(Author POV)
Elira froze.
For a moment, she didn't move, didn't breathe, didn't even blink. Her body was still in the cave—the same rough walls, the same sharp edges, the same cold, quiet emptiness—but the moment her head passed through the lake, everything changed.
It was like stepping into another reality without fully leaving the first.
On the other side, the cave wasn't a cave anymore. It felt… alive. Strange plants surrounded the space, their soft glow casting shifting colors across the walls. The air felt different too—lighter, fresher, like it carried something more than just oxygen.
It filled her lungs in a way that made her chest loosen, like she had been holding her breath her entire life without realizing it.
"…Okay," she whispered under her breath, her eyes widening slightly. "That's… definitely not normal."
"I think it's better if you come in fully," Cain's voice came, calm and grounded, pulling her attention toward him.
She turned her head slightly. On the other side of the lake, Cain stood on a cluster of rocks, Maria beside him, both watching her with a strange mix of patience and expectation.
Elira blinked, then slowly pulled her head back out of the water.
The moment she did—everything snapped back. The glowing plants vanished. The air lost that strange, freeing feeling. The cave returned to its original dull, lifeless state.
She stared at the lake for a second, her brows pulling together.
"How does that even make sense?" she muttered. "Two completely different places… connected by water?"
"Welcome to our world," Cain said lightly from the other side.
Elira exhaled through her nose, shaking her head slightly. "Yeah, because my life wasn't confusing enough already."
She glanced at them one more time, then at the lake again.
"…Screw it."
Taking a breath, she stepped forward—and jumped.
—
On the other side, Maria stood quietly, her gaze fixed on the surface of the lake.
"Did you notice?" she said softly. "We told her we came from another world, and she didn't even question it properly. She just… accepted it."
Cain crossed his arms slightly, his eyes still on the water. "Yeah. She's sharp. Way sharper than she lets on."
Maria tilted her head. "And not even shocked about supernatural beings. Most humans would've panicked by now."
Cain let out a small huff of amusement. "That's because she's not like most humans."
Maria glanced at him. "You think she already knows?"
"She doesn't know everything," Cain replied, "but she understands enough. And honestly? That might make things easier. No point hiding the truth if she's already halfway there."
Maria nodded slowly. "Then we should tell her everything soon. The longer we wait, the worse it gets."
Before Cain could respond—the lake exploded.
"WHAT THE—?!" Elira burst out of the water mid-scream, completely upside down, her legs flailing in the air while her head pointed straight toward the ground.
For a split second, everything froze.
Then gravity kicked in.
"Oh, shit—!" Elira yelped.
Cain reacted instantly. He pulled a small stick-like object from his pocket, and within a second, it extended into a whip. With a sharp flick of his wrist, he snapped it forward, wrapping it securely around her waist.
"Got you."
He yanked her out just before she could fall back into the lake.
"Ouch!" Elira hissed as she hit the ground, immediately sitting up and rubbing her back. "Couldn't you do that a little more gently?!"
Cain raised an eyebrow. "You're welcome."
She shot him an annoyed look. "That was not gentle."
"If I hadn't done that," he said calmly, "you would've been stuck in the portal, bouncing between dimensions like a broken glitch."
Elira paused. "…Okay, that sounds worse."
"Exactly."
She clicked her tongue and stood up, brushing imaginary dust off her clothes. "Still could've caught me like a normal person."
"I did catch you."
"With a whip."
"It worked."
She opened her mouth to argue, then stopped. "…I hate that you're right."
Maria let out a soft laugh, clearly entertained. "You'll get used to it."
"Doubt it," Elira muttered, then looked at the whip, noticing how it shimmered faintly in green. "I don't think I saw that with you before… what is this?"
Cain glanced at it, and with a slight movement, the whip responded to his touch, retracting back into a simple stick, which he slipped into his pocket.
"It's called an Artifact. It's very useful—for fights and situations like this. There are more interesting things like this here."
Elira's gaze snapped back to him instantly, sharper now, more focused than before. "More… interesting?" she repeated, her tone shifting from casual curiosity to something deeper. Cain noticed.
Of course he did. He tilted his head slightly, studying her reaction. "Artifacts aren't just tools," he said calmly. "They're extensions of power. Some choose their wielder. Some reject them completely."
