Celestine opened her eyes.
There was no ground.
There was no sky.
There was no wind.
She was floating in a completely white space.
Aelira's silver sword remained in her hand.
— Where am I?
Her voice echoed.
No answer came.
Celestine took a step.
A surface appeared beneath her feet.
It was water.
But there was no reflection.
She looked down.
She did not see her face.
She saw a girl.
Aelira.
Then the image changed.
Ayumi Natsuki appeared.
Then Celestine.
The three images disappeared.
— This place...
The Void finally answered.
It is inside you.
Celestine took a deep breath.
— Then did the Abyss enter my soul?
No.
— Then what is happening?
You entered the place where your lives are kept.
Celestine tightened her grip on the sword.
— My memories?
More than that.
A massive door appeared before her.
The door was made of white stone.
Three symbols were engraved upon it.
A rose.
A moon.
And a sword.
Celestine approached.
— What do they mean?
The Void answered:
Aelira.
The first symbol glowed.
Ayumi.
The second glowed.
Celestine.
The third glowed.
She touched the door.
Immediately, a voice appeared behind her.
— You finally arrived.
Celestine turned around.
Aelira was there.
But this time, she looked completely different.
She was not merely an image.
Her body seemed to be made of light.
Her long hair floated gently.
And her golden eyes were filled with sadness.
Celestine stood motionless.
— You came back.
Aelira smiled.
— I never left.
Celestine walked toward her.
— Then why did you disappear in the temple?
— Because that place was not enough to sustain my existence.
— And here?
Aelira placed a hand over her chest.
— Here, I am closer to you.
Celestine lowered her sword.
— I want to know everything.
— I know.
— I want to know why I reincarnated.
Aelira nodded.
— Then you need to understand my death.
Celestine became serious.
— Edran told me that you asked him to kill you.
— Yes.
— Why?
Aelira looked into the void.
— Because I discovered that the emperor did not merely want to control the Void.
— What did he want?
— He wanted to open a passage.
Celestine frowned.
— To where?
Aelira answered:
— To the world beyond this one.
Celestine was surprised.
— Another world?
— Yes.
— But why?
— Because the emperor believed there was a place where human beings could live forever.
Celestine thought for a few seconds.
— He wanted to escape death.
— Exactly.
Aelira slowly walked forward.
— He discovered that the Void could cross the boundaries between worlds.
Celestine looked at the sword.
— And I was used to open that passage.
— You were the key.
— So my death stopped the plan?
Aelira nodded.
— For a while.
Celestine closed her eyes.
— But four hundred years later, the Abyss is trying to open the passage again.
— Yes.
— And I am the key once again.
Aelira remained silent.
Celestine understood.
— That was why the First Inquisitor wanted my soul.
— Yes.
— He wants to open the passage.
— Yes.
Celestine took a deep breath.
— Then I have to stop it.
Aelira approached.
— Before that, you need to understand something.
— What?
Aelira touched Celestine's forehead.
A light appeared.
---
Celestine saw a city.
Enormous towers.
Castles.
Markets.
Knights.
Aureon was at its peak.
She saw Aelira walking through the streets.
People admired her.
Some children ran after her.
— Lady Aelira!
Aelira smiled.
Then the vision changed.
The palace.
The emperor.
A magic circle.
Priests.
Chains.
Aelira was trapped in the center.
Celestine felt anger rising inside her.
— They did this to you...
Aelira appeared beside her.
— Yes.
— And Seraphina?
— She tried to free me.
The memory changed.
Seraphina stormed into the room.
She fought against soldiers.
— RUN, AELIRA!
Aelira shouted:
— NO!
An explosion occurred.
Seraphina fell.
Edran appeared.
He looked at Aelira.
— I can't let you die.
Aelira answered:
— If you don't do it, everyone will die.
Edran was crying.
Aelira smiled.
— I trust you.
The black sword pierced her chest.
Celestine felt the pain as if it were her own.
— Stop!
The vision disappeared.
She fell to her knees.
Aelira held her shoulders.
— It's all right.
Celestine breathed heavily.
— I felt it.
