[Flashback]A family friend's house. A little boy is crying, clutching the hem of his older sister's dress. "Aretia... I don't want to go home... I want to sleep here." A slap. It wasn't hard, but it was humiliating.
Aretia grabbed him harshly by the ear: "Get on your feet! You are a man, and men don't cry." She raised her head to apologize to the family friend standing at the door of his room. The child, Vanitas, looked at that friend through his tears. At the time, he saw a look of annoyance on his face.
...
[Present: The Ritual Square] "Why did you help her?" Aurelia's voice brought him back to reality. She was looking at him with curiosity, as if studying a puzzle or searching for a crack in his armor. "I'm sure you hate her... The hatred overflows from your face whenever you look at her."
Vanitas paused for a moment. He offered a mocking, sideways smile and ran his hand through his hair with indifference: "Hate? That's a very big word, my dear." He leaned in close and whispered in a cold, aristocratic tone: "I didn't help 'Aretia' the person... I helped 'Aretia' the Exemplar. A mud stain on her dress is a stain on the family name, and therefore... a stain on me. And I do not like stains. It's merely cleaning up the facade, nothing more."
Aurelia smiled, convinced by this selfish explanation that suited their world perfectly. "You truly are arrogant." "Rather, realistic."
[KAA-HAA] A sound that wasn't a roar, but a vibration in the very fabric of reality. It tore through the artificial clouds. A dragon. A flying mountain of pure gold. Its wings obscured the satellites, and its scales reflected the starlight like millions of mirrors. The mythical dragon created by humans. The ultimate weapon of deterrence. And upon its head... a tiny dot, yet its aura was heavier than the dragon itself. Aurum. The Lord of Gold.
The dragon descended with a silence that defied its massive size. The beast suddenly vanished, turning into golden dust that scattered in the air, leaving Aurum to descend gracefully—as if stepping down an invisible staircase—to take his seat upon the middle throne.
The silence was heavy. The aura of gold dominated the space. Every ounce of alchemy in the blood of those present submitted. Everyone kneeled in a single, harmonious movement, like ocean waves: "All hail the Lord of Gold, Aurum!"
Whispers began to ripple through the back rows: "Why has he come? He hasn't attended the ritual in two hundred years!""He summoned Vanitas, and then appeared himself... Are we on the brink of war?""Civil? Or foreign?"
Aurum raised his hand out of boredom. "Pay me no mind. Continue with what you were doing." A simple command, yet it was absolute law. Everyone stood, but the gathering had lost its spontaneity. Their movements became mechanical, fearful.
Vanitas whispered to Aurelia: "Excuse me, I must go greet my parents." "Alright."
Vanitas walked through the crowds. Motus and Superbia were talking nervously with some nobles. When they saw him, they excused themselves and pulled him aside. "I thought you'd stay glued to that girl," Motus said in a low, sharp tone. "How could I not greet my father and mother?" "We are going to have a long talk when we get home, Vanitas. That maid is no longer our only problem." Vanitas smiled coldly: "Who knows, Father... maybe we won't find the time to talk." Superbia gasped: "What are you saying, my son?!"
Before he could finish, a voice echoed from the sky. The ritual had begun. Giant light projections began to form in the celestial dome, telling the story of human creation. The narrator's voice resonated in every corner: "Long ago... humans were subjugated by cruel gods. They did not create us, yet they enslaved us." Images appeared of giants whipping humans. "Humanity asked: Why should we submit to those who did not create us?""So, the Three Great Ones rose: Aetherium, Osmium, and Aurum.""They mastered the art of alchemy, slew the gods, and liberated the world. And for a long time, we have lived in eternal peace under the rule of the Overseers.""And now... cease your movements. Look to the sky. And contemplate the greatness of what our hands have wrought."
Everything stopped. The holy hour of silence. No speaking. No moving. Only looking upward.
Vanitas stood among his family, head raised and eyes open, but he wasn't looking at the sky. He was seeing the darkness within himself.
Why this ritual?Is it for control? Brainwashing? Or a reminder of who holds the power?It doesn't matter. The question doesn't stem from my mind... but from my mask.
He dove deep into his consciousness. Am I human like them?Am I real? Or am I an illusion of flesh and blood?Are my thoughts my own?Do I even have thoughts? Or am I just a mirror reflecting what is cast upon it?Aurelia... did I want to marry her? (No) and (Yes).The maid... did I want to kill her? (No) and (Yes).
There is no question I can answer with a definitive yes or no. I am fog.Even this question... its answer is fog.
He looked out the corner of his eye at his mother, who was crying with emotion, and at his father, who was looking proudly at the symbols. Is there such a thing as unconditional love?Or did the Overseers kill love along with the gods?Do I love my family? (I don't know).
But wait... I am contradicting myself.I said there is no certainty. But there is one thing.One question I know the answer to.
Am I afraid of death? His body trembled slightly. (Yes).I fear death. I fear annihilation.When I ran away, it wasn't just a search for freedom... it was an escape from suffocation.That fear... was mine. It was "Vanitas".That foolish journey across the Mountains of Silence, without a plan, without logic, was purely overflowing emotions.I failed, yes. I know my level. I am no hero. I am no great traveler.I am stuck here.
I move with the current. I don't oppose the river.But... is there an "I" in this current?I am not Vanitas.And I am not me.I... am the others.I am a collection of reactions, shaped to please those around me, and to stay alive.And if I remove the others... I will disappear.
He focused on the artificial sky, still shining bright. And the question hung suspended, without an answer: Where is this current going?
[Excerpt from: The book "Light of Certainty" - The National Education Curriculum for Children]Subject: The Festival of "Serenus" - The Anniversary of the Great Stillness
"Our young children, raise your heads to the sky and thank those who granted you peace. For were it not for the sacrifices of the Three Masters, we would have remained slaves in the farms of the cruel gods."
1. The Origin of the Festival (Serenus): We celebrate the festival of [Serenus] every fifty years. It is the day that witnessed the "Absolute Stillness" across the globe. It commemorates the slaying of the last of the ancient gods, the Goddess (Izanami), who spread chaos and death, until her existence was put to an end by the Great Master, Osmium. With her death, the divine wars ceased, and the era of alchemy and tranquility began.
2. The Privilege of Entering the Peak: This occasion is one of the very rare instances where those who are not descendants of the Overseers (the Three Great Families) are permitted to cross the Great Gates and enter the "Apex Peak". It is a sovereign generosity granted to loyal subjects, so they may see with their own eyes the fruits of order and loyalty.
3. The Historical Attendance of the Overseers (Archive): Despite the sanctity of the festival, the public appearance of the Master Overseers before the subjects in the Ritual Square is extremely rare. Historical records state that the last recorded appearance of an Overseer at the festival of "Serenus" was two hundred years ago, when Master "Aetherium" blessed the gathering with his translucent presence. Since then, the rituals have been conducted under the supervision of official envoys, while the Masters observe the world from within their impregnable palaces.
4. Avernus - The Paradise of Vision: Narrators and scholars unanimously agree that the most beautiful spot in existence is the Ritual Square, known as [Avernus]. The place is imbued with such architectural and alchemical beauty that popular legends say: "Anyone who lays eyes on Avernus for the first time, their eyes will sparkle like diamonds from the sheer reflection and beauty." It is the spot where the earth meets the artificial sky in perfect equilibrium.