⚠️ Warning ⚠️
The following content may describe terms and references
to past chapters, World War II,
and religious interpretations ✝️ and touch on sensitive topics.
The author does not seek to be morbid; everything narrated is fiction 📖.
Reader discretion is advised 👀.
💬 Author's note 💬
Do you think I've forgotten about my favorite characters
from the first arc? ⏳
I'll talk more about them in depth ✨.
I already have an idea of how long the first volume will be 🙌.
Pure math 🤓... I'm in exams, so if I'm late,
please be patient.
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In Vermont, among green expanses and trees surroundingthe Green River Reservoir, there stood a huge tree,impossible to ignore.
Its trunk, thick and twisted, held a secret thatseemed to come out of a dream: it was a gateway toanother dimension.
A hidden forest, parallel to the known world, wherenature unfolded in impossible shapes and timeseemed to suspend itself.
Anyone who discovered it could notlook away; it was like gazing at a universethat existed solely to be admired.
In the confined forest stood a three-storycabin, with one room under repair.
In the next room was one of theChosen Saints for a prophecy.
The Saint of Lightning.
The Sacred of the Lightning: Nuriel.
He was awakening from weeks of hibernation.
Although it had been calculated he would sleepfor four months, he rose earlier than expected.
He sat up with a headache.
He said to himself:"Well… I will drink some water and decide whetherto sleep again or continue toward the south side of the forest."
When Nuriel rose, he noticed three things.
First, his room was a complete mess.
"I didn't leave things like this."
"Damn it, who entered my room!"
"My documents!"" he exclaimed in anger.
Barely with his eyes open, and his mindstill in bed, he went down the stairstoward the kitchen where Adelaida was.
She looked normal at first, but seemed distracted:
"Hey, Adelaida,do you have any idea if Jack or Dánaeentered my room?"
Adelaida replied, surprised:"Nuriel, you woke up!"
Nuriel, annoyed, answered:""Oh yes, I just woke up, what a big surprise!Do you have something to eat for me? Please, I'm hungry.""
Adelaida said:"Yes, I'll get it for you now."
Nuriel only thought about how tired he was,but on the other hand, Adelaida took too many pausesto prepare the bread.
Nuriel watched her and asked:"Adelaida, are you okay?"
"Yes, yes, I'm fine," she replied with a fragile voice.
When she was about to serve him bread with cheese and milk,she accidentally dropped the food on the floorand it fell onto Nuriel.
Nuriel exclaimed:"Damn it, Adelaida… you know what?I'll do it myself, okay, no…"
However, seeing her face, he noticed she was crying.
As a quick response, he didn't know how to react.
He did what any confused man would do.
Adelaida, stammering, said:"I'm sorry, forgive me… I'm sorry, I'll pick it up now,"she said through tears.
Nuriel grew concerned and made her sit down.
"What's happening?"
"Why are you crying?"
"No, no, I'm sorry… maybe I was too rude."
"Sorry, I apologize."
"Maybe… I'm sorry, I won't do that again, okay?"
"Sorry… I think… I was… rude, please don't cry," he spoke, fearful.
Adelaida murmured:"Almost a month has passed… I can't believe it."
"How do you mean almost a month has passed?"
"What are you talking about?" asked Nuriel, confused.
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Meanwhile, Dánae had killed two chickens from the coopto be able to eat that afternoon.
As a way to keep her sanity in this forest.
The Saints had a habit: thinking out loud.
"Even though Adelaida already confessed to Kamei-san,I think I understand why she's so sad."
"She fears they won't come back."
"I don't know what Adelaida has gone through,but she told me the world is very dangerous."
"There are mines in the seas… it's not like I didn't knowwhat those things are."
"Maybe it's because Kamei-san and I avoidwar conflicts as much as possible."
"Running into Soviet soldiers, trenches in Romania,and the checkpoints in Italy was a nightmare."
"The good thing is that, at least, I had chocolate."
