"Excellent."

A tall brown-haired man sat on a small rock while nodding his head and staring at a little girl, or to be more precise, a kid who's no older than years old, in appearance, that is. However, her real age was less than a year, a shocking fact, if she were a human.

"Why is it blue though?"

Unexpectedly, she spoke fluently despite her age. Her skin was snow-white and her hair matched the sky's color. She was small, as a baby should be yet she was able to speak, write, and walk on her own. What's more fascinating are her inborn abilities.

"A good question indeed, little one."

Hearing him, she angrily stomped her foot on the ground and protested:

"I'm not little."

"Oh but you are but I digress. To answer your question, the Mana is actually blue because it originates from water. Just like Qi is green due to its relation with nature. Nether Energy, the most frequently used comes from Space Magic hence it's colorless appearance. Though, average people cannot see the color of any kind of energy, only those with a strong affinity to one of them can perceive the real color and harness it to perfection. If I remember correctly, your mother was proficient at Yin power and her Mana was unusually pure."

"What about my father?"

"I already told you he's a parasite and no matter how talented you were destined to be, you were not able to inherit his Dark Magic. Even if you try, I doubt you can acquire it as it isn't fit for you. Nonetheless, you did get the monstrous Strength of Titan and a few more interesting bloodlines."

*********

A young boy with short dark hair sat in a small yet peaceful garden, his figure, standing there, lonely and pitiful.

"When can we leave?"

He raised his head and asked, however, there was no one but him in this place. The answer came briefly after, the speaker was seemingly disembodied.

"When the times comes, my dear."

The voice came from everywhere and nowhere, it sounded like neither a woman or a man, strangely.

"What am I supposed to do, then?"

"Read. Knowledge is the only infinite thing in this world."

The boy sat near a clear pond and took out a thick golden book then, with difficulty, started slowly reading it.

Time crept by and the boy became engrossed in this incomprehensible book. From time to time, he would stop and ask the unseen speaker.

"Why was there only twelve?"

"Only twelve were needed. Any more would've been a hindrance and any less would have caused a 'malfunction'."

"And why did they fight?"

"For power, my dear. If they remained unmoving, the world we live in right now would not have existed. To pave a way for the future generation, the creators must disappear, leaving only a trace of them to reminisce about."

"Disappear? Do you mean die?"

"No. They needed to get out of the way, leave things be. Just like the ground below you, a world of insects where one step from a giant can end them all, even unintentionally. Every life is precious, no matter how insignificant it is. Even the things that came to existence through a mistake or an accident deserve a chance."

"Where are they now? The Twelve, I mean."

This time, the voice didn't reply immediately but maintained a brief silence.

"Some are dead, others trapped and the rest wandering around."

"The book mentions a long war, did no one understand the meaning behind everything?"

"One of them did. He reached his destination and ended 'it' peacefully."

"Who was it?"

"Moriah."

************

Six months after Lucy came back from Riarravar, many things changed in the Cloud Sea Universe. However, everything was overshadowed by a shocking occurrence which turned the attention of the inhabitants towards it.

Lucy officially became a member of Black Rose, taking the White Seat for herself. The soul bind vanished completely but she knew Arthur would come back, definitely.

As she expected, the signs appeared after half a year, the peacefulness broke and it was finally time to act.

The heavens were moving, the dark clouds started clustering and moving toward a specific direction, alarming everyone. It was a Celestial Tribulation but this one seemed oddly different, much stronger than the rest and very frightening. Each world it passed by, it hid the light of the sun and caused horrible after-effects.

"Let me go with you, Madam."

Astrith, who fully recovered his strength and was in perfect condition, pleaded to Lucy.

In response, the silver-haired woman caressed the now white hair of the sleeping Saly while saying:

"There is no need. Take care of Saly and protect the sect."

They were currently in Astria, in the MoonStar city. After her recent raid, Lucy located her daughter and brought her back home along with Delia and the knight.

"The Cloud Sea Sect and several other powers will follow the tribulation. I believe my assistance is requir-"

"I told you there is no need."

Lucy cut him off and spoke with an authoritative tone, shutting up Astrith once and for all.

******

"Are you sure?"

Isadore tapped his finger on the table, unconsciously, as usual, while listening to Dan's report.

The beggar-looking Overgod looked exceptionally pale as he stood before his king, not very sane after encountering many powerful individuals, including the Nameless Knight.

"Yes, with the exception of a few place, it's definitely identical. The only missing thing is the piece of land North-East."

The king massaged his temples and wracked his brains trying to find a meaning to all of this. Ever since he got sucked in Arthur's world, everything became chaotic. The more he tried to dig, the more surprised he became.

"Which one do you think is the real Astria?"

The overgod shrugged his shoulders and replied: "Both, I think."

"Even a Titan cannot be in two places at once."

Isadore let out sigh, stood up and left the office, closely followed by the grumpy Wrath.