Ery couldn’t wait to see his daughter again. As for Julian, he didn’t take his ssage too seriously—Julian always had an agenda hidden behind his words.
With Earth currently occupied by the Nephilim, Ery decided it would be more convenient to et elsewhere, and he chose Centauri City, the largest Magus Alliance city in Sector 13.
Centauri was directly linked to Utopia City, which gave Ery a chance to check on his Apothecary facility as well as visit the Magus Academy. There was one person there he particularly needed to see: Senior Fjolnir, who he heard had taken his place as head instructor. Ery needed to speak with him about his mysterious reappearance.
The trip would take less than a week, but with the ongoing matters in Gaia that still needed attention, Ery set the eting for two weeks’ ti.
"Alright, Master, I’ll send the ssage right away," Damo said.
But before he departed, Ery stopped him with another question that had long troubled his mind. "No reply from Klea?"
"No, Master Klea appears to be in closed training."
Ery pressed for details, and Damo explained that she had been spending the last several years under the guidance of a Nephilim elder, on Nephilim planet. The information did not sit well with him. He frowned and gave the order for further investigation.
"Alright, Master, I’ll send soone from Terra City to check on her."
"Yes... that would be best."
With Damo gone, Ery descended slowly through the mist-wrapped branches of the Fey Forest. As his feet touched the mossy ground of the village clearing, a familiar presence rushed toward him.
"Brother Ery!"
The call was bright and unrestrained, carrying the sa warmth he rembered from decades past.
A beautifull woman appeared before him, her azure-blue hair cascading down her shoulders like a shimring waterfall. Ti had touched her, lending maturity to her features and strength to her aura, now firmly rooted in the Magus Realm. Yet despite that, her wide eyes and animated expression carried the spark of a child’s spirit—mischievous, and sincere.
Ery’s lips curved into a rare smile. "Haloo, Glita."
She wasted no ti and threw herself into his arms with unabashed joy. The embrace was quick but fierce, her laughter ringing in his ears. When she finally pulled back, however, her expression shifted into a practiced pout.
"I’ve been waiting for you for days," she huffed, folding her arms. "You never co out, not even once... But as soon as Damo arrives, suddenly you appear! Hmph! I hate you."
Her words carried no real malice, only the mock anger of a younger sibling who felt neglected. Ery couldn’t help but chuckle, shaking his head. She was no longer the little girl who once clung to him, but at monts like this, it was easy to forget the years that had passed.
Without another word, Glita took his hand and tugged him down one of the narrower forest trails. They walked in silence for a ti, and erged into a clearing where a circle of weathered stone pillars stood half-buried in the soil, each carved with ancient runes.
Glita turned, her eyes gleaming with a mix of pride and mischief. "Do you rember this place? You’ve been gone so long that maybe you forgot."
Before Ery could answer, she stepped forward and laid her palm against one of the pillars. The runes lit at her touch, lines of light racing across the stone until the entire circle began to hum. A shimr filled the air, and slowly, a swirling portal blossod open at the center, glowing like a pool of liquid silver.
Glita looked back at him, her smile both playful and inviting. "Co on!"
The world shifted in an instant. The forest lted away, and before him stretched a realm: a bright sky arched above rolling fields of green, crystal-clear lakes glimred in the distance, and at the center rose a great castle like a beacon of purity.
Avalon.
A sanctuary he had created long ago.
This pocket realm had beco Glita’s ho in his absence, and within its fields and valleys thrived a community. Dozens of figures moved among the cottages and training grounds. Many were won with disciplined postures, their bearing marking them as warriors even at rest. Children darted between them, their laughter ringing across the courtyards, a rare and precious sound in these troubled tis.
Among them Ery spotted a familiar figure— a tall man in plain robes, seated cross-legged by the training yard. When the man rose, Ery imdiately recognized him.
"Brandt," he greeted with a nod.
The man inclined his head respectfully. "Senior Ery. It is an honor to see you again."
Another Earth warrior who has successfully breakthrough into Magus realm while he was gone, just like Glita.
It took Ery only seconds to piece together the truth of the people gathered here. The people living in this Avalon were mostly the Vanaheimir, descendants of the Valkyrie warriors, along with carefully chosen young individuals from across Earth. Earthlink with strong spirit aptitudes, plucked early and brought here so their cultivation could take root under favorable conditions.
Brandt explained the arrangent. Two decades ago, when Klea had taken command of Earth’s defense, the task of nurturing the younger generation had been divided. Brandt oversaw these youths within Avalon while also coordinating with Octavius in Ro.
The children received their worldly education through Ro’s scholars while Avalon provided them with the spiritual environnt Earth itself could no longer offer. It was part of a long-term effort to strengthen Earth’s forces, while simultaneously preparing candidates to be sent into the Magus Academy.
The quota for lower realm world was one student per decade, and just two years ago, they had managed to send two. It was also one of the reasons Fjolnir had accepted the position of Academy instructor.
Ery’s gaze swept over the children sparring in the courtyard and the young warriors training with simple weapons. The sight gave him a quiet sense of satisfaction. .
Yet, as Ery studied the energy in the air, he could not ignore the shortcomings. Earth’s low spirit energy made it rare to find children with decent roots, and even within this secret realm, the density of spirit energy was far from ideal. Avalon offered a stronger foundation, but its size was limited, restricting its long-term potential. Ery filed this problem away in his mind, considering what could be done to improve or even expand the realm.
"Co, brother," Glita interrupted his thoughts, tugging his hand with a smile. "I’ll make you sothing nice."
Within Avalon’s castle she bustled about with cheerful purpose, preparing a feast. Ery, anwhile, wandered to the back halls where an older relic of his past waited: the artificial Khaos waypoints. The machinery stood silent, dust gathering on the intricate formations, but intact.
It was fortunate, Ery thought, that he had moved them from the Moon Base two decades ago. Had they fallen into Nephilim hands, who could imagine what misuse might have followed?
Without him, a Khaos Champion to command it, this portal were inert to everyone else. But Ery knew their truth. Nothing was broken. When the ti ca that he could once again access the Khaos gate within him, these waypoints could be activated once again.
His musings were cut short by Glita’s voice echoing through the halls, calling him to the feast. When he returned, he found not just Glita but all of Avalon’s residents gathered. Tables overflowed with food, laughter filled the air, and for a mont Ery felt the warmth of family.
As the al wound down, Glita’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. She leaned toward him and asked, "Brother... have you seen Sister Gwen yet?"
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