gave a wicked smile. "So, you are a male after all. I understand that you want to mate, but now isn't the time."
Millus closed his eyes and exhaled. "It's a normal physical reaction, and for your information, I don't want to."
She chuckled. "You say that, but your lower body's telling a different story. You'll have to defeat me before you earn that right to mate with me."
"Stop that idiotic nonsense, just ask your questions and leave me alone," he said, annoyance rising in his tone.
"Well, too bad, I just found you to be a perfect mate, I'm untainted, no one has bested me since my conception into this world. But enough of that, my questions come first."
Millus narrowed his eyes. "I'm not in the mood for your games. We may have shared food today, but yesterday you tried to kill me. Now this? Stop dragging it out. Speak."
Kaela shrugged. "Alright then, firstly, how can you understand me?" Her eyes narrowed. "Only those born with nature's blessing can speak the language of spirits. Yet you don't seem to be a pure being, you're clearly a child of the night, but the spirits seem fond of you, especially the dark ones. And you're not tied to any deity, and yet you gained that after fighting that fool. You're not an abomination either, and especially not a demon. So… what are you? Where did you come from?"
Her voice dropped into something colder. "Don't misunderstand, I've been watching you ever since we exchanged blows, until you defeated the corrupted one. I need to know if you're just another intruder… or something far worse. An anomaly."
Millus stayed silent, he was carefully processing her words.
'She's sharp, that was a barrage of questions and I can't answer half of them, not truthfully. I don't even know who I am anymore… those are the same questions that I'm even asking myself'
He looked at her again. Kaela is different now, she is radiating power in waves. Her mana burst outward, bending the air and shaking the ground. The spirits even scattered in fear, monsters even fled the mountainside and creatures from the ancient forest below retreated into silence.
'Could I defeat her if she gave her everything? …I'd survive, probably, but the cost would be devastating, right now she's a walking calamity, like a volcano waiting to erupt, I guess… I have no choice.'
Millus let out a breath. "Alright, I'll answer. But first, stand down and withdraw your pressure."
Kaela studied him, then slowly nodded. The overwhelming force receded, and silence returned.
Millus exhaled again. "So… would you believe me if I said I came from another world? That I was thrown here without my memories?"
Kaela folded her arms, thoughtful. "Alright, I believe you… for now."
Millus blinked his eyes dumbfounded. 'That easily? Can she tell the truth from lies?'
As if reading him, Kaela added,
"I know what you're thinking based on your reaction, but you're wrong. I asked the moon if you were lying, the moon believed you. So how can I not trust something as old as the world, which is older than a primordial dragon?"
Millus blinked and sat down again. He explained what he could, about how he could understand her and Lina. How he had tried to block the ability but heard her for the first time, her voice sounded otherworldly beautiful.
Kaela listened and nodded, her sharp eyes reading between the lines. He held back the most important parts, Veda, the system that erased his memories, his former world, and the unknown force that hurled him through dimensions.
Millus exhaled slowly. "Now, it's my turn to ask you, what is this world called?"
Kaela tilted her head, struggling to remember. "I… don't know. I'm still young, you know. I'm just a few thousand years old…" she muttered. "I've never left this mountain."
Millus rubbed his temples. "I didn't ask for your age… sigh. So much for being wise. I guess age doesn't guarantee wisdom."
Kaela glared at him, ears twitching. "HEY! Are you calling me old and stupid, huh? You whelping little-"
"I just want my memories back…," Millus cut her off, his voice sounding low and tired.
Something in his words gave Kaela a pause. Her eyes softened slightly, 'Right, being brought to another dimension and forced to accept everything for the first time is…' she continued.
"Then maybe… I have something for you. Traveling to the central continent, a warrior that looks strong came to seek me once. He wanted me to join him and his group to fight against the old deities that govern this world."
Millus's eyes sharpened. "Fight the gods? Why? And when did that person come to find you?"
Kaela burst into laughter. "HAHAHA! Foolish one! You think real gods would lower themselves to this world? They're too busy fighting each other. And if one descended, do you think the others would allow it? This world would collapse beneath their presence. Those 'gods' they're talking about? Pseudo-gods. Pretenders."
She scoffed. "Oh and I think it was something like twenty years ago? Well those pseudo gods reset this world every ten thousand years or so. To Keep the mortals in check and harvest their fate. They change the geography, wipe the memories, and start everything over. Disgusting bunch."
Millus's voice grew cold. "And you're worried about me disrupting the natural order, when they're the ones erasing and rewriting the world? How do you even know all this? You've never left the mountain."
Kaela's gaze turned sharp again. "Don't assume things, if I could leave, I'd hunt them down myself. But every time they reset the world, the spirits are reborn stronger. They keep the population in check to prevent the planet from breaking under its own weight. They reshape continents, erase bloodlines… commit evil no sane being would ever unleash on their own kind."
She paused, then raised a finger, pointing toward the moon.
"As for the gods, I've never spoken to one. I'm not worthy in their eyes, but there are… others. Spirit Kings, Celestials and mortals with great achievements."
Millus followed her gesture, the moon hung in the night sky like a silver crown. It glowed brighter than ever, it was calm, soft, and serene.
'This light… It's warm. No, soothing. Like sunlight on a frozen day. Have I… just been too distracted to notice this?'
Kaela gave a faint smile. "You really are one with the night children. Think about what I've told you, who knows, you might find your answers there."
Millus rose to his feet. "Wait a minute, The god your moon follows… Do you know their name?"
Kaela's expression turned grim, her voice dropped.
"Don't ever speak a god's name carelessly, they're proud… sensitive and self centered. Especially the lowest of them, If someone powerful speaks their name-"
She walked closer to Millus and looked directly into his eyes.
"They'll hear it, and if it's someone like you… They won't just listen, they'll come."
End of chapter.