Justin volunteered to take the first watch. He sat on the periphery of the camp, far from the fire, staring out into the dark forest. The quiet of the night settled in around him, broken only by the occasional rustling of leaves and the steady crackle of the firewood burning behind him.

He had noticed Lila glancing his way several times during the earlier conversation. Each time Mont Elea was mentioned, her gaze had lingered on him, her brow furrowing slightly, as though she had picked up on his unease.

As the others settled down to sleep, Lila remained by the fire, waiting. After about ten minutes, she quietly got up, careful not to disturb the others. She walked over to Justin, stopping beside him. They stood far enough from the group that their voices wouldn’t carry, the shadowy outlines of the trees surrounding them like a veil of privacy. The frosty night air stung with each breath, and the stars twinkled faintly through gaps in the canopy above.

Lila broke the silence first. “Something’s been eating at you since Harrington’s party. You never explained what you and Valdrik talked about.”

Justin hesitated. The conversation had haunted him since that night, but now, faced with explaining it to Lila, he didn’t know where to begin. How could he explain something that he was still trying to process himself?

“You’re right,” he admitted finally, letting out a long breath. “I’ve been trying to figure out how to tell you, but…Valdrik said some things that have been messing with my head.”

“What things?” she pressed, her green eyes locking onto his.

There was no easy way to explain it, so Justin started at the beginning. He told her everything Baron Valdrik had revealed to him, starting with the fact that Valdrik was an Earther, too. He explained how the Baron had used The Wizard of Oz book to lure Justin and uncover his origins, and how the Templars didn’t just hunt Morvath’s followers—they also hunted Earthers because they were a threat to the balance of power in this world.

Justin continued, telling her about the Terra Club, a group of Earthers who had once banded together but had fallen apart because of internal conflicts. Valdrik had hinted that there were other Earthers out there, somewhere, but he didn’t know where they were.

Lila listened quietly, her expression calm but focused as he spoke.

“And that’s not even the worst part,” Justin said, his voice lowering. He wasn’t sure how she would react to this next revelation—it was the part that had truly unsettled him. “Valdrik said this world—Eyrth—it isn’t real. It’s just a simulation.”

“A simulation?” Lila echoed, her brow furrowing in confusion. “What does that mean?”

“It’s like a false reality,” Justin explained. “A dream created by someone or something from my world. Valdrik said everyone here—except for Earthers—is just part of this simulation. They’re not real.”

Lila stared at him, her green eyes widening slightly. “Not real? You mean, everyone—including me?”

Justin nodded slowly. “Yeah. If he’s right.”

On the surface, Lila remained composed, but Justin could see the flicker of disbelief and even hurt in her eyes. For a moment, she didn’t speak, processing what he’d said.

“And you believe him?” she asked quietly. “This ‘simulation’—is it like the video games you told me and Eldrin about?”

“Sort of,” Justin replied. “Video games from my world are like that—simulated worlds that feel real. Valdrik’s theory is that this place is just another one of those simulations, though on a much larger scale.”

Lila shook her head. “That doesn’t make sense. The Creator breathed the universe into existence. That’s not just some religious belief—everyone here knows it to be true. Even those who disagree on everything else accept that. The Creator is the Breath of Worlds.”

“Maybe the Creator is someone from my world,” Justin suggested.

Lila’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You need to be careful talking like that. The Creator is above all.”

Justin almost wanted to ask her what if that supposed truth wasn’t real. What then? He held himself back for now. “Kargan mentioned something about the voice people hear when they level up. That’s the Creator, right?”

“It’s…complicated,” Lila admitted, her tone softening. “The short answer is yes, that’s the Creator, but it’s one of his Manifestations.” She paused before steering the conversation back. “But let’s stay on track. Does Valdrik have any actual evidence that this world isn’t real?”

Justin considered her question. “His proof is the existence of classes and magic. In my world, we have video games that use the same concepts—classes, levels, skills. Valdrik argues it can’t be a coincidence that those things exist here, too.”

Lila’s face softened, a tinge of sadness creeping into her expression. “So…you think I’m not real?”

