The world of Aetherius is massive, and it will only get bigger as the boundaries among planes weaken.

Empyrea, the ultimate force that rules the world renamed the planet once known as Earth as... Aetherius.

It was rightfully done so, for that is what the new world deserves. The Empyrea's reach is far and its desire for conquest is unquenchable. Their power is sublime and authority is unquestionable.

Vassal kingdoms surround them except for the notable few that barely escaped Empyrean influence.

In full honesty, escape is but an overstatement. Empyrea's need for conflict is just some excuse to further their ends— to what extent, no one knows but the 13 Empyrean gods themselves.

Gods— to call themselves as such suggests their dangerously inflated egos. If not, then maybe they are just mentally ill.

Admittedly, there is no room to argue for they truly possess godlike characteristics incomparable to the magical knowledge and scientific exploits of humankind.

I, for one, am extremely aware of their inimitable power. I didn't witness it beforehand, but records of old have foretold the rise of such beings after a great invisible war has been fought.

There is an insurmountable length of the dark ages before this era, it's unfathomable and requires out-of-the-box measures. This is what led me to the Consortium. I've led a nomadic lifestyle with my wife in pursuit of ancient history texts. My endeavor produced little and vague clues about the dark ages. So many times, I wanted to give up, but my wife convinced me not to.

The fate of humanity lies in this research, and the truth of the world is where it will all end.

Renaming this world 'Aetherius' is not a result of shallow politicking but a calculated move for an ultimate end that Empyrea greatly desires.

The dark ages have the answers.

The Consortium holds significant power, especially as a powerhouse outside Empyrean influence.

Neutral forces like the Consortium are aplenty, scattered across the globe. Empyrea simply leaves them alone which is quite a big mystery for me even now.

It baffles me because these 'neutral forces' have strong grudges and dislike of Empyrea. This is a fact not known by many, but I know.

I theorize that such 'neutral forces' are actually remnants of the dark ages. I hardly deduced from some of the history texts I gathered, the connections of some neutral cities to a distant ancient civilization.

The reason it is confusing is that: why in the world is Empyrea allowing such danger to exist in their midst? These so-called neutral forces shall definitely breed opposition. Though they are weak now, the truth might change in the distant future. I have seen Empyrean Crusaders raze an entire race with minimal effort, stave war among kingdoms with a word, and sink a rebellious city with their magi-tech.

For what?! For what, if not to stomp danger from the source.

The Empyrea's overarching reaction to danger signifies their desire for control and manipulation of fear. The fact that the Consortium remains free from their influence is an impossibility of its own. I suspect that there is something behind the scenes.

Then there are the 13 Empyrean gods that remain to be a mystery. Though there are some disturbing tales of them displaying their might, this only further provides their fearsomeness in equal measures— such as stealing the faces of the populace, hiding the sun, turning the ocean in flames, reversing the sky and earth, and more.

To the common folk, it is a tall tale. But I believe differently.

When there is smoke, there is fire. And here and behold— the fire! The damn Consortium that I plunged my family into.

I am aware of the risk but still chose to confront it. The Consortium has electronic chips dating from the dark ages, it's the perfect vessel to record history, and it is certain that I will find something of historical value there.

So far, everything is good. The Consortium has found value in me and allowed me access to their archives.

When there is smoke, there is fire, they usually say. I was about to get to the fire only to realize after— that it was the fire that got me.

I was so close to the fire, gaining the trust of the Consortium chip by chip, but the red plague just has to happen.

Oh, the fire that burns, it hurts. It got my wife, then it got me.

A Consortium agent saw traces of my illegal penetration of the archives, then they learned about my research, my actual entire life's worth of research. Everything is going in a spiral.

Though incomplete, the Consortium has found greater value in my research. I was pardoned for my crimes.

But not my family. The Consortium desires hostage of them. I can't allow that.

I have learned the true face of the Consortium too late. They are not to be trusted.

At the cost of my wife's life, I saved my daughter. I am guilty of my wife's death.

The Consortium learned too late of my action. While at it, I took hostage of my life as I force the Consortium into a stalemate. I held a gun in my head and a syringe empty of the vaccine for the red plague. I made my demands as the sickness slowly steal my breath each second gone.

The Consortium succumbed to renegotiation.

Dear, you are free. The Consortium will neither hunt nor take hostage of you. As long as you don't provoke them, you will be safe. You are free to choose what path in life should you take.

You are free to hate me.

I am not insinuating you to take a burden of the journey your mother and I have taken upon ourselves. In fact, I want you not to involve yourself in this shit. This is the reason I am not explaining the more in-depth story.

The reason why I am telling you all of this stuff about Empyrea and the Consortium is so that you will know that they are dangerous. So that you will avoid them at ALL COSTS.

Especially the mention of Aetherius.

—Connor's intercepted letter to his daughter.