"Although I must admit that Adelaida had it worse than me;she was bitten by a polar bear."
"I don't know what they are like, but from how she describes it,it sounds dangerous."
"It hurts that she still can't fully get over that trip."
"I understand why Adelaida is worried."
Dánae looked at the sky and, with a decisive breath, saidwith euphoria:
"Dánae, enough! You're not going to get sentimental again.You have to show that you're already an adult.They're going to come back."
"Jack and Kamei-san are going to come back."
The absence of both Saints was felt,even though only a few days had passed.
"That's fine," she said, wiping her tears."Don't be like that, they'll come quickly."
"Yes… the last ones came in a year.Maybe it will take a year… or maybe more."
She sighed:"Yes, Jack isn't here… I see no reason to finish the sled."
When Dánae entered, she said:"Hey, Adelaida, do you know what I've been thinking?"
"I've been thinking that we need to startbetter supplying the cocoa plantation."
"I thought about making vanilla cake, I already planted it, and…"
Dánae stopped upon seeing Adelaida crying,resting on Nuriel's shoulder.
"Wow, the little prince finally got up," said Dánae,looking at Nuriel.
"Shut up already," he replied, annoyed.
"Why didn't you tell me anything?"
"Why didn't you tell me that Jack and Kamei-sanwent after the Saint of the Earth?"
Dánae, sarcastic, replied:"Look, I remind you that you were asleep,how could we have told you that?And second, it's true: they have left, the angel gave them the order."
"And why didn't you wake me up?" replied Nuriel.
"We tried," said Dánae, shrugging,"but you were deader than a goat,so there was no way to wake you."
Nuriel hit the table in frustration."Damn… if I had known all this,I would have given some advice to Jack."
"Jack knows nothing about the outside world."
"The outside world is very dangerous."
"To tell you the truth, crossing Greenland on footis something I still can't fully get over."
"This place is warm and gentle to the touch."
"But Greenland… my God, look at my fingers."
"Dánae, look at my fingers, they're shaking," said Nuriel.
"And they shake because I still remember…I still remember everything: Auschwitz! Buchenwald!The Baltic Sea! Norway! Sweden!"
"Although I can't say the same about Iceland, it was nice."
"But Greenland and Baffin Bay… it was hell!"
Adelaida, hearing Nuriel, couldn't helpbut cry uncontrollably.
"Why did Jack and Kamei-san have to go alone…?"
Adelaida grabbed Nuriel's shoulders tightly.
"And what if there are bears, Nuriel!And what if they're in the middle of another war!"
"Jack and Kamei-san are capable, but they're on another continent!On another land! What if everything goes wrong!What if everything goes wrong, Nuriel!"
Nuriel let a few tears fall:"For one thing, now we have rooms!"
"For one thing, I no longer sleep with you, Adelaida!"
"It was so cold that I had to sleep by your side!"
"Hugging, because the blankets weren't enough!"
"The food wasn't enough either!"
"Besides, they said they're going to Vietnam… I don't know where that is."
Dánae replied:"I know where Vietnam is."
"Look, here's a globe."
"You all come from here, from Europe, right?"
"Well, if we turn it, here's Vietnam:just below China and also near Japan."
Nuriel said, furious:"That's not the point, Dánae! It's an unknown land!"
"I don't know anything about that place, and I think Adelaida doesn't either!"
Dánae intervened:"Do you know what?"
"I think the best way to solve all thisis with chocolate."
The two siblings, Nuriel and Adelaida,looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
Dánae added:"Well, forgive me for trying to help,but whenever I'm sad, I eat chocolate."
"It's a habit I have, and I'm not going to stop;it's better than smoking tobacco."
"Look, if you're going to be this sad,why don't we just do something, huh?"
"Why don't we help you, Nuriel,with your research on the forest?"
"I think that would clear our minds."
Nuriel said in a serious tone:"You never cared about that."
