A New World, an immersive game experience

[We cannot meet, the only realm we can visit is the realm of souls. Ashliel is on our side.]

It was a short reply, but it gave Eldrian the answers he needed. He also understood that he would be able to send messages to the AI through this method. Thus the problem of contacting them was also now resolved.

Of course, there was no guarantee that GAIA replied. It might have been one of the other AI or even Miracle, somehow. Eldrian could never be completely certain unless he met them again in the realm of souls.

Her story however had moved Eldrian, even if he still wasn't completely certain. He now felt that he could trust her enough to at least talk about his experiences a bit more. If they could fool him to this degree then he had always been fooled.

Just as Eldrian was about to speak Ashliel asked, "Friends of yours?"

Confused, Eldrian turned around and saw Myropsis and Vivian standing a few feet away. "Yeah."

"How much do they know?"

"They..." Eldrian paused, he recalled he had explained everything to Vivian. They hadn't talked of it since, he had been too busy. To preoccupied. Recently he had tried to get closer to his friends again, but so much time had passed.

"Let them in please."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I trust them. I've already told Vivian, she's the one on the right. I've told her basically everything."

Ashliel nodded, indicating for the two to enter. An invisible barrier had stopped them from nearing and stopping all eavesdropping. Upon moving past the barrier Myropsis was immediately drawn to the tea. After smelling the intoxicating aroma she turned to the lady who appeared almost like an angel.

"Are you the Divine?" Myropsis asked, she felt pressured just from standing so near such a legendary figure. She had heard rumors, her father and mother had told her to be careful and respectful when meeting her.

"I am." Ashliel nodded, turning to look at Vivian. Myropsis's reaction was more normal, Vivian however looked at her much like Eldrian did.

"Are you from the same place as Eldrian?" Vivian asked after a few seconds, her eyes seemed to pierce through Ashliel.

Ashliel shivered, she felt like her soul was being examined. And of course, this made her curious about who this redhead was. "I am, what gave me away?"

"Your soul."

"Impossible!"

"It's fragmented, the only way you can survive with such a soul is if the gods are helping you."

"Impossible!" Ashliel shook, hurriedly she turned to her tea.

Vivian did not shift her gaze, her eyes flashed with shock as she watched Ashliel's soul tremble and repair itself. Yet, the damage was too extensive. It was only temporary. Extremely temporary.

"Vivian, she is on our side." Eldrian took her hand and guided her to take a seat.

"How can you know?"

"If she isn't then, well... Then I am alone in my struggle."

Vivian nodded, she understood that he wasn't talking of this world. While the two had not discussed it in detail, she knew he was also fighting in his own world.

"Myropsis, you should also take a seat," Eldrian said after noticing that she was still standing there like a frozen statue.

Ashliel took out two more cups and after serving them some tea she looked at Eldrian. Clearly indicating for him to start the conversation, she would follow along with what he wanted to discuss.

"My most pressing question has been answered." Eldrian started off by saying, "What I want to know now is more about this tea. You said it came from a plant that grows in an area that not just survived a chaotic storm but even thrived from it. Can you explain?"

"About the tea, plant, or area?"

"Let's start with the area. I thought chaotic storms destroyed everything."

"The storm itself certainly does destroy everything. It is too powerful for even legends to defend against. All they can do to survive is retreat."

"And does it really only occur when an area becomes too unstable?"

"That is the normal explanation. It is possible for it to occur due to this."

"The invasion isn't driven by this?" Eldrian asked, her tone seemed to indicate this.

"Why do you think I decided to turn against Miracle this time?"

"They instigated this... I had hoped- I hoped that there was some truth to their excuse..." Eldrian sighed, he had always known that they wouldn't order the AI to stop it. He had hoped at least that it had occurred naturally. That it was time for the users of chaos to experience karma.

In a sense, they are. But not as a result of their own actions. Miracle had ordered the AI to start the chaotic storms. This meant that without the AI's interference it would be less likely for invasions to happen at this scale.

Even if the demons and devils' use of magic might eventually cause a chaotic storm to appear. The scale was certain to be limited. There was no way they would all invade as one. That they would all be forced from their lands at the same time.

Looking back at it, this was quite obvious. Considering the scale of this world, it should logically be impossible for things to happen as they had without divine interference. The question now was why.

Eldrian recalled that outside of invasions the side of chaos was kept in place by the gods, for the most part. Giving time to heal and recover for the rest.

He now also knew that the side of chaos couldn't be held responsible for needing to invade, they were but another piece being manipulated by the people behind the gods. Their actions certainly called for justice, but this. This was not justice.

'There must be something, some reason...' As Eldrian was pondering Ashliel continued.

"Yes, their designated game area... They wanted to start another game, another round. But that only accounts for around ten to twenty percent of this world. Around half of the rest of the world is still chaotically radioactive from past events. Of the remaining, at least ten percent has recovered."

"Then, their goal?"

"Likely to end the first phase of the experiment and start anew in these recovered lands. I assume they finally figured out how to ensure regrowth."

"What are you talking about?!" Myropsis was struggling to follow along and she could no longer silently sit and listen. She thought they were talking of the gods but she knew none named Miracle, it was a strange name to choose.

"The gods you know have gods above them. They are playing a kind of game with the entire world trying to figure out some mysteries." Ashliel replied curtly.

"Those gods are people from our world, people who can't even use magic. The mysteries she mentioned is magic. Our world is barren compared to Earth-" Eldrian paused, his heart nearly stopped. "Please, tell me I'm wrong!"

"Second phase, reintroduce humans in the thriving recovered lands. Watch for mutations, determine if it is suitable for Earth."

Eldrian could feel his heart-stopping, his worst fear answered. Miracle would destroy the world to introduce magic to it. Even if he showcased the dangers of magic, Miracle never planned to avoid it. They planned to use it.

"Those destroyed planets?"

"Failed experiments. But they did prove that after a chaotic storm, mana becomes more plentiful. We don't know why, but on those planets you will find everything far more rich in mana. Top-ranked materials would be common. The same can be said of the recovered areas of Gaia. Such as where this tea comes from."

"What if it doesn't work?"

"They should be quite confident, some of the areas never recovered. If they aren't going to use installments with the remaining world, then they must be confident they can ensure recovery."

AN: A big thanks to everyone who continues to support the story by simply reading on Web, voting for the story, or sharing comments. It is all greatly appreciated.