In the blink of an eye, everything around us begins to distort as if being sucked into something similar to the effect of a black hole. My vision becomes completely blurry with this sensation, and the feeling of vertigo fills my body in such an overwhelming way that if it weren't for Naomi's hand holding mine, I would swear I was in a nightmare that would cause sleep paralysis.
…
*Raphaella and I vomiting into different buckets
- (Ellyn stroking my back) Go on, spit it all out. It's like this the first time.
- (spitting out the remaining vomit) You could have told us that.
- (Raphaella holding a bucket) Damn… And how did you get used to this?
- (Jack stroking Raphaella's back) And who said we got used to it? When it's without us knowing, it's like this. Why do you think there are at least 20 buckets around here?
- (Naomi handing towels to me and Raphaella, and holding two small bottles of water) Here. Take these.
Quickly, this distortion brought us somewhere I have no idea if it's on Earth or one of those worlds Ellyn and Jack talk about being sent to for Gacha situations or something like that. Even Raphaella, who shouldn't even know about this situation, was pulled to this place and it startled me to see her next to me vomiting like I was.
- (Raphaella taking one of the towels and wiping her mouth) Thank you. Uh… you are…
- (Naomi handing the bottle to me and Raphaella) Naomi Yuhkana. I'm friends with Sebastian and Gacha too - Good thing the nausea hurts more than hearing that "friend" thing from Naomi.
- (Raphaella looking curiously at Naomi) Yuhkana? You… are related to Nozomi?
- (Naomi helping me up) Yes, she's my older sister. Do you know her?
- (Raphaella slightly surprised) Yes, it's just that… I thought that… I mean, nice to meet you. But you're… like those two idiots and…?
- (breathing better) Long story, Raphaella. Is it okay if we talk about it later?
- (Raphaella standing up) Honestly, I hope I'm not hallucinating because I was passed out because of the energy Jack used from the contract. This is very… strange to me.
- (smiling slightly) I wish I knew the day. This morning, I was in the principal's office being accused of hitting a student, and now I'm here with you in this place.
- (Raphaella looking around) Are you one of those who defends gender equality in these moments?
- (Naomi looking at Raphaella) Seriously, what caught your attention was the first part of what he said?
- (Raphaella looking around) Force of habit. But anyway… what place is this?
The place reminds me of the drawing room of a mansion. It is a vast, open space adorned with various technological accents— neon lights serving as illumination along the walls, pillars, and floor— interspersed with sculptures that look like the art pieces I've seen in history books. What strikes me most is the pervasive purple hue — even the light is purple — reminding me of the kind of brothels seen in crime movies, yet it also feels dreamlike. The initial vertigo and confusion quickly gave way to curiosity and tension for both Raphaella and me; meanwhile, Ellyn, Jack, and Naomi seemed accustomed to the sight—and to an aesthetic that, to put it mildly, was unlike anything I'd ever seen.
- (Ellyn) Well, this is our boss's home. Or rather... The Creator's. The one who turned us into Gachas, crafted the worlds we live in—basically the all-powerful god figure you're familiar with in your world.
- (Jack) At least, a part of her home. I've never actually been to this area before.
- (Naomi, holding my hand) Well, at least it's not a stranger's secret basement.
- (Raphaella) To be honest, I'd feel more at ease if it *were* a basement.
Although the place seemed somewhat familiar and understandable to me, the fact that Naomi was holding my hand — as if ensuring I wouldn't get too tense or collapse from the aftereffects of the distortion that brought us here — made me feel a bit more reassured that this place wasn't too far removed from what I'd imagined regarding the Gachas. The idea of stepping into their world was a bit frightening, given the events of the night, and I had expected something far more surreal —something vastly different from the everyday reality of Earth (assuming we were still on Earth, that is). I had so many questions, yet... I was curious to learn more about it all.
- (Ellyn walking ahead) Well, let me just say this upfront: Lilith—the woman who brought the two of you here — is quite... peculiar, to say the least.
- Peculiar, aside from the fact that she looks like a demon?
