Everything seemed normal that day in the Aeternum Atlantis Empire. Until… inside the secret region where the world tree was, a portal opened.

Within seconds, almost a million people rushed out of it. A little later, Darian and Niara appeared calmly.

Darian's gaze focused on Camille… who, just like all the other Spiritual Guardians, was still using her ethereal body that came from that universe.

Everyone stayed silent, looking around, unable to believe they were back on Earth. Camille recognized that place immediately.

The Mannaz, Heavenly Elemental Spirits, and people of the Blood Race were also stunned. They never imagined they would go to another universe — and it was as simple as walking through a door…

"Camille, we've got a lot of work. From here inside, you can send a call proving it's really you to your empire, right?" Darian said seriously.

She nodded, understanding. Who would believe she was there without her body? All of this was impossible and could create huge chaos. But thankfully, Darian brought them to a secret place where no one could enter without being detected. Now that they were already inside, no one would know for a while.

Besides, she could connect to the world tree easily, even while being out of her body. That way, the important people of the Empire would be summoned as if the Empress had done it normally.

Camille moved to the tree and touched its trunk, making everything happen.

As expected… in just a few minutes, countless people entered the place and, upon seeing that massive army inside, almost drew their weapons and attacked without hesitation.

But Camille appeared in front of them, ordering them to calm down. Her form was very similar to the original, with only a few additions that made her look like a Dryad. All the most powerful people of the Empire had already met her a few times in the other universe, and after receiving that call from her through the World Tree, it was clear that it was impossible for it to be anyone other than the Empress.

After that, not even Camille could explain how she was there without her body, much less how those Mannaz and other races were there. Saying those people were shocked after seeing that would be an understatement.

But Darian didn't bother to explain anything for now. With everything organized, first he moved with everyone from that empire to the altar where their bodies should be.

As soon as they arrived, the altar pulsed immediately. Then, the bodies were taken out automatically, landing in front of them.

Darian let out a relieved sigh. The altar had some kind of intelligence and had identified him as the missionary before, causing all that trouble… but now, it could also understand the situation and release the bodies automatically.

After that, Darian helped Camille and everyone else return to their bodies. He was the only one with enough experience for that.

After Camille returned, she was able to send a call to the other two empires, asking for an emergency meeting. Since the Emperors were away, people they trusted were in charge.

When those people arrived, the two Emperors received them and explained the situation, proving easily that they were who they said they were — they just had to mention details no one else knew.

So, all the Spiritual Guardians of Earth managed to go back to their homes and then return to their own bodies. As for the ethereal bodies… the Mannaz were there with them, so they did the same thing they used to do when they left the universe, using a Summoner technique to store the bodies with them.

After solving all that, Darian had to send a message to Aurix, Caliris, and Painita. This way, they sent people secretly to take their people away.

Unfortunately, no one from outside could stay on Earth for now, according to the rules. So everything was done from the shadows, without anyone outside being allowed to leave that secret place they had arrived in from the beginning.

Their Mannaz went with them, because while they were using the ethereal body, they couldn't stay too far from their partners. That is, unless Darian made some alterations with Necromancy techniques on them… which would take time, but wasn't necessary.

***

After three days, secretly, all the Mannaz returned to Earth. Then, Niara and Darian opened the portal again.

Camille and the two Emperors were present, so everyone entered that portal, along with those Heavenly Elemental Spirits and people from the Blood Race.

One second, they were on Earth; the next, they found themselves back in the Divine Protection Universe.

The three Emperors could barely believe what they were seeing and feeling — now they had their real bodies in that universe, just like Darian.

After the shock, they all stared at him seriously. The possibilities he had in his hands were unimaginable.

Darian turned calmly to Niara. She understood and quickly said, "I don't think I can do it now with the energy I have."

"No worries, opening the portal once a day is already great. Let's take this chance to deal with a few things here."

Darian turned to the three Emperors, who understood. Niara had just gained that power, a power only immortals could have. She definitely didn't have even 1% of the capacity an immortal would have with it; and creating a channel — something simple for them — already consumed all of her new power.

At that exact moment, they were on the planet of the Shadows of Heaven Academy, recently named Planet Shadowheart.

Howlyn ran toward them, ecstatic.

"My Lord! I got information from the other Academy. They found out, after killing some powerful Risen, that the Celestial Shadow dropped back down to below 30% recovery of his body."

Darian nodded, satisfied. They had managed to completely fuck up his recovery and also destroy everything he was using forever. Now, he would have to look for other methods, and Darian would have free time.