“That’s not what I meant,” Justin said quickly. “It’s just—Valdrik’s argument makes sense, in a way. But when I look around, this place feels as real as my world. There’s just this…nagging doubt in the back of my mind. What if he’s right?”

Lila’s gaze hardened. “And how do you know your world isn’t the illusion? Maybe our world is the real one, and yours is the offshoot.”

That thought gave Justin pause, but he still wasn’t convinced. “I guess it’s possible. But Valdrik’s logic makes sense. Classes, levels, and all the rest—they’re things from a game. Not reality.”

Lila shook her head, but there was no anger in her voice. “Even if Valdrik is right, that doesn’t mean we’re not real. Maybe this world is a creation of your world, but we still think, feel, and have our own agency. We’re not just mindless puppets. If something that isn't 'real' is this complex, surely it can generate people who are just as real as you.”

Justin nodded slowly. “You have a point.” He paused, frowning. “Where do classes come from, anyway? Why do they even exist?”

“There are many legends about that,” Lila said. “I can tell you the one I learned growing up in the Church of Light.”

“Please do. Anything helps.”

Lila gathered her thoughts. “Classes are the way mortals connect to the Ether Realm. It’s a gift from the Creator and the Six Gods to the Mortal Races. The classes allow people to access the magic of the Ether Realm. Everyone is born with part of the Core—their Core Attribute—but the other half, the class itself, must be earned.”

“And it’s always been that way?”

“As far as we know, yes. At least, as long as the Mortal Races have existed. Of course, not everyone believes the old legends. Some scholars think classes are just how reality works.”

“And what do you believe?”

“I don’t know,” Lila admitted. “Before meeting you, I would have said the Book of Life is mostly true. But now…I’m not so sure.”

Justin remembered Alistair mentioning the Book of Life. It seemed like a holy text of sorts.

Lila continued. “You already know about the Six Gods, one for each Core Attribute. Above them is the Creator, with his Three Manifestations.”

“Three Manifestations?” Justin asked.

“Yes,” Lila said. “The Creator Supreme is the first. He’s the one who breathed the universe into existence—the source of everything.”

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

“So, who’s the voice we hear when we level up?”

“That’s Veyrith, the Ethereal Voice. It’s the second Manifestation. Veyrith exists everywhere in the Ether Realm, and only those with classes can hear it. Veyrith infuses every spell, every power. It’s another aspect of the Creator.”

These Three Manifestations actually sounded familiar, a lot like the Trinity of Christianity. Another echo of Earth within Eyrth?

“And then there’s Aila, the Phoenix Reborn,” Lila continued. “She’s the Third Manifestation. She’s the Creator’s daughter, and she sacrificed herself to defeat Morvath, descending into the Nether Realm for three days before rising again.”

“So, she’s like…Bird Jesus?” Justin said with a small smile.

Lila gave him a strange look. “I don’t know who that is. But Aila is unique because she started off as mortal but became greater than even the Six Gods.”

Justin’s expression grew serious again. “And what about Morvath? He’s not one of the Six Gods, right?”

“No,” Lila replied. “Morvath is one of the Old Gods, from before the Six Worlds were created. There are Eight of them, and they are further divided into the Four Physical Gods and the Four Spiritual Gods. They're who mages derive their powers from. Besides them, they are a host of other minor deities, with their own followings and motivations. It can get quite complicated.”

Justin nodded, but his thoughts were already spinning. “So, these Old Gods existed before the Creator made the Six Worlds?”

“That’s right,” Lila said. “The Old Gods are ancient—primordial, I suppose you would say. They existed in the Ether Realm, long before the mortal races or even Creation itself were formed. Some say they are the Ether Realm itself, or at least parts of it. They had immense power, tied to the elemental forces of existence. The Four Physical Gods control Fire, Water, Earth, and Air. The Four Spiritual Gods control Life Death, Chaos, and Harmony.”

Justin leaned in. “And Morvath is the God of Death?”