- (Raphaella looking at me and laughing nervously) Don't tell me they're demonic beings who are going to drag our souls off to a painful end filled with torture and malice.
- (Naomi) Calm down, Raphaella. Madame Lilith isn't the kind of demonic being we're used to. It's just a style she chose. There's nothing malicious about it. Well, as far as her behavior goes...
- (Jack) So, how about we go talk to her right now so you two can draw your own conclusions?
- (Raphaella and I) Let's go.
As we walk toward a large set of double doors, I notice that Raphaella still seems to be getting used to the place — since she appeared out of nowhere — while I seem to be the focus of Naomi's gaze; she won't let go of my hand, and she frowns slightly whenever she looks at Ellyn, who is walking ahead of us with Jack. After a few seconds, Jack and Ellyn simply open the doors, and a brilliant flash of light fills my vision...
- (Lilith flying) Welcome to my little hideout~~
When my vision returns to normal, I see a huge, luxurious room with a color scheme leaning heavily toward purple, blue, and cyan. In the center sits a long, curved sofa facing an oval glass table topped with food, alongside numerous plush toys — bats and cats, mostly. There are also bolder decorations, like ropes and whips hanging from the ceiling, and a strong, aromatic scent that makes me slightly dizzy — so much so that Naomi holds my hand and Jack stays close to Raphaella.
- (Ellyn flopping onto the sofa) Ahhhhhhhhh! I missed lying on this comfy sofa~~
- (Lilith floating closer to us) Come on~~ Have a seat. Rest up, too; you need to keep your minds relaxed.
Naomi and I head toward the sofa via the small set of steps leading up to it, while Raphaella simply jumps onto the sofa from above and lies down.
- (Jack reaching the glass table and picking up an apple) Raphaella, here.
- (Raphaella taking the apple and looking at Lilith) Thanks. Um... You're the...
Naomi and I sit on the sofa near Ellyn, and Lilith moves closer to us.
- (Lilith looking at Raphaella) Hmmm... 7 out of 10~~
- (Raphaella narrowing her eyes) What?
- (Lilith) Sorry for bringing you here out of the blue. Jack didn't tell me you were exhausted because he'd used more magic than usual... Anyway, I'm Lilith. Nice to meet you~~
- (Raphaella looking at Lilith) Ahhh... Okay. Raphaella Daviner. Nice to meet you. So... are you their boss? Because, as a client, I'd like to make a few complaints about them.
- (Ellyn and Jack) Hey!
- (Lilith chuckling softly) I'd love to hear it, but I believe the reason you're here is something else. At least, *his* reason is.
- (Raphaella looking at me) As much as I'd like to sleep... I can't deny that having an explanation that's easier to grasp would make me feel a bit better and help clear things up regarding all this.
- (Lilith) Very well... But first...
Out of nowhere, Lilith's sweet gaze shifts to a different look. The color of her eyes — even the irises themselves — changes to a standard iris shape and a light blue hue, and her expression turns serious, as if she had switched... personalities?
- (Lilith, speaking in a different voice) Ellyn and Jack. I hope you have good reasons for all the mess Lilith told me about.
Ellyn, Jack, and Naomi are taken aback by this shift in Lilith's tone—especially Ellyn and Jack.
- (Ellyn shifting on the sofa) In our defense, we were told to keep things under wraps, and we did; but there was no way to know that... you know, that things would turn out the way they did.
- (Jack crossing his legs) I understand why you're upset about how we were handling the mission, but we couldn't have foreseen that there was more going on than we realized.
- (Lilith looking at Naomi) I assume you didn't know what was happening either.
- (Naomi sitting up formally) I didn't. I only found out today when... he had been captured by magic users on Earth.
Lilith — or whoever is looking at us — turns her gaze toward Raphaella and me, and simply sighs.
- (Lilith, her voice changing as she looks at Raphaella and me) On their behalf, I apologize for what happened to you and your family, and for what might — or will — happen to you. The intention wasn't to involve humans in this situation — at least, not in the more active aspects of our operations.
