(3rd Person POV)
Firfel stared at the massive vessel, her eyes wide with disbelief. "What is this?" The faint metallic scent reached her, and something about the craft made her hair stand on end—she could sense immense power radiating from its hull.
"It's an airship that can take us to the stars," Arthur said with a gentle smile.
"Airship?" Firfel breathed in astonishment. The vehicle before her was unlike any airship she'd ever seen—too enormous, too strange, too magnificent.
"Is this similar to that airplane we used to reach the Aztec Empire?" she asked, recognition dawning. Arthur's innovations never ceased to amaze her.
Arthur wagged a finger playfully. "No, this is completely different. Far superior to the airplane."
"Superior? You mean it's faster?" Her eyebrows rose with interest.
Arthur chuckled mysteriously. "Speed is just one of its capabilities." He paused, clearly enjoying her curiosity.
Firfel turned to him with an exaggerated pout. "Don't keep me in suspense! Tell me everything about this new creation!" She tried to look threatening, but only managed to appear adorable.
Arthur raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, but let me show you inside first."
As they approached the Divine Ship, magical energy swept over them—some kind of identification scan. Firfel froze, but Arthur squeezed her hand reassuringly.
"It's just recognizing us. Nothing to worry about."
The seamless hull shifted before their eyes, metal flowing like liquid to form an elegant doorway with stairs extending toward them.
"Incredible," Firfel whispered as they climbed aboard.
The interior remained dark for a moment before lights gradually illuminated their surroundings. Firfel gasped at the sight—gleaming corridors, advanced control panels, and technology that seemed impossibly sophisticated.
"Remember the vehicles from Star Wars?" Arthur asked.
"Of course—one of your greatest films." Understanding struck her like lightning. "Wait... if you're mentioning Star Wars, then this is actually a spaceship? Something that can travel beyond our world?"
"Exactly right," Arthur confirmed with satisfaction. "This is the Void Walker—a vessel equipped with living quarters, food storage, and everything needed for interstellar travel."
Firfel's voice came out as barely a whisper. "You're serious? This can actually reach the stars?"
"Completely serious. Would you like to test it?"
Her eyes sparkled with wonder as Arthur settled into the captain's chair. The front viewport offered a clear view ahead, and suddenly an artificial voice filled the cabin.
[Welcome back, Captain Pendragon. All systems are operational and ready for your command.]
"It spoke!" Firfel spun around, searching for the source. "This thing is alive?"
[Greetings. I am Charon, the Advanced Divine Ship's artificial intelligence. It is my pleasure to meet you, Lady Firfel.]
Firfel's amazement deepened as she processed the implications.
"Charon will assist us as we explore the cosmos," Arthur explained. "The universe beyond our world awaits."
Arthur watched Firfel's face light up with wonder, her excitement radiating like starlight. The prospect of exploring the universe together had clearly captured her imagination completely.
"What do you think? Do you want to explore the cosmos with me?" Arthur asked softly, though her glowing expression already provided the answer.
"Yes!" Firfel practically bounced with enthusiasm. "Please, let's see what's out there! I can barely contain myself!"
Arthur's smile warmed at her infectious joy. "Then let's set sail among the stars." He turned to the controls with practiced ease.
[Initiating power systems. Preparing for atmospheric departure,] Charon announced smoothly.
Immense magical energy surged through the ship's hull. The Void Walker lifted gracefully from the forest floor, reality bending around them as space compressed. From any outside perspective, the vessel would have appeared to stretch impossibly before vanishing into the heavens.
Inside the cabin, everything remained perfectly stable despite their incredible acceleration. Through the viewport, their world rushed past in a blur of colors until suddenly—silence.
They floated in the vast emptiness of space, gazing down at their home world—a brilliant blue-green jewel suspended in infinite darkness.
Firfel's breath caught in her throat. "That's... that's really our world?" Her voice carried pure awe. "It's so beautiful. Like a precious gem floating in velvet."
Arthur moved closer, slipping his arm around her waist as they stood before the viewport together. "It looks smaller from here, but each continent, each kingdom we know is down there."
She leaned into his warmth, mesmerized by the sight. "I never imagined it would look so... perfect."
Arthur gazed down at their world, his voice taking on a contemplative tone. "Someday, that orb will be ours to shape."
Firfel snapped from her reverie, looking at him with confusion. "What?"
Arthur chuckled and shook his head dismissively. "Nothing. I just said our world is very beautiful, but not as beautiful as you."
Firfel's cheeks flushed pink. "You always know exactly what to say."
"I have excellent inspiration," he replied, cupping her face gently.
Their lips met in a tender kiss that began soft and sweet, like a whispered promise. Firfel's hands found their way to his chest as the kiss deepened, time seeming to suspend itself around them. When they finally parted, both were breathless, foreheads touching as they shared the moment.
"I love you," Firfel whispered against his lips.
"And I love you," Arthur replied, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead.
After a peaceful moment, Firfel glanced around at the star-filled void surrounding them. "It's so dark out here. I expected more... light, somehow."
Arthur cleared his throat, regaining his composure. "Space contains many wonders invisible to mortal eyes. There are cosmic energies, stellar winds, nebulae—all magnificent but beyond normal perception."
"I remember reading about that—how space holds mysteries our eyes can't detect," Firfel recalled from various astronomical articles.
"Charon can reveal what we're missing," Arthur suggested.
Firfel's eyes lit up with renewed curiosity. "Really? Can we see it?"
[Activating enhanced visual spectrum,] Charon responded to Arthur's silent command.