"And now you're going to tell me you'll accompany meto the south of the forest just to investigatethe oddity of this thing?"
Dánae replied with a smile:"Yes, because I don't think you'll want to help mefinish the sled we were making with Jack."
Nuriel said:"Where's the sled?"
"It's on the mountain, in the east part of the forest,"replied Dánae.
Nuriel grunted:"Fuck off, I'm not doing any of that."
Dánae just thought:"Oh God, they're so sentimental."
"Both are melodramatic, way too crybabies,and on top of that, exaggerated when they want something."
"Adelaida is over-the-top in love."
"I realize it just by seeing her cryand watching her polish the dishes over and over,because she doesn't know what else to do."
"Even books aren't helping her anymore."
"And Nuriel is obsessively fixated on the forest.His room is nothing but papers and notes."
"Both like little piggies: you carry them a bitand they start squealing."
Then Dánae, taking a deep breath, said:"Alright, if you two aren't going to do anything,then I'll do something interesting."
Adelaida and Nuriel looked at her with a raised eyebrow.
"What are you going to do?" asked Adelaida.
Dánae smiled and said:"I'm going to train my gift of creation."
"Do you want to come?"
"That could help you, Adelaida,and also you, Nuriel,with your research on gifts."
"And for you, to stop thinking about kissing your prince."
"It helps me to play."
The siblings were still questioningwhether to accept Dánae's proposal.
"Come on, it'll be fun.How do you think I make cocoa growthree times faster than it does in this forest?"
Nuriel raised an eyebrow."Dánae, you can't think of anythingother than chocolate."
Dánae replied without hesitation:"That's not true, who do you take me for?"
"For a little girl, please!"
"I'm an expert in chocolate."
"Like how, for example,cocoa alone doesn't taste good,it needs another companion: sugar cane."
"We have pure chocolate,and with that you can make sponge cakes,brownies, fudge, chocolate cakes,French médiants, marquesas, and crèmeux."
Dánae began to get overly excited:"The delicious Spanish truffles, milk tiramisu,mousse au chocolat."
"Now I've thought of ice cream,and since we have the mountain, we can use it as…"
While Dánae listed things with enthusiasm,Nuriel sighed and said:"You know what? Why don't we just gosee what Dánae proposes?"
"I think that interests me morethan hearing this stupid girl talk about chocolate."
Adelaida nodded:"Yes, sounds good to me.I love her, but sometimes she exaggerates."
Taking advantage of the afternoon,Dánae, Adelaida, and Nurielwent to an open field,near the lake where Adelaidaused to eat with Kamei-san.
Dánae said excitedly:"Alright, I'll show youhow I manipulate my gifts."
She extended her hand and knelt on the grass.Closing her eyes, she focused all her feelingsto manifest her spirit.
"God, please, give me strength to focus,to manifest the gifts of creationthat You have given me,to enrich the earthwith the joy of my spirit."
A small glimmer, as if her hands were glowing,managed to make the grass grow.
Slowly, large wildflowers emerged from it.But only a few, barely covering a radius of ten centimeters.
Dánae sighed proudly:"Alright… that's all I can do."
Nuriel and Adelaida chuckled a little.
"That's all? No surprise," said Nuriel.
Dánae protested:"Hey, please, this gift is very complicated.Do you have any idea how hard it is to imagine the flowerand wait for it to appear?Do you have any idea? I've been practicing for ten years."
Nuriel smiled mockingly:"Ten years of practice doing that?And how come I've never seen you do it?"
Dánae puffed her cheeks."Well… alright.I don't know how many years it took me,I just do it whenever I feel like it."
Adelaida said:"Oh, God… you're so funny, Dánae.Sometimes you're funny even when you shouldn't be."
Nuriel said:"Alright, why don't I show you?"
Nuriel rolled up the sleeves of his shirt.The first thing he did was say:"I need you to lend me some metal,but it must have a wooden handle."
