Prologue

  The Price of Devotion

  In the mystical world of Altera, the greatest power a being could ever possess was not strength, nor magic, nor divine authority.

  It was love.

  An unbinding, immeasurable force that shaped the very fabric of existence.

  Even the gods were bound to it.

  The feeling of being loved…the warmth of respect…the harmony between souls…

  These things made a being stronger than any weapon ever could.

  Yet the races of Altera understood this truth only partially.

  Humans believed love was merely an emotion.

  Elves saw it as a bond with nature.

  Dwarves respected it as loyalty to kin.

  Demons dismissed it as weakness and instead relied on hatred and raw Philia—the primal energy of nature.

  All beings drew power from Philia, the essence flowing through the world.

  They understand that the power they receive from the world around them is the true source of everything. They call that power Philia—the living essence of nature.

  Yet they fail to understand its true nature.

  Without harmony, Philia is nothing.

  Without love, power becomes meaningless.

  The stronger the connection between beings, the stronger the person becomes.

  Even the gods who now rule the heavens once walked the same land as the other races. Once they were not gods but ordinary beings who lived in the world of Altera.

  But after gaining a perfect balance between Philia and Love, those beings ascended and became the true gods whom the people of Altera now worship.

  And the worship of mortals strengthens the gods further.

  To make the people of the world aware of our existence, I sometimes send my messengers of love, and sometimes I descend myself by taking avatars.

  Through those avatars I preach the devotion of love.

  I guide people.

  I vanquish evil.

  And I shape harmonious creatures into saint warriors.

  For centuries the creatures of Altera have worshipped me as the God of Light.

  Lux.

  Yet they often forget my true meaning.

  My purpose has never been only to destroy demons.

  Demons rely solely on hatred and Philia, and that makes them stronger against other races. Humans with hatred in their hearts also draw power from that same darkness.

  Hatred is the first step toward becoming a demon.

  Yet among demons, there exists one who understands something rare.

  The Shadow Demon King, Raon.

  One of my greatest devotees.

  He understands the devotion of pure love.

  And today… he meditates to ask a boon from me.

  Lux’s voice echoes gently through the divine realm as he speaks, like a calm wind moving through eternity.

  And with quiet divinity he whispers:

  “Philia is the breath of the world,but love is the soul of creation.Without love, power becomes ruin,and strength becomes loneliness.”

  Far beyond the mortal world, in the celestial realm where time flows like music, stands the Divine Tree of Eternity.

  Its branches stretch across the heavens.

  Its leaves glow like countless stars.

  Beneath this tree sits a figure whose presence makes the brilliance of the universe seem dim.

  Lux.

  His long golden hair shines like flowing sunlight.

  Upon his head rests a peacock feather, gleaming like a crown of divine radiance.

  At his waist rests a sword.

  In one hand he holds a flute.

  In the other, the Draini flower, the blossom of purity.

  Around him gather countless souls and divine beings, drawn to his presence like stars around the sun.

  Lux slowly plays his flute.

  The melody spreads across heaven like gentle waves.

  And as the music flows, Lux speaks again.

  “Love is the unseen threadthat binds the stars to the sky.The sword may conquer kingdoms,but love conquers eternity.”

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  Suddenly footsteps break the serenity.

  "My Lord!"

  A figure stands before Lux with joined hands.

  Behind him stand several divine beings shining with heavenly light.

  It is Inma, the God of Thunder and War.

  Once he had been only a wandering soul in Altera.

  Lux had seen his potential and raised him to divinity.

  Now he stands as the general of the gods.

  Inma gazes around the divine garden in awe.

  Endless emptiness stretches beyond sight, yet it glows with peaceful light.

  Creatures of many realms gather beneath the divine tree.

  All surrounding Lux.

  Lux’s sparkling blue eyes shift toward Inma.

  Without anger, Lux asks calmly,

  "Inma… why have you come?"

  His voice carries the quiet authority of the world itself.

  Inma bows deeply.

  "O Lord, the one from whom everything has been created. Even I, who was once a wandering soul, became the God of Thunder and War only through your grace."

  He raises his head slightly.

  "Without you, none of us would exist."

  "Today I have come with the request of all the gods."

  His voice becomes tense.

  "You should not fulfill the Demon King’s wish."

  Lux speaks softly.

  "Raon…"

  "He is my greatest devotee; I cannot unheard his prayers."

  "He stands closer to becoming a god than many others also he should be respected by all the creatures as the only one who understands the concept of Philia and love."

  "But sadly, he grows old, and his love for his son blinds him."

  Inma clenches his fists.

  "My Lord, he will ask you to grant immortality to his son Ugra."

  "Ugra is filled with hatred against other races after the last great war."

