New Knowledge

After settling down and getting familiar with his new environment, Ryder decided to use the library to find out more about this new world. He was fascinated by the books of the castle's library.

The library had tall, steel bookshelves which held both traditional books and holographic texts. There were soft, floating lights which adjusted to help readers. The library also had a central table with an AI interface that can find any book or data instantly. There were also virtual reality stations which let visitors explore historical events.

This layout made Ryder excited to use the library everyday. He read for hours, until his mind was filled with new information. He discovered many things that amazed him, and many things that puzzled him.

Sometimes, Lily would join him in the library, and help him understand what he read. She would explain things to him, with patience and enthusiasm. She would also tell him stories, and jokes. They would talk for hours, and laugh together. He enjoyed her company, and felt closer to her.

One day, he asked her about the thing that intrigued him the most: the powers of this world. He had seen her use magic, and he wondered if he could do it too. He also wondered what other kinds of powers existed, and how they worked.

She led him to a secluded corner, where holographic volumes on magic and Ki awaited. "There are two power systems in this world: Mana and Ki," she began, her fingers dancing through the air, conjuring images to accompany her words.

"Mana is the lifeblood of the planet, an omnipresent energy harnessed by those born with Mana cores—spiritual organs that resonate with the world's essence."

"These people are called Mages, and they can cast spells with Mana. Spells are like formulas, that use Mana to create various effects."

"There are many types of spells, and many ways to cast them. Some Mages use words, some use gestures, some use tools, some use their minds."

"The more Mana a Mage can absorb, and the better they can shape it, the stronger they are."

She paused a bit and asked, "Are you following?"

Ryder replied with a positive nod and she continued.

"There is also a higher level of energy, called Aether, but that's a secret that only a few Mages know."

"I'll tell you more about it later, when you're ready."

She closed the book she was holding and handed it to him. She opened her palm and extended it towards another book in the shelf. The book flew out of the shelf and landed in her hand. Ryder was amazed by this display. It was basic to Lily, but amazing to him.

She opened the book and turned the front to Ryder. "Ki is the energy of the self, the force of life. It resides inside a person, and it can be used and made stronger with training."

"it's a natural energy that can enhance one's physical and mental abilities."

"People who can use and control their Ki are basically called Ki users or Ki practitioners,"

As she continued her explanation, she flipped the pages of the book, providing Ryder with visual information to support her explanation.

He listened to her, and felt confused. He didn't understand how these two systems worked, or how they were different.

"So, Mana is like the energy of the world, and Ki is like the energy of the self?" he asked.

"Yes, that's right. Mana is external, and Ki is internal," she replied

"Mana is universal, and Ki is personal," she continued.

"Mana is creative, and Ki is practical."

"Mana is colorful, and Ki is clear."

"Mana is..." she stopped, and laughed. "Sorry, I got carried away. Do you get the idea?"

He nodded, slowly. He got the idea, but he still had doubts.

"Can anyone use Mana or Ki?" he asked.

"No, not everyone. There are three kinds of people in this world: Mages, Ki users, and normal humans."

"Normal humans are people who don't have Mana cores, and can't use Ki. They are like the people in your world, without any powers."

"Which one am I?" he asked.

She smiled and moved closer to him while remaining in the air. She was so close, he could feel her breath on his face.

"Wait and find out. Let's leave it as a surprise," she said.

She took his hand, and snapped her fingers, warping them to another section of the library. Ryder was shocked by their sudden disappearance and reappearance.

"I'd appreciate a little heads up next time, please," he said, with his eyes widened from the shock he felt.

"I'm sorry," Lily chuckled.

"I want to teach you something else. The military system of this world. You'll need to know about it, if you want to survive in this world."

"Is it very different from the one in the world you brought me from?" Ryder asked, his voice brimming with curiosity.

"To a large extent, yes," Lily answered.

She showed him a book with the abbreviation "A.V" on the cover, and opened it.

"The Arcane Vanguard, the force that protects this world from threats."

"The name already sounds kinda scary," Ryder said.

"Yeah, I know right," Lily chuckled and replied.

She began to describe the structure of the Vanguard and Ryder listened attentively.

"The vanguard is divided into two parts: the police force, and the special force. The police force is responsible for maintaining the peace and order in society, and dealing with small problems."

