Chapter 1 - Lost in Paradise

A group of people was running, fighting to remain alive, but one of them suddenly yelled.

"Angel, Hurry! Please don't stop, run run RUN!! You need to stay alive!"

It was too late to look back, he was already gone, forever, without a body to pray for.

---

In an unknown world a young man appeared in this white field. There nothing exists except this sea of flowers. White flowers, unusual plants with all its body the same color. Pistil, stamens, petals, sepal even the pedicel were all white. And with their overwhelming fragrance, were too sweet to be natural, it was like smelling thousands of roses in one single flower.

In the sky, ten golden suns were there, and like kings they're giving command for the perfect weather, not too cold not to hot.

On the horizon many things stood out, a gigantic forest of sequoias as an army stood on the west and ancient Greek pillars reaching the sky on the east.

Under the suns, seven metal bars like Saturn's rings were in the sky as its supporters. This structure looked like Archimedes' spheres in various directions. On them an ancient language was written, like some Egyptian hieroglyphs or Chinese ideograms.

---

The dazed man, as if he suffered from jet lag, looked around him. In this unknown world other teenagers were like him, stunned. Boys and Girls, from Black (African American) to White (Caucasian), Yellow (Asian) and Red (American Indian), practically all people around the world were there.

Meanwhile many flashes appeared, the latest to materialize near him with these lights were two guys. The first one a caucasian blond skinny and anxious, high to reach his chin; the second shorter than the blonde, slender and confused, had black hair and eyes, he was surely asian.

*I need to ask someone* he thought, looking at these new guys *I hope they know something*

"Good morning, my name is Angel, did you know where we are?"

"H-Hi, I'm D-Darien, n-no... I don't know this place" the blonde one said

"Uh... Hi I'm Jun Walker, you can call me Jun... I don't know either"

*This strange world... I don't know why but it doesn't give me good feelings. maybe these guys know something* looking at a group composed of five people, who were discussing like they were prepared for this. *And what was that light*

Not too far Angel saw two girls coming in his direction. The leading one had light brown twins tail with black eyes and a simple orange dress. She was bringing along the other, a bit taller than her, with light blonde hair reaching her waist and green eye.

They stopped in front of him and asked: "Hello, do you know this place?"

The three guys puzzled looked at these two girls, so different but so close, one cheerful and lively, the other cold and dignified like fire and ice.

"Uhm I said... I'm Sarah and she is Kassandra, and you?"

The first to answer was Angel "Good morning miss Sarah and miss Kassandra, I'm Angel these guys are Darien and Jun" as he's speaking for them too. "We sadly don't know this place, do you have any clue?"

"We are just teleported here some minutes ago. No one we asked knows anything about this place." She said pointing at some group nearby. "I wanted to ask them..." She was looking at the same five guys Angel was looking at, just before the girls arrival, but right at that moment

[Welcome fellow heroes]

A mysterious voice, neither male nor female, not too childish not too elder, with a comforting gentle tone, talked in the mind of all people in the field. On the background, the echo of trumpets and chorus contributed to mystify this entity.

"..." silence spread in the field, doubting where it was coming from, they waited.

[I'm your guide.

I will be your instructor, mentor, and companion of this adventure. You can call me Michael, like the Archangel Michael]

"Michael... An angel? Are really dead? Is the afterworld?"

"It can't be possible, I was just eating..."

"No!!! Today was my first time!!"

"Shut up you moron!"

[Calm down! Children of Adam and Eve, this world is not the afterworld but a near representation of it. Today we have chosen you to save the world God(s) created but to accomplish this mandatory mission, you need to learn the powers God(s) give you.]

"Aaahhh!" All shouted.

*Aah!!! My head! Why this headache!* Many around him collapsed for the pain, he too.

[This is the knowledge God provides you! Bear the pain and accept it!]

When almost all calmed down

[This knowledge contains basic guidelines to approaches this world]

*What knowledge, this headache didn't give me anything! Only a painful experience!*

[Other gifts were already given to you! Three gifts for the heroes of this new era! for Our compassion we have given you MIND, for Our will BODY and lastly but not least, for Our kindness SOUL]

*What is he saying?* This residual pain worsing his mind *And why we are here? To save the world?* Angel couldn't calm himself.

[MIND will let you understand again the one and only single language acknowledge by God, "Babel". It is not only a language but also the ability to understand and to be understood...]

"I have enough of this thing!!!"

Bang!!! A light pillar descended from the sky and, with an explosion, there were only ashes remaining.

"..." No one said anything anymore.

[Ahem! BODY and SOUL... For BODY I'll let you know to look after "Adam" and its meaning. For SOUL you will found out sooner or later. *And it will be not an easy task 🤭*]

*If not for he did before, I would have said this all was a B--- S---* Many others thought like him but were too scared to say so too.

[Finally, the time is right, and Pandora's box is finally open]

"Pandora what?"

*... Pandora's box a jar containing the worst thing in the world, sickness, death, oldness and many others. But what remains there was only hope. So we have Hope back?*

"Someone answer me!!"

[Your time has arrived, it's time to rise up and follow God(s)'s true path.]

This last phase resounded in the mind of everyone present like it was the sole purpose of their existence.

[Raise up!]

At his command a divine light glowed and little angels descended to sing in unison chorus.

In that instant a building started to raise up in this white sea, becoming a snow-white tower with pure golden veins covering it. On the top of it, a golden flag mounted on a golden pole. A white cross *No, a sword* with a pair of wings in a golden field, embodied the symbol of this house prestige.

"This tower is so imposing!!!"

"Probably it can hold all us or even more."