The viewport transformed, revealing space in all its hidden glory—swirling nebulae painted in cosmic colors, distant galaxies glimmering like diamonds, stellar formations dancing in ethereal light.
"Oh my..." Firfel pressed against the glass in wonder, her reflection mingling with the cosmic display beyond.
Arthur watched her reaction with deep satisfaction, knowing this was just the beginning of the adventures they would share among the stars.
---
While Arthur and Firfel enjoyed their space vacation, Hellfire Studios operated in controlled chaos. Joseph Jackson's sudden World Tour announcement—a spontaneous decision following his electrifying World Cup performance—had the entire organization scrambling to coordinate logistics across multiple kingdoms.
Joseph's popularity surged beyond anyone's expectations. Industry analysts predicted his tour would eclipse even Queen and Nirvana's legendary world tours, both previous Hellfire successes that had set attendance records.
The speculation gained credibility when reputable outlets began investigating Joseph's unique abilities.
"BREAKTHROUGH DISCOVERY: Mage Professor Witnesses Unprecedented Magical Phenomenon During Joseph Jackson's World Cup Performance - Rare Talent Confirmed to Directly Influence Audience Emotions Through Live Music, Expert Reports Firsthand Experience of Mood Enhancement While Present in Stadium" declared the front page of Magical Box, a respected publication focusing on supernatural phenomena. The detailed article quoted Professor Dimitrios Krueger of the Imperial Academy of Magical Arts, who had been present in the stadium and personally experienced the magical effects during Joseph's performance.
"JOSEPH JACKSON'S WORLD TOUR POISED TO REVOLUTIONIZE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY - Musical Prodigy Possesses Unknown Magical Talent That Induces Happiness in Live Audiences, Academic Expert Confirms Personal Experience of Emotional Enhancement During Stadium Performance" reported Empire Entertainment across a full two-page spread, featuring Professor Krueger's detailed account of feeling the magical influence wash over him and the entire crowd.
"THE SCIENCE BEHIND THE SENSATION: How Joseph Jackson's Rare Gift Could Change Music Forever - Magical Researcher Who Attended World Cup Performance Describes Experiencing Direct Emotional Manipulation Through Song, Opening New Questions About Entertainment-Based Magic" featured prominently in the Arcane Quarterly, a scholarly journal that typically avoided popular culture coverage.
The revelations sparked intense discussion across Hellbook and fan gathering places worldwide.
"That explains why I always feel so uplifted when listening to Joseph's music! There's something special about his songs that lifts my spirits."
"His voice is already magnificent, but when combined with his dancing and that magical presence? It's absolutely extraordinary."
"I'm eagerly awaiting the World Tour to come to our kingdom!"
"No wonder his performance at the World Cup felt so remarkable. I left the stadium feeling better than I had in months."
News of Joseph's rare magical talent spread globally within days, introducing him to audiences who had never heard his music before. While media outlets and Professor Krueger recognized his abilities as extraordinary, they lacked the knowledge to identify the specific nature of his power, instead describing it as an unprecedented form of emotion-influencing magical talent.
Amidst all the excitement surrounding Joseph's magical abilities, Hellfire's announcement that he would travel using Arthur's revolutionary "airplane" for his World Tour generated only mild interest. Most media outlets dismissed it as an elaborate publicity stunt, focusing instead on the more sensational story of his supernatural talent.
The music industry found itself in an unprecedented situation—one artist commanding such overwhelming attention that other genres struggled for recognition.
But while Joseph Jackson's star continued to rise and dominate headlines across the entertainment industry, the musical landscape was quietly shifting in other directions.
In the United States of Empirica, a raw new sound was emerging from urban communities. "Rap" music, characterized by rhythmic spoken verses over heavy beats, was gaining momentum particularly among demons, dwarves, and dark elves who connected with its unfiltered expression of struggle and identity.
Though no major rap artists had broken into mainstream success yet, the genre's underground popularity suggested it might eventually challenge the established dominance of jazz, pop, rock, and grunge.
While rap was getting pretty controversial across the United States of Empirica—with some states outright banning it from radio stations—cities like Harlem City were embracing the raw new sound.
In fact, at Murphy's Bar, the cramped basement space buzzed with demons, dwarves, and elves who found their voice in the aggressive rhythms. Tonight, this underground spot was theirs.
On stage, Amaru had everyone's attention. The half-demon, half-human performer was shirtless, tattoos covering his muscular frame and bald head. He gripped the mic and delivered his verses fast:
"They see my face, two worlds collide, Half-demon blood they can't divide, Born in the struggle, raised in the pain, Bullets fly when they say my name!
Fuck what they think about my mixed breed, Plant the hate, watch the violence seed, They cross the street when I walk by, But I keep my head up, ready to die!
Half this, half that, they love to judge, But when the smoke clears, who won't budge? We the ones with fire and ice, Living every day, rolling the dice!"
"Hey, hey!" the crowd shouted back, feeling his words. They knew that struggle.
Amaru had won Apple TV's rap competition "Street Voices" in Apple City and was now hitting dive bars for money and fame. He soaked up the cheers as he finished, walking through the crowd collecting fist-bumps and grabbing at girls.
But when the next act came up, things changed. Instead of another rapper, a young elf started singing one of Joseph Jackson's hits. The crowd got even more into it.
Amaru's face darkened watching people sway to the pop song.
'This is supposed to be a rap party,' he thought, getting pissed. 'Not some damn singing showcase.'
It bothered him that here, in their space for speaking out, a completely different type of music was getting the biggest reaction.