The crack in space continued to grow.
Celestine remained before the Abyss, her sword held firmly in her hands. Beside her, Elyndra watched the approaching darkness.
The chains binding the Abyss trembled violently.
One of them broke.
The sound echoed through the void like thunder.
Leonhardt looked at Seraphina.
— What's happening?
Seraphina answered without taking her eyes off the darkness:
— They found the passage.
— Who?
She did not answer.
Aldren raised his sword.
— Inquisitors.
Seris was surprised.
— Here?
— They're not ordinary soldiers.
Aldren pointed toward the crack.
— They're the Emperor's followers.
Celestine narrowed her eyes.
— So he came personally.
Elyndra shook her head.
— No.
— How do you know?
— Because he wouldn't have the courage.
The Abyss's voice echoed.
— He sent someone worse.
A figure emerged from the darkness.
First, his feet appeared.
Then his legs.
His body was covered in black armor.
A long cloak dragged behind him.
His face was hidden by a white mask.
Seraphina went pale.
— No...
Aldren gripped his sword tightly.
— Who is he?
Seraphina answered:
— The First Inquisitor.
Leonhardt frowned.
— First?
— The man who created the order of inquisitors.
Seris took a step back.
— But he died three hundred years ago.
The figure stopped.
The mask slowly turned toward them.
— The dead are only those who accept disappearing.
His voice was cold.
Celestine felt the Void react.
Not with fear.
With recognition.
He touched the Abyss before.
Celestine tightened her grip on the sword.
— You know him?
The Void answered:
I know his mark.
The First Inquisitor raised a hand.
The Abyss's chains began to glow.
Celestine immediately realized.
— He's controlling the seal.
Elyndra stepped forward.
— No!
The man smiled.
— Elyndra.
She stopped.
— You're still here.
— And you're still trying to destroy the world.
— I'm trying to save it.
— Save it from what?
Elyndra pointed toward the Abyss.
— From you.
The man let out a small laugh.
— You still don't understand.
Celestine stepped in front of Elyndra.
— Then explain.
The First Inquisitor looked at her.
For several seconds, he remained motionless.
Then he raised his hand.
— You're the child.
Celestine shuddered.
— You know me?
— I was the one who found the records of your existence.
Seraphina stepped forward.
— Liar!
The First Inquisitor turned toward her.
— You've always been far too sentimental.
Seraphina attacked.
Her sword struck the mask.
The man blocked it with one hand.
The force of the impact sent Seraphina flying backward.
Aldren rushed to help her.
— Seraphina!
Celestine watched.
That man was monstrously powerful.
Leonhardt appeared beside her.
— This doesn't look like a fight we can win.
Celestine replied:
— We don't need to defeat him.
— Then?
She looked at the chains.
— We need to break his control.
The Void immediately responded.
I can help.
Celestine closed her eyes.
How?
You need to touch the chain.
She looked at the Abyss.
The chains were spread throughout the entire space.
One of them passed only a few meters away.
Celestine ran.
The First Inquisitor noticed.
— No!
He raised his hand.
A wave of dark energy swept through the space.
Celestine blocked it with her sword.
The impact sent her flying backward.
Leonhardt caught her arm.
— Are you all right?
— Yes.
She looked at the chain.
— I need to reach it.
Leonhardt smiled.
— Then we'll go together.
He charged forward.
Celestine followed.
Seris and Aldren joined the battle to hold back the First Inquisitor's followers.
Seraphina fought two warriors simultaneously.
The Guardian remained near the doorway.
— Celestine!
She looked back.
— What?
— If you break that chain, the seal will weaken!
— I know.
— You could free the Abyss!
Celestine stopped.
The First Inquisitor smiled.
— Finally, someone understands.
He advanced.
— If she breaks the chain, the world will end.
Celestine looked at Elyndra.
— Is that true?
Elyndra answered:
— No.
The man's smile disappeared.
— Lies.
Elyndra pointed at him.
— You're using fear to control everyone.
She looked at Celestine.
— The chain isn't binding the Abyss.
Celestine frowned.
— Then what is it binding?
Elyndra answered:
— My soul.
Celestine froze.
The First Inquisitor advanced again.
— Don't listen to her!
Celestine understood.
Those chains were not a prison for the Abyss.
They were a prison for Elyndra.
And the First Inquisitor was using her energy to control the seal.
— Then...
Celestine raised her sword.
— If I break the chains...
Elyndra smiled.
— I will finally be free.
The First Inquisitor screamed:
— NO!
Celestine charged.
The Void enveloped her body.
Her speed increased.
She slipped past the enemy's attack.
She reached the chain.
And touched it.
An explosion of memories surged through her mind.
She saw the world before the Empire.
Before the kingdoms.
Before the gods.
She saw a gigantic city floating in the sky.
She saw people creating mountains.
She saw oceans being formed.
And then she saw something even more terrifying.
Humans standing before a gigantic machine.
A machine that seemed to control space itself.
Celestine's eyes widened.
— They created this world...
Elyndra confirmed.
— Yes.
— The gods...
— They weren't gods.
— Then what were they?
Elyndra looked at her.
— Creators.
The chain began to crack.
The First Inquisitor rushed toward Celestine.
— STOP!
Leonhardt stepped into his path.
Their swords clashed.
Celestine tightened her grip on the chain.
— Void.
I'm here.
— Let's go.
The Void enveloped her hand.
Celestine pulled.
The chain shattered.
A gigantic burst of light exploded.
Elyndra screamed.
The other chains began to disappear.
The First Inquisitor fell to his knees.
— No...
The Abyss remained motionless.
Then, for the first time, its voice did not sound threatening.
— Thank you.
Celestine turned.
— I didn't do this for you.
— I know.
The Abyss's form began to disappear.
Celestine was surprised.
— What's happening?
Elyndra smiled.
— It wasn't trying to escape.
— Then?
— It was waiting for me to be freed.
Celestine ran toward Elyndra.
The woman began to slowly disappear.
— No!
Celestine grabbed her hand.
— Are you going to die?
Elyndra smiled.
— No.
— Then what's going to happen?
— Now I can finally rest.
Celestine felt tears welling in her eyes.
— I still have so many questions.
— You will find the answers.
— How?
Elyndra touched her face.
— Keep living.
Light enveloped them both.
The Void within Celestine fell silent.
Then it spoke:
Thank you.
Elyndra disappeared.
Celestine remained on her knees.
For several seconds, no one said anything.
Then the First Inquisitor rose.
His mask was broken.
Behind it was an aged and scarred face.
— You don't understand what you've done.
Celestine slowly stood.
— Perhaps not.
She gripped her sword.
— But I know you've lost.
The man smiled.
— No.
Behind him, a massive door began to appear.
— Now you've opened the path to the true world.
Celestine looked at the door.
The Void reacted.
Danger.
The door began to open.
On the other side there was no darkness.
There was a sky.
A sky completely different from that of their world.
And, far in the distance, a city floated among the stars.
Celestine was speechless.
Seraphina approached.
— That is the original world.
Celestine looked at her.
— Then this world...
Seraphina answered:
— Is a copy.
The door continued to open.
And, for the first time, Celestine realized that her journey had never been only about discovering who she was.
It was about discovering where she truly was.
And perhaps the answer lay on the other side of that door.