To which Dánae and Adelaida replied:"Weren't you supposed to bring it?""Sorry, Nuriel, I didn't bring anything from the cabin."
Nuriel looked at them and muttered:"Damn…"
However, he thought for a moment and said:"Let's see, I'll try to channel it.According to my studies,the gifts of creation manifestthrough the spirit."
"Something tells me that the body's internal energyis what causes the flashes of creation."
"For that reason, I have a feelingthat the gifts of creationweren't made for humans."
"And this becomes very clear,because I realize it just bytrying to manifest them."
Nuriel concentrated all his energyat the tips of his fingers.
Faint lights began to emerge from them,and he tried to redirect them toward the sky.
But nothing came out.
Dánae and Adelaida looked at him, confused.
Adelaida asked:"Haven't you practiced this already?"
Nuriel replied, frustrated:"Wait, please… I just can't do it.When I practice alone, it works;but when you're here, it doesn't."
Adelaida chuckled a little and said:
"Alright, I'm going to show you the good stuff."
She got into a monk's stance and said:"I've practiced with Kamei-san."
Nuriel raised an eyebrow."Wow… so you've practiced with your boyfriend."
Adelaida glared at him."Shut up already."
Dánae intervened:"Okay, so why don't you show us?"
Adelaida took a deep breathand got back into a monk's stance.
She remembered the words Kamei-san had told her:
"Remember, Adelaida:the manifestation of the gifts of creationhappens through the spirit."
"If you can stay calm,control your spirit,and make it flow through the flesh,you'll be able to manifest the gifts better."
"That's how God did it."
"Because the gifts of creationwere made for angels,but thanks to God's mercy,we can use them too."
Then, a light gust of windenveloped Adelaida.
Her body rose gently,as if she were floating.
She was only about a meter off the ground,but she seemed weightless.
Nuriel was impressed."Adelaida! How are you doing that?"
Dánae shouted in amazement:"Incredible! This can't be!"
"I knew you could float,but I didn't know you could do it sitting down."
Adelaida smiled faintly and replied:"Yes… we can do itthrough the spirit."
"Nuriel, you need to start believing a bit more."
"I realize your mistakeis that you trust too much in the physical."
"You also have to see the spirit as a science."
"If you don't see it that way,you'll never fully use your gift of creation."
"And you, Dánae, I think you need to stop eatingso much chocolate and pay more attention to your gifts."
"At least, that's what Kamei-san recommended to me."
However, after saying this, Adelaida lost concentration.
The gust came from her feet in perfect balance.
But losing focus, she shot upto four meters in height.
She screamed as her gift went out of controland landed with a heavy thud, flat on her stomach.
Dánae started laughing:"No way, my God, Adelaida…I don't know, you make me laugh sometimes."
"At times you're serious,and at times the most foolish person I've ever seen."
But Nuriel began to watch carefullyhow she had manifested her gifts.
And he thought:"The majority of the manifestationsof our gifts happenin extreme situations.
Could it be that the gifts of creationonly manifest through the spirit?
And if that's true,how were we able to manifest them in Greenland?"
"I remember killing the bear with a lightning bolt…but I don't know how I did it.
I did it almost instinctively,and after that, I never used my gift again.
Although I have to admitthat Adelaida has better controlof her gift of creation.
Maybe because it's the wind.I think I need to study this more."
After thinking that,and seeing that Adelaida couldn't get up,Nuriel carried her to the house.
He clarified that it was enough practice for today,and that they would go eatand give Adelaida a medical checkup.
It was already getting dark.
After checking her, Nuriel tucked her into bedand said:"Don't worry, okay?Jack and Kamei-san will come backsafe and sound."
"We'll be waiting here.And don't despair, please, Adelaida.
We've survived many things together.And I have to admitthat I didn't expect those two to leave.
I didn't even get to say goodbye.I would dare saythat even I am the most affected.
Because at least you got to kiss him,and you also got to hug the other one before they left."
