Faerah stares out of her cottage window in Havnahm at a beautiful open field where Mimi is playing happily with her parents. Their giggles can be faintly heard as Faerah sips from her teacup, ever-loving and concerned about how Mimi is going to handle hearing what happened to her Star Faller.
" ꜱʜᴇ ɪꜱ ᴅᴇꜱᴛɪɴᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴏ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴛʜɪɴɢꜱ. "
(( "She is destined to do great things." ))
The One says as he stands behind Faerah, still in Abbadon's form and looking out the window with her over her shoulder.
" ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀʙʙᴀᴅᴏɴ ɢᴏɴᴇ, ɪᴛ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴜᴘ ᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ɴᴏᴡ ᴛᴏ ɢᴜɪᴅᴇ ʜᴇʀ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʀɪɢʜᴛ ᴅɪʀᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ. "
(( "With Abbadon gone, it will be up to you now to guide her in the right direction." ))
Faerah remains silent for a moment to process what her father has said and think about her next words carefully. Then, respectfully, she asks her father a question.
" The power that you have now is Absolute, Dad. Why don't you just bring him back? Why don't you bring them all back? "
The One steps forward and gently places his hand on his daughter's shoulder before answering.
" ʙʟᴀᴄᴋ ᴛʀᴀᴘꜱ ᴡᴇʀᴇɴ'ᴛ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ꜱᴜᴘᴘᴏꜱᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴀ ᴘᴀʀᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴏʟʏ ᴏᴍɴɪᴠᴇʀꜱᴇ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇɢɪɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ… ᴀꜱ ꜰᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜱɪʙʟɪɴɢꜱ, ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ꜱᴀᴄʀɪꜰɪᴄᴇ ɪꜱ ᴡᴏʀᴛʜ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴛʜ ᴀꜱ ʟɪᴠɪɴɢ ɢᴏᴅꜱ. ᴛᴏ ʙʀɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʀᴇᴍᴏᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴏɴᴏʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴇɪɢʜᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʏ ʜᴀᴅ ᴄʜᴏꜱᴇɴ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴏ. ʏᴏᴜʀ ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱɪꜱᴛᴇʀ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀꜱᴛᴏᴏᴅ ᴛʜɪꜱ, ʜᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴡʜʏ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ᴡɪꜱʜ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ʙʀᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ʙᴀᴄᴋ. ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇ ᴍᴇ, ᴀꜱ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀʟʟ ᴛʜɪɴɢꜱ, ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ ꜱᴇᴇɴ ʜᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʀᴇᴀᴄᴛ. "
(( "Black Traps weren't ever supposed to be a part of The Holy Omniverse to begin with… As for your siblings, the story of their sacrifice is worth more than they would be worth as living Gods. To bring them back would remove the honor and weight of what they had chosen to do. Your brothers and sister understood this, hence why they do not wish to be brought back. Believe me, as with all things, I have already seen how they would react." ))
Faerah turns her head and looks up at her father with uncertainty as he continues speaking to her.
" ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇꜱᴘᴏɴꜱɪʙɪʟɪᴛʏ ᴏꜰ ʀᴜʟɪɴɢ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀꜱᴇ ɪꜱ ɪɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʜᴀɴᴅꜱ ɴᴏᴡ, ꜰᴀᴇʀᴀʜ. ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ ᴏꜰ ᴀʟʟ ᴏꜰ ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜱɪʙʟɪɴɢꜱ, ɪ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴀ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴄᴀᴘᴀʙʟᴇ ɢᴏᴅᴅᴇꜱꜱ ᴛᴏ ʀᴜʟᴇ ᴛʜɪꜱ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ. "
(( "The responsibility of ruling this universe is in your hands now, Faerah. With the power of all of your siblings, I know you will be a more than capable Goddess to rule this reality." ))
" But why me? "
Faerah asks as she looks down with a troubled expression.
" Why not Aatu or Izael or Noeh? "
The One looks down at his daughter with a gentle smile as he answers in a fatherly tone.
