Meera would be lying if she said she didn't find Garal good-looking. He had features that said he'd broken many hearts. Where Narikas was tough, rugged, and strong, this man before her had the perfect complexion, neither too light nor too dusky. The perfect features, the perfect pointed nose. It was like he was a god-made man. She could say that since she had met two gods already—three if she counted Midiea, but she didn't know what Midiea actually looked like.

All of a sudden, Meera was conscious that he was still holding her hand. She gently pulled away, even if she wanted to hold his hand just a tiny bit longer. She thanked God; it was night still, or he might've seen the redness of her cheeks.

"Has the Reverent Lady come to the library for some late-night reading?" Garal asked. His voice sounded quite manly like he could command people, and they would obey within minutes.

"Please call me Meera," she said.

"Are you sure, Reverent Lady?" He asked again.

"Yes." Her voice nearly came out as a high-pitched squeak.

Get it together, Meera. The last time she had felt like this around a boy was in high school when her crush had suddenly asked her out to prom. She wasn't that girl anymore. She had taken down Cosmarians, dragons and even killed a sorceress as powerful as Aksha.

She coughed and tried again. "Yes, please call me Meera."

"As the Reverent Lady commands." He smiled. "So, Meera, you've come to the library for some late-night reading?"

"Yes, I slept during the day, and sleep won't find me anymore, " she shrugged. "So, here I am."

"I see. Would you allow me to assist you in finding any books that you might find appealing?"

"Sure. I'm looking for books pertaining to the Great Prophecy or lore about the Champion and his role in the Great Prophecy."

He squinted. "Ah, makes sense. Since the Saviour is your brother." He bowed his head. "Then I will help the Reverent Lady find the books she desires."

"Meera, " she pointed out. For some reason, it was important that he called her by her name.

"Apologies, Meera."

He opened the gilded doors, which held designs of vines sprouting books as if they were flowers. And, of course, there was that T-Rex-looking Druvis standing tall among the vines as a protector.

"This way, please." Garal flourished a hand toward the open door.

Meera passed him a smile and took a step when she realized that Vasda was still standing there, looking nervously between her and Garal.

"You go get some sleep, Vasda," Meera said.

"I'm sorry, Reverent Lady, but you don't know the way back to your chambers. I will…" Her eyes flicked to Garal and then back to her. "I will await you here."

"She makes a good point," Garal stated. "The palace is quite expansive. It is so easy to get lost, but your servant need not worry. I will personally escort you to your room."

"That's okay," Meera said. No matter how much she wanted that. It was best she didn't spend too much time with this guy, or she would be too enamored with him. "I'm sure you will need your sleep as well. Vasda will escort me back."

"As my lady commands," Garal said with a tilt of his head, but when Meera's head was turned, he did pass Vasda a look, and the woman stiffened. It could've been nothing but the fact that Vasda stiffened, put Meera on edge.

Just who is this guy?

She smiled and went inside the dark library. Garal took the torch from Vasda, lit the brazier on the library's entrance, and then the one on the other side of the wall. The fire raced up the wall in a thin stream. It was like a snake racing up the pole to the strings connecting from one pole to the next. As the fire snaked from one to the next, the library came to life, and the place was massive. It must've been four floors, and she could never have hoped to count the stacks of books.

Meera could only stare open-mouthed. "This is…"

"Impressive?" Garal offered.

"More than impressive."

"Now, the books on the great prophecy." Garal tapped a finger on his lips. "Ah, they are on the second floor, if I'm not mistaken. Follow me, please."

Meera followed him as the library woke up from its slumber. It didn't take long for the winding chain of flames to spread to every corner, and by God, it was magnificent. It wasn't just any cool library stuffed full of dusty, old books; everything was organized neatly on rows of numbered shelves. It wasn't any different from the libraries back home. The decorative shelves and pillars just added to the ambiance of the place.

"Why the interest in the Great Prophecy?" Garal asked.

"Shouldn't that be obvious," Meera replied.

He chuckled. "Yes, I know it's a stupid question, but I figured the Reverent Lady would already know the words of the Great Prophecy."

"I do, but the words of the prophecy that everyone knows are not entirely accurate."

Garal's gait slowed. "Not…accurate?"

"Not entirely."

"How can you be so sure?" He asked.

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Meera almost made an off-hand comment to avoid telling him the truth, but these people already thought she was some divine lady. It might even play into that character if she told them the truth. After all, how many could claim to have talked to the gods?

"A god told me," Meera said. "Don't ask me which one."

For the first time since she met him, his confident look waivered. He almost stood in place. She couldn't help but smirk.

"What? You think I'm lying?" She asked.

"No, I would never call you that, but it's so unbelievable," he said. "Even your brother didn't make such a bold claim."

Because my brother is an idiot. Was what she wanted to say, but why destroy Neel's image when it may come in handy later on? If they could be used in the fight against Aetheron, then it would be best if they thought of Neel as the great Saviour.

Her thoughts went back to the ring around Mirithia. All this time, she had thought, it would be made of dust and ice, but no, that ring was indeed Aetheron's body, coiling round and round around the massive planet. Just how big was that dragon, and how were they supposed to fight him?

Veridian was over Level 1000 and struggled against Zerodra. How strong did Neel need to be to beat Aetheron? A question arose in Meera's mind.

"Say, did you ever see Neel when he was here?" Meera asked.

"Yes, Rev—Meera. Yes, I did."

"How was he?

"He was good," Garal said. "His Divine Majesty spared no expense in ensuring he was well satisfied. I daresay he treated the Saviour better than he treated his children."

"I see. What was his level?"