- You're welcome. But my family... will they be protected just like... like Lilith said?
- (Lilith, her voice changing as she shifts her gaze between Raphaella and me) Yes, they will. I placed a protective spell on your homes. But in return, I'd like the two of you to do me a favor.
- (Raphaella) And what would that be?
- (Lilith looking at Jack and Ellyn) Explain to me what happened over the last three weeks that kept them from alerting me — especially when someone used a Star Arrow against a Gacha.
…
It seems we spent longer than usual explaining everything to Lilith or what else is. Throughout the explanation that Ellyn, Raphaella, Jack, and I gave her, we ate, rested, and ended up identifying a few important questions. First, regarding the presence of other Gachas here on Earth besides Ellyn and Jack — which explained the five lights seen the day they arrived; second, concerning humans with magic here on Earth — since neither Jack nor Ellyn had previously thought it possible, even though Naomi was a clear example of that possibility; and third — and most importantly for everyone — what exactly their mission entailed, given that while they had found people with an affinity for magic, it wasn't in the way they had imagined.
Raphaella and I chimed in here and there, and Jack and Ellyn discussed how they had carried out their mission, while Naomi listened intently to everything being said; she would glance my way —and give me a little pinch —whenever she knew of a detail I hadn't mentioned or had simply forgotten to bring up.
- (Ellyn) And that's it.
- (Lilith, sighing, her voice sounding different) Three weeks without a word from you. Very well, you irresponsibles.
- (Jack) In my defense, you told us to avoid contact unless we were certain our suspicions were correct; that's why we didn't reach out sooner.
- (Ellyn) And it took a while because getting confirmation was genuinely difficult, and everything happened so fast—at least today's events—that it was hard to process it all enough to inform you.
- (Naomi, with a sarcastic tone) You two are really something else, aren't you...
- (Ellyn) Thanks, Naomi... I didn't think...
- (Naomi) That wasn't a compliment.
Lilith simply snaps her fingers, and a sort of digital screen appears, hovering in front of us.
- (Lilith, voice different) Well, considering what you told me, I think there's something odd going on—either you got a few things mixed up, or you actually came to Earth without asking me for the full picture, Ellyn and Jack.
- (Jack) What do you mean?
- (Lilith, voice different) Did you ever stop to ask yourselves *why* I wanted you to find people with a magical affinity on Earth?
Jack and Ellyn fell silent for a moment.
- (Ellyn) To bring them here so you could talk to them.
- (Lilith) Yes. But why did I want to talk to them?
- (Jack) Ohhhhh...
- (Naomi looking to Ellyn and Jack) So... you left the details about talking to the Creator pretty vague. If we consider that there are people with magic on Earth—and at least one of them nearly did something to Sebastian's family—you wouldn't exactly bring *that* person here, would you?
- (Lilith, voice different) Do you see my point? You wouldn't do that, which implies you should have thought carefully about exactly *who* to bring. And there's a major detail that all Gachas ought to know, but because of what happened to me, you ended up focusing on more immediate priorities—which I don't fault you for. But now that the dust has settled, you should consider the next logical step.
- (Ellyn) Which is?
When Ellyn asked that, Lilith simply sighed.
- (Lilith, looking at me and Raphaella) … What I'm about to tell you stays between us, okay? I've noticed how hard Jack, Ellyn, and even Naomi are working with you, and since you… technically, are the first humans from Earth to come here, I think it's best to explain what's going on right away.
With that, the curtains in her room close and the lights dim, making the digital screen stand out.
- (Lilith, her voice changing) Here goes…
...
"… My real name is Creator Luni. I am what you would understand as a god. I make and unmake, create and destroy, and start over—all in the palm of my hand… or at least, to an extent. Even as a god with such capabilities, I am limited in what I can actually do; thus, I have a simple purpose that makes me vital to this whole scheme: expanding the universe toward an infinity of existing possibilities, only to destroy everything, start over, and repeat the cycle. I am not the only one with these powers, but I was the only one who thought to do something different. Once I understood my essence as a god, I decided to create universes that would house a fraction of the wild, potential forms of existence that could be brought into being. I needed a concept to guide me, and that was when I caught a glimpse… of a universe that had existed for a long time—even before my own creation. It was a universe that none of us divine beings could touch or reset through our own interventions: Genesis. Within that universe lay a world—or rather, a planet—defined by immense creativity and the forging of concepts, cultures, philosophies, and self-discovery: Earth.
