Chapter 395: Haven

'[Also, just so you are aware, that makes you that plane's sole god. In other words, your own Primal Energy birthed life into that lifeless plane and is the reason for its continued development.]' Enya continued.

'W-What does this mean?' Aiden asked with an utterly shocked expression. His mind was already in shambles, the gravity of the news Enya kept throwing at him was beyond what he seemed capable of processing. Still, there was a dangerous thought lingering in his mind, that he dared not to accept nor delve too much on it, lest it becomes the truth.

Still, Enya was merciless in this regard. Her next words confirmed it.

'[It means that you Aiden are not just the sole survivor. Your true origins go beyond a simple Primal, be it the son of the Guardian or not. Aiden, you could already feel it, just your mind couldn't accept it, take it as the truth, even if the clues were always there. Right from the very beginning.]'

She gave a second of pause in her speech, giving her Master a moment to try to comprehend the thought.

She continued a bit later though.

'[Aiden, you… your core is not simple. It…]'

'It of divine origin?' Finally, finishing her sentence, Aiden sighed defeated. 'How though?'

'[I…]' Suddenly she turned silent, her presence dimmed for a brief moment before she returned. Her tone, however, was different than before. Much calmer… flat.

'[Everything will be revealed as you find more of the hidden shrines and absorb the memories prepared for you.]' 

The strange change in her tone and mannerism reminded Aiden of the past happenings of the same. She explained before that there are more behind the scenes than what is visible, and that there was a higher power governing the events. Was this 'power' this True God, Ioris? Or was it someone… or maybe something else?

It was impossible to tell for now, but at the very least, Aiden was now certain that everything that happened was orchestrated and managed by some higher entity. The disaster of the past that made his kins, the Primals vanish, the last saving grace that made her mother sacrifice herself, her soul in exchange for his safety… his father's last stand, that vicious battle against all the other… gods' champions.

Still, ultimately even that failed to stop the disaster from unfolding, to have their legacy be forgotten, his race being only a mystery, a myth shrouded by the fog of centuries.

—

Discussing for a bit more, eventually, Aiden confirmed that he could safely travel to this other plane, and check everything out. However, what was even more surprising is that Enya confirmed that there was now a strange time dilation effect going on. The sub-dimension, this slice of the void filled with primordial, primal energies had changed, evolved in a vastly more mysterious manner than what even the system expected. 

What was even stranger, is that it seemed that the time dilation was not just a one-time change, but a continuously evolving effect. Based on the system's calculation, for the moment, a bit more than 2 hours, or to be precise 141 minutes seemed to equal 1 full hour in reality.

This gave way to a couple of ideas, for which Aiden now really needed to visit this other world and check it out for himself.

He needed to confirm that like Enya mentioned he does have full control over the world there and could alter it to his liking. He also wanted to see his servants, what was Roas, Glohn meeting about, or what was Gob doing exactly. They were his officers… no, his newly joined family. Being forcefully separated due to the system's upgrade was already heavily weighing on Aiden's mind.

So, knowing that he still had at least 2 more hours before he would need to start 'waking up', he would be able to spend 4 full hours in the new world. More than he needed to complete his goals.

With these thoughts in mind, Aiden stood up from the floor and stretched out his right palm. From his fingertips, golden threads of energy spread out, stretched around in the air in front of him, rapidly merging into one and forming a gate, an arched doorway. 

Like before, the portal, as it soundlessly appeared, was unlike the one's Granny, Number 3 and the other powerful entities seemed to be used to. For example, its surface wasn't dark, it didn't look like a viscous fluid of eerie darkness, but like the surface of crystal clear, calm water. Like a mirror or a window to be more exact, it provided a look at the other side. 

In another world. Like Aiden could already see before, emerald-green, beautiful grass stretched across the plain, painting the scenery for a picturesque meadow in front of his eyes.

Though, there were some obvious differences from before. The previously empty scenery was now filled with life. In the distance, small yurt-like huts darted towards the sky, robust-looking green and brownish colored figures could be seen living, working, already accommodated to their new, and dream-like peaceful lives. 

They finally had a place that they could call home that wasn't tainted by the greed of humanity. Yes, there might be some challenges, like them trying to calm their battle-hardened chaotic natures.

Orcs, though considered violent by the outside world, even going as far as some were questioning that if they should be considered as one of the 'intelligent species' of Eora and just refer to them as bipedal, ferocious, bloodthirsty monsters. 

In reality, looking from outside this magical window, they were vastly different. To the right of the stretched-out village, a vast field was being cultivated by dozens of these bulky 'monsters'.

Also, what was a surprise to Aiden, but very welcomed at the same time, was the change from before, the small river that crossed across the beautiful meadow, injecting even more life to the evolving plane. The orc's village being settled at its riverbed, a similarly sized group as the farmers on the right were working, building at its side, while some even seemed to be… 

'Fishing? Are there fish in the river?' Aiden muttered as he kept watching the scenery with a growing curiosity.

'[Yes. Life is constantly evolving, at an incredibly fast pace. Once you travel to the other side, dart your gaze to the far right. You will find a forest, not too dissimilar to the one you grew up in Aiden. Once you start exploring it, you might come to some surprises.]' Enya's voice suddenly resounded in his mind, giving him yet another shocking revelation.

Enya wasn't just spewing empty air before. Like she explained before, life has truly been injected in this still nameless plane, this growing world, safe haven…

Thinking about it more, Aiden suddenly smiled. He finally found a fitting name.

'Enya… Let's call this place… Haven.' He called out with an emerging smile curving his lips as he stepped into the portal, causing small distortions to ripple across the portal's previously calm, clear surface.

Another moment later, Aiden's figure vanished from reality, as it traveled across another plane of existence.

A safe, new world, a small slice of peace.

A Haven.