He frowned. "When he came to us, he was only around level 100, but the God King spared no expense in ensuring he got the best training. After all, our survival hinges on his martial abilities. So, by the time he left us two months later, he was a master swordsman and had pushed past Level 500."

Meera nodded. It made sense. After all, how would he be able to hunt dragonlings on Gethys if he wasn't around that level? This gave her some relief, as even the sorceresses would've had a tough time taking him on. No wonder they didn't attack him on sight.

"That's good," Meera said.

"Of course, he progressed much faster than others. I had never seen anyone rise that fast."

Well, I almost reached Level 600 in a month and a half. Beat that, Neel.

"Rising that high is not common?" Meera asked.

"Not at all," Garal replied. "Adventurers could spend their entire life fighting and killing monsters, but they still barely hit Level 500. I'm sure you understand, given you haven't even hit Level 300 yet."

"Yes…" Meera trailed off. Is it because we're from another world that we've risen so fast? Or is that damned prophecy again.

She would have to ask the next time she met someone like Veridiana or a god. Given that she was the Arbiter and had a part to play in the prophecy, she hoped she would run into another god, or maybe someone at the University of Saranya would know about this phenomenon.

"It was a shame he had to leave so fast," Garal said. "He could've grown monstrously strong if he trained with us a little longer."

"Did he say why he left?" She asked.

He just shrugged. "I cannot tell you the lay of his thoughts. Maybe His Divine Majesty might be able to. After all, he saw him last before he vanished in a flash. I admit I will forever be envious of his teleportation skills. Just think, to be able to go anywhere with just a simple thought. No longer being confined to the Gateway Mirrors."

"Yes, that will come in handy for sure," she mused.

When, in fact, she was wondering what could've caused him to leave so abruptly. She was even more anxious to meet the God King now. By all accounts, these people seemed the opposite of the sorceresses who wanted nothing more than to imprison her for their own gain. But then again, these people could've been trying a different tactic—feeding her so much honey that by the time she realized she was trapped, it was too late.

"Which oracle prophesized of my coming?" Meera asked abruptly.

"That would be the royal oracle," Garal said. "Please keep that fact to yourself, as we're not supposed to have oracles. Some people might not like that."

"Why outlaw oracles if you're going to keep one on hand?"

"Well, the same rules do not apply to a God King as to the common folks. I'm sure you understand. Besides, His Divine Majesty must be aware of any dangers to his person or empire to tend to them appropriately."

"Yes, I've seen enough of royal hypocrisy to last me a lifetime," Meera said.

Garal winced. "A bit harsh, but I can't help but wonder why you would think that."

Meera dropped that topic right there. It was so blatant to anyone that the God King was nothing but an afraid man who was scared for his life. But why he would ban Oracles all over his kingdom was another thing entirely. Did he want to assert dominance over the others by stating that only he could divine the future? Or was it something else?

"Why the ban on oracles?" Meera asked.

"Have you heard of the event called the Blood of Seers? He asked.

"When everyone started killing oracles because they thought they were bringing about the end faster," Meera said. "Yes, I've heard of it."

He nodded grimly. "I don't know how to say this without shame, but the Blood of Seers started in my country. After all, we're the closest to Aetheron. Our world is where the great dragon will strike first. It has been drawing closer and closer over the centuries. Hence, the snowy wastes to the north and south of us."

Meera nodded. "If Aetheron is so powerful that it's frozen most of your world by not even touching it, then how is my brother supposed to beat it? But anyway, continue on with your oracle story."

"Yes, some people still haven't had their fill of oracle blood," Garal said. "Any oracle that is found is tried and killed."

"Save for the royal oracle."

"Yes, each royal oracle trains another before passing on, and that is a secret kept hidden between these walls."

"And you just told me, a complete stranger," Meera said.

"Well, I'm sure His Divine Majesty would take you to her eventually."

"I see."

They arrived at the section with the books on the Great Prophecy not long after.

"This entire row of books are on nothing but the Great Prophecy," Garal said. "May I help you with anything?"

"Which book is the oldest?" She figured the oldest book would have the closest rendition of the Great Prophecy.

"Oldest…" He tapped a finger on his lips. "Right this way."

He led her down the row and pulled off a book from the top shelf. The book's pages were yellowed, even with a relatively new leather-bound cover. The heading was written in a language that Meera could not read, though the letters were close to Sanskrit.

"Ah…" Garal held out the book for Meera. "The collection of prophecies compiled by Suvenkar Makol. He was chief librarian about two hundred years ago."

Meera flipped the book open, and the Great Prophecy was right there in the center of the front page. It was in the same script that she couldn't read.

"I can't read this language," she stated.

Garal snorted. "Of course, there are few who can. I happen to be one of them." He leaned in really close till his shoulder brushed against Meera's. He mumbled some words and then recited.

The Dragon shall rise from his fall,

Cower and repent, for the Great Doom is here for us all.

Aetheron's wrath shall be mighty and endless,

The gods will pay for his love's malice.

A Savior and Destroyer shall wake,

The worlds they shall save or break.

The Arbiter wakes to follow a futile quest,

And will make their sacrifice and eternally rest.

The Champion shall lose the one he loves most,

The fault of Midiea burns through the host.

Meera shook her head. "That's basically the prophecy I've heard, with minor changes. Though, this one states Savior and Destroyer."

"Hm, it could be—or. The word is the same for or and, and in old Sarahi. You know, there is a professor at the University who would be a better translator, or they might even have an older version of the prophecy. After all, they have the greatest library in all the worlds."

"Great. I wanted to visit that place anyway."

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