Ethereal Paradigm 17 Atlas To a World Unknown

-Aldous Huxley

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As the overwhelming charisma amidst the atmosphere began to grow more potent, people started appearing. Some at a nearby building's rooftop. Some were poking their heads out of their apartment's window and below, the roads which were busy with moving high-end cars stopped its operations as drivers stood up from their seat to behold the extraordinary scene up above.

"So they intend to finish us all even before the warfare starts? Celes. Stay with me! Young man! Stay with your goddess and brace for impact!" Deus hastily converged to a defensive stance.

"Lacrimosa, what do we do?"

"I suggest you enjoy this last scenery of a normal world"

Now, what did she say?

"Are we gonna die?"

"Fortunately no. That man is someone far worse than a scum if he were to obliterate us before the official commencement of the game. He is planning something else entirely." Lacrimosa said as if she is acquainted with that viscount-like figure.

"What is he planning then?" I asked.

"I don't know, maybe teleport this island to a new world?"

Is she serious? How did she know about this? Is she somewhat connected with that man?

"Lacrimosa! So it's true, that you already teamed up with them!" Deus suddenly talked in anger while embracing fear.

"My my, again I ask you. On what basis can you say that?"
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"How else could you put on that confidence! Why then did you not show up in our gathering? How then did you know that he is planning something else and not destroy us here so he could reclaim his right ?"

"My-my! I highly recommend you think out of your cute box Deus. Did you think that I joined those in opposition just because I did not show in the first-day registry? Well, isn't it too trivial for me in the first place to attend a meeting as instructed by someone inferior?"

"What do you mean by that. W-wait are you calling an archangel inferior?!?"

"Yes. I can't even find myself appearing in those meetings instructed by the most powerful one and you expect me to submit my time to your little gamble? FYI. I was even forced to choose my Herrscher by Hermes, if that did not happen, I could have not brought this boy here to become my pawn."

"So you're saying?-"

"I'm glad you caught up. Correct. I am still to choose which faction I would plead my allegiance to. Although, you could say that I'm also a threat, not in a way that you're aiming to eradicate me in our reunion. That's just harsh to treat a young lady." The lady proclaimed.

"That- makes sense. "The phantom understood.

"Just to remind you though, you're already 997 years old. You call that young?" Deus added. If I were to impersonate him in the four major characteristics of anime girls, he will without a doubt fall under the "tsundere" type.

"Of course judging from my beautiful face! ...And how I might have known what he's planning you ask? Simple. Look at that magic circles that my Herrscher mistook to be four suns in its dawn. Surely, the hieroglyphs do not state that it is destructive" she said to further clarify the misunderstanding.

What? Hieroglyphs? What is that supposed to be? While I question myself that, Deus then ceased from his defensive mannerism and started to look at the magical circles himself. As well as Celes.

"Yo-you're right" Deus claimed.

"Sire, It is something else" Celes seconded to the thought.

"What? What's right? What is this 'something else' supposed to be?" I once again found myself drifting in a world of questions.

"It's not a destructive spell. "

"Right"

"So, he is planning something entirely perhaps?"

"That's the best hypothesis for now"

I understood too little of their conversation. That is to be expected though.

Reaching about five-three thousand feet up, the feared figure ceased to go any further and apparently he draws his golden-encrusted sword and from there, raised it on air. It was shining in its might and with immense power that I could feel several feet below, to say the least. And then an echoing yet calm and majestic voice started to project through the air.

"Ego præcipio tibi magnus Atlas, mitto haec insula ad novum mundum de untrended", the man in black dress blues enchanted. I assume that this would be another summoning spell or the likes, but I know it's the most powerful than that of the other two that I already witnessed. I even speculate that it would be far too trivial to actually contrast this one with when Celes summoned her sword nor with the time wen Lacrimosa summoned the fire spirit "Ignitress", judging from the atmosphere alone.

You could hear nothing. Not the winds, nor the flashing waves of the nearby sea. Not a noise of a busy city with approximately a million inhabitants. It's as if, nature is even afraid to make a little sound in his presence. All you could hear is the man's whimsical voice that is very heinous to be defined through simple terms as he uttered those Latin lexica.

"So, he is planning to summon Atlas", Lacrimosa inferred as if she understood the chanting spell that echoed through our ears.

"I hate to admit it but yes. And I know for quite sure that this is more than of a fireworks display. Celes, brace for impact, you're gonna see something very ugly. You too young man!", the phantom suggested.

"Oh, you probably should not worry about that boy. He is a lot stronger than you expect."

"Hmmm."

