The Hidden World

Yuki followed the others as they rushed to the elevator. The clock in the kitchen read 9:26 a.m. and their first class for the day was scheduled to start at 9:30 on the fourth floor.

 

They pressed the button labeled “4” and were quickly taken up three floors. The elevator doors opened and they entered a wide auditorium that was already filled with students.

 

“They didn’t give us uniforms yet, huh,” Sayuri said to Yuki.

 

Look at everyone that was sitting in the amphitheater, Yuki saw that everyone was indeed wearing the same clothing. A jacket with dress pants that came in dark blue or black for the males and an optional skirt for the girls. Each wore a shiny metal badge that declared the year they were in.

 

Aaron shushed them and lead them to a row of empty seats in the back of the hall. As they took their seats with Yuki sitting closest to the exits and waited for the class to begin, the teacher of the class noticed them.

 

“I welcome the first years that have just arrived,” the instructor of the class said, an African lady. “My name is Josephine Okeke and I am you Magic History instructor.”

 

“Since today is your first class here, I will try not to drown you information,” she said as she turned her attention away from Yuki and focused on the rest of the class. Laughter could be heard from some of the older students.

 

“I am a water elementalist, if you didn’t know,” Josephine said smiling. “Now let’s get into the main topic of today. The Legend of Erik and the origins of Aether.”

 

She clapped her hands and the entire amphitheater darkened. On the stage where she was standing a large screen was project similar to the one from the bracelet Kaede gave Yuki. There some groans that came from the older students when they heard what the subject was for the day.

 

"Hey, don't complain. I know you have heard this story before but it's an important one," Josephine said. "Now I'll begin."

 

“Aether, as you all already know, is an organization of elementalists. We eliminate monsters that threaten humanity and arrest magical criminals who abuse their gift.”

 

As she spoke, the words typed themselves out onto the screen for the whole hall to read.

 

“But what we haven’t told you first years was how we began. And where we come from.”

 

Behind her a detailed image of medieval Europe blazed for everyone to see.

 

“Back during the Dark Days of Europe, magic ran rampant. Monsters could be seen appearing everywhere across the continent, killing entire villages. The humans that could use this magic were the same as the monsters. This period is called the Dark Days by historians because of the lack of literacy and knowledge but elementalists call the period this because of the widespread death and crime."

 

Pictures of gigantic wolfs and goblins flashed across the screen.

 

"Other continents at this time weren't faring any better, but Europe seemed to be doing the worst. They had the highest rate of monster sightings and mana concentration.

 

“In one little kingdom in the outskirts of what is now Norway someone remarkable appeared. The kingdom isn’t known to non-elementalist and the name of it has long disappeared in our records but this person is a legend in our history. His name was Erik Olsen."

 

A picture of a large smiling viking man popped up on the screen that looked extremely generic to Yuki.

 

“He was like you, an elementalist. Like the rest of his people he worked as a Viking, plundering and killing. With his magic he was able to become the leader of a fleet of very successful vikings.

 

“Now you might be thinking, how is this the man that we so admire? That is because Erik changed. During one fateful expedition, a kraken had emerged from the depths of the ocean and began to wreak havoc. His men and ships were all annihilated and Erik himself was nearly killed. That day he swore revenge on the things that had taken away everything from him. He would kill every single monster on the face planet."

 

Behind the instructor, the screen started playing a small animation of a cartoon viking shaking his fist at the sky.

 

“And so he went into seclusion to train and become stronger. During his training he awakened his magic further. He found himself able to manipulate multiple elements, not just the water that he had always used. He was the first and only omni-elementalist we ever had. But Erik did not only train his body. He also trained his mind. During his time alone he often meditated for hours, mulling over various philosophical questions and solving riddles. He would also reflect upon his life.

 

“And this is where the Erik that became a hero was born. When he realized the severity of his crimes and the evil that he had done he felt as if he was no better than those monsters that he had cursed and swore revenge to. So he changed his goals. He decided become a protector of the people, to slay monsters not just to satisfy himself but also for the people.

