Silence filled the Temple of the Void.
Seraphina's words still echoed in Celestine's mind.
— The ancient emperor of Aureon.
Celestine remained motionless.
Aelira's silver sword was firmly held in her hand, but her fingers were trembling.
— The emperor... ordered Aelira's death?
Seraphina closed her eyes.
— Yes.
Celestine took a step toward her.
— Then why did you never tell me?
Seraphina took a long time to answer.
— Because you weren't ready yet.
— Everyone keeps saying that.
Celestine tightened her grip on the sword.
— Edran said I needed to discover the truth. The First Inquisitor said I needed to remember. Now you're saying that I wasn't ready either.
She took a deep breath.
— I'm tired of discovering fragments of my own life.
Seraphina lowered her head.
— I know.
— Then tell me everything.
The Guardian remained silent.
Leonhardt watched Celestine with concern.
Seris and Lyra also said nothing.
Seraphina finally began to speak.
— Aelira was born in Aureon many centuries ago. She was the daughter of a noble family, but from a young age, she possessed something that set her apart from the other children.
Celestine asked:
— The Void?
— Yes.
— Was she born with it?
— Not exactly.
Seraphina looked at the Primordial Tree.
— The Void chose Aelira.
Celestine was surprised.
— Chose her?
— When Aelira was six years old, an accident occurred during a ceremony at the ancient temple. A small amount of the Void appeared before her.
Seraphina closed her eyes.
— Everyone present died.
Celestine remained silent.
— Everyone?
— Everyone except Aelira.
— And that was how they discovered her power?
— Yes.
Seraphina looked at Celestine.
— The emperor became obsessed with it.
— He wanted to use Aelira.
— He wanted to turn her into a weapon.
Celestine felt the Void pulse.
— And you?
— I tried to protect her.
— Did you succeed?
Seraphina smiled sadly.
— For a while.
---
A new memory appeared in Celestine's mind.
Aelira was a child.
She was sitting in a garden.
Seraphina, still young, was brushing her hair.
— When I grow up, I'm going to become a knight — Aelira said.
— You can become whatever you want.
— Even with the Void?
Seraphina stopped.
— Especially because of it.
Aelira smiled.
— Then I'll protect you.
The memory disappeared.
Celestine opened her eyes.
— You two were close.
— We were sisters.
Seraphina took a deep breath.
— Aelira was my younger sister.
— And you tried to save her.
— Yes.
— Then why did you fail?
Seraphina remained silent for several seconds.
— Because I trusted the wrong person.
Celestine frowned.
— Who?
— The emperor himself.
---
Aelira grew up under the palace's watch.
Every day, priests studied her powers.
Every day, soldiers trained her.
And every day, Seraphina tried to find a way to get her out of that place.
Until Aelira discovered something.
She discovered that the Void was not simply a source of power.
It had a will of its own.
And it was trying to tell her something.
— What did it say? — Celestine asked.
Seraphina answered:
— That Aureon was doomed.
— Why?
— Because the emperor had found a way to imprison the Void inside a human being.
Celestine looked at herself.
— Aelira.
— Yes.
— He wanted to use my sister as a vessel.
— Exactly.
Celestine felt anger rising inside her.
— Did Edran know about this?
Seraphina nodded.
— Edran was one of the guards assigned to watch over Aelira.
Celestine remembered the battle.
— So he wasn't originally her enemy.
— No.
— Did he try to help her?
— At first.
Seraphina lowered her eyes.
— But the emperor found out.
— And forced Edran to choose.
— Yes.
Celestine clenched her fists.
— Between obeying or dying.
— Edran chose to obey.
Seraphina's voice became quiet.
— But he couldn't bring himself to kill Aelira.
Celestine's eyes widened.
— Then how did she die?
Seraphina raised her face.
— Because Aelira asked him to do it.
Everyone was stunned.
— What?
Seraphina continued:
— Aelira discovered that the emperor was preparing a ritual. If the ritual was completed, the Void would be completely imprisoned inside her.
— And what would happen?
— Aelira would lose her consciousness.
Celestine turned pale.
— She would be turned into a weapon.
— Yes.
Seraphina closed her eyes.
— So Aelira made a decision.
---
Another memory appeared.
Aelira stood before Edran.
She held her silver sword.
— Kill me.
Edran was horrified.
— No.
— You have to.
— There has to be another way.
— There isn't.
Aelira stepped closer.
— If the ritual begins, it will be too late.
Edran held the sword.
— I can't do this.
Aelira smiled.
— You can.
— Aelira...
— I trust you.
The memory disappeared.
Celestine placed a hand over her chest.
— So Edran didn't kill Aelira willingly.
Seraphina shook her head.
— No.
— She chose to die.
— To stop the ritual.
Celestine looked at the sword.
— And this sword?
— Aelira asked me to hide it.
— But you gave it to someone else.
Seraphina was surprised.
— You saw that memory?
— Yes.
— Then you know.
— The hooded woman was you?
Seraphina nodded.
— I hid the sword in the Temple of the Void.
Celestine looked at the blade.
— Why did it return to me now?
Seraphina answered:
— Because you finally returned to the place where everything began.
The Void pulsed.
There is still one part missing.
Celestine closed her eyes.
— The Void says something is missing.
Seraphina became serious.
— It's right.
— What?
— Aelira did not completely die.
Celestine opened her eyes.
— What do you mean?
Seraphina pointed toward the sword.
— Before she died, she divided her soul.
The hall fell silent.
— One part remained trapped within the Void.
Seraphina pointed toward the sword.
— Another remained in the sword.
Then she placed a hand over Celestine's chest.
— And the final part continued living.
Celestine shuddered.
— Inside me.
— Yes.
She finally understood.
Aelira was not merely a memory.
She was a part of Celestine's own soul.
— So when I die...
Seraphina interrupted:
— Don't think about that.
Celestine remained silent.
Suddenly, the ground began to tremble.
The Primordial Tree began to crack again.
A deep voice echoed through the temple.
— Time is up.
Everyone looked toward the tree.
A massive fissure opened between the roots.
Seraphina turned pale.
— No.
Leonhardt gripped his sword.
— What's happening?
— The seal is breaking.
The Guardian answered:
— The Abyss has found a passage.
Celestine raised the silver sword.
— Then let's close it.
Seraphina grabbed her arm.
— You can't.
— Why?
— Because the passage isn't opening into the world.
Celestine was confused.
— Then where?
Seraphina looked directly at her.
— Into your soul.
Celestine froze.
The Void finally spoke.
Don't be afraid.
She closed her eyes.
— You knew?
Yes.
— And you never told me?
The Void remained silent.
Celestine opened her eyes.
— Then it's time for me to find out for myself.
She walked toward the fissure.
Leonhardt tried to follow her.
— Celestine!
She turned around.
— Stay here.
— No.
— Leonhardt...
— I promised I would go with you.
Celestine smiled.
— Not this time.
She touched Aelira's sword.
— A part of me is in there.
The fissure began to glow.
A woman's voice emerged from the other side.
A voice Celestine recognized.
— Come, Celestine.
She tightened her grip on the sword.
— Aelira...
The voice replied:
— It's time for us to learn the truth about the two of us.
Celestine stepped through the fissure.
And disappeared.