No matter the era,
there has always been one desire.
A desire with a price—
too great for most to bear.
And in this story…
that price is everything.
— Narrator
Rovine woke up early in the morning, his breath uneven.
For a moment, he just sat there, staring into nothing.
"That dream again…" he muttered softly.
It felt familiar.
Too familiar.
I've seen this before… haven't I?
But no matter how hard he tried—
he couldn't remember.
Every time the dream came, it ended the same way.
A voice.
An old man's voice…
whispering something he could never fully understand.
"…you must remember…"
Rovine walked to the window and looked outside.
The sun was rising slowly, casting a soft blue light across the sky.
Everything looked… perfect.
Too perfect.
He opened the window and let the cool air flow in, brushing against his white silk hair.
A world where everyone is happy…
No greed.
No envy.
No suffering.
And yet…
something felt wrong.
We had a past.
—
It was written in the Book of Zytherael:
"There was a time when humans were slaughtered like insects.
When fear consumed every home.
When greed, lust, and envy ruled the world.
There was no empathy.
No trust.
No love.
Only suffering remained."
"And so… the time came."
"Someone had to bear the burden."
"Someone had to end it all."
"There will be no more suffering."
"No mourning."
"No crying."
"No pain."
"I am making everything new."
"I am the truth… and the lie."
"The life… and the death."
"The beginning… and the end."
And somehow…
he did it.
The world was reborn.
A perfect world.
A peaceful world.
But Rovine knew—
something was missing.
Something… had been erased.
After freshening up, Rovine walked downstairs to the dining table.
His mother had prepared a wonderful meal.
"Wow, Mom… this is really good," Rovine said, taking a bite.
She smiled gently.
"It is said that Lord Zytherael used to eat this often in his childhood."
Hearing the name, Rovine paused for a moment.
"Mom…"
"Yes, Rovine?"
"Don't you think something feels… strange?"
She looked at him, slightly confused.
"Strange? What do you mean?"
Rovine hesitated before speaking again.
"I mean… everything feels too perfect."
His mother chuckled softly.
"Isn't that a good thing? Everything is fine."
Rovine fell silent, thinking about her words.
Everything is fine… isn't it?
She noticed his expression.
"What's wrong? You seem worried."
After a brief pause, Rovine asked quietly,
"What about our history…?
What if it isn't true?"
His mother didn't react immediately.
Then she spoke calmly,
"Even if it isn't… I don't think it would change anything."
Rovine looked at her, confused.
She continued,
"The world before this… wasn't a place worth living in."
"But today, everyone is living peacefully. Happily."
She paused for a moment, then added,
"I don't know if our history is true or not. Even Lord Zytherael mentions in his book…"
'History is written by the winners.'
She looked at him with a gentle smile.
"Whatever happened in the past… it doesn't matter anymore."
"What matters is that everything is fine now."
"And that is enough."
Rovine listened quietly.
And for a moment…
it felt like she was right.
Rovine stepped out of the house, calling out,
"I'm heading out, Mom!"
"Where are you going today?" she asked from inside.
"Just… a cave. Thought I'd go on a little adventure."
"Don't be late, Rovine."
He smiled faintly and walked on.
As he moved along the quiet road, his thoughts drifted back.
Maybe Mom is right…
If everything is fine… then what's bothering me?
He looked up at the sky.
And then he saw it.
A massive structure floating high above—
shaped like a blooming flower, its crystal-like petals spread wide.
Around it, a colossal ring slowly revolved, glowing faintly.
Aether Floris.
The seat of Lord Zytherael.
It had been built 150 years after the New World began.
And now, after more than five centuries,
it still shone as brilliantly as ever.
They said it purified the air, controlled the weather,
and protected the world from outer radiation.
But its true purpose…
was something else.
To watch over humanity.
Rovine looked away and continued walking.
He soon stopped by a small snack station.
Everything there was automated—no workers, no cash counters.
He picked up a sweet bar and scanned his points.
In this world, basic needs required no payment.
Only desires had a cost.
Work wasn't forced upon anyone.
People chose what they wanted to do—
and were rewarded with points in return.
As he ate, he moved toward the outskirts, where farmland stretched endlessly.
Machines handled most of the labor.
And yet—
people still worked.
Not because they had to.
But because they wanted to.
This… is freedom.
Rovine stepped into the fields, where a group of children were collecting vegetables into baskets.
A small robot worked alongside them, gently pulling crops from the soil.
"Can I help?" Rovine asked.
A little girl smiled brightly.
"Of course, bhaiya!"
"These are chillypeas," she said excitedly. "This harvest is really good!"
She suddenly picked one up.
"Oh! This one is spiral-shaped! They're usually round!"
Rovine chuckled and handed it to her.
"Then you should keep it."
"Thank you!"
After a while, he waved goodbye and continued on his way.
The forest grew denser as he walked further.
Eventually, he reached a river.
"Why not…" he murmured, stepping into the water.
The cold current carried him gently as he floated, staring up at the sky.
Aether Floris shimmered above.
Zytherael had shaped the world…
but had never touched the forests.
"Nature will take care of itself."
Rovine frowned slightly.
Strange…
There was something about those words—
something distant.
Almost… indifferent.
His gaze shifted further.
The planetary rings were glowing.
Even in daylight.
That was rare.
After some time, he reached the cave.
His steps slowed.
This place…
He had seen it before.
In his dreams.
The entrance stood nearly eight meters tall, wide and dark,
partially covered by grass and hanging vines.
Rovine stepped inside, switching on his flashlight.
The temperature dropped instantly.
"That's… strange."
It was at least five degrees colder than outside.
As he moved deeper, the cave narrowed.
And the cold intensified.
Soon, he reached a flat surface—
smooth, hard… almost like crystal.
The space ahead was sealed.
No path forward.
No hidden exit.
Just silence.
"Nothing here…" he muttered.
It was getting late.
He turned back.
But as he stepped forward—
his foot struck a loose rock.
It slipped.
Fell.
And hit the crystal surface below.
Crack.
The ground shattered.
Before he could react—
Rovine disappears into the darkness.