novelraw Chapter 118 – The Voice of the World
Chapter 118 – The Voice of the World
Len and I sat on the soft grass just beyond our modest wooden home, basking in the warmth of the midday sun. The gentle breeze played with the tall blades of grass around us as we continued our experiments, testing the peculiar new traits granted to us as Aethralunians. Laughter and chatter filled the air, some ours, some belonging to the souls within us, who seemed just as curious and excited as we were.
Len leaned back on her hands, her long silver hair swaying in the wind, and let out a wistful sigh.
"That's rather unfortunate," she murmured, her voice laced with faint disappointment. "With such beautiful divine light, it would’ve been fitting to celebrate our ascension with a proper ceremony.”
I raised an eyebrow, suppressing a chuckle.
“A grand ceremony? Isn’t that a bit… embarrassing?”
She turned to me, her lips curling into a teasing smile. "Why feel embarrassed? Our transformation was magnificent. I bet there are plenty of people who’d give anything to witness something that magical.”
"Haa..." I sighed, not entirely convinced but unable to deny her point.
Then, Aza’s voice echoed inside our minds.
【All people will know soon enough.】
““Huh?””
We blinked and turned to each other, confusion painted clearly across our faces.
Before we could ask, Aza clarified, her voice steady and certain.
【The birth of a new race is something the world itself recognizes. Within the hour, it will be announced across every corner of the land.】
“What!?”
“Seriously!?”
We barely had time to absorb the shock. A sudden stillness fell over the world around us, before an otherworldly voice resounded clearly in our minds.
“Announcement preparations for the birth of a new race: Aethralunians.”
The sky shimmered faintly above us, the clouds parting as if to bear witness to what came next.
“The pioneering individuals, Freed and Selena, will be announced as well.”
“No existing lineage name found.”
“Requesting the creation of a new lineage name from the individuals.”
Len and I locked eyes, excitement bubbling between us like a shared secret suddenly revealed. In perfect unison, we answered aloud:
““Calytrix.””
“Lineage name received.”
“The pioneering individuals, Freed Calytrix and Selena Calytrix, will be acknowledged.”
The voice faded from our minds, but then something even more surreal happened. The sky itself began to speak, its voice resonating far and wide, as if the heavens themselves wanted the entire world to know what had just transpired.
……
— 3rd Party’s POV —
“Announcement to all beings who dwell upon this world—Utopiora.”
The voice flowed like a divine melody, resonating through the heavens and earth alike. It was neither loud nor soft, but impossibly clear, heard by all, noble or common, monster or nature, above ground or beneath it. Every soul paused, drawn by its serene authority, and instinctively turned their eyes skyward.
“On this day, the first of autumn in the 25,777th year, a new race has been born.”
In the distant wilderness, a group of masked travelers halted mid-step.
“Hey, Joy! Listen! A new race has been born!” exclaimed a girl in a sad-face mask, clutching a parchment tightly.
“Yes, Tears! How thrilling!” replied another with a joyous grin carved into her mask.
“Haa… Whoever they are, I just hope they won’t bring more trouble,” murmured a woman behind an anxious-mask, glancing at the overcast sky.
“Hurry! We need to deliver this before the dragon tracks us,” urged a man whose fear-mask barely concealed the trembling in his voice as he clutched a colossal egg to his chest.
“We can’t rush, Dread! We’ll damage the egg!” Joy scolded, pacing carefully.
“I’d cry if it didn’t hatch right…” Tears whimpered.
“Born of a rare cosmic convergence, they embody the harmonious unity of divergent bloodlines.”
“A testament to the extraordinary possibilities forged through unity among the divided.”
In the heart of the Empire, within the immaculate gardens of a grand mansion, an elven woman paused in her duties, her hands still wet from scrubbing the marble tiles. A silver collar glinted around her slender neck, a mark of ownership as much as silence.
She looked up as the divine voice echoed overhead, her eyes reflecting the sky’s shifting hues.
“Unity among divided races…” she whispered, the words dancing like a forbidden dream on her tongue.
“Doesn’t that sound familiar, Esta?” asked a soft voice beside her. A brown catkin, no less collared, nestled between the rose bushes.
“Yes, Hazel,” she replied with a tired smile, her fingers gently brushing the petals as if seeking comfort in their softness.