I studied Earth—analyzing every behavior, culture, belief, and piece of knowledge, from the dawn of your evolution to the furthest reaches of your future existence. I became fascinated and excited by your capacity to invent and to enact a simplified version of my own role: expanding the universe by giving meaning to things, and defining the existence and significance of everything you saw, believed in, and created. That is how I began my work. I created universes based on your inventions, beliefs, cultures, and societal models—whatever intrigued me—and granted these worlds the benefit of evolving on their own terms, just as Earth was doing. Take Elementia, for instance: a universe blending fantasy elements with ideas from the mercantilist era—drawing upon the fairy tales and history of your world—specifically, the world of Ellyn and Jack; much like Neon City, it is a futuristic universe that blends a potential future of Earth's technological evolution with the present day—a foundation I used for my creative powers at the time. In short... the origins of my universes are rooted in Earth.
As things expanded and new issues arose—wars, calamities, and other events bound to happen sooner or later in these worlds—I needed a way to keep an eye on them, ensuring they followed their natural course of evolution to the very end. That is how I began to spot individuals in these worlds capable of effecting change: people possessing powers and abilities far beyond those of the ordinary inhabitants, and who felt a sense of duty to protect their worlds however they could. I selected them and granted them enhancements and greater capabilities to defend their realms, transforming them into what I call "Gacha." I know that on Earth, "Gacha" refers to those prizes or figurines obtained through luck or chance; drawing on that concept, whenever a world—or someone within it—needs one of the Gachas I've hand-picked, they are sent to that world at random. They resolve the problem and then return to their home worlds... It is no coincidence that the universes I created using this concept are known as the Gachaverse.
And that is how things were for a long time. Until... a while ago. From the very beginning of creation, there was something—a concept that could never leave us: the end of all things. It was meant to remain that way. But one of the other gods—a Creator like myself, though his name has since been abandoned and forgotten across the ages—refused to let that end befall our creations, and he simply lost his mind. That madness shaped him, transforming him into a force present in every created universe... an energy we call Corruption. When this energy comes into contact with any being, it awakens their most extreme aspects—their feelings, attitudes, and behaviors. We had thought that applying this to all beings would be a good idea, since everything requires its own form of balance—much like a world under construction, where there will always be some incongruity or a negative side, mirroring the nature of life and death. Two sides of the same coin. But this forgotten god harnessed that energy and turned his power toward destroying worlds and reshaping them to his own will, corrupting everything he could... And that is how he reached me.
When the Corruption reached me, I snapped. I wanted to destroy my universes to spare them from that domination—even if it meant wiping out every Gacha and every being within them. But, standing on the brink of losing my consciousness, I took a gamble on something stranger and bolder. I had always believed that if someone could master the power to summon Gachas at the right moments—and forge a bond strong enough to influence the luck and probabilities surrounding them—then a person from Earth (the untouched world) could hold the key to saving the universes, given the connection my worlds shared with Earth. It would be familiar and comprehensible to a human from Earth, who would possess the compatibility to wield a portion of the Gacha-summoning power and assist in this mad mission. And, believe it or not, it worked.
He—the first Gacha Summoner, a human from Earth accompanied by a being that embodied probability—traveled to worlds on the brink of collapse due to the Corruption. He saved them one by one, summoning various Gachas along the way and preventing others from succumbing to the Corruption and bringing about their worlds' ends. At the most critical moment, he managed to stop me from destroying everything and saved me from the Corruption as well. It was total chaos. And even though things nearly went wrong because of that forgotten god—and a few other complications—he managed to save the Gachaverse.
