The temple was silent.
After the last tremor, no one had said a word.
Celestine remained standing before the Primordial Tree, holding Aelira's silver sword.
The words engraved on the blade continued to glow:
"Know Yourself."
She ran her fingers over the inscription.
— Aelira... Ayumi Natsuki... Celestine.
Three lives.
The same soul.
Three different moments.
Three different stories.
But only one person stood before that tree.
Celestine.
She closed her eyes.
— I won't change who I am.
The Void remained silent.
Leonhardt approached.
— Are you thinking about your previous lives?
— Yes.
— Are you afraid?
Celestine took a moment to answer.
— A little.
Leonhardt smiled.
— That's normal.
She looked at him.
— I discovered that Aelira died four hundred years ago. Then I discovered that I lived as Ayumi Natsuki in modern Japan. And now I'm Celestine.
She took a deep breath.
— Sometimes it feels like I'm carrying three lives at once.
— But you don't have to carry everything alone.
Celestine smiled.
— Thank you.
Seraphina watched the two of them from a distance.
Her expression was sad.
Celestine noticed.
— Seraphina.
She approached.
— Yes?
— I want to know more about Aelira.
Seraphina nodded.
— Then I'll tell you.
Celestine waited.
— But there is something you need to understand first.
— What?
— Aelira was not a different person from you in terms of the soul.
Celestine became serious.
— I know.
— She was your first life.
Seraphina placed her hand on the silver sword.
— Then came Ayumi Natsuki.
Celestine nodded.
— And then me.
— Yes.
Seraphina smiled.
— Aelira → Ayumi Natsuki → Celestine.
Celestine repeated:
— Aelira → Ayumi Natsuki → Celestine.
The Void pulsed gently.
As if approving those words.
Seraphina continued:
— There isn't a fourth person hidden between you.
Celestine was surprised.
— Then that creature was lying?
— Perhaps.
The Guardian approached.
— Or perhaps it was trying to confuse you.
Celestine looked at him.
— The creature said Aelira wasn't the beginning.
— That doesn't necessarily mean you had another life.
— Then what does it mean?
The Guardian replied:
— It could mean that the origin of the Void existed before your first incarnation.
Celestine understood.
— Aelira is still my first life.
— Exactly.
She breathed a sigh of relief.
— Then I won't change that.
Seraphina nodded.
— We shouldn't.
---
Another tremor shook the temple.
The roots of the Primordial Tree began to move.
A passage appeared behind it.
Seris drew her sword.
— Another passage?
The Guardian observed it.
— It's not a passage.
— Then what is it?
— An exit.
Everyone was surprised.
Celestine approached.
— Where does it lead?
The Guardian answered:
— Outside the mountain.
Leonhardt smiled.
— Finally.
Celestine looked at the passage.
Then at the Primordial Tree.
— The temple wants us to leave.
Seraphina nodded.
— We've discovered what we needed for now.
Celestine held the sword tightly.
— No.
Seraphina looked at her.
— No?
— Not yet.
Celestine pointed toward the tree.
— The temple showed me my memories. But I still haven't discovered why the First Inquisitor wants to use my soul.
The Guardian replied:
— That answer will be waiting for us outside.
— How do you know?
— Because the temple never gives all the answers at once.
Celestine sighed.
— Looks like I'll have to keep searching.
Leonhardt smiled.
— Aren't you tired?
Celestine looked at him.
— I am.
— Then rest.
— Later.
— Later after what?
Celestine raised the sword.
— After I become strong enough to protect everyone.
---
They crossed the passage.
Sunlight hit their faces.
After spending so much time inside the temple, the sky seemed different.
Lake Lumen shimmered in the distance.
The forest remained silent.
But something was strange.
No birds sang.
No animals approached.
Seris looked toward the mountains.
— The Abyss is affecting the forest.
Seraphina nodded.
— And it's getting worse.
Celestine watched the sky.
A small black crack stretched across the clouds.
— How much time do we have?
The Guardian replied:
— I don't know.
— Days?
— Perhaps.
— Weeks?
— Perhaps less.
Celestine closed her eyes.
The Void spoke inside her.
The castle.
She opened her eyes.
— We need to return to Edran's castle.
Leonhardt nodded.
— To find the First Inquisitor?
— And to find out whether Edran is still alive.
Seraphina became serious.
— If he is, perhaps he can tell us where the First Inquisitor went.
— Then let's go.
The group began walking.
But Celestine stopped.
The wolf marked by Lyra was still watching her.
She approached it.
— Are you coming back with us?
The wolf tilted its head.
Lyra approached.
— He wants to go.
Celestine looked at her.
— How do you know?
Lyra touched her mark.
— I can't explain it.
The wolf approached Celestine.
Then it touched the silver sword with its snout.
The blade glowed.
Celestine was surprised.
— He recognized Aelira.
Lyra looked at the animal.
— Maybe he knew her.
Celestine smiled.
— Then come with us.
The wolf followed the group.
---
During the journey, Celestine trained.
As they walked, she practiced the movements she had learned from Raoul.
Simple strikes.
Defense.
Footwork.
Breathing control.
She didn't use the Void.
She wanted to rely solely on her own skill.
Leonhardt watched her.
— You're training again?
— Yes.
— Even after everything that happened?
— Especially after everything that happened.
She performed a strike.
Stopped.
Breathed.
Another strike.
Seraphina watched.
— Aelira trained like this.
Celestine looked at her.
— I know.
— But there is a difference.
— What?
Seraphina smiled.
— Aelira trained to win.
Celestine continued the movement.
— And me?
— You train to protect.
Celestine smiled.
— I think that's a good difference.
---
At nightfall, the group made camp.
Celestine sat beside the fire.
The silver sword lay beside her.
She looked at the blade.
— Aelira.
A small light appeared above the sword.
Aelira's face appeared for a few seconds.
— You're learning.
Celestine smiled.
— You always appear when I least expect it.
— Perhaps because you always think too much.
Celestine laughed.
— That sounds like something you would say.
Aelira looked at her.
— Celestine.
— Yes?
— Never try to live my life.
Celestine became serious.
— I won't.
— Nor Ayumi's.
— I won't do that either.
Aelira smiled.
— Then everything is fine.
The light began to disappear.
Celestine asked:
— Will I see you again?
— Whenever you need me.
Aelira disappeared.
Celestine looked at the sword.
— Aelira → Ayumi Natsuki → Celestine.
She smiled.
— Three lives. One soul.
And she put the sword away.
But, far away, inside the ruins of an ancient fortress, the First Inquisitor watched the sky.
Beside him stood a hooded man.
— Has she awakened? — the man asked.
— Yes.
— And has she recovered her memories?
— Some of them.
The man remained silent.
— Then the plan has changed.
The First Inquisitor looked at him.
— What will we do?
The man replied:
— We will no longer try to capture Celestine.
— Then?
The man removed his hood.
His eyes were golden.
— We will make her come to us.
The First Inquisitor became serious.
— And how?
The man smiled.
— We will use someone she would never abandon.
Meanwhile, Celestine slept peacefully beside the campfire.
Unaware that a new threat had already begun.