" ɪꜰ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴏɴᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ʜᴀᴅ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴢᴇ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴡɪᴛɴᴇꜱꜱɪɴɢ ᴀʙʙᴀᴅᴏɴ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀᴛʜ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ʜᴀᴅ ʟᴀɪᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ ꜰᴏʀ ʜɪᴍ, ɪᴛ'ꜱ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪꜱ ɴᴏ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ. ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ɪɴ ᴇᴛᴇʀɴɪᴛʏ, ɪ ꜰᴇʟᴛ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ᴀꜱ ɪꜰ ɪ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀ ᴍᴏʀᴛᴀʟ ᴍᴀɴ ʙᴇʏᴏɴᴅ ᴍʏ ᴏᴡɴ ᴅᴏᴍᴀɪɴ ᴀɴᴅ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ. ᴀʙʙᴀᴅᴏɴ ᴡᴀꜱ ɴᴏᴛ ᴍʏ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛɪᴏɴ, ꜱᴏ ɪ ɢᴏᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴇxᴘᴇʀɪᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴀʏ ʜᴇ ꜰᴇʟᴛ ᴀꜱ ɪꜰ ɪᴛ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇʟʏ ᴏᴜᴛꜱɪᴅᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴍʏ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴏʟ… ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀꜱ.
ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀɪɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴇ ꜰᴇʟᴛ ᴡʜᴇɴ ʜᴇ ᴄᴀʀʀɪᴇᴅ ᴠᴇʀᴏɴɪᴄᴀ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ꜱᴏᴠᴀʀᴏʜᴍ… ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀɪᴇꜰ ᴏꜰ ʜɪᴍ ʀᴇᴍᴇᴍʙᴇʀɪɴɢ ᴡʜᴏ ʜᴇ ᴡᴀꜱ… ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ʜɪꜱ ꜰᴀᴍɪʟʏ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜ ʜᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅʏ ʟᴏꜱᴛ ᴛʜᴇᴍ… ʜɪꜱ ʙʀᴏᴛʜᴇʀʟʏ ʙᴏɴᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛᴏᴍ… ʜɪꜱ ᴅᴇᴛᴇʀᴍɪɴᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ɪɴ ᴠᴏʟᴅᴏᴏʀ… ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ ᴏꜰ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ᴀ ʙᴏʏ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴇꜱᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴏꜰ ʜɪꜱ ᴀʙꜱᴇɴᴛ ꜰᴀᴛʜᴇʀ… ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴏᴘᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴇ ᴄᴀʀʀɪᴇᴅ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ɪᴛ ᴀʟʟ, ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀᴛᴛʟᴇꜱ ᴀʜᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ʙʟᴇᴀᴋ…
ᴀʟʟ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇꜱᴇ ᴛʜɪɴɢꜱ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴇɴᴛɪᴄ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴍʏ ᴏᴡɴ ᴅᴏɪɴɢ. ꜱɪɴᴄᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ ɪꜱ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴅᴏᴍᴀɪɴ, ɪ ꜰɪɴᴅ ɪᴛ ᴏɴʟʏ ꜰɪᴛᴛɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ʙᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴄᴀʀᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀꜱᴇ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴍʏ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴜʟᴛɪᴍᴀᴛᴇʟʏ ꜱᴀᴠᴇᴅ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏᴍᴇɴᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ʙᴏʀɴ ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ꜰᴇᴀʀʟᴇꜱꜱʟʏ ꜱᴛᴇᴘᴘᴇᴅ ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏꜰ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴡᴀʟʟ-ᴀᴜʀᴀ ᴛᴏ ᴇᴍʙʀᴀᴄᴇ ᴀʙʙᴀᴅᴏɴ, ᴋɴᴏᴡɪɴɢ ꜰᴜʟʟ ᴡᴇʟʟ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ʜᴇ ʜᴀᴅ ᴅᴏɴᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴄᴀᴘᴀʙʟᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀᴍᴇɴᴛᴇʀ, ɪ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪᴛ ʜᴀᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴄᴀʀᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀꜱᴇ ɪɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜱɪʙʟɪɴɢꜱ' ꜱᴛᴇᴀᴅ.
ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜱɪʙʟɪɴɢꜱ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴜᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʜᴏᴍᴇ ɪꜱ ɪɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʜᴀɴᴅꜱ, ꜰᴀᴇʀᴀʜ. ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴᴇ ᴛʀᴜᴇ ɢᴏᴅ ʜᴇʀᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴇꜱᴇʀᴠᴇ ɪᴛ. "
(( "If there was one thing that I had come to realize from witnessing Abbadon take on the path that I had laid out for him, it's that there is no power greater than the power of the heart. For the first time in eternity, I felt just as if I was a mortal man beyond my own domain and power. Abbadon was not my creation, so I got to experience the way he felt as if it were completely outside of my control… because it was.
The pain that he felt when he carried Veronica through Sovarohm… The grief of him remembering who he was… The love for his family even though he had already lost them… His brotherly bond with Tom… His determination in Voldoor… The feeling of being just a boy in the presence of his absent father… And the hope that he carried through it all, even when the battles ahead looked bleak…
All of these things were authentic and they were not of my own doing. Since the heart is your domain, I find it only fitting that you be the one to take care of the universe where my creation was ultimately saved. The moment you were born and you fearlessly stepped out of your wall-aura to embrace Abbadon, knowing full well what he had done and was capable of as The Lamenter, I knew that it had to be you to take care of this universe in your siblings' stead.
Your siblings would be proud to know that their home is in your hands, Faerah. You are now the one true God here, and you deserve it." ))
Faerah begins to silently cry upon hearing her father's words, and she looks back up, making eye contact with him before asking him another question.
" And what about you? Are you going to leave again? "
The One gently wipes the tears from his daughter's eyes and nods his head, responding to her patiently and honestly.
" ɪ ᴍᴜꜱᴛ. ᴀʙʙᴀᴅᴏɴ'ꜱ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ ᴡᴀꜱ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ɪɴᴛᴇɴᴅᴇᴅ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍᴇ, ꜱᴏ ɪᴛ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ᴡʀᴏɴɢ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴘᴜᴘᴘᴇᴛ ʜɪꜱ ᴠᴇꜱꜱᴇʟ ꜱɪᴍᴘʟʏ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ ɪᴛ ɢɪᴠᴇꜱ ᴍᴇ. ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪꜱ ꜱᴛɪʟʟ ᴀɴᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴡʜᴏ ɪꜱ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀꜰᴜʟ ᴛʜᴀɴ ɪ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴍᴜꜱᴛ ʀᴇꜱᴘᴇᴄᴛ ʜɪꜱ ᴄʀᴇᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ɪꜰ ɪ ᴡɪꜱʜ ꜰᴏʀ ʜɪᴍ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇꜱᴘᴇᴄᴛ ᴍɪɴᴇ. "
(( "I must. Abbadon's power was never intended for me, so it would be wrong for me to puppet his vessel simply because of the power it gives me. There is still another who is more powerful than I, and I must respect his creation if I wish for him to respect mine." ))
The One averts his gaze out the window again to see Mimi, Veronica and Arthur are all done playing in the field and making their way up the hill towards Faerah's cottage. He looks down at Faerah one last time and holds his hand out to her before Faerah stands up from her chair, giving her father a hug for the first and last time that she'll ever be able to.
" ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪꜱ ᴏɴᴇ ʟᴀꜱᴛ ᴛʜɪɴɢ ʙᴇꜰᴏʀᴇ ɪ ᴅᴇᴘᴀʀᴛ… "
(( "There is one last thing before I depart…" ))
The One says before stepping back and reaching into his robe, pulling out some kind of book that's reminiscent of the type of books that Noeh used to keep in his library back in Athanohm.
" What's this? "
Faerah asks as she gently rubs the cover, reading the solid golden letters printed into the face of it.
" ɪᴛ ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴛᴏʟᴅ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀɴ ᴇᴛᴇʀɴɪᴛʏ ᴀᴄʀᴏꜱꜱ ᴀʟʟ ᴏꜰ ᴍʏ ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀꜱᴇꜱ. ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴛᴏʀʏ ᴏꜰ ʜᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ʜᴏᴍᴇ ᴡᴀꜱ ꜱᴀᴠᴇᴅ… ᴡʀɪᴛᴛᴇɴ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴇʀꜱᴘᴇᴄᴛɪᴠᴇ ᴏꜰ ʜᴏᴡ ɪ ꜰᴇʟᴛ ᴡʜᴇɴ ɪ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴡɪᴛʜɪɴ ᴀʙʙᴀᴅᴏɴ, ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ʜɪꜱ ᴊᴏᴜʀɴᴇʏ ᴀꜱ ᴀ ᴘᴀꜱꜱᴇɴɢᴇʀ. "
(( "It is the story that will be told for an eternity across all of my universes. The story of how their home was saved… written from the perspective of how I felt when I was within Abbadon, going through his journey as a passenger." ))
" The Book of Abbadon… "
Faerah says as she takes the book from her father.