I was left both relieved and exhausted after it all. To this day, I haven't fully recovered, and my abilities remain limited. To make matters worse, other worlds became inaccessible because I had sealed them off before the Corruption could target them—which is precisely why Ellyn and Jack couldn't help with that adventure. The Gacha Summoner kept at it, aiding those worlds and doing what he could while I recovered; but he is still human, and eventually, he was bound to burn out. That's when I had an idea... He was the first human from Earth to enter my worlds and make a difference. What if... I could call upon others? Others who possessed the same capacity as the Gacha Summoner to help get my worlds back on track—and who knows, perhaps even become something more than mere humans?
And here we are. The fact that Earth served as the inspiration for creating my worlds—and was once home to people with access to magic, powers, and extraordinary abilities before their own evolution and history curtailed them—combined with the Gacha Summoner's natural knack for handling these phenomena, confirmed something for me: all humans possess an affinity for magic and the potential to wield it. They simply need the right methods to access that power—whether through instruction or by possessing innate abilities they've kept hidden. Of course, my own powers were limited, but I managed to pick up on some peculiar nuances in that region—specifically where Naomi lives. So, that was the initial attempt at this concept and, consequently, the true reason for the mission: to find people with a magical affinity—whether they were active magic users or not—who possessed the character to help restructure the Gachaverse. The plan was to teach them about my universe and have them assist the Gacha Summoner with that restructuring until I could fully recover. That is the plan. …
...
I just stayed silent the whole time, paying close attention to that massive monologue from Lilith—or rather, this "Creator Luni" figure who must be the owner of that different voice, given that even Lilith's mischievous personality had vanished during the explanation delivered and displayed on that digital screen. Raphaella did the same. Honestly, it felt like we had either fallen into a deep, inescapable hole—like Alice tumbling down the White Rabbit's burrow (the most obvious comparison that came to mind)—or were caught in a fever dream that would end the moment we opened our eyes to a new day, as if none of this had ever happened, perhaps after taking a blue pill offered by some mysterious figure in a leather coat and dark glasses.
When Lilith/Luni's explanation concluded, the curtains parted and the lights returned to normal. There Raphaella and I stood, gazing ahead, while Ellyn, Jack, and Naomi watched us, seemingly expecting a different reaction now that we knew the truth about their reality. I was left slightly dazed by the sheer volume of information she had shared, while Raphaella was struggling to process it all and make sense of it; it was clear she was trying to ground herself in reality and regain her composure.
- (Naomi touches my back and chuckles softly) Do you want some sugar water? I needed it too when I sat through that PowerPoint presentation.
- I'll take some.
- (Raphaella looks at Naomi) I'd like some too, if you don't mind.
Naomi simply grabs two glasses of water and asks Lilith/Luni to conjure a packet of sugar to sweeten them. She hands the water to us, and we start drinking, hoping our heads will clear.
- (Ellyn) That clears a lot of things up. At least for me.
- (Jack) Not to be a buzzkill, but since Naomi was originally from Earth, wouldn't it have been easier for her to have seen this? I'm not saying this as an excuse for why we didn't go to Earth, but it would have been better if she at least knew about it, don't you think?
- If she had fully recovered her power or energy, she would have said something. And even if she *had* been warned, you have to consider that Naomi is still human and has a life to get on with. Besides, doing that wouldn't exactly be subtle—you'd have to... well, make the person use magic, or at the very least convince them they weren't dealing with a bunch of lunatics spouting nonsense.
I didn't speak arrogantly or with the intention of snapping at Jack, but everyone looked at me, impressed by a conclusion I'd reached faster than I could even process it myself.
- (Lilith/Luni points at me and looks at Jack) That is the kind of person I was hoping you'd bring along.
- (Naomi looks at Lilith/Luni) But that brings us to another point, Madam... Lilith or Luni? Anyway... All humans have an affinity for magic—fine. But what if they don't want to come here? Even if they manage to convince a potential "candidate"—someone who already knows how to use magic, for instance—there's no guarantee they'll accept. For starters, the people who kidnapped Sebastian's family would be ruled out immediately, and we don't even know why they're doing it.
