CHAPTER 5: THE HISTORY OF THE BERSERKERS
While the Berserkers continued talking to one another, a woman suddenly approached them.
She had striking red eyes and long black hair.
Her appearance was strangely familiar.
In fact, she resembled both Lisa and Arman.
The moment Arman saw her, his usually emotionless face changed.
A smirk appeared on his lips.
Arman: "Long time no see, Cousin."
Lisa's eyes widened.
Cousin?!
Her mind immediately began racing.
What? Cousin?
Dad didn't have any brothers...
Then another possibility entered her mind.
Wait... is she from Mom's side of the family?
The woman was Reina Alan, thirty years old—Arman's cousin and the vice-captain of the Dragon Squad.
Reina stood before him and respectfully lowered her head.
Reina: "I greet the Dragon Berserker... and the Captain of the Dragon Squad."
Arman raised an eyebrow.
Arman: "You don't need to be so formal."
A small smile appeared on his face.
Arman: "I'm happy to see that you're doing well."
Before Reina could respond, Kim suddenly stepped forward.
Kim: "You bastard."
Arman looked at him.
Kim: "You have the audacity to say that she's doing well?"
Kim pointed toward Reina.
Kim: "You left your squad without saying a single word! Do you realize how much work she had to handle alone?"
Arman's expression immediately became serious.
He looked toward Reina.
Arman: "I'm sorry, Reina."
His voice was sincere.
Arman: "I left without saying anything. I know how difficult it must have been for you to manage the entire squad without its captain."
Reina calmly shook her head.
Reina: "You don't need to apologize, Captain."
She gave him a faint smile.
Reina: "It's the duty of a vice-captain to look after the squad when the captain isn't available."
Her expression softened.
Reina: "And besides... I always knew you would return."
John suddenly laughed.
John: "Well, isn't this quite an emotional reunion?"
Everyone looked toward him.
John glanced at Lisa and her friends.
John: "And Arman, I think you have some people to introduce to us."
Arman's eyes widened slightly.
Then he looked toward Lisa and her friends.
Arman: "Ah, right. I almost forgot."
He pointed toward Lisa.
Arman: "This is Lisa, my sister."
Then he gestured toward Sakura, Yuta, and Shinji.
Arman: "And these are her friends."
Lisa looked at the group of Berserkers curiously.
Arman continued.
Arman: "Lisa, these are the other Berserkers. Just like me and Kim."
He then looked toward Reina.
Arman: "Except her."
He pointed toward Reina.
Arman: "She's our cousin, Reina Alan."
Lisa's eyes widened again.
Lisa: "ARMAN! How?! But Dad didn't—"
Arman: "Actually, it's hard to explain. First—"
Reina: "I'll explain it to her."
Arman turned toward Reina.
Reina: "You should go to the Main Hall with the other Berserkers."
Arman thought about it for a moment.
Then he nodded.
Arman: "Okay."
He looked toward Lisa and her friends.
Arman: "You guys should stay with Reina and listen to her."
Lisa, Sakura, Yuta, and Shinji nodded.
Lisa and her friends: "Yes, sir!"
Arman and the other Berserkers began walking toward the enormous building at the center of the Main Pavilion.
Meanwhile, Lisa and her friends followed Reina in a different direction.
After walking for a while, Lisa finally gathered the courage to ask.
Lisa: "Mrs. Reina... can I ask you something?"
Reina looked back at her.
Reina: "Of course. You can ask me anything."
Lisa hesitated.
Then she asked the question that had been bothering her since they arrived.
Lisa: "How are you an Alan?"
Reina smiled faintly.
Reina: "To explain that..."
She looked ahead.
Reina: "I'll have to tell you everything from the beginning."
Lisa blinked.
Lisa: "From the beginning?"
Reina: "Yes."
They continued walking as Reina began her story.
THE BEGINNING OF GAP SPACE
Reina: "It is said that after GOD created the universe, He created the GAP SPACE."
Lisa and her friends listened carefully.
Reina: "The GAP SPACE was divided into two parts."
Her voice became serious.
Reina: "The first was the Abyss."
Images of darkness and monsters filled Lisa's mind.
Reina: "A place consumed by darkness. The home of the Skotians."
Reina raised her hand toward the sky.
Reina: "The other side was known as Heaven's Light."
Lisa looked around at the beautiful world of Nexus.
Reina: "The place we are in right now is a part of Heaven's Light."
She continued.
Reina: "There are many planets within Heaven's Light."
Her eyes moved toward the distance.
Reina: "And Nexus—the planet we're standing on—is located at its center."
Her voice carried pride.
Reina: "It is also considered the safest planet in Heaven's Light."
Sakura looked surprised.
Sakura: "The safest planet?"
Reina nodded.
Reina: "It is said that humans, elves, and many other species originally came from Heaven's Light."
She paused.
Reina: "Years later, portals to other universes began opening."
Lisa and her friends exchanged glances.
They knew exactly what a portal could do.
Reina: "The beings who lived here began migrating to different universes."
She smiled faintly.
Reina: "According to history, it was the greatest era for every being who lived in Heaven's Light."
Her smile disappeared.
Reina: "Until six thousand years ago."
Sakura immediately became curious.
Sakura: "What happened six thousand years ago?"
Reina's expression turned cold.
Reina: "The Skotian King..."
Her red eyes narrowed.
Reina: "The ruler of the Abyss."
She spoke his name.
Reina: "DAGON."
A strange silence followed.
