The silence in the small tavern was no longer comfortable. It was thick with unspoken truths and the weight of a question that should have been impossible. Ragnar's query hung between them, a key turning in a lock neither had known existed. Lyra's posture was rigid, her knuckles white where she gripped the edge of the table. The cheerful mage who had animatedly described her examination was gone, replaced by a guarded woman confronting a fundamental breach in her reality.
Seeing her tension, Ragnar's demeanor shifted slightly. The fierce warrior who had faced down Sir Lancelot softened his edge. His voice, while still carrying that underlying current of power, was quieter, meant only for her. "No need to be nervous," he said, his crimson eyes holding hers. "I'm just curious. After all, the theory of parallel worlds or some kind of multiverse was quite popular in my old world." He leaned back, giving her space. "So, can you tell me? Your story, or rather, the story of those who possess the same elemental power as us but in a completely different world?"
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The night wind on the watchtower was cold, carrying the faint, ever-present stench of decay from the lands below. Artemis stood frozen, Noctus's question echoing in her mind, more disorienting than any zombie's shriek. He had named her power. He had named her.
He watched her, his expression unreadable in the moonlight. Then, he let out a soft sigh, the sound almost lost in the wind. "No need to worry," he stated, his tone pragmatic. "Our two groups are cooperating now. It's only logical to understand the capabilities and origins of our comrades." He turned fully to face her, his gaze direct and unwavering. "The story of you, no, of those who possess the same elemental powers as us but in a completely different world?"
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The opulent room felt suddenly small. The aroma of fine tea was now cloying, the luxurious surroundings a gilded cage around a secret about to be sprung. Tiama's face was a carefully controlled mask, but Gaiard could see the wariness in her eyes, the subtle tightening of her fingers around her teacup.
He didn't press. Instead, he spoke softly, his voice a low, grounding rumble. "The aura you radiate… it was so familiar I thought my own power had been personified. But it wasn't." He paused, letting the implication hang in the air. "I guess you're like me. Someone from another world, right?" He met her gaze, his own steady and calm. "Then can you tell me? Your story, to be exact, the story of people who possess the same elemental power as us but in a completely different world?"
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The steam from their noodle bowls rose like a ghost between them. Flamme's hands were trembling slightly in her lap, the confident lecturer completely undone by Ignis's piercing insight. He had seen straight through to her core.
Seeing her tremble, Ignis let out a sigh that was part frustration, part understanding. He ran a hand through his hair, a surprisingly boyish gesture. "Actually, that was a bit too straightforward," he admitted, a wry twist to his lips. "But I can't ignore it. The familiar feeling of the Nova power you exuded during our match this afternoon… it was like an echo of myself." He leaned forward, his expression earnest. "So, do you want to tell me? The story about you, no, about those who possess the same elemental power as us but in a completely different world?"
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The café was a bubble of artificial calm in the bustling city. Friya sat perfectly still, the cup of coffee suspended halfway to her lips, a statue of stunned ice. Friz observed her over the rim of his own cup, his pale blue eyes analytical.
He closed his eyes for a moment, as if processing data. "No need to be so surprised," he said calmly, placing his cup down. "You felt it too, during our last match. The resonance." He opened his eyes, his gaze sharp. "I don't really care about those multiverse theories; they're too troublesome. But honestly, an individual who possesses the exact same power as yourself? That's really quite interesting." A faint, almost imperceptible smile touched his lips. "So tell me, your story. To be exact, is about people who possess the same elemental power as us but in a completely different world?"
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The primal forest was silent now, the only sounds the rustle of leaves and Flora's panicked breathing. Heim watched her, her face a canvas of confusion and fear. His initial authoritative demand had been too much, too soon. He needed a different approach.
His expression softened, and a hint of his innate, thorny mischief returned to his eyes. "Actually, it's not that hard to notice," he said, his tone lighter. "After all, Jungle's power is linked to plants. Even if you just created a small vine, I could feel it." He let out an exaggerated sigh, shaking his head. "Sigh! Solar was right, there really are parallel worlds! Hmm!!!" He then grinned at her, a playful, challenging look. "Then Flora, tell me! Flora's story, ah, should be about people who possess the same elemental power as us but in a completely different world?"