— Because that pain is still inside you.
— You suffered so much.
Aelira smiled.
— But I don't regret it.
Celestine raised her face.
— How can you say that?
— Because my death allowed my soul to continue.
— For what?
Aelira answered:
— To find you.
Celestine remained silent.
— Did you know that I would become you?
— No.
— Then how did you know?
Aelira smiled.
— I didn't know you would become Celestine.
She touched the young woman's heart.
— But I knew my soul would find another life.
Celestine held her hand.
— And Ayumi?
Aelira smiled.
— Ayumi was important.
— How?
— Because she lived in a completely different world.
Celestine began to remember.
Ayumi walking through the streets.
Studying.
Laughing.
Crying.
Living a simple life.
— She taught me how to live.
Aelira nodded.
— And you learned from her.
Celestine looked at her own hands.
— So I carry all three.
— Yes.
— Aelira gave me strength.
— Yes.
— Ayumi gave me humanity.
— Yes.
Celestine smiled.
— And Celestine?
Aelira answered:
— You gave yourself the freedom to choose.
A tear rolled down Celestine's face.
— Then I don't need to become Aelira again.
— No.
— I don't need to live as Ayumi.
— No.
Aelira smiled.
— You only need to keep being Celestine.
The white door began to open.
A darkness appeared on the other side.
Celestine raised her sword.
— What is there?
Aelira became serious.
— The part of your soul you still don't know.
— And the Abyss?
— It's there.
Celestine took a deep breath.
— Then I will face it.
Aelira held her hand.
— Don't try to defeat it.
Celestine frowned.
— Why?
— Because the Void cannot be defeated.
— Then what should I do?
— Understand it.
Aelira began to disappear.
Celestine held her hand.
— Wait.
— I will be with you.
— Even after I leave here?
Aelira smiled.
— Always.
She disappeared.
Celestine was left alone.
The door was completely open.
On the other side, an enormous shadow moved.
Two red eyes appeared.
A voice echoed:
— You finally came.
Celestine raised her sword.
— Who are you?
The creature answered:
— That which was born before Aelira.
Celestine felt the Void inside her tremble.
— Then you are the Abyss.
— No.
The shadow approached.
— The Abyss is merely the name humans gave to what they do not understand.
Celestine tightened her grip on the sword.
— Then what is your true name?
The creature remained silent.
Then it answered:
— The Origin.
Celestine's eyes widened.
— The Origin of what?
The creature spread its arms.
The entire space began to tremble.
— Of your soul.
Celestine stood frozen.
— My... soul?
— Aelira was not the first.
Celestine's heart began to race.
— Then who was?
The creature pointed toward the darkness behind her.
— You.
Celestine could not answer.
The voice continued:
— Aelira was only the beginning of your memory.
The door began to close.
Celestine ran.
— Wait!
Before the passage disappeared, the creature said:
— When you discover who you were before Aelira, you will understand why the world fears you so much.
The door closed.
Celestine was left alone.
Then she heard a distant voice.
— Celestine!
It was Leonhardt.
She turned.
A light appeared before her.
The world within her soul began to disappear.
---
Celestine opened her eyes.
She was once again in the Temple of the Void.
Leonhardt was kneeling beside her.
— Celestine!
She breathed deeply.
— Leonhardt...
He smiled in relief.
— You came back.
Celestine looked at the silver sword in her hand.
The inscriptions had changed.
Now there was a single sentence engraved on the blade:
"Know yourself."
Seraphina approached.
— What did you see?
Celestine looked at her.
— Aelira.
Seraphina became emotional.
— Was she all right?
Celestine nodded.
— Yes.
— What did she say?
Celestine looked at the Primordial Tree.
— That there is still something beyond Aelira.
The Guardian became serious.
— What?
Celestine answered:
— A life before the first life we know.
Everyone fell silent.
Then the entire temple trembled.
Outside, a gigantic roar tore across the sky.
Celestine stood up.
— And now?
The Void answered inside her:
Now the true journey begins.
Celestine tightened her grip on the sword.
For the first time, she felt no fear.
— Then let's discover who I really am.