 

“When Erik emerged from hiding, he quickly gained the reputation as the strongest man in the world. He traveled throughout Europe and killed any monster in his way. In the towns he previously destroyed, he rebuilt them. And in those towns ravaged by beast, he liberated them.”

 

A small movie was playing behind Josephine as she was speaking that showed the viking smashing monsters with a gigantic axe.

 

“But no matter what Erik did, there were still those he couldn’t save. He was but just one man. And even though he was able to change, there were still elementalists that went about killing, raping, and plundering using the magic that Erik believed a gift from the gods. So he came with up a simple plan. He would go about the various kingdoms of medieval Europe and try to find like minded people or elementalists that would aid him in his cause.

 

“With this new support, he again went on a crusade to eliminate monsters and also to capture those criminals that abused the elements. This time it seemed as if he had succeeded. Monsters couldn’t be found anywhere on Europe and the whole continent enjoyed a short period of great peace and prosperity. But this wasn’t to last.”

 

The screen began to display the picture of a humanoid creature with horns sprouting from its head and two pairs of wings from its back while dramatic music played.

 

“It seemed that the Earth was angry at Erik for killing their precious monsters. And so it sent a demon. A terrible demon that was unlike any monster Erik had ever fought before. It destroyed an entire kingdom in minutes and summoned multitudes of monsters to aid it on its bloody journey through Europe.

 

“Erik and his followers quickly moved to stopped the demon. The two sides clashed in what is now modern day Finland. The battle between the two sides that followed could only be described as a war between nature itself. Great infernos being doused by drenching rain. Bolts of lightning ripping the air only to be blocked by gigantic stone walls. These were some of the things that the elementalists that survived that battle reported to have seen.

 

“This battle dragged on for days, both sides unable to gain the advantage. Erik decided that it had to end for too many people had died in the fighting, and so he challenged the demon to a battle to the death to determine the fate of the world. In the end, Erik managed to defeat the demon. He gathered all the elements of the world into one strike that hit with force that would be similar to that of an asteroid hitting the Earth. The hit killed the demon but in the process also disintegrated Erik, his remains no where to be found. He had sacrificed himself to protect the world.”

 

The screen began to play a sad piano piece while showing a tombstone that said “RIP Erik”.

 

“After the battle the surviving elementalists gathered again to discuss their future after the death of their hero and leader,” Josephine continued. “Most agreed that they should continue Erik’s dream and they formed Aether. The ones that didn’t separated and formed other groups, most of which have been disbanded. Those that most opposed Erik but never had the power to overthrow him saw this as an opportunity. Together they created the Shikaku. But that’s for another time.

 

“With the formation of Aether in Europe, they began to spread their reached across the world. They traveled around the globe in search of elementalists that they could recruit in their mission to protect the world. Aether had also learned their lesson from their early days and changed their policy of eliminating all monsters to killing those that endangered humanity. They realized that the demon was created because of their actions. Without someone like Erik behind them, they knew that they wouldn’t be able to stop another one.

 

“Aether would later constantly move their headquarters around the world in order to protect as many as they could. And now in the twenty-first century they are here in Japan, the area with the highest rate of monster sightings in the last century.”

 

Josephine clapped her hands again and the room slowly brightened as the screen behind her disappeared.

 

“This is a story that has been passed on for generations in our organization. It’s our history, our origin. And we tell it to you students every year in hopes that you remember it,” Josephine said.

 

“History is an important tool. Learning it can prevent the same mistakes from happening. Understanding it will give you the reasons as to why the world is what it is right now.

 

“And so I conclude your first lesson of Magic History this year. And it’s the most important one of the year. We hope that you will never forget what was said here today.”

 

With that said, Josephine waved her hand and dismissed the class.

 

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The way the elevator works might confuse some people. The first three floors are labeled with letters instead of numbers: B - Very first floor; the one Yuki entered when he was brought to the facility. A - Administration; Where all of the offices of the teachers and high ranking officials are. M - Mess Hall; The cafeteria/announcement hall. Then the next buttons are labeled with numbers with the dorm halls on the first three number floors and the classes and research facilities on the rest of the floors.