Lila’s expression darkened slightly as she spoke. “Yes, Morvath is the God of Death. But he wasn’t always that way. Some say he was once a God of Endings, not death itself—more like the natural conclusion of things, the passage of time. But as the Ether Realm grew more complex, and as the Creator started shaping Creation, Morvath changed. He became obsessed with control, with claiming all things that ended under his domain. His power twisted into something more sinister.”

Justin frowned. “So, what went wrong?”

Lila took a deep breath, her gaze distant as she recalled the old legends. “According to the stories, the Creator made the Six Gods. Each God was aligned with a Core Attribute. And with them, the Creator also made the Six Mortal Races: Humans, Dwarves, Elves, Orcs, Varkiss, and the Qilungit.”

“What are those last two?” Justin asked. “The Qilungit you said were the Ice Folk, but what about the Varikiss?”

“The Varkiss are lizardmen, basically. You find them mostly in warmer climates and they are pretty rare in this part of the world, which is why you haven’t seen one yet. The Qilungit, sometimes called the Ice Folk, are the opposite, favoring colder climates.”

“Goblins don’t count as a Mortal Race?”

“Goblins are a creation of Nyriss,” Lila said. “But that’s a tangent. Anyway, those are the Six Mortal Races. Mortals populated the Six Worlds, and the Creator appointed the Six Gods to watch over them. Using the class cores, they could gain power to shape Creation, taking on the Attributes of the gods, without becoming as powerful as them.”

“But Morvath still didn’t like that,” Justin guessed, already expecting the next part.

Lila nodded. “Exactly. He and some of the other Old Gods weren’t happy with the new order of things. He saw the rise of mortals and the Six Gods as a threat to his power. With the class cores, which extended life, he saw it as a way of cheating a mortal’s natural ending. So he wanted things to go toward the other extreme. Death is the ultimate end, and if he could bring it to the mortals and Creation, his power would be greater than even the Creator’s, or so he esteemed.”

“So, he started a war?”

“Not just any war,” Lila said, her voice lowering. “The Godswar. Morvath, along with three other Old Gods—Nyriss, the Goddess of Chaos, and Vorthak and Terridan, the Gods of Fire and Earth—rose against the Creator and the Six Gods, while the other four Old Gods, that of Life, Water, Air, and Harmony, remained true. The war that tore through the Ether Realm and the Six Worlds.”

Justin’s pulse quickened as he imagined the devastation. “What were they trying to do?”

Lila hesitated before answering, her gaze steady on his. “Morvath wasn’t content with just killing or controlling the mortals. He wanted to reshape all of Creation, to bend the Six Worlds to his will. To do that, he created something terrible—the Nether Realm, a twisted mirror of the Ether Realm. It was his own realm of power, and through it, he planned to spread death to every corner of existence.”

“So, how was he stopped?”

“The Creator couldn’t intervene directly. That’s part of why he created the Six Gods in the first place—to govern and protect Creation. But even they couldn’t enter the Six Worlds without causing immense damage. The gods could only act through their followers—through mortals.”

“So, mortals were caught in the middle of this war?” Justin asked.

Lila nodded. “Yes. Some mortals sided with Morvath, believing he offered them power over life and death. Others stayed loyal to the Creator. It was a war unlike any other, and the world was nearly destroyed because of it.”

Justin swallowed. “How did it end?”

Lila’s voice dropped to a near whisper. “Morvath’s ultimate weapon was the Harrower. It was unlike anything the world had ever seen—a class of pure destruction. It began as a mortal, a follower of Morvath, but this follower managed what should not have been possible, gaining six class cores. The Harrower swept across Creation, causing devastation beyond comprehension. That’s what we now call the Harrowing.”

“The Harrowing…” Justin echoed, the weight of the word sinking in. “What kind of power did the Harrower have?”

Lila looked away for a moment. “The Harrower’s power was drawn from the Nether Realm. Its magic wasn’t just destructive—it consumed everything in its path. It could unmake reality, tearing apart the very fabric of the Ether Realm and the Six Worlds. The gods and mortals alike were helpless against it.”

Justin’s heart raced as he listened. “Then how did they stop it?”

