A Wandering Story

Chapter 3 Wails of New Life

Nothing particularly eventful happened in the two years that the Wonderz spent on this world.

Rae had, much to the boys' initial dismay, insisted that they become Masked Healers—a growing order of anonymous healers who wore ceremonial masks and robes. Over time, this practice gave rise to a proper guild: The Masked Healers, a group dedicated to service without fame or personal recognition.

During these two years, Rae also made sure the boys studied the immense amount of information stored in their systems.

It was during these lessons that Yungwoo learned something fascinating: in this universe, there were three gods of fate. Rae herself was named after the first—the Serene One. The other two gods each had distinct names and roles:

Serene, the Creator, had brought the universe into existence and then allowed it to evolve freely.

Grace, the Refiner, shaped the universe through careful adjustments and often scolded Serene for her occasional oversights.

Passion, the Arbiter, crafted the laws that maintained cosmic balance and order, ensuring the universe continued to run smoothly, even if divine intervention was required.

Each god held immense responsibilities, though few mortals fully grasped their scope. Rae had once explained this offhandedly to the boys. She also told them that while the gods of fate had temples on nearly every world, there were exceptions—most notably, worlds that belonged to the Council of Worlds were not permitted to host them.

Each temple reflected the nature of its god.

Serene's temple was a place of quiet aid and reflection. It welcomed all, but maintained strict rules: only native plants could be cultivated on its grounds—foreign species were strictly forbidden. In return, the land's people were allowed to harvest food from the temple's gardens. One curious feature of Serene's temple was her ever-moving statue, which never remained still in one pose for long.

Grace's temple was different—a vast, gender-neutral stadium that constantly shifted in form according to the god's mood or needs. Its central arena usually held Grace's statue, often depicted mid-dance while an unseen crowd cheered. During a notable period, Grace transformed the temple into a home for orphaned children, offering them shelter and a new life.

Passion's temple was a place of constant activity and motion. In the center of the temple stood a laughing statue of Passion, arms open in joyous energy. Nearby, the statues of Serene and Grace were seated together at a long table covered with papers and glasses. Serene's statue sat with her head bowed in contemplation, while Grace's leaned forward as if mid-conversation. The temple seemed to hum with an unseen current, reflecting Passion's dynamic and ever-engaged role in the balance of the universe.

Each temple shared certain features:

Fourteen torches burned eternally inside.

Statues of all three gods stood within, along with the primary statue of the temple's ruling god.

Seven knights stood guard near the four great windows.

When a planet chose to invite the gods of fate, the appropriate temple would materialize on its own, without mortal construction.

While Yungwoo dove deep into theological lore, Hangyeol focused on magic. He learned that magic governed everything in this world, more so than science. Every person possessed magic tied to the elements—fire, water, air, or earth—though there were many offshoots and specialized practices as well. The people traveled between planets using rare warp crystals, and at age 13, each child was tested for magical aptitude. The most gifted were sent to the Academy, the Empire's premier training institution. Children from all planets were required to attend.