Well, I know why she would not worry if I were to see something horrific. I lost the ability to feel fear several years ago. Starting from that night that changed my life exponentially.

Then, the next we saw was a very large rift in the sky. It was like a wormhole or something and from its darkness, gushed forth this ominous aura. The size is on par with the island itself and the western and eastern part of the island whirlpools suddenly emerged out of nowhere, suggesting that something very big is soon to ascend.

The majority of the masses currently seeing the large tear on the sky and several other abnormalities began to cower in fear of what's going to happen next. I saw that some were from my class, holding unto their shopping essentials, bags, and whatnot. Seeing them in fear, I presume that not everyone in this city just came here to take part in the warfare. I believe that some of them decided to come here, in the hope of living anew. And now here they are, trapped in a miserable magical carnage that they least expected.

In contrast with those in fear, several fathomable others were surprisingly calm. It was as if, they too are already acquainted with supernatural events, just like us. I assume that they are also herrschers, and in them lies the will of their deities. Well, is it just me or my sense of sight has gone up? It's almost like I can zoom in on things and still get the highest of resolutions.

Back on the display, I once again found myself observing the man walking on air while raising his sword of noble- like origins.

The deity, walking on the air, which is the perpetrator of these abnormalities redrew his sword in its golden encrust. Calmly and majestically.

It was not that moment after, the four massive magical teleportation circles interlinked with each other, forming this golden bubble-like structure with the artificial city at the center. It was as if, we were trapped like lab rats in the hand of a mad scientist.

Then, at the giant tear on the sky, a thunderous roar started to sound that made the wind and the waters extremely violent, with the masses in the brink of fear and confusion. It was not yonder that the sky began to darken with massive bolts of lightning appearing to and fro, flashing in the skies... And something appeared on the rift. A giant scary- looking gargoyle head crying with blood. Its size was so great that it could without a doubt, eat the island whole in one gulp.

The masses began to panic in disparage. Even Celes started to take cover. It was the utter image of doomsday, except something has just begun.

After the putrid head appeared, something very gargantuan and monstrous also started to ascend from the occurring whirlpools. It was the gargoyle's, monstrous hands and in aggression, it started to struggle the island that it might break to pieces. But, fortunately, that bubble-like barrier from the four massive magical circles kept us intact together inside. The ground shook with a very potent earthquake, except it was not natural. Some buildings went blazing in flames. If it was not of the island's interior and exterior design being surprisingly standard, no one could survive this.

Fear, carnage, confusion, and death began to mingle in the atmosphere. Casualties were at its bare minimum, but several lives were lost in one wake alone of that man. And then, like a toy, the whole island was carried by the giant gargoyle towards the rift where its head first appeared.

As my vision shifted to that from day to a deep noir, I unprecedentedly sensed power surging in my veins. Well, maybe this is from the quirk of Lacrimosa. Drawing power from sadness and this place as of today are in no exception. It became a source from which she could draw her power from. I looked at the goddess. It was the first for me.

I saw her brimming in anger while the viscount-like perpetrator slowly descended to the ground and suddenly disappeared without a trace. Like vapor. No one was able to stop him. Not one was able to hinder him in his will. Everyone and everything just trembled in his countenance as if it was a natural reaction.

Celes and Deus hastily jumped from the rooftop to help those people caught up in the attack, while Lacrimosa was there, with this rather sad demeanor while visible power came emanating from her body.

So I was correct in our first meeting...That this lady, claiming herself to be the Goddess of Disambiguation, could also feel sad at times.

"Lacrimosa, are-you-?"

"Tsk. Curse this game! It forces us to choose what fate we want humanity to have. We settle it by an endless gamble knowing that no matter what fate they will have, it will always be sad that they will soon face. it's just plain juvenile!" The goddess exclaimed.

I can somehow relate to her feeling. I was also imagining it earlier... What if I will choose to save humanity? That will be like nothing more but staving the apocalypse that awaits. What if I favor damnation? I somehow feel that hope is not yet completely quenched. To neglect such an opportunity would be unfortunate for the future generation. I somehow want to continue watching them in their foolishness and ingenuity. In their breakthroughs and their retrogression.

No matter what I choose, a part of me neglects the philosophy by presenting another valid argument. It's a contraction between the mind and of the heart. And I don't even know which of which belongs to the one, or the other. In other words, it is a complete paradox judging from my perspectives. And I also can quite think, that this perspective might also be of the same with Lacrimosa's. She can gain power with sadness. She needs the power to continue. But she also doesn't see herself getting accustomed to such hurtful emotions.

