(Thank you very much to Tear Wound and Magic Feitan for their donations!)
----Between Worlds.
A primordial space where the world that nurtured all things was born.
As though it could embrace everything, this space was an endless expanse of pure white.
Even now, an extremely aggressive tide of red was continuously conquering this space, already occupying half of it. Only the lower half, protected by a dazzling radiant glow, remained. Yet this space still emanated a maternal warmth that could embrace all things, calming the heart.
Feathers drifted through the air.
Silence permeated the space.
A pure white stone disk floated in midair within the feather-filled space, surrounded by mysterious characters of the same pure white hue. It was exceptionally eye-catching.
Gaia and Alaya stood guard before the stone disk, one on each side. Their eyes were closed, and their bodies floated slightly above the ground as though they had no weight at all, creating an indescribably dreamlike sight.
No one knew how long this scene had lasted.
"Buzz..."
At a certain moment, the feathers drifting aimlessly around them suddenly began to tremble. Like joyful little birds, they abruptly became lively.
"Hmm?"
Almost at the same instant, Gaia and Alaya opened their eyes.
"Has he returned?"
"It seems he has."
Muttering to themselves, Gaia and Alaya simultaneously lifted their gazes and looked ahead.
The space was silent.
Yet the feathers were brimming with energy, fluttering back and forth cheerfully as though they had all been awakened.
Under those circumstances, one of the feathers blossomed with a dazzling light.
"Clang----!"
Amid the flash of pure white, sacred radiance, particles of light drifted out from that feather, gradually gathering together and taking human form.
"Phew..." Noah let out a breath and slowly opened his eyes.
The feathers immediately gathered around him,