One Week Later
“…So. This is it.”
“It’s huge…”
“How the bloody hell did something this big exist right under our noses?!”
“‘The greatest secrets are the ones left untold’, or so the analogy goes. Didn’t expect it to be this large, though…”
“Ano… could we please stop staring at it? I don’t know about nee-san, but I’m embarrased…”
The five of them–the 4 Guardians and the Maiden–stood at the base of a rather large island, triple volcanos brimming with red in the distance. Past the rocky shoreline was some underbrush, but the remaining terrain looked peculiar; about one-third of it was rainforest, another third plains and rocky terrain, and the middle third a small forest with small patches of underbrush. At the center of each third was a volcano, the firey mountians constantly smoking, brimming with heat energy. Somehow, Daisetsu knew that none of the volcanoes would erupt anytime soon, despite the obvious warning signs. He left the others and his sister to admire the landscape, and returned to the large boat where all the former candidates and the newly incarnated god, Testament waited.
“Welcome, all of you, to the true homeland of my people.” He closed his eyes and smiled wryly. “Several years ago, we An’ven used to live in peace with humanity–in fact, we of the Flame were the closest to them, and we lived alongside them in Naclos. However, when a great political revolution overtook the human government and backfired, Naclos was left in anarchy. Eventually, the people turned to the clergy of a false religion that had been established in the country for years, but generally ignored before recently. The leader of that clergy blamed An’ven for the catastrophe that had beset the nation–after all, we do have destructive powers–, and the people believed him. We became the scapegoats, and we were driven from Naclos. The An’ven of the Wind, the Earth, and the Wave all moved to respective corners of the world to establish their own nations. If you looked at a map, you would see that Naclos itself is roughly based as the center(lying on both the equator and prime meridian), and Soujo’en, Mithrik’en, and Kaintor’en are at the east, west, and southern corners of the planet with regards to Naclos itself. The other side of the world where Naclos could have been is Kyoun’en, but we were supposed to have headed here, to this island–Aise’an. Roughly translated from the old language, it means ‘Island of time’, because the weather of three different times in the world take place on sections of the island. This was our prophecised place, but since the only route to lay through a mountain range which Naclos barred off right after our exodus, only a handful of An’ven made it here.”
He walked back up the rocky shore. “I know it’s not much of a place to hold a celebration compared to the others, but I thought I’d let you see it before my people do. This place is vast and holds many secrets… and it does have a few rural villages if you wish to find the people who did make it here. You’re seeing the future homeland of the Flame An’ven… but it’s too bad that you cannot stay much longer after this, so you could see what’s going to happen here in the next few years.” He laughed. “But, I’m sure that by now you’ve grown sick of this forced excursion, right?”
He gestured. “In one day, the energy flow that gave you the strength needed to ascend to goodhood will stabilize, and you will be sent back to your home worlds simultaneously. This is going to happen earlier than I originally anticipated, but I had no real idea of how much you would grow… Oh, and what strength you attained here will remain with you when you are sent back.” He nodded. “You’ll also be sent back approximately a day after you were taken, even though a week has passed here. The only person who this does not apply to is Testament; he can resist the forces put upon him to return to his time with ease.”
–However, if you yield to them in that instant, and not in any other… you will lose your godhood and become as you were prior to fighting the Void before you return. In any other case, you will remain a god.-- This was sent to the dark Gear by Suzaku himself, and not anywhere from Daisetsu.
“Well… you’ve not much time left. The three towns in this city are likely celebrating right now, so you might want to join in if you’ve the inclination.” He nodded, and waved to them as he moved back up to rejoin the others.
One week changed everything… my belief wasn’t misplaced. Here, Anko and I can stay without fear of being manipulated or controlled. We’ll both be free of that side of nature forever… or so I hope.
Despite his conflicting emotions, Daisetsu’s expression did not change from his honest smile as he walked up past the shoreline.
Because he still felt that smile.
Aise’en - The Island of Time
Well, this place has been mostly described by the passage above. There are several caverns at the base of the volcanoes, which give the island its name–through those three caves is a concentrated flow of time. They are heavily guarded by the An’ven there, to prevent people from entering the caves and perishing. The first volcano’s cave, which lies in the rainforest section, has the flow of the future running through its hallways; whomever enters will be affected by that flow, experiencing and/or seeing future events in his/her/its life, or possibly aging. The second volcano in the rocky plains area contains the flow of the past; enter the caves and one will reminicse his/her/its parts of that being’s entire lifetime, and/or lifetimes before that if that person is a reincarnation. The cave might also make one younger. The third volcano in the center field, with the forests, contains the flow of the present. One cannot enter the cave without his mind solely being dedicated to the ‘now’ in time, or the onrush of every single instant from every being’s perspective int the world constantly running will overload that person’s mind. If one can enter that cave and not be overcome, however, he/she/it will be able to see themselves as they have never been able to before.
The afterparty’s has no deadline, either. Make the day last forever. XD