The digital canyon was bathed in the light of two setting suns. Alexandrite stood in the river, shivering not from the cold water but from the chilling certainty in Alstar's voice. He had not only named her world as an invasion; he had named the power she thought was her most hidden secret.
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Alstar remained seated on the cliff, his back to her for a long moment. Then, he finally spoke, his voice calm and logical, cutting through the serene atmosphere. "The theory of the multiverse or parallel worlds has been researched in my old world. So from the first time we met, I was sure that you were like me, someone who did not belong to this world." He turned his head, his intelligent eyes locking onto hers. "And the light you used to heal just now… I felt the fluctuations from the Gamma power inside it. So I was right." He gave a single, definitive nod. "Okay, tell me about the story of you, no, of those who possess the same elemental power as us but in a completely different world, okay?"
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In all seven worlds, the silence that followed was not born of fear for their safety. As they looked at the young men before them—Ragnar's patient intensity, Noctus's pragmatic calm, Gaiard's solid presence, Ignis's earnest curiosity, Friz's analytical gaze, Heim's playful challenge, Alstar's unshakable logic—they felt something else entirely. It was the dawning realization that the person across from them was not a threat, but a mirror. A reflection of a power and a past they thought was uniquely their own. They saw in these men a kindred hunger, not for food or victory, but for understanding. And so, the silence did not last long.
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Lyra was the first to break. She took a deep, steadying breath, her shoulders relaxing as she let go of the secret she had carried alone. "You are right," she said, her voice firming with resolve. "I, and six others, possess elemental powers. Mine is the element Voltra, and we come from another world. But we got separated from each other when we were forced to teleport. I don't know where they went." She met Ragnar's gaze. "As for the origin of everything…"
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Artemis, on the watchtower, let her hand fall from her hair. A sigh escaped her, carrying the weight of years of solitude. "You are right," she echoed, her tone becoming calm and measured. "Understanding allies is necessary. It is true that I am the owner of the power of Tempest, or rather, that power was given to me from a Power Sphere." She looked out over the dark landscape, her eyes seeing a different time. "And it all started one day when I was 11 years old…"
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Tiama placed her teacup down with a soft click, the sound definitive in the quiet room. "The Crystal power exists in both of us, but I feel a difference," she mused, her sharp eyes studying Gaiard. "If I guess correctly, you were once a piece inside someone, right?" Gaiard's silent, unwavering gaze was all the confirmation she needed. She nodded slowly. "Maybe you don't believe it. The power of Crystal came to me in an event that happened when I was 11 years old…"
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Flamme withdrew into herself for a moment, gathering the scattered pieces of her composure. When she looked up at Ignis, her eyes were clear, the panic replaced by a deep, nostalgic sadness. "The power of Nova came from Novabot, right? So I got the power from it." She wrapped her arms around herself. "And if that event didn't happen, I would have always been a normal girl like everyone else…"
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Friya placed her coffee cup on the table with deliberate slowness. She stared at Friz, her icy demeanor melting into one of profound, weary recognition. "The power of Blizzard," she said, the words tasting strange on her tongue. "It's been a long time since we were separated, and I didn't think I would ever meet an individual so similar to me." A faint, sad smile touched her lips. "Our story in the old world was like this…"
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Flora, on the forest floor, finally lifted her head. The panic had subsided, replaced by a gentle, melancholic calm. She looked at Heim, her shyness now mingled with a sense of shared destiny. "Actually," she began, her voice soft but clear, "the Jungle power came to me by chance. It all started when a meteor shower flew over the town where we lived…"
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Alexandrite waded out of the river and climbed the cliff, sitting a few feet from Alstar. She pulled her knees to her chest, resting her chin on them, and gazed at the digital horizon. "Actually," she said, her voice quieter than he had ever heard it, "the Gamma power was given to me when I was 11 years old. In an event where each of us was given those great powers…"
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And so, in seven worlds simultaneously, the stories began to unfold. The elemental beings, now independent individuals, listened. They did not interrupt, they did not question, they did not feel any obligation. They simply absorbed the narratives of the girls opposite them, each story a different thread leading back to the same, impossible origin.