[This will be your new home] Proudly told, this angelic voice.

[For the first week you will find all necessities there, food, clothes, and weapons. Don't waste God benevolence!]

Some doubtful, some angry and others scared, but also someone expecting, believing in this voice, they could only stay there in silence.

[In the North, a town will help you in the future to restock, trade, training and more. In the South, A valley, the easiest hunting ground, will help you to grow.]

Two golden arrows pointing at opposite directions appear in the air.

[And for my great generosity, I will give you all an item, like this]

It was a little bag, too small to be defined as a pouch and big as a pinkie of a baby. Immediately it became large, becoming big as an infant's head and floated in the middle of all the people here. A pale light glowed and wrapped it, so this empyreal voice continued his explanation.

[Whithin this storage treasure you will find some gold and silver Lydian coin and one Aetherum crystal]

In this instant, after listening to these new words, some news knowledge flooded the mind of these young people, not from the outside but from the inside.

[Storage treasure: a magic item of mysterious origin, with pocket dimension inside it. It can be of various sizes and forms. It can't hold living beings.]

[Lydian: the main currency of Eden. The base currency system unites Lydia.]

[~Lydian currency system~

1 Lydian gold coin = 100 Lydian silver coin,

1 Lydian silver coin = 100 Lydian copper coin,

1 Lydian copper coin = 1 Lydia]

[Aetherum: pure mana crystal processed by Aetherinite. It can be utilized as a catalyst for superior spells, healing major wound and restoring mana. Its value is 100 Mana]

"Aaahhh!"

[Aetherinite: raw mana crystal, a mineral formed in ancient times to the modern-day. It's the manifestation of the Worlds' mana in a solid form.]

[Mana: a source of most living beings and not. It's also called by humans Baraka, Prana, Chakra, Chi, Aether and many other terms. Most common terms used in recent history, Mana and Aether.]

[Mana subcategory: inner mana and outer mana. Inner mana, the most common source of power and easy to manipulate by the individual. Outer mana, an external source of power and less practical. There are three types of mana, the easiest to control Non-being, next Universal and lastly Being.]

"Aahhhh!!"

[Mana type: Being, mana coming from living and source of it's being. Non-being, mana coming from inanimate objects. Universal, mana from Sky and Earth, the essence of the universe often converted in Worldly mana form.]

[Mana unite: The second main currency of Eden. The base currency system unites Mana.]

"Aahh!!!"

[~Mana currency system~

1 Aetherinite = 1.000~10.000 Mana (based by purity)

1 Aetherum = 100 Mana

1 Aetheride = 1~25 Mana (based by purity)

1 Mana = 100 gold]

[Aetheride...

"Aaaahh!!" Many shouted with little to no more people standing.

[... Artificial mana crystal...

*Aahhh! Too much pain and too many things, I can't take more too*

[Cre...ated by fr...i...t of... Imm..o..taly...

*Stop!!!"*

Many people were already on the ground and others followed, Angel too.

Finally when no one remains standing. Little angels descended again giving peace to their minds.

Rested enough the angelic voice called them again.

[Fellow heroes!]

[In this first week you'll slowly integrate with this knowledge.]

And so, this last statement resounded in everyone's mind, as a reminder to not forget it.

[If you have any questions, I'll answer some.]

As soon as he said these word some people talked, but the most authoritative said.

"Where are we? Why? And How?" A tall handsome guy with a well-built body and curly blonde hair asked.

At the same moment on the opposite side, a muscular and huge man with black short hair asked the same things and sparks of warring broke out from the two.

Two pillars of light dazzled the two guys. And with authority, the voice said again.

[Calm, calm down you two. This place, you can call it Paradise or Eden, but isn't what you are thinking. You are chosen, chosen for the Grand Mission for God(s)'s sake. And you were teleported here with God's powers because there is something special in all of you]

"We are dead!" A guy cried.

[No, you are not dead. *for now 🙃* Do you have any further questions? If nothing else, I'll leave]

"So what is this world? I can see 10 suns, this surely is not Earth. You said we have uh... Something special, special ability? Powers? And why us, only because we have this special ability? I want more detail. For what I have seen, there are many questions unresolved from your knowledge and what you said to us" Said a tall beauty with long slender legs, a pair of blue eyes, long black straight hair with light brown skin.

"Can we go back to our world? If not, is this place safe?" A tall guy with a thin body asked. A little scruffy brown hair, almost average looking, he was the one who cried out before.

"Who are you? Or what are you?" Asked a little girl with braided blonde hair, a beautiful white and black dress and a pair of round green eyes.

[I'm sorry miss Adeline, I can not answer all your questions. However, I can tell you that, all of you have a Special bond in your soul with a Special power. This is (can be) awakened with our help. Because of the existence of this bond, you are chosen to complete our divine mission.]

As he answered to the young woman a column of light stood her out from the crowd.

[Mister Joseph, you can't return to your planet, for now. And this place will be safer than Earth.]

The same thing happens to the scruffy boy.

[Miss Clare good question. I'm Michael, Saint Michael or Archangel Michael, Destroyer of the Dragon, the "Great Captain", leader of the heavenly army, bearer of its banner, helper of the weak and children.] Proudly said, then the column of light disappeared from the little girl.

[Since I'm in a good mood, I'll reveal one thing. In the non-distant future, a countdown will appear in your mind, at the end of it, you'll wantonly fight.]

A timer appeared in their mind as a demonstration.

[Prepare yourself and don't dishonor the house dignity.] When the angel stopped his explanation, bells announced his withdrawal.

And so this crowd of people, left alone in this field, were lost in Paradise.