At any means. Lacrimosa choosing to be nothing more but a spectator in this game, not choosing where she would take side, is the best and the most authentic choice.

The city was at a complete out a roar. Cries can be heard everywhere. Loud alarms were sounding at every corner. You could see ambulances passing to and fro without end. You could also see several people helping each other rise up from the ground. While here we both are... in a rooftop of a University surging in immense power while sadness continued to envelop the island...naturally.

The moment, the whole island got sucked into the vast rift on the sky, complete darkness envelops us whole. Without the sun for the operation of solar-powered technologies, nothing but auxiliary power sources supported the street lights. It was complete chaos. Underneath my toes, I could still feel the trembling of the ground which suggests that the giant gargoyle could still be carrying us to a place I know nothing of.

While Lacrimosa was still brimming with her anger and while she was deep in her thoughts, I decided to come down to the city to see if I could help someone still in trouble. I just figured I could lend Celes a little helping hand...It's not an act of heroism. It's just that, seeing Lacrimosa like that makes my heart bleed a little. Seeing her further could have nullified my wish that I might never feel that crappy emotion again. It could have been in vain.

I hastily let out of my pen, to control its ink like some hovering object. Then at one of the residential areas, three blocks from the university's main building I sense someone inside of this house that is about to collapse at any moment. Anyway, someone could be injured it would be bad if I were to take leisure.

I opened its gates and entered through the main door. Thank goodness it was not locked. Then as I explored in its empty hallways, I can hear someone crying. A little girl. I hurriedly followed the voice and forced my way open on a bedroom that was locked. The moment I got accessed to the place, a little girl was there, crying while holding onto her teddy bear. And in front of her, a lady and a man which both symbolized the child, was lying dead. The little girl gave me no attention. She was fixed on hugging her toy while sobbing and crying, saying...

"Mama. Papa. Let's go outside. It's dark here I'm scared."

"Mama. Papa. I- I am scared. Please wake up."

I don't know why, but the moment I saw her. I was reminded of myself. It was the same. It was at this moment that you'd wish they were only sleeping. That you'd wish you had died with them. But, the reality is cruel. One way or another it will give you a massive blow that will make you think, you can't stand up anymore. Somehow being in this perspective, I can see myself in Lacrimosa's point of view, when she saved me that night.

Slowly and calmly, with a delicate yet pure smile, I started approaching the little girl. I then took hold of her gently, holding her in my arms like she was my own.

"Wh-who are you? are you, friends, with the monster?", the little girl asked in fear, doubting if I was a stranger with evil intents.

Monster? Oh, she might have had seen that ugly-looking giant gargoyle.

"No. That monster is a bad guy. I dislike bad guys."

"That monster killed my family mister."

"Yeah. I know." I replied while the little girl seemed to start calming down and as she started to feel reassured for my presence.

"Why do you know? Your mama and papa, killed by the monster too?"

"My mama and papa huh. True. They were killed too in front of me. Although it's a different type of monster, Something scarier. " Having said that, a picture of my brother suddenly instilled within my mind. Pictures of him being a big brother and memories of him being a mad animal.

"There are lots of monster mister?"

"Yes. Lots of them"

"I'm scared"

"Oh. No need for that now. Onii-chan is here"

"Oni-chan? "

"Yes. Are you hungry? Let's eat outside"

"Wait. Oni-chan mama and papa they-" The girl once again looked at her parents.

"Oh. There's no need to worry about them. They are now safe" I replied as though with the most cliche response there is. I can't' help it. I can't think of anything else to comfort her grief. I would humbly apologize to this girl's parents in the next life.

"Uh. I understand oni-chan!" the little girl replied with a sad, yet brave demeanor. Something that a child should not be able to make.

"Such a brave girl. Good. Good. What do you want to eat? I have lots of money you know"

"Fried chicken and french fries!"

"Ok, let's go"

Having said that, I carried the girl outside the house without looking back. It was as if, all the black she had in her heart was wiped away by an unknown force. I don't want this girl to be the same as me. I can't have the memory be injected in her mind forever. It must be erased at all costs. She deserves to be happy. She deserves to live a life of colors. Not like mine, colorless as the moon from that night, emotionless, and a life diagnosed to have "Dementia" by de facto doctors.

I continued to walk trending my feet upon these wide roads, towards a near food chain. The girl as though comforted fell to a deep slumber while being held into my arms, still with sobbing. Come to think of it. I forgot to ask her her name. Well, maybe later. For now, I should get what I promised to her. Fried chicken and french fries. Such a minimalist. Let's add something to that, shall we?

Chapter end