Reina: "Dagon began sending Skotian armies into Heaven's Light."
Her voice grew heavier.
Reina: "His goal was simple."
Reina: "To conquer it."
Lisa's expression changed.
Reina: "Countless innocent lives were lost every day."
Yuta clenched his fists.
Yuta: "Then what happened?"
Reina looked toward the sky.
Reina: "GOD himself descended upon Heaven's Light."
Everyone froze.
Reina: "He eradicated the Skotians who had invaded."
Her voice became calmer.
Reina: "Then, He blessed the beings of Heaven's Light with Mana Crystals."
Sakura: "Mana Crystals?"
Reina: "Yes."
Reina: "Because of the Mana Crystals, the people of Heaven's Light gained the power to defend themselves and fight against the Skotians."
Reina stopped walking for a moment.
Then she continued.
Reina: "To maintain order throughout Heaven's Light, seven great families were established."
Her voice echoed clearly.
"THE HOUSE OF CAMUS."
"THE HOUSE OF WINSTON."
"THE KATSU HOUSE."
"THE HOUSE OF ROMAN."
"THE HOUSE OF AGNUS."
"THE HOUSE OF ALAN."
Lisa's eyes widened at the last name.
"AND ABOVE ALL OF THEM..."
Reina's expression became respectful.
"THE LIONHART FAMILY."
She looked toward Lisa.
Reina: "The head of all seven houses."
Yuta remained silent for a few moments.
Then he asked,
Yuta: "What happened after that?"
Reina continued walking.
Reina: "Peace was maintained for one thousand years."
Lisa relaxed slightly.
But then Reina's voice became serious again.
Reina: "Until the War of Heaven."
Shinji frowned.
Shinji: "The War of Heaven?"
Shinji: "What was that?"
Reina took a deep breath.
Reina: "It happened five thousand years ago."
Her expression became grim.
Reina: "This time... Dagon came personally."
Everyone fell silent.
Reina: "Seeing Dagon return, GOD descended once again to protect the beings of Heaven's Light."
Her fists slowly clenched.
Reina: "But Dagon wasn't alone."
Lisa stared at her.
Lisa: "What do you mean?"
Reina: "He was receiving help from another Higher Being."
A chill ran down Lisa's spine.
Reina: "Together..."
Reina's voice became quieter.
Reina: "They managed to injure GOD."
Nobody spoke.
Even Sakura, Yuta, and Shinji were silent.
Reina: "Left with no other choice, GOD summoned His Mystic Beasts."
Her voice became powerful as she named them.
"THE HEAVENLY APE!"
"THE HEAVENLY GRIFFIN!"
"THE HEAVENLY WOLF!"
"THE HEAVENLY PHOENIX!"
"THE HEAVENLY TIGER!"
Then...
Reina paused.
Her red eyes seemed to glow.
"AND THE MOST FEROCIOUS OF THEM ALL..."
"THE HEAVENLY DRAGON."
Lisa felt a chill run down her spine.
The Dragon...
Reina continued.
Reina: "With the last of His strength, GOD transferred fragments of His power into each of the six Mystic Beasts."
Everyone listened in complete silence.
Reina: "The beasts then transformed into Mystic Orbs."
She continued.
Reina: "GOD gave one Mystic Orb to each of the six great houses."
Lisa remembered the names.
Camus.
Winston.
Katsu.
Roman.
Agnus.
Alan.
Reina: "And He gave His sword to the Lionhart Family."
Lisa's face became serious.
Lisa: "And then... what happened to GOD?"
Reina looked at her.
Reina: "He disappeared."
Lisa froze.
Lisa: "Disappeared?"
Her voice trembled.
Lisa: "What do you mean? Where did He go?"
Reina slowly shook her head.
Reina: "I don't know."
She looked toward the sky.
Reina: "That's all history tells us."
Her expression became uncertain.
Reina: "Some believe that GOD became one with Heaven's Light."
She paused.
Reina: "Others believe..."
Her voice lowered.
Reina: "That He died."
Lisa's eyes widened.
Lisa: "D-Died?!"
She took a moment to process that.
Then another question came to her mind.
Lisa: "Then what happened to Dagon?"
Reina looked at her.
Reina: "After receiving GOD's power, the Mystic Orbs chose one person from each of the six houses."
She continued.
Reina: "Those chosen were granted the power of a Berserker."
Lisa looked toward Reina in shock.
Everything was beginning to make sense.
Reina: "With the help of the Berserkers and the Lionhart Family..."
Her expression turned serious.
Reina: "Dagon was sealed."
Lisa thought about the other figure Reina had mentioned.
Lisa: "What about the Higher Being who was helping Dagon?"
Reina shook her head.
Reina: "That being was never seen again after the War of Heaven."
Lisa remained silent.
Then she remembered the question that had brought them to this conversation.
She looked toward Reina.
Lisa: "Then why was my brother chosen as the Dragon Berserker?"
Reina smiled slightly.
Reina: "To keep it simple..."
She stopped walking.
Reina: "It was prophesied that whenever the first seal containing Dagon began to weaken..."
Lisa stared at her.
Reina: "New Berserkers would be chosen."
Lisa frowned.
Lisa: "But why my brother?"
Her voice was filled with confusion.
Lisa: "He doesn't even live here."
Reina looked directly into Lisa's eyes.
Then she answered.
Reina: "Your brother was chosen because he is an Alan."
Lisa's eyes widened.
Reina continued.
Reina: "And because..."
She paused.
Reina: "Your father once lived here as well."