The new Lord of Castle Sefirah turned his gaze to the star that pulsed in his hands. With a slight smile, he closed his fist around the sphere; it immediately exploded into crimson rivers that, in seconds, merged to form a shape familiar to him.
Morgana blinked to adjust her eyes to the sudden change in her surroundings. Just moments ago, her spirit had felt a pull trying to drag her along; she had let herself be drawn in upon recognizing the other, but such a capacity for movement still seemed strange to her.
~For a second I felt like I was floating aimlessly... how unusual.
"Everything went well on my end," his Lord's words caught his attention. "All that remains is to begin the rituals of ascension to become a True Deity."
Morgana didn't seem to have anything to say, either for or against, but the slight concern in her eyes betrayed her.
"Are you worried about me?" Merlin smiled inwardly. "I've already ascended once, and compared to that time, this is practically a walk in the park."
But Morgana didn't know. She didn't know his past as Klein, nor all that he had been forced to endure. Merlin hadn't dared tell her; he needed more time to prepare, yes, a little more time to make sure he could fill his entire story.
The Angel of Liberty suddenly frowned and said somewhat hesitantly:
—I'm glad, but please consider your mental state before you move up.
Merlin nodded. Sometimes seeing her express her concern so openly showed him how much her humanity had grown in these four hundred years together.
"I already took that into account," the magician said, raising his gaze and observing the few red stars. "That's why I will only ascend until I become a True God of the Seer's Path: The Fool."
Morgana raised both eyebrows as she recognized the name; that title was already present in the honorific he had taught her years before. Her Lord truly planned far into the future, and she was still unable to clearly see his careful and calculated steps.
"Ascending to Sequence 0 will take some time; I must first become Sequence 1, after all. And I need to wait a period of time between the two ascents for the sake of safety." The mage turned to the three singularities currently being suppressed by the gray mist. Of the three, the singularity of the Diviner's Path—the smiling clown mask—throbbed most with its powerful desire for convergence. "As for the other two"—he glanced at the singularities of Error and Gate—"I will wait a few centuries before attempting to merge with them. I am in no hurry to ascend beyond Divinity."
Morgana nodded inwardly, pleased to see her Lord taking the promotion in stride. She was proud to finally see clear evidence that he was taking his own health and self-care seriously.
"But we can't just stand idly by," the statement pulled her from her thoughts. "Even though he's gone, his mark still exists in them." She glanced at all the features she had taken from the Worthy Celestial. "If we want to eliminate any possibility of resurrection, we must cut their hopes off at the root."
"Believers?" Morgana asked, aware of the concept of "anchor." "Is there anyone left who can believe in a god these days? Most of the humans who are still alive spend their days immersed in fear or focused on their survival," she noted, recalling the small groups of humans they had encountered on their travels. "Who would have time to pray to a god who won't answer?"
Merlin stared at her and replied in a slightly somber tone:
"His followers aren't on this side, but within the barrier he created to isolate the Western Continent." The fog seethed, growing denser beneath his feet. "It was his way of maintaining his anchors, but also of keeping them under control," the wizard explained, glancing up at the countless crimson stars that whispered a title that wasn't his own. "We can't allow them to continue existing to support him."
The statement was not a suggestion, it was a direct order to carry out a merciless massacre with the goal of erasing a God from human history.
"Without anchors, a god cannot manifest his full power without risking his own destruction," he declared with a cruel smile. "Believers are as important to the god as he is to them." He turned his back on the angel. "For those who still believe in the 'goodness' of the former Pillar... only a sea of blood and fire awaits them," he prophesied mercilessly, his eyes glowing gold.
Morgana, far from being terrified by his orders, wore a cruel smile that he didn't see as she turned her back on him. The Angel felt no fear of his sudden inhuman behavior, nor compassion for those who would receive the punishment he dictated. If casting off his anchors could diminish his chances of resurrection, then it had to be done, not only because he was the enemy who had caused the Lord suffering, but also because he posed a threat to this world.
"If I have to get my hands dirty with blood and carry out a massacre, so be it," the Angel accepted without hesitation. "Sacrifices are necessary to prevent a greater evil; isn't my Lord sacrificing himself even now?" she recalled, looking at his back; even though his figure was only a few meters away from her, he felt too distant. "My family sacrifices themselves while others worship the one who does more harm than good; why should I care about their lives if they themselves are ruining the lives of others?"
Morgana blinked; she wondered when she had started thinking that way.
"It seems my humanity isn't enough to make these kinds of actions cause me any emotional conflict," the Angel closed his eyes, sinking into deep contemplation. "Not that I care too much; a balance between humanity and divinity has always been my goal. My thoughts only prove that I'm on the right track."
Merlin turned around when he felt a movement behind him; his eyes opened slightly when he saw Morgana kneeling on one knee with her head bowed, just like a servant awaiting orders from his Master.
"I understand your wishes. Just give the order and they will be carried out immediately." He raised his head, allowing the seriousness in his eyes to be perfectly visible.
Merlin didn't smile; on the contrary, his once surprised eyes showed resignation at having to give her this responsibility. But he understood: just as he was sacrificing himself, she was willing to do the same. They both shared this burden, in an attempt to lighten each other's.