"It has people with and without powers, and it's organized by regions and countries."

"The special force is responsible for handling bigger problems, such as wars, invasions, disasters, anomalies, and some other species tasks.

"It has people with powers only, and it's organized by ranks and teams."

"The Vanguard uses a power ranking system to sort its members, with S rank being the strongest and E rank being the weakest."

"People are judged based on their control, strength, achievements, variety, and skill of their Ki or magic powers."

"This ranking system is also used to measure the strength of people and creatures on this planet. For the continent we're in, the special force has ten teams in total, each with a branch in different countries."

"Each team has a captain, but only the top three teams are numbered according to their strength. Sometimes you can choose the team you want to join, and sometimes you're assigned to a team. You can choose jobs and missions that match your rank."

"If you try to choose a job higher than your rank, you'll be rejected."

"All individuals in the Arcane Vanguard's army are called Sentinels."

"Oh, and each rank is broken down into grades, 1 to 3, to show the different levels in each rank," she added

"Three is the weakest, and one is the strongest."

He listened to Lily, and felt impressed. He didn't know there was such a complex and powerful force in this world. He asked her questions, and she answered them.

"So, the Arcane Vanguard is like the army of this world?" Ryder asked.

"Yep, that's the gist of it."

"Which part are you in? The police force, or the special force?" he asked.

She laughed, and shook her head. "Neither. I'm not a part of the Vanguard."

"You still don't believe i'm a goddess, do you?"

The look on her face suddenly became plain. She closed her eyes and exhaled heavily, and closed the book she was holding.

"I need a day off," she muttered.

She opened her eyes and met Ryder staring at her. She smiled softly and pat his head.

"Seems like I have business to attend to. You can handle the rest, right?"

"Y... Yeah sure," Ryder stuttered as he replied

"I'll make it up to you this weekend, okay?"

"okay," he replied with a smile.

In the blink of and eye, Lily vanished out of sight. "I wonder how she does that," Ryder thought to himself as he placed the books they read back into the shelves.

He was still excited by everything Lily explained concerning ki and mana. He was eager to start his training, but he didn't know when or how. He learned that there were schools in this world, but they were different from his. Some schools were for ordinary people without powers.

Some schools were only for those with powers, either Mana or Ki. And some schools were for both. On the continent he was on, there were only three famous schools that accepted both kinds of students: Rakuzan, Etherium High, and NovaTech Academy.

They were prestigious and expensive, and not everyone could get in. Some people were recommended by influential figures, and some were selected by the schools themselves.

He wondered which school he would go to, if any. He had no idea what his power was, or if he had one at all. He hoped Lily would help him figure it out.

On Saturday, Lily came to his room and told him to get ready. She said she would take him to see the city. He was excited and curious. He had only seen the castle and the forest around it so far.

They walked through the forest, chatting and laughing. He enjoyed her company. She was kind and smart, and she knew a lot about this world. He asked her many questions, and she answered them patiently.

When they reached the edge of the forest, he turned around and looked back. He was shocked to see that the castle and the forest had disappeared. In their place, there was a normal gate and a plain building. He realized it was an illusion, probably created by magic.

"Wow, how did you do that?" He asked Lily, amazed.

"It's a simple spell. It hides the castle from unwanted visitors. Only those who are permitted can enter," she explained.

"That's so cool," he said, impressed.

He turned around again and gasped. He saw a sight that took his breath away. It was the city, and it was unlike anything he had ever seen before.

It was a dazzling display of human creativity and technology. Skyscrapers of glass and metal soared into the sky, reflecting the sunlight and the clouds. Holographic signs of various shapes and colors adorned their smooth surfaces, creating a colorful and lively atmosphere. Lily saw his expression and smiled.

"Impressive, isn't it?" She asked him, gently.

He nodded, speechless. He felt like he had entered the future.

They walked through the city, and he saw more wonders. Under the busy streets, there was a network of trains that transported people from one part of the city to another in a fast and smooth way. The city's energy came from a system of clean sources, such as solar farms that glittered on the outskirts of the city and geothermal plants that tapped into the heat of the earth.

He felt like he was in a dream, until he remembered something. He looked at Lily and wondered why no one noticed them. She was a goddess, right? And from what he read, she was the ruler of this planet, so why? He looked at her with curiosity and confusion.