- (Raphaella, regaining her composure and looking at Lilith/Luni) You mentioned there were strange disturbances in the area where Naomi lives—I assume Creast Fall and Madison, given their proximity. What are the odds that people with magic are up to no good? And wouldn't having other Gachas around help us understand what's happening in that region and use those "powers" to protect Earth? Because the way you put it, it sounds like Sebastian and I are the first ones to get direct access to this information—to actually be here and hear your explanation.
Once again, everyone looks impressed by Raphaella's reasoning, and this time, Lilith/Luni smiles with satisfaction.
- (Lilith/Luni) That was another point I was getting to. Since I'm still recovering, let's just say there are beings who don't quite grasp the nature of my existence or that of the Gachas. You have to understand, I'm not the only goddess—or the only being—with powers beyond the comprehension of the people living on Earth. There are groups out there—some who know me and some who don't—that were bound to make their move sooner or later. We've seen this happen in other worlds undergoing restructuring, so I wouldn't be surprised to see it on Earth; in fact, that was one of the reasons I sent Jack and Ellyn there.
- (Ellyn) Basically, we were supposed to fend for ourselves—figure things out and solve the problem, just like we usually do in the worlds we visit.
- (Lilith/Luni) Exactly. I could provide more information, but as Mr. Rodrigues noted, I haven't fully recovered yet. If I were at full strength, I would have done something sooner. And you two are experienced with these things; you really should have thought of that earlier... firing a Star Arrow at another Gacha.
- (Ellyn, looking annoyed) I already told you. She just should have said so right away.
- (Naomi) And what about the other Gachas they mentioned—the ones who came along too. If it was only supposed to be the two of them, why did three others tag along without them knowing? I get the idea of fending for themselves, but they really ought to help each other out.
- (Lilith/Luni) That would be the ideal scenario... but I honestly don't know how it happened.
- (Everyone except Lilith/Luni) What?!
- (Lilith/Luni) I only sent Ellyn and Jack because of their behavioral profiles and their ability to easily coexist with humans on Earth; I'm not sure why three other Gachas ended up going as well. I certainly wouldn't have sent Karma to Earth, considering her powers would constantly activate and draw attention.
- But could you identify who the other Gachas are, or are you not in a position to do so?
- (Lilith/Luni) Unfortunately, I can only identify their elements, but you've already noticed that it's one of each element, considering Jack, Ellyn, and Karma. What I can tell is that they are within range of the cities near where you are, so it's only a matter of time before you meet.
- (Jack) Let me get this straight. We're experienced enough to find them and explain what's going on, aren't we?
- (Lilith/Luni) Exactly. Karma is easier to locate, and considering all the shadow and light element Gachas I know, the light one will be easy to find, while locating the shadow one will be a challenge.
- (Ellyn) Understood. Well… any more questions, Sebastian and Raphaella?
Raphaella and I looked at each other for a moment. All of this went into our heads easily, but there was still one question that left us a little confused.
- The fact that we were here… having heard everything. Are you making us "candidates" for your plan?
Of course, that crossed my mind when she said that all humans have an affinity for magic, but Lilith/Luni's smile and look at us…
- (Lilith/Luni looking at us seriously) It became quite obvious, don't you think?
*silence*
- (Lilith/Luni sighing) But I won't impose my will on you. You two were caught by minimal odds and boarded a boat in the middle of a storm. You would be the last people I would choose because you are not even aware of a third of what our world is capable of. Of course, I wouldn't mind if you accepted, but…
Before she could continue, Lilith/Luni looked at Naomi as if looking at a guilt gnawing at her gaze.
- (Lilith/Luni) I don't want to ruin anyone else's life because of something I'm doing. You're not obligated, but I would like you to help Jack and Ellyn with this. Since you're already aware and things are clearer, this mission won't take longer than necessary if done properly. And I need to ensure that no threat affects your lives like the people who kidnapped your family. So I ask you both, Sebastian Rodrigues and Raphaella Daviner… assist them in this mission and I will ensure that your lives return to normal when all this is over.
…