“Each individual bears a unique blend of characteristics from their original races, contributing to the creation of a rich and varied community.”
In a lavish estate bathed in soft sunlight, a noblewoman lifted her teacup with a curious smile.
“Doesn’t that echo your old dream, brother?” she asked gently.
The man beside her, regal and quiet, gazed into the distance with misty eyes. “Yes, Sheila… A haven where all races could live side by side… that’s my wife’s dream… and mine.”
She chuckled, her voice warm. “It seems others share that dream now.”
“May they succeed where we could not,” he murmured, lost in the memory of love long past.
“They adapt with ease, embracing diverse lands and cultures, unbound by their mixed heritage.”
In a realm where the sky never brightened, a towering black citadel loomed.
“Adaptable to diverse lands…” mused a figure clad in a butler’s garb, his eyes gleaming crimson in the dim light.
“Do you think they’ll come here too?” he asked the maid dusting the ash-laced windowsill.
“If they do… I hope they bring change. I want to feel the sun again,” she whispered.
“It’s been over two thousand years since the promised salvation,” the butler said gravely.
“Our lords sacrificed their own lives for that reason. So, we can only hope the Goddess doesn’t lie.”
“Bestowed with the gift of everlasting life, they shall not fade with the march of time.”
At a silent guild far from the clamor of the cities, a half-elf sat alone in the guildmaster’s office, staring at a dusty old appraisal note.
“Everlasting life…?” she murmured. “That reminds me… of him.”
She let her gaze drift to the ceiling, heart heavy with memories of a certain boy.
“The world welcomes this radiant dawn.”
As those words echoed through the firmament, a hush fell over every corner of Utopiora. The winds paused in their course. The trees stilled. Even the monsters of the land and sky lifted their heads in quiet reverence.
“Aethralunian.”
The name resounded like the toll of a celestial bell. It rippled through souls and soil alike, carving itself into the essence of the world.
High above, golden light broke through the clouds like a divine veil parting, casting shimmering rays upon the earth below. Across forests, mountains, seas, and deserts, vibrant leaves in gold, crimson, amber, and russet drifted gently from the heaven, as if the world itself exhaled in celebration.
"Look! The sky, it's raining leaves!" a boy shouted, his arm stretched skyward.
Brilliant hues of red, orange, gold, and amber spiraled from above, drifting gently like nature’s confetti. The sunlight filtered through the canopy, casting a kaleidoscope of colors over the town square.
“Whoa!” another boy echoed, eyes wide with childlike wonder.
“Beautiful…” breathed a pink-haired girl. Her eyes glimmered with awe as a single crimson leaf landed in her outstretched palm.
“Isn’t it amazing, Cheri?” one of the boys said with a grin. “We just talked about celebrating your adventurer registration, and now the skies are throwing a party.”
“It’s like the sky itself is celebrating you, Cheri!” the other added cheerfully.
Cheri laughed, the corners of her eyes crinkling. “Don’t be ridiculous, Gill, Kenya. This is for the birth of a new race, not my little adventurer registration.”
"Did someone say Cheri’s celebration?"
"Can we join in?"
Two energetic red-haired children trotted up with matching grins, their eyes sparkling beneath messy bangs.
“Rei! Ray!” the trio called out in unison.
“Ya-hoo! Congratulations, Cheri!” Rei beamed, giving a playful wave.
“I just registered, Rei.” Cheri said with a sheepish smile.
Amongst the swirling autumn leaves, their laughter and joy mingled with the magic of the moment.
“The birth of a new race would not be possible without the pioneering individuals who paved the way.”
From a distant field, two figures looked up toward the luminous sky.
“That’s it, darling! Our names are going to be known across the world!” one of them cheered, practically bouncing on their toes.
“Ugh… That’s embarrassing,” the other muttered, cheeks flushed, though the sparkle in his eyes betrayed his excitement.
“Born to Human parents,”
“Lived as part of the Great Human race.”
“H-Huh!? I-It’s revealing my secret?!” He stammered as if the whole world could now see his secret.
“His race has now transformed into a new race.”
The air shimmered as the Voice paused, as if the entire world held its breath in reverence.
“The world extends a warm welcome to the first pioneer of the Aethralunians…”
The sky pulsed with golden light. Leaves halted midair, suspended in a moment that defied time.