With the array destroyed, everyone from the Blood Race who was inside died. Only the ones Darian brought with him would rebuild the race again in the universe. And also, Darian got pretty much all the best resources from that place.

Niara felt Darian's rising excitement and smiled.

This time, he felt like he had finally managed to carry out all his plans in the most perfect way possible. Unfortunately, there were those losses before they reached the universe, and then in that place; but he had plans and knew how to fix those things.

Camille and the two Emperors went to explore that planet, excited to be in their true bodies. In the future, Darian would be able to bring them like that again, and they wouldn't need to fight with just 30% of their strength anymore.

Meanwhile, Darian and Niara entered the main building of the Academy. In the meeting room, he calmly said to Howlyn: "Starting today, we're really going to begin rebuilding everything."

He nodded and sent her three spatial rings.

"In the first ring is the Dragon Vein. You must bury it in the planet's ground, and just wait. According to the information I got from Enfield, in at most one year, if it's possible, the planet's Gaia should show signs of being born again."

He spoke slowly, and her hands trembled while holding those rings.

"In the second one is the Seed of Life. After Gaia is born again in a planet, you must bury it in the planet's ground. Then, life on that planet's surface will develop quickly. In just a few years, mortals should already be able to live on that planet without problems."

Darian paused for a moment, "Lastly, the third is a little more complex. It's called Divine Pulse, and it can attract the natural elements of the universe to create a sun. But since the entire universe is corrupted and weak, this will probably take a long time. But I can possibly help with that. You just need to place this item wherever a sun should appear. After a while gathering elements, I'll try to make it happen faster."

Those were the three greatest treasures Darian got from that array. Besides getting them, combined with the knowledge he received from Enfield, Darian now had everything he needed to revive that universe; starting with that galaxy.

"..." Howlyn couldn't respond or react, she just trembled, overtaken by an emotion she couldn't express.

Niara smiled softly. "This is just the beginning, to start recovering the universe, right Dan?"

He nodded in agreement, then took two small sealed runes from the inventory. He released them, and they floated gently, releasing a faint force.

They were the two from the Blood Race, who had been merged with the two primordial hearts — the primordial essence and the material essence. Thankfully, the Celestial Shadow didn't have time to consume them to a point of no return.

"You two are free now. You don't need to be used by anyone anymore, and you can recover completely in a short time. After that, you can use a metamorphosis, and live everything you didn't get the chance to yet."

Darian said calmly, fulfilling his promise to the three Divine Flames that sacrificed themselves to help him. The Blood Race could now live again in the universe, and those two had been freed.

"Missionary..." one of them spoke in a soft, somewhat weak voice.

"We can be useful. If a limited amount is taken from us and we have time to recover, we can give everything the Celestial Shadow created us to provide."

Darian sighed. "You've already gone through too much pain because of this. I'm serious: you don't need to be used by anyone anymore and can just live your lives."

"No… we have to end him…" the other said, a bit harsher, but just as weak. "I don't care if I die… but we have to create a future for our race and everyone else."

Darian huffed. Then he looked at them seriously and felt their real intentions.

"Alright. I'll think of a way to use only the amount of power you can provide without harming you."

After he said that, the small runes pulsed in response. Darian turned to Niara, who smiled and nodded.

In those three days they stayed on Earth, it was Niara who told Darian that these two still had a pure primordial power left inside them by the Celestial Shadow. It was far more than what the Divine Dragon's will had and used to create the primordial heart in her. Meaning, the power they could provide would have a bit of that as a bonus.

Darian immediately thought of many things; the best one was using that on the Mannaz to create in them a variation of Niara's primordial heart. But… he didn't want to use those two.

Niara heard that idea from him, and said they wouldn't hesitate to help. Darian just needed to make it clear that he only wanted to free them, and they would choose that on their own.

In the end, she was right. Those who suffered the most in life… were without a doubt the ones most willing to help others avoid going through the same. Of course, you couldn't say everyone would react that way, but those who truly understood what they went through would do the right thing.

After everything was done, Howlyn ran excitedly to bury the Dragon Vein in that planet, and place the Divine Pulse in the exact spot where that planet's sun existed in the past.

Now it was just a matter of waiting.

Darian spent the rest of the day on the planet, helping organize all the new Heavenly Elemental Spirits in that place. As for the Blood Race, they would receive a planet to take care of and develop again, with the Academy's full support.

After a day passed, they returned to Earth, still feeling that this new ability of theirs was pretty terrifying.