" ɪᴛ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇ ᴡʀɪᴛᴛᴇɴ ʙʏ ᴍᴏʀᴛᴀʟ ᴍᴇɴ ᴀᴄʀᴏꜱꜱ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ʀᴇᴀʟɪᴛʏ ᴡʜᴏ ᴀʀᴇ ɢɪᴠᴇɴ ᴍʏ ᴠɪꜱɪᴏɴꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴛᴀʟᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛ ᴡɪʟʟ ʀᴇꜱᴏɴᴀᴛᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛʜᴏꜱᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴍᴇᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ꜰɪɴᴅ ɪᴛ. "
(( "It will be written by mortal men across every reality who are given my visions of this tale, and it will resonate with those who were meant to find it." ))
Faerah gently hugs the book to her chest as The One leans forward and kisses his daughter on the forehead.
" ɪ ᴀᴍ ɢʀᴀᴛᴇꜰᴜʟ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴇᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴀᴛ ʟᴇᴀꜱᴛ ᴏɴᴄᴇ ɪɴ ᴀ ᴘʜʏꜱɪᴄᴀʟ ꜰᴏʀᴍ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ɪꜱ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ᴍᴜꜱᴛ ʟᴀʏ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴠᴇꜱꜱᴇʟ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇꜱᴛ… "
(( "I am grateful that I was able to see you at least once in a physical form, but it is time now that I must lay this vessel to rest…" ))
Faerah smiles softly with tears running from her eyes as she responds.
" Goodbye, Dad. I hope I'll get to see you again soon… "
" ꜰᴀʀᴇᴡᴇʟʟ, ᴍʏ ᴅᴀᴜɢʜᴛᴇʀ. "
(( "Farewell, my daughter." ))
The One says before disappearing immediately before Mimi and her parents open the door to walk into the cottage room where Faerah was watching them play. Mimi runs to Faerah and gives her a hug as she speaks.
" Hi Faerah!! I saw you watching me all the way up here and I got excited because I'm pretty sure I saw Star Faller up here too… It's been such a long time since you came back all beaten up and gotten better and he still hasn't come to visit like he said he would… "
Faerah takes a deep breath as she acknowledges the fact that Mimi deserves to know the truth. It hurts her, knowing exactly how Mimi is going to feel, but she knows that it's better to tell Mimi sooner rather than later.
Faerah sets the book down on her table and kneels down in front of Mimi, holding both of her hands gently. She then looks into Mimi's eyes with a loving stare, speaking in a soft tone.
" Mimi… "
Faerah says hesitantly, empathizing with Mimi to the fullest extent as the Goddess of Love.
" Star Faller isn't coming back… "
A look of grievous confusion immediately washes over Mimi's face upon hearing Faerah say this, and Mimi immediately questions what she's just been told.
" What do you mean he's not coming back? "
Tears begin to pool in Mimi's eyes as she begins to slowly understand what Faerah means, hesitant to accept the truth that's being told to her about Abbadon. Veronica and Arthur both look at each other with a worrisome glare before looking down in sorrow, knowing exactly what Faerah is trying to tell their daughter.
" Star Faller made the choice to save us from those who killed my brothers and sister, but he had to sacrifice himself in order to make them go away forever… Mimi… He laid down his life so we all could live. "
Mimi immediately bursts into tears and embraces Faerah, crying emotionally into her shoulder as Faerah gently holds her.
" I'm sorry… "
Faerah says as Mimi continues to sob, then Veronica and Arthur both step forward and kneel around their daughter in order to comfort her.
" Then we should do exactly that… We must live… for him. "
Arthur says as he gently rubs Mimi's back. Veronica does the same, answering her husband.
" She will… I know she will. "