  That war…

  The war where Lux descended as his avatar Aratya, restoring balance to the world and showing Raon the true meaning of devotion.

  But Ugra did not learn that lesson.

  Inma continues urgently,

  "Ugra will use that power for evil. I request you, on behalf of all the gods, not to grant that wish."

  Lux smiles calmly.

  A smile filled with mysterious knowledge.

  "Raon is my greatest devotee."

  "I cannot ignore his prayer."

  Then Lux softly recites another verse.

  “Even the deepest shadowcannot escape the dawn.Where hatred rises endlessly,love prepares its answer.” The Time would bear the witness of the result I would take today.

  A blinding light suddenly fills the celestial garden.

  The brilliance forces the gods to close their eyes.

  When they open them again—

  Lux is gone.

  Inma whispers with a trembling voice.

  "Today… my Lord will decide the fate of Altera."

  Far below lies a barren land surrounded by lava clouds and unbearable heat.

  A place where no human could survive.

  Yet in the centre of this wasteland sits a demon in meditation.

  The Shadow Demon King Raon.

  Despite the harsh world around him, his devotion remains pure.

  Suddenly the sky bursts with divine light.

  The burning clouds disappear.

  Life begins to bloom across the land.

  Flowers grow where only ash existed.

  A calm voice filled with divinity echoes through the sky.

  "Raon."

  The demon king opens his eyes.

  Tears fall immediately.

  Before him stands Lux.

  Raon falls to his knees.

  "O Lord!"

  "The creator and operator of all things!"

  "You know the heart of this old dying man."

  His voice trembles as he continues.

  "I want you to make my son immortal… so that neither gods, demons, humans, elves, nor dwarves can ever kill him."

  Lux watches him quietly with a simple smile.

  Then he speaks.

  "I cannot break the laws of this world they are absolute."

  "It would destroy the balance and would be catastrophic."

  Raon bows even deeper.

  "But you created those laws, my Lord."

  "You are the only one who can bend them."

  "Please help this poor soul fulfil his dream."

  Lux remains silent for a moment.

  Then he speaks again.

  "I will give you two choices."

  Raon lifts his head slowly.

  "First — your son will be undefeatable by gods, demons, humans, elves, and dwarves."

  "Second — you will ascend to heaven and become the God of Devotion."

  Raon freezes.

  Ascension…

  The dream of every powerful being.

  Yet he slowly shakes his head.

  "My Lord… I have already fulfilled my greatest desire."

  "I have seen you."

  "I ask nothing for myself."

  "Please grant my wish for my son."

  A quiet sadness fills Lux’s eyes.

  "Today… you have lost your path to ascension."

  "But your love as a father will be remembered."

  "In the future I will take your name as one of my avatars to vanquish evil."

  Then Lux declares the boon.

  "No god, demon, human, elf, or dwarf will be able to kill your son Ugra."

  Raon breathes in relief.

  But Lux continues.

  "However… if his evil grows too great…"

  "A girl blessed with half of my divine power of light will one day be born."

  "And she will kill your son."

  Raon lowers his head sadly.

  "I will guide my son toward harmony."

  "I will not let him become evil."

  Lux smiles gently.

  "A new era is approaching."

  Before disappearing, Lux whispers one final verse.

  “Love is not weakness,

  though the blind believe so.

  For when darkness claims a throne,

  love will crown the one who ends it.”

  Lux vanishes in radiant light.

  Raon collapses to his knees.

  The once barren land now blooms with life.

  Back in the celestial garden, the gods stand silently beneath the divine tree.

  When Lux appears, they immediately kneel.

  Inma lowers his head.

  "My Lord… forgive us for doubting you."

  Lux smiles gently.

  "The era of chaos is ending."

  "And soon the era of wonders and hope will begin."

  The gods look up in surprise.

  Then Lux reveals the truth.

  "My half will soon be born in Altera."

  "Through that form she will preach love… and destroy evil."

  Lux sits beneath the great divine tree.

  He lifts his flute.

  The melody spreads across heaven.

  All the gods and souls begin to dance.

  Their voices echo endlessly across eternity.

  "Praise Lux!"

  "Praise the God of Love and Light!"

  And as the divine music fills the heavens, Lux whispers softly:

  “Where hatred builds kingdoms,

  love builds eternity.

  When darkness crowns a tyrant,

  light will crown a hero.”

  Thus begins the story of Altera.

  And the destiny that awaits it.

  Lifting my flute, I begin to play.

  The divine music spreads through heaven.

  All the gods and souls begin to dance.

  Their voices echo across eternity.

  "Praise Lux!"

  "Praise the God of Love and Light!"

  And as the melody continues, I whisper softly to myself—

  "Love is the origin of power."

  "And love… will decide the fate of Altera."