Adelaida, blushing, said:"Shut up already."
Nuriel smiled."No, really, it's a compliment.
You took many years, stupid.Really, many years.
Why didn't you ever dare?Why didn't you take that step?And you only do it now that they're leaving?"
Adelaida lowered her gaze."I was scared."
Nuriel let out a short, ironic laugh."Scared?
Come on, you faced Galton,and on top of that, a bear.
You were in the middle of the battlefieldwith a rifle in your hands.
Not to mention that you survivedthe tide of the sea and the cold of Greenland.
And you're telling me you were scaredto confess to the man you liked?"
Adelaida whispered:"I… I don't know.I've never experienced something like this in my life."
Nuriel insisted:"And why do you like Kamei-san so much?Explain yourself."
She answered shyly:"I don't know. I don't have a reason."
Nuriel raised an eyebrow."So you don't have a reason?"
Adelaida shrugged."I don't know… I just liked him when I saw him.And over time, that liking grew stronger.I have no other explanation.
I just saw himand realized what a wonderful person he was.But then I understoodthat he didn't meet anyof the requirements I hadfor my perfect man."
Nuriel asked curiously:"Hey, tell me, what was your perfect man like?"
Adelaida laughed a little embarrassed:"He had to be tall, blonde, with blue eyes."
Nuriel laughed loudly:"Wow, yes, Kamei-san is tall, blonde, and has blue eyes."
Adelaida also started laughing:"Enough already, please."
Nuriel smiled:"Well, at least I'm glad you're okay.I'm going to leave now, okay?"
"Rest."
"At least you're luckyto sleep in Kamei-san's room,because your room is still under construction."
"You haven't done anything to fix it?"
Adelaida answered:"The carpenter is him,I don't know anything about that."
However, before Nuriel could stand up,Adelaida stopped him by holding his hand:
"Nuriel, please…don't go."
Nuriel froze, Adelaida's reactionkept him from thinking. She was his sister,perhaps the only one capable of unbalancinghis entire world.
"I'm sorry for asking something like this,but I don't want to sleep alone tonight."
Nuriel said:"Now, after recalling the past,you want to sleep like a caterpillar cocoon with me?"
Adelaida blushed:"No, I'm not asking that.Just… please, stay a little longer."
Nuriel thought for a few seconds:"Alright. Let me bring my notes,because I want to review something."
"I'll be beside Kamei-san's desk,with the lamp on,doing a few calculationsto study the gifts, is that alright?"
However, the silence was interrupted.There was a knock on the door, and Nuriel approached slowly.
It was Dánae.She said:"Can I sleep, please, with Adelaida?"
Nuriel looked at her in surprise:"What's going on? Why?Adelaida, do you sleep with Dánae?"
Adelaida answered:"Yes, sometimes she comes to sleep."
However, Dánae's eyes were full of tears.Nuriel asked softly:"What's wrong, Dánae?"
She clutched her chest, hyperventilating,sweating cold, her eyes red from rubbing them so much.
She hugged Nuriel tightly, her voice chokingamong the tears falling from her eyes:"What if they don't come back, Nuriel?What if they don't come back?"
Nuriel couldn't help but be moved.Not only was Dánae scared,but also Adelaida.
Adelaida got up from the bedto hug Dánae,and Nuriel wrapped his arms around both of them.
He couldn't help crying too,because deep down they were all strong,intelligent,but full of uncertaintyabout what was happening in the world.
Nuriel murmured between sobs:"Calm down… yes, they will come back.They will come back."
However, he couldn't hold back anymoreand broke into tears."I couldn't say goodbye…" —he said.
The three of them remained kneeling.Their bodies had been overcome,and it was understandable.
Despite how grown-up they were,the confined forest was so lush and perfectthat their minds had been trappedin their twenties.
They still retained gestures and emotionsfrom when they were almost children.
Nuriel, Dánae, and Adelaida felt painseeing how their family wentinto the dangers of the world.