Cylla

Prologue

In this version of the story, the planet we know as Earth is not Earth at all, but a world as vast as Jupiter. On this planet, life did not yet exist — not until a supreme being of unknown identity intervened and placed upon it the first element from which life would emerge: water. From that water, the planet’s first entity was born — the Goddess of Water — who used her power to let the seas settle deep within the earth.

As time passed, the first living organisms appeared, and after millions upon millions of years, they left the waters to evolve into terrestrial beings. Yet in the air existed mysterious particles that altered the organisms of many creatures, corrupting their DNA and twisting them into monstrous beings. Some creatures, untouched by these particles, evolved correctly — just like the animals we know.

The world soon descended into chaos, for these monsters — malformed and ferocious — devoured everything in their path. Then new entities arose, beings of great power who drove the monsters into the caverns beneath the earth, allowing peace to return to the surface.

But peace was short-lived. After a thousand years, the entities quarreled among themselves, each desiring dominion over the others. Their arrogance plunged the world once again into chaos. Only a few remained neutral: the Goddess of Water, the Goddess of Life, the God of Wind, the God of the Sun, the Goddess of the Moon, and the God of Fauna. They abstained from war, for their roles in creation were not meant for conflict.

Because of this divine war, the mana — the particles suspended in the air — gave birth to new magical beings upon the surface: elves, dragons, dryads, elemental spirits, golems, fairies, unicorns, and more.

Some monsters seized the opportunity to escape from their underground prisons. Among them were goblins, orcs, ogres, lizardmen, and demi-humans. Humans, however, unpredictable and destructive as they were, were not considered monsters. Demi-humans, with their mixture of animal and human traits, were seen by the gods as abominations. At first, the gods allowed them to exist, but when humans began to reproduce with them, the gods grew furious and banished the demi-humans to the caverns below.

The divine conflict reached even those depths. There, new monsters were born — intelligent monsters whose minds rivaled or surpassed those of humans. These intelligent creatures too emerged to the surface, some even allying themselves with gods for their own gain.

When the elemental spirits appeared, they offered their guidance to the humanoid races — especially humans and elves — forging a connection so strong that only a few blessed by the spirits could wield elemental magic. Through mana, they could summon spells tied to the natural elements: water, earth, fire, air, ice, lightning, plant, and light. Those who mastered plant and light magic could even heal others.

Elves withdrew to the forests while humans built cities and kingdoms — nine nations in total: Zíngaro, Tesaní, Abarón, Amrita, Vulcano, Killari, Cahya, Kuznetsov, and Garrett. The elves divided their lands into seven great regions: Mori, Elwood, Delaney, Oakley, Neemah, Arbor, and Yggdrasil.

The dwarves claimed the nation of Kuznetsov, while the giants took Garrett. Both races were mutations of humankind, shaped by mana’s influence — some made smaller, others larger. Finding no place among ordinary humans, they forged their own civilizations. Though different in form, no conflict existed among them, for all shared the same ancestral blood.

Elves, however, were of another lineage entirely. Yet crossbreeding between humans and elves was possible, always producing an elf offspring. Their bond with nature was so deep that their very words could stir the trees and calm the fiercest beasts.

The world was vast — nine nations and seven elven realms could not fill it. And there stood a mountain known worldwide as “The Dungeon,” for within its slopes were three massive caves, each one independent yet dangerous enough to provoke war among the monsters within.

Among the monsters of higher intellect were goblins, lizardmen, lamias, harpies, orcs, ogres, and trolls — though the latter were far less intelligent. Dragons, too, were wise, but their pride and constant battles made many doubt their reasoning.

Then there were the fairies — fragile beings protected by the elemental spirits. Though tiny, fairies held the greatest magical power among mortal creatures, surpassed only by the spirits themselves. The spirits, in fact, outmatched most gods, yet they never interfered in divine wars unless the balance of the world was at stake.

The divine conflict birthed two new gods: the God of War and the Goddess of Skills. The latter granted abilities to all living beings, which grew stronger through use — the more one trained or fought, the more their skills evolved. This was the essence of her gift: what does not kill you makes you stronger.

The Goddess’s influence reshaped the world. Some creatures — dragons, ogres, elves, and intelligent monsters — adapted best. Slimes, ever-changing and immune to magic, embodied evolution itself, able to devour and mimic the forms and abilities of whatever they consumed.

The war among gods grew bloodier, while the monsters beneath the surface began to reorganize — the strongest dwelling in the deepest layers, the weakest near the entrance. Humans, driven by greed, began to explore these caves not for study but for the treasures and minerals placed there by the God of Earth to test their avarice.

Beyond the vast Kokutzu Lake — as wide as an entire ocean — lay unexplored lands and the tallest mountain in existence, rising 154 kilometers above sea level and spanning over 4,000 kilometers in width. Within it lay seventeen caves, more than any other place in the world — yet the gods ignored this mountain, too consumed by their endless feuds.

Days on this planet lasted thirty-six hours; humans lived an average of one hundred fifty years, while human mages reached three hundred. Elves lived up to ten thousand years, fairies five thousand, dwarves five hundred, giants one thousand, goblins sixty, orcs ninety, ogres one hundred fifty, and dragons three thousand. Spirits and gods were immortal — they could be slain, but never die naturally.

In the deepest caverns, mana grew corrosive, mutating creatures into demonic forms. Those who survived became “Demons.” From this darkness emerged a new spirit — the Spirit of Darkness — who blessed demons with its power. These dark spirits, rejected by their kin, took vengeance by empowering the elves most compatible with them, thus creating the Dark Elves.

Demons emitted a toxic mana that corrupted all unadapted life. The Goddess of Skills, ever whimsical, introduced “Unique Skills,” gifts that appeared in creatures during moments of birth, near-death, or dire need. These unique skills existed only once in all creation — no two beings could share the same one.

Meanwhile, the God of Light and his spirits transformed select creatures — humans, elves, giants, and dragons — into celestial beings clad in radiant white, their backs adorned with feathered wings. These were the Angels, and those who ascended even higher became Saints. Both could wield sacred light magic capable of purifying dark mana.

As evolution continued, creatures that reached the peak of their kind took on more human forms, their species unchanged but their bodies refined — for the human form was the most complete, though its mind the most flawed. Thus, even gods favored human shapes.

In time, the gods discovered a source of unimaginable strength: faith. Beings capable of reason could also believe — and faith empowered the divine. The gods began cultivating worship among mortals, turning their wars from open battles into cold wars of devotion. The more believers a god had, the stronger they became.

This divine favoritism divided humanity, fueling religious conflict that soon erupted into war between nations. Six of the nine kingdoms were engulfed in battle, all for the pride of their gods.

Yet even amid the ruin of men, the corruption of gods, and the rise of demons, a spark of hope endured. Deep within the highest mountain, something — or someone — has awakened.

A presence that will mark the world forever, bringing forth a change as unpredictable as it is unstoppable. Behold… **CYLLA!**