Elira's brows furrowed. "Choose?" she echoed. "You're telling me objects here have opinions now?"
Maria let out a soft laugh. "Not opinions… instincts," she corrected. "The stronger the Artifact, the more it resonates with its user. Or refuses them."
Elira looked between them, her interest clearly growing despite herself. "So what? Anyone can just pick one up and become powerful?"
Cain's expression shifted slightly at that—more serious now. "No," he said. "If you're not worthy, it won't respond. And if you try to force it…" He paused.
Elira narrowed her eyes. "What happens?"
Maria's voice softened—but the weight in it was unmistakable. "It destroys you."
Silence followed. Elira blinked once, then let out a quiet breath, glancing at Cain's pocket where the Artifact had disappeared. "…Okay," she muttered. "Noted. No random touching magical weapons."
Cain smirked faintly. "Smart choice."
But Elira's eyes lit up slightly. Okay… now it's not bad to live here if things like this exist.
Maria noticed her expression and chuckled softly. "Don't worry. There
are many types of Artifacts. We'll get you one."
Elira smiled and nodded. "Thank you."
Then she looked around.
And then she stilled again—but this time, not out of confusion.
Out of curiosity.
The cave here felt completely different. It wasn't empty or lifeless. The glowing plants cast soft hues across the walls, and the air carried a faint warmth that didn't belong underground.
"…Okay," she said slowly, turning in a small circle. "So where exactly are we?"
This time, Maria answered. "You are in the Capital Planet of the Seven-Planet System—Auroraea."
Elira blinked. "Okay… that sounded important," she said. "But also very confusing."
Maria smiled slightly and started walking, signaling for them to follow. "Come. It'll make more sense as we go."
Elira hesitated for a second, then followed, Cain walking beside them.
"As you already know," Maria continued, "we are no longer in your world. This is a different dimension—and a different planet."
Elira nodded slowly. "Yeah… I figured that part out when the cave decided to glow."
Cain smirked faintly.
Maria continued, "The planet we are on is called Auroraea. It is known as the Capital Planet because six other planets surround it, forming what we call the Circle System."
Elira raised a brow. "Circle System. Sounds fancy."
"It is," Cain replied. "And dangerous, depending on where you stand."
Maria gestured outward as they walked deeper into the cave. "Auroraea lies at the center. It maintains balance between all the other planets. That's why it's called the Capital Planet."
Elira crossed her arms slightly. "And let me guess… this 'balance' thing is important."
"Very."
She exhaled. "Figures."
Maria continued, "Beings from all other planets—"
"Wait," Elira cut in, stopping mid-step. "Other beings? As in… there's more?"
Cain glanced at her. "A lot more."
Elira stared at him. "You're telling me dragons weren't enough?"
He smirked. "Not even close."
Maria picked up from there. "There are six primary races that rule the seven planets and maintain the balance."
Elira tilted her head. "Alright. Hit me with it."
"Witches, Mermaids, Vampires, Werewolves, Fae… and Dragons."
Elira let out a slow breath. "…Of course," she muttered. "Why not just include everything at this point?"
Cain chuckled softly.
Maria continued walking. "Each race governs its own planet." She began listing them, her voice steady. "Fae — Fleurion. Mermaids — Nexarion. Vampires — Zorvath. Werewolves — Xylonia. Witches — Nelumbo. Dragons — Kraelion."
Elira repeated under her breath, trying to keep up. "Fleurion… Nexarion… Zorvath… okay, these names are getting serious."
"And Auroraea," Maria continued, "is different. It is not ruled by one race. Instead, the rulers of all six races govern it together to maintain peace."
Elira blinked. "So… basically a shared kingdom?"
"You could say that."
"Huh," she said. "That actually sounds… complicated."
"It is," Cain replied.
Elira went quiet after that. Her mind raced, questions stacking over each other faster than she could process them.
Who am I? Why am I here? Where do I fit in all of this?
She opened her mouth to ask—but then—
They stepped out of the cave. And everything stopped. Elira's breath caught. Her eyes widened.
The world in front of her was nothing like anything she had ever seen. She didn't speak. She couldn't. For the first time since all of this began—Elira was completely, utterly speechless. She had thought she was stepping into a world of magic. But this—
This was something far beyond magic. This was another level.