She noticed his gaze and asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

He hesitated at first, but he answered, "I was just wondering why no one's paying attention to their supreme goddess."

She laughed and said, "That's because they've never seen me like this."

He was puzzled by her answer. He wondered how she looked to them. He decided to ask her more questions as they walked.

"What's your title? Like what goddess are you?" He asked.

She smiled and said, "People call me the goddess of lightning, because I'm fast."

He was intrigued and challenged her, "How fast?"

She winked and said, "For now, let's just say very fast."

He wanted to see her speed, but he didn't push it. He asked her to tell him about the continents and countries of this world. She looked at him and laughed.

"I'm surprised you can handle all this. You're only twelve, right?" She asked.

He nodded, eager to hear her answer. He was surprised too. He had learned so much, and he still remembered the main points.

"That's impressive," she said and stopped at a restaurant door.

"How about we talk more over some food?" She suggested with a smile.

He agreed and followed her in. They sat at a table near a glass wall. She asked him what he wanted, but he didn't know. He had just arrived here a few days ago, and most of this world was different from his.

The breakfast he had with them the day he woke up was normal. Chicken, turkey, rice, and other tasty dishes. He told her to choose for him because he didn't know what to order.

There was a square screen on the table. She moved her fingers around on it and five minutes later, a pretty lady brought them two bowls of ramen.

He looked at the noodles and broth and asked, "What's this?"

She smiled and said, "It's ramen. It's a popular dish in this world, and your world. It's made of wheat noodles, broth, meat, and vegetables. It's delicious and filling. Try it."

He picked up a pair of chopsticks and followed her lead. He slurped the noodles and tasted the broth. He liked it. It was warm and savory, with a hint of spice.

He smiled and said, "It's delicious. Thank you."

She smiled back and said, "You're welcome. I'm glad you like it."

As they ate, She told him about the seven continents of this world: Aeroterra, Cyberlith, Astrovia, Holoval, Magtopia, Alakatsia, and Infernalis.

"We're in Astrovia right now. It's your new home," she said. "The city we're in is called Metreona. It's one of the most advanced and prosperous cities in this world."

She pointed at the glass wall and showed him a map of the continent. He saw that it was divided into several countries.

"Astrovia is a democratic continent. I don't interfere much with their politics. "

He looked at her with curiosity. She was a goddess, but she didn't act like a tyrant. She seemed to care about the people and their freedom.

"What about the other continents? How do they work?" He asked.

She smiled and said, "They're different. Some are more peaceful, some are more chaotic. Some are more magical, some are more technological. Some are more friendly, some are more hostile. You'll learn more about them as you travel and explore."

She got up from her seat and said, "Come on, let's go back to the castle. It's getting late."

They walked back through the city, and he marveled at the sights and sounds. He felt like he was in a sci-fi movie, but with magic.

He thought of something and asked Lily, "Are there other planets with people on them? Magic is real here, so I wouldn't be surprised if there were."

She nodded and said, "Yes, there are. Many planets, many worlds, many dimensions. But only three are the superpowers of this universe."

"Cynerion, the planet I brought you to, is one of them. The other two are Vigora and Nebulon. They have supreme leaders like me, but they're not as nice."

He was intrigued and asked, "Who are they?"

She chuckled and said, "You could say they were once my rivals."

"Gilgamesh, the god slayer, rules Vigora, and. Silvanna, the dark queen, rules Nebulon."

"I wonder how much this world has to do with my past," he wondered as they walked home.

***

The room engulfed in darkness. A young boy with long purple hair was sitting on a brown chair at the center of this dark world. In his hand, was a book opened halfway. He appeared to be reading it.

Standing beside him was a tall young man with short dark hair. The rest of his features remained slightly hidden by the darkness.

"You called?" The man with dark hair asked.

"It's finally time for the first test, and our first open move," the young boy said, his voice low and calm.

"Kai..." The young boy called the man standing beside him.

"I need you to run an errand for me. In return you'll finally get what you want."

Interest piqued, Kai's stance shifted, a subtle readiness taking hold. "And what might that be?"

"Ryder has arrived," the boy replied, his tone low and sinister

"So it's finally time."

A smirk developed on his face as he closed the book in his palm, "It's time for us to cripple one of Astrovia's greatest defenses."