“Freed Calytrix.”
The name rang out like a bell across valleys, mountains, seas, and skies, etched into the very soul of the world.
“Huh…? Freed…?” a navy-haired girl murmured in disbelief, her gaze fixed on the sky as the name echoed through the clouds.
“Uwaaaahhh!!” came a sudden shriek from above.
A blur of blonde hair and flailing limbs tumbled down from a tree branch.
“D-Daisy!? Are you alright!?” Celestia called out, rushing to help.
“Aw-aw-aw, I-I’m fine, sis. B-But more importantly, did you hear that!? It’s him! They said Freed!” Daisy's eyes shone with a fierce conviction.
“Yes… but it might not be our Freed. He was Human, and had no surname…”
“No! Sis! I’m sure it’s him! He is Freed, our little brother!” Daisy declared, her hands balled into fists.
The older sister’s expression softened. “…Really?”
“Yes! My intuition tells me it’s him! I know it!”
The wind rustled the trees around them, sending more leaves fluttering between them like whispers of fate.
“…Then he’s truly alive,” the elder sister said, her voice trembling slightly. “Let’s start gathering information. If his name has been spread across the world, we should be able to trace his whereabouts.”
“Yes! Haha! I can’t believe he’s become so famous all of a sudden! He’s even more well-known than you, sis!”
The sisters shared a rare moment of pure joy, their hearts pounding with hope as they set their sights on finding the brother they had long thought lost.
“Born to Human and Half-Elf parents.”
“Lived as part of the Half-Elf race.”
“Now, her essence has transcended, ascending to a higher race.”
“The world extends a warm welcome to the second pioneer of the Aethralunians…”
“Selena Calytrix.”
Within a grand wooden castle, its walls carved with ancient runes and bathed in the golden hues of afternoon light, a young-looking girl froze. The delicate porcelain teacup she held trembled in her grasp, the warm brew rippling with her sudden tension. Her long, elven ears twitched at the sound of the name echoing through the skies.
“Y-Your Highness!? Are you alright?” a maid asked with concern, stepping forward.
But the girl didn’t respond immediately. Her wide, glistening eyes stared blankly ahead, locked in memory and disbelief.
“Savior…?” she whispered. Her breath hitched, eyes glassy with disbelief.
She rose with sudden purpose, the ornate chair scraping softly against the polished wooden floor. A fire danced in her eyes, one not seen in years.
“Your Highness?” the maid repeated, bewildered.
“We must celebrate. Prepare a grand feast tonight!”
“H-Huh? But it’s so sudden, and—”
“Then do what you can for today. We’ll make do. But let it be known across the capital, the celebration shall continue for a week!”
“Y-Yes!” The maid, blinking rapidly at the flurry of orders, nodded and turned to leave—
“Wait.”
She paused.
“Remind the gatekeepers, Selena Calytrix is to be treated with the highest reverence. That was my decree, right?”
“Yes, Your Highness. You ordered it over a decade ago. Every town, every outpost, every official under your domain was instructed to show her the utmost respect.”
“Good. Remind them again. And if she or any of her companions set foot in our land, I am to be informed at once. Personally.”
“Y-Yes, at once!” The maid bowed and hurried off, overwhelmed but dutiful.
Left alone, the girl stepped toward the tall window as a gust of wind rustled the curtains. Leaves of russet and gold drifted gently past the panes, dancing in the twilight air.
“…Savior,” she whispered once more, eyes turned skyward.
And as if answering her devotion, the heavens shimmered.
In the heart of Utopiora, from forest to desert, mountain peak to ocean trench, shafts of iridescent light descended like threads woven from the stars themselves.
They danced and spiraled, converging upon the two pioneers. A sacred hush swept the world as every being felt it, the shift from a voice that declared to One that blessed.
The divine presence of the Goddess of Freedom had manifested.
Though Her form remained unseen, Her essence radiated from the light.
Her voice flowed not through air, but through the very essence of the world.
“May the world grant these pioneers the freedom they seek.”
She spoke, not as a ruler, but as a Mother offering Her children to the dawn.
And as Her words whispered through the hearts of all creation, the autumn leaves continued their gentle descent, each one aglow, not with the fire of the sun, but with the quiet luminescence of divinity.