Lila’s expression softened slightly. “The Creator Supreme sent his daughter, Aila, the Phoenix Reborn, into the world. She was a mortal, just like us. But like the Harrower, she also found six cores, creating a new class to challenge the Harrower. But not just any six cores; she found six Prismatic Cores. With those cores, she created a class called the Phoenix of Light.”

“Phoenix of Light?” Justin asked, remembering the phoenix iconography he had seen in the Church of Light.

Lila nodded. “Yes. Aila confronted the Harrower in a battle that nearly destroyed this world. But in the end, she won. She descended into the Nether Realm, dragging the Harrower with her, and for three days, she fought it in the depths of that terrible place. When she emerged, she had defeated Morvath’s creation and sealed him, along with Nyriss, in the Nether Realm for good.”

“And what happened to the other Old Gods?” Justin asked, leaning forward.

“Vorthak and Terridan, the Gods of Fire and Earth, begged the Creator for mercy,” Lila said. “He granted it to them, and they returned to the Ether Realm. But to this day, many people still distrust Fire and Earth Magic because of their association with the Old Gods.”

“And Chaos Magic?” Justin asked, thinking of Nyriss.

“She remained in the Nether Realm, along with Morvath,” Lila said. “But according to the old stories, Nyriss doesn’t work closely with Morvath. She’s more interested in her own agenda—ruling her little corner of the Nether Realm, where her worshippers, especially among the dwarves and goblins, still grant her power.”

Justin was quiet for a moment, absorbing the enormity of what Lila had told him. If Valdrik was right, all of this was just part of the simulation—a narrative designed to make this world feel real. But if Valdrik was wrong, then the reality Justin found himself in was far more dangerous and complex than he had ever imagined.

“That’s the long answer to your question,” Lila said, breaking the silence. “Classes were the Creator’s gift to the mortals. But the Old Gods didn’t like that gift being given, and four were angry enough about it to start a war that almost destroyed everything. In the end, the mortals were caught in the struggle, used as pawns in a war between the gods. It’s only because of Aila’s sacrifice that anything exists at all.”

Justin shook his head, still processing everything. “What happened to Aila after she defeated the Harrower?”

“Some say she still walks among us,” Lila replied, her voice soft. “Some Adherents of Light believe she lives in the Ether Realm now, alongside the Creator Supreme. But everyone agrees on one thing—at the end of time, she’ll return to finish what she started. She’ll defeat Morvath for good.”

Justin nodded slowly. “I see.”

He pondered the myth. It didn't make total sense, so he was either missing details, or there were naturally holes in the mythology. Even in his own world, most religions were the same way, but it didn't detract from people following those religions.

One thing that stuck out to him was the possibility of gaining six Prismatic Cores, one for each Core Attribute. Eldrin had mentioned it took three cores, and at least one Prismatic Core, to make an Ascendant Class. But if this legend was true, it should be possible to go even higher than that. Justin wasn't sure if it was a one-time thing, or a possibility that was open even now.

Lila’s voice broke him from his thoughts. “Listen, Justin. Whatever Valdrik said, don’t let it twist your mind. Whether or not this world is a dream, it’s real enough for us. And I’m real enough. I want you to know that.”

Justin met her gaze, seeing the earnestness in her eyes. “I believe you.”

For the first time that night, he felt a sense of clarity. Lila was real—whether this world was real didn’t change the fact that she was standing right in front of him, a person with thoughts, emotions, and her own story. That, at least, was something he could hold onto.

“You should get some rest,” Justin said. “There’s still a couple of hours left on my watch.”

“I will. I just want you to know if you need to get away from all this, or find some answers, I can help you. Seems like Eldrin is set on Mont Elea, and I know that’s probably the last place you want to go.”

Justin's eyes widened slightly. It was as if she were reading his thoughts. "I'll keep that in mind."

“Good night, Justin.”

Justin watched her walk away, his mind filled with questions. Should he tell Eldrin and Kargan what he had told Lila? He trusted them both, but Eldrin’s goal of reaching the Templars filled him with unease.

By the time Bohemond came to relieve him of his watch, Justin was still no closer to finding the answers.