"First of all, I need you to promise me, no matter what, you must never tell anyone what I'm about to share with you."
Zoey clenched her fists, taking a moment to regain her composure. She nodded seriously, deciding that it was better to know than remain in the dark.
"Alright," she said.
Lumindra nodded in return before continuing.
"Aerithis." Lumindra began. "That's what you all call the spirit realm, our true home. It's a world filled with spiritual energy far beyond anything you see here. It's vast, much larger than Eldoralth, but now… it's on the brink of destruction."
Zoey's brow furrowed in confusion. "Destruction? What's happening?"
"Exactly what you're currently facing here," Lumindra explained. "Our world is under attack by an alien race. And no, it's not the Zorvans. These invaders are many times more powerful than them. We've been fighting for centuries, but we're losing."
Zoey froze, her mind racing. It was a lot to process. Beings more powerful than the Zorvans? Another world? The information left her heart pounding.
The inhabitants of Eldoralth had always been aware of the possibility of other worlds, especially after the arrival of the Zorvans. But this revelation, that they weren't the only threat, left Zoey shaken.
If Eldoralth managed to repel the Zorvans, what then? Would they live in constant fear of attack from other worlds?
As her thoughts spiraled, a chilling realization dawned on her. Zoey turned to Lumindra, her voice trembling.
"And that's why spirits are coming here?"
Lumindra nodded without hesitation.
"Yes," she confirmed. "Aerithis has always been the home for spirits. But if we lose it… we'll have nowhere to go. Eldoralth is our contingency plan. Some spirits have already crossed over to integrate into this world. But if the worst happens, we'll need this world as our sanctuary."
Zoey struggled to process the gravity of it all, but one question clawed at her. She decided to focus on the matter at hand.
"Then… the spirit that appeared in Sector 8?"
Lumindra's expression darkened. She hesitated briefly, then spoke.
"That spirit… his name is Ozeroth."
Zoey couldn't explain it, but just hearing the name sent a chill through her. "Who is he?"
Lumindra's hand clenched tightly, and her voice took on a sharper edge.
"He's the most prideful, insufferable spirit to have ever existed. I've never met anyone so full of themselves in my life."
Zoey could practically feel the hate radiating from Lumindra. It was the first time she had seen her spirit show such open hostility toward someone.
"I'll tell you about this arrogant fool…"
Zoey listened intently as Lumindra began recounting Ozeroth's past.
According to her, Ozeroth had been born a Tier 1 spirit, just like every other spirit in Aerithis. But he was different.
He rose through the ranks faster than anyone in Aerithis's history. He fought in wars, dominated entire armies, and left everyone scrambling in his wake.
By the time Ozeroth reached the peak of Tier 7, the highest rank before becoming a king, he was practically untouchable.
Because of his unmatched power and achievements, the Spirit King himself summoned Ozeroth to grant him the title of Primarch, the highest honor for Tier 7 spirits. As a Primarch, Ozeroth would serve as a general to the king.
But on that day, Ozeroth did something that left the entire spirit world stunned.
He refused to bow.
Standing before the Spirit King and the other Primarchs, Ozeroth uttered words that silenced the entire chamber.
"Bows are for the lesser. I am lesser than none."
The silence that followed stretched for long, tense seconds.
Then, the room erupted into chaos.
The Primarchs, enraged, accused Ozeroth of treason and attacked him on the spot.
Ozeroth had nonchalantly fought them all. But, what many had never believed possible occurred, he single-handedly defeated all the Primarchs.
The entire spirit world erupted into a frenzy. It was something never seen before, an occurrence no one thought possible. The Primarchs had always been considered equals in strength, yet someone who hadn't even been granted the title had defeated them all on his own. The shock was intense.
Then, the Spirit King intervened.
Their clash shook all of Aerithis, their spiritual energy threatening to tear the world apart.
However, the Spirit King was king for a reason.
Ozeroth was slowly losing ground. It became obvious that, should the battle continue, the king would win. Yet, as prideful as Ozeroth was, he was even more stubborn. He refused to give up, refused to back down.
If the battle continued, all of Aerithis would be destroyed. Because of this, the Spirit King chose to back down.
After the battle ended, with many parts of the world left in ruins, as though none of it was his concern, Ozeroth simply turned and walked away with a low, rumbling chuckle that reverberated through the ruined world.
But that wasn't even what infuriated the Spirit King and the rest of the Primarchs the most.
As Ozeroth left, he went to a location right beside the Spirit King's palace and built an estate. At its entrance, he placed a signboard with words that made their blood boil:
"I Am Not Your Subject. You Are Not My King. Know Your Place."
The Spirit King seethed, but he couldn't act. Aerithis had already suffered enough, and another battle between them could destroy it completely.
Eventually, to avoid further conflict, the Spirit King moved his palace to another part of the planet. The majority of the spirits followed their king, leaving Ozeroth.
Zoey couldn't hide her amazement. Now she understood why Lumindra was so unsettled.
"Why is he here now, in Eldoralth?" Zoey asked.
Lumindra's expression turned grim. "I don't know. But if Ozeroth is here, it's not for a friendly visit. He doesn't meddle in petty things. Whatever brought him here, it's big, and it can't be good."
"But… what makes him so much more powerful than the others? How did he withstand your king?"
Lumindra sighed. "It's his aspect. Every Tier 7 spirit has one, an absolute power tied to our very essence. Ozeroth's is Omnicognition. His aspect allows him to comprehend all forms of spiritual energy and their interactions instantly."
"He can learn and counter any ability used against him after seeing it once, constantly evolving in battle."
Zoey's eyes widened. That was some incredible power.
She exhaled heavily. "What do we do?"
"We hope he doesn't care about us. Because if Ozeroth's interested in something, or someone, nothing will stop him."
Her gaze darkened. "And if it's who I think it is… then I don't even know what to say."
Zoey's expression shifted as the image of a white-haired, handsome boy appeared in her mind.
As the two of them conversed, the paragons of the human domain were in a frenzy.