The Radiant Light - [English Version]

After Nghịch Mệnh had a part of his body separated, time returned to its original course. However, before that, due to the high-speed impact affecting the entire universe, fragments of Matter became galactic entities such as galaxies, black holes, stars, nebulae, and planets. With Life having vanished earlier, the solar system that Nghịch Mệnh and Chi Phối entered had already formed and developed to a certain extent. All four planets in this system were of equal size, and all physical laws and developmental stages were in place. Life already existed on each of them, perhaps because the time fluctuations accelerated a process that should have taken billions of years since the fragments of Matter began to scatter across the universe.

As for Control, she wandered throughout the universe in search of Nghịch Mệnh. On the first planet, despite using all her senses and traveling everywhere from the north pole to the south, she could not find him. During this time, Chi Phối witnessed and observed the changes on the planet: the life that thrived and grew, mountains rising tall, humans building settlements, experiencing all aspects of life. She gradually became attached to this world. At one point, she realized she had come to the wrong place and intended to leave using her powers. However, she discovered that due to the small size of the planet and the entire system, using her powers to teleport would cause its collapse. So, she used her abilities and strength to create laws for this world.

At that time, four powerful entities were created by Chi Phối for this planet. Each one was an egg placed in different, distant parts of the planet. Due to the depletion of her power, this was all she could do. They would develop by absorbing natural energy over time. Once enough time had passed, they would hatch and undergo trials to test their abilities. After a long time searching for a way to move between worlds within this system without causing it to collapse, she found a way to limit the power used as much as possible through a medium. In her mind, she conceived the idea of a giant ship, carrying a small part of her power, governed by the rules born when previous conceptual entities perished.

It was a giant airship, wandering the skies, capable of teleporting anything between planets within this system, but it was a one-way journey. Returning would only be possible if another airship existed on the destination planet.

After completing the airship, she named it Radiant and then went to a human fortress near the coast. The fortress was surrounded by a gray brick wall, covering an area of about 2 square kilometers. Six towers, equally spaced, were used for defense. The population was around 20,000 people. Outside the fortress, not far away, she created a massive storm that swept through the fortress, lasting several days. The inhabitants panicked, hiding in buildings, trying to avoid the raging storm. After about three days of enduring the storm's destruction, the inhabitants gradually saw sunlight and a large shadow descending from the sky onto the fortress. Slowly, they realized it was a majestic and beautiful giant airship, hovering in the sky in the middle of the fortress. The woman appeared with an exquisite and indescribable beauty. Rays of light pierced through the gray clouds, a scene often seen after storms, accentuating her beauty. Perhaps before coming here, she had changed her appearance to resemble a goddess with white hair and radiant skin. She wore an outfit unfamiliar to the inhabitants. They all knelt and bowed before the woman, for they had never seen such beauty, nor such a grand airship.

The current time was March 29th, year 20, twenty years since the goddess had arrived here. During these 20 years, she used her powers to make this place prosperous and more developed than ever, to the point that it could be called the golden city where the gods resided. The people were informed beforehand that today was a significant day, and all the citizens gathered in the central square. By 8:00 AM, the citizens had gathered around the square, with some looking out from windows, some in carriages, but all had their eyes fixed on where the goddess would appear. Amid the sound of fireworks and cheers, a woman emerged, surrounded by a brilliant halo, though it didn't blind anyone. On the contrary, it gave them a feeling of comfort and peace. The woman stepped onto a platform and began to speak:

Goddess (Control): "Through 20 years of companionship, not short, but not too long either, we have lived together. I hold deep affection for the people of this place. Our bond is unquestionable. But the time has come for us to part. I still have a mission to complete, so we must say farewell here. I wish to select individuals to accompany me on the path to fulfill my mission. Anyone who desires to continue this journey with me may come to this square at dawn tomorrow. We will board the Radiant!"

Her voice was majestic, but instead of the expected sternness, there was a soft, almost enchanting quality to it.

After her speech, the crowd was filled with mixed emotions—regret at first, followed by a glimmer of hope on their faces. The goddess departed, and the crowd began to chatter, some worried, some hopeful, others seemingly close to realizing their desires. As time passed, the crowd slowly dispersed, and life resumed as normal. Around the same time, in the meeting room, the highest-ranking individuals of the fortress held a discussion with the woman. They wanted to know what her mission was, but in the face of her overwhelming presence, none of them had the courage to ask directly. They only discussed the state of the fortress and the lives of the people after the goddess's departure. During her time there, everything had gone smoothly, with few setbacks, and any issues were resolved effortlessly.

Goddess (Control): "You all worry too much."

A man responded.

Juan: "Your grace, though I am reluctant, I wish to accompany you on your next mission!" (the man nearest to the goddess spoke up)

George: "You can't leave, Juan. Don't be so irresponsible! As the keeper of the peace, you can't just leave whenever you want. What do you think you're doing?" (George, the head of the fortress, said angrily)

Charles: "He's right. You can't just abandon your duties, Juan. At least find someone capable of replacing you first." (Charles, one of the wealthiest individuals in the fortress, added)

Juan: "Alright! I'll make the arrangements." (Juan rushed out)

George: "Hey!!!"

Charles: "He's still young, George, just like you were! Hahaha!"

Goddess (Control): "Everything has been decided. It's time to prepare for the upcoming journey. You all should see to your own tasks." (She left)

Everyone: "Yes, your grace."

At dawn the next day, March 30th, year 20, all those who wished to depart had gathered, along with most of the population, to bid farewell to their goddess. Some cried, some prayed for the safety of those leaving, and others hoped that the goddess would always protect them and one day return. The airship descended upon the fortress once more, hovering in the clouds. Around a thousand people boarded the ship, but someone was missing.

Goddess (Control): "Where is he? Has he not finished making arrangements?"

They waited for some time, but eventually, it was time to take off. The ramp leading up to the ship retracted, the doors began to close, and the airship rose into the sky. Suddenly, a figure appeared in the distance, running as fast as they could toward the square, but it was too late—the airship had already departed. The young man stood there, gazing up at the sky, his expression empty.

Juan: "Am I too late?" (it was hard to tell if the sweat on his face was mixed with tears of regret)

A moment later, his body grew light, and he began to ascend into the sky. Confused and frightened at first, he soon realized what it meant: he hadn't been left behind. A few minutes later, he landed aboard the Radiant.

Goddess (Chi Phối): "You're late. Consider what just happened a punishment." (she said, teasingly)

Juan: "Thank you for not leaving me behind."

Goddess (Control): "Then work hard for me, Juan!"

Juan: "Yes!!" (he responded with a bright smile)

The airship departed, gliding through the white clouds, its destination unknown. Heaven or hell?