Sister Luna gently laid Andrew on the bed and placed her hand over his injuries. A warm, golden glow emanated from her fingertips as she invoked the Earth’s Healing Mystery.
"I’m fine, Sister," Andrew said with a small smile.
Lyra, standing nearby with her arms crossed and brows slightly furrowed, huffed.
"No, you’re not. I should’ve stepped in sooner and beaten the wannabe bully out of him today."
"Lyra, my dear, watch your mouth. We are in the Goddess’s Sanctuary right now, and you know what the Goddess teaches," Sister Luna chided.
Andrew grinned, his voice light with mischief. "No violence unless thou art protecting thy livelihood, life, and loved ones."
"Yes, exactly! Oh! But if you promise to marry Andrew in the future, then it would be okay, since you’d be—"
Before Sister Luna could finish her teasing remark, Lyra cut her off.
"NO!! As if!" she shouted, her face instantly heating up.
Andrew groaned. "Stop teasing us, Sister."
Sister Luna watched the two blushing eight-year-olds with amusement. Their reactions had completely softened her earlier frustration. Deciding not to push further, she stood up to attend to her daily duties, leaving the two embarrassed children alone.
---
Later that Evening
"Oh! Thank you for earlier," Andrew said.
"For what?" Lyra asked, tilting her head.
"Of course, for saving your beloved future lover," Andrew smirked.
Smack!
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
"Stop spouting nonsense, little brother," Lyra retorted, but the redness in her ears didn’t go unnoticed.
Andrew grinned. "Then, little sis, you know what the Mother Goddess says—you shouldn’t hit your elders."
Smack!
"Owww! Hey, what if I start bleeding again?" Andrew whined.
Lyra only rolled her eyes.
---
The Turning Point of History
There was a time when Aura Knights, Grand Wizards, and Divine Bearers stood right below the gods themselves. They were the supreme authorities in this world. However, everything changed with the Great Continental War of Saint Caldrea Year 1723.
That year, for the first time in recorded history, an Arch Spiritist emerged outside the Elvish community. This was soon followed by the Second Great Continental War (1756-1764 SC)—a brutal conflict that coincided with the rise of industrialization.
The cost of these wars was unfathomable. Entire civilizations were wiped out, and the chaos allowed the banished beings of the Cursed Continent to bare their fangs once more.
Yet, amidst the devastation, humans learned something crucial—the art of war. They learned that, with the right tactics, traps, and research, mere mortals could kill beings once thought invincible.
Not gods—no, the gods had long since abandoned this realm, bound by the Laws of the Ancients.
But for the first time, a well-trained group of mechanized magic users—barely at Rank 4—managed to bring down a Rank 6 Aura Swordsman using their slinger-like mechanical tools. A feat once deemed impossible.
There were countless such stories, but in the end, it all came down to one thing: fatigue.
A century of endless wars had drained the world’s will for battle. The international community placed so many checks and balances on war that large-scale conflicts became virtually impossible.
Weapons of mass destruction acted as deterrents.
Gods, though distant, blessed countless oracles to maintain balance.
The Race Treaty ensured peace between species, enforced by severe international laws.
And so, the world entered the Great Industrial Era.
Railways stretched across continents. Air travel became possible. Markets flourished, and races intermingled like never before. Superhuman academies no longer prioritized raw combat ability alone—they placed magic machines and alchemical research on equal footing.
For a time, it seemed like true progress had been achieved.
Until the year 1860 SC.
That was the year when the banished beings struck for the first time since the Great Demonic War of the 11th Century SC.
The world would never be the same again.