Ciel. 1001 years ago.

Isaac led Reylynn and their companions at a foot-blistering pace back through the gate. The smooth blue walls surrounding them shifted to purple the deeper they went before they arrived at a dark violet chamber with three blue crystal pillars, reminiscent of the seven pillars within Caer Siddi.

The left-most one showed Reylynn’s home, Fel, from its empty, almost ghostly, courtyard. The right-most one was unassigned, but the center one was the one they needed to enter. Beyond the glass pane-like window was a crystal room much like the one he was standing in, but there were many more blue crystals, twelve in total. A small, floating pink orb sat in the middle of the chamber.

The Architect.

Isaac stepped through the pillar and into the room. The pink crystal’s appearance changed to that of a somewhat androgynous crystalline figure of similar height to Reylynn.

“‘An army will be coming in a thousand years’ time and I will lead them. But they need time to grow. Watch them, help them.’” The Architect said the words in a voice that almost perfectly mimicked Isaac’s own. Then it shifted to its own voice. “That was the task you gave me, before you died. You are here, returned.”

Isaac shook his head. “Not yet returned. I was summoned. There are a few things we need to take care of to prepare my army. I will show you.”

And Isaac set to work taking the template that had been left for him by that other version of himself. That version hadn't left much to work with, but it was enough.

With the twelve Remnants, Isaac forged the twelve Classes.

The three Tanks; Sentinel, Dragoon, Berserker.

The five DPSes; Sword Saint, Rogue, Ranger, Sorcerer, Warrior.

And the four Supports; Druid, Caster, Bard, and Summoner.

Each took on the primary weapon tied to each Remnant and Isaac issued a list of spells and abilities each class could learn. He left it to the Architect to design the subclasses by granting the System bits of the mythology he knew from Earth.

Isaac stepped back from the task and walked out into the crystal chamber with the three pillars. The Archivist would need more material to work with to design even more.

The unassigned pillar flashed a message as Isaac stepped up to it.

Please select a destination.

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Isaac almost chose earth, this would very likely be the same portal Reylynn would use to find him. But he hesitated; this portal would have to stay open for nearly a thousand years. There wasn’t really anywhere on earth he could place it that someone wouldn’t find it. No one from either side could risk coming through, lest they introduce Isiphelo’s tainted Ikhwezi energy into it. Or someone with a mind for conquering test the armies of the other side. Isaac made his choice and the pillar’s interior shifted to a view of a cold, dusty red world set for the year 1996.

“It will take time before you’ll be able to connect with the vast library humanity will build on the other side. Keep listening, let Reylynn help you sift through the knowledge and guide you on when to start searching out those who will fight for us.” Isaac taught the Architect a bit about the Internet, where they could get more mythology to build a library of quests, names, monsters, and other things that would immerse the Guardians in the game-like veil he created. This was what they would have to listen for.

Returning to the System, Isaac resumed his work. He designed the fast travel system, fragments broken from Caer Siddi, each imprinted with a design to grow into the Guardian cities that would dot Terre’s surface. But their purpose wasn't just for travel. They would be a safe place, whose mana barriers, drawing on the mana from Caer Siddi, would defend from attack. Those who would have to live on Terre for the next thousand years before the Guardians’ arrival could use them to wait out the time.

As he constructed the System, Isaac used his knowledge of the present day System to make changes he might not have initially considered. He remembered the attack on Pella and the other cities and villages in the region. And those were just the ones he had been aware of.

The System was planet-wide, both on Earth and Terre. There wasn't enough time or resources to remove everyone who might abuse the power the System would grant them, the Architect would need a way to defend themself and Anathi’s army from itself.

Isaac grabbed Vespers, the Remnant of the Rogue. He held the dagger and forced a change upon the weapon's enchantment through his ability to Soul Forge. It would be the Architect's major tool for self defense. In essence, a way to kill the unkillable.

Isaac stared at what he and the Architect had created.

Annwyn Online.

Reylynn touched Isaac lightly on the hand. He turned to meet her gaze.

“This is it, the tool you will use to gather your army?” She signed.

Isaac nodded. “Earth—” Isaac used a sign meaning “other Terre”, there wasn’t a Revi sign for Earth and the alphabet was too dissimilar for finger spelling to have any meaning. “—is a world without Ikhwezi energy. I don’t know why or how Anathi knew about it, but somehow he reincarnated me there. In a roundabout way, you summoning me here has let me bring you to Earth.”

Reylynn gave Isaac a look of confusion. “I didn’t summon you.”

Now it was Isaac’s turn to be confused. “You brought me to the camp, from outside the walls, where all the dead were.”

“I never left your side.” Reylynn gestured not to Isaac, but in the direction Anathi’s body lay.

Then it hit Isaac. The accident, their shared memory of it. This Reylynn wouldn't have known about it, but a version of her, one who had their own Caer Fragment would. Isaac smiled.

The armor covering him disappeared, leaving Isaac in the tattered suit he'd been wearing at the winter formal. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the small black box.

“You won't yet understand the significance of this gesture, but please allow me—” Isaac took the ring from the box and slipped it onto Reylynn’s finger. He felt a strong impression that his time here was nearly used up. The summoning spell that brought him here was nearly elapsed. “I have to return to the present. Find me, this ring will be your guide.”

“I promise I will find you, Anathi.” Reylynn signed as the magic binding Isaac to this time ceased its hold.