"I can only hope that in the near future I will have others who will also carry these responsibilities," he observed the Angel. "I can't always entrust Morgana with these kinds of tasks."
Merlin remembered his other transmigrant companions. His gaze drifted to the door at the top of the stairs, to the souls sleeping within the cocoons. A second later, his attention returned to Morgana; approaching her, he placed his hand on her head and gently stroked it. This gesture surprised the Angel, but she remained still, with no intention of stopping him.
"The barrier separating the Western Continent is not yet entirely stable because I interrupted the Worthy Celestial in its final phase," he informed her with some regret. "However, that will soon change; it will stabilize, and even I will not be able to break it until I attain Divinity."
Morgana looked up at him; she understood what that meant. The centuries they had spent together were about to end; separation was inevitable if they wanted their plans to continue.
"In that case, I mustn't waste any time." Merlin stepped away from her, allowing her to stand. "I'll leave immediately."
Merlin smiled with a touch of nostalgia, but the next second his eyes lit up and he smiled. He'd had a little idea.
"Before that, here." Morgana's eyes widened as she watched the singularity of the Path of Error and the Sequence 1 characteristic she herself had retrieved float by. "As I said before, I don't plan on using them for the next few centuries, and it would be a complete waste for them to remain stored here gathering dust."
Morgana nodded, taking both gifts with dull eyes. The Wizard smiled even wider as the singularity practically crashed into the Angel's body, forcing its way inside to merge with him. Morgana closed her eyes and pressed her lips together; accommodating the singularity wasn't as easy and comfortable as she had imagined. A few minutes later, the singularity had fully integrated with her, taking the form of two black earrings in her ears.
"The fitting process went more smoothly than I imagined, but considering Morgana is a mistake in fate that I myself created, her very existence perfectly embodies that concept." Merlin was proud, and also pleased that the singularity took the form of earrings instead of that pesky monocle. "They fit you perfectly. Any particular reason for giving them that shape?"
Morgana smiled gently, but her face showed thought.
"I had this strange feeling it should go somewhere on my face, and the first thing that came to mind was earrings"—her eyes then shifted to the feature on her hand—"Now I just need to quickly find the other ingredients for the potion."
If Morgana remembered correctly—and this was very difficult—the supplementary ingredients for the Sequence 1 ascent potion that her Lord had taught her were: an antique clock, a used almanac, and a segment of hidden destiny.
"Didn't you have the clock and the almanac?" he asked, to which Morgana nodded. She had found them along her journey, and although their condition left much to be desired, what mattered was the time that had passed since their creation rather than their physical appearance.
"I only need a segment of the hidden destiny; I still need to investigate where to look for it," she sighed regretfully. "I don't know if I'll have time."
"Don't worry too much; I think I have that ingredient. Follow me," he ordered as he climbed the stairs that led to the heart of Sefirah Castle.
Morgana followed him upstairs until, on the penultimate step, her spirituality stopped her, issuing a warning. The Angel looked at her Lord and shook her head, a little ashamed of being left behind. He nodded in acknowledgment and continued on his way, reaching the core of the Sefirah where souls rested after being separated from all that belonged to them.
The Lord of Mysteries raised his hand, and one of the buds trembled slightly. A small fragment of stone escaped from it and landed in his hands. Merlin smiled as he recognized it.
—A fragment of the stone tablet that brought my compatriot, Huang Tao, to this place is, without a doubt, a fragment of hidden destiny.
Merlin observed the cocoon next to that of his compatriot, recognizing the soul enclosed within it.
"Zhou Mingrui, one of the missing fragments of my soul," he whispered softly. "I'll come to see you soon..."
There was no time; Morgana had to leave soon, and he still had some information to explain to her. Merlin didn't delay returning to her side; she must have seen his actions, but she hadn't said anything about it. He was grateful that she waited until he was ready to explain.
"This will be your last supplemental ingredient. Is it enough?" he asked as he handed her the small piece of stone.
The Angel of Freedom analyzed it; the feeling it conveyed was undoubtedly correct, and his spirituality confirmed it.
"Yes, it will do." The stone disappeared from her hand and she focused on him again. "Is there anything else I should know before I leave?"
Merlin nodded.
"The ascent ritual requires you to immerse yourself in the temporal chaos of a city for at least seven days, but really any chaos will do as long as it's strong enough," he explained with a mysterious smile. "The barrier Tianzu erected also functions as a chaos—not only temporal, but spatial; it's a perfect place for your ritual. Once you complete it, you can even go across and reach the Western Continent."
Morgana nodded, a little surprised that the barrier he had erected could serve such a purpose.
—I wasn't expecting that. I suppose some of what he did was useful.
"Haha, you're right." Merlin looked away, thinking of his next words. "I won't hold you up any longer. I'll send you outside; once you're near the barrier, pray and I'll open a small crack for you."
Morgana nodded and looked away slightly. She no longer wished to hide her sadness at the farewell.
—Morgana—the named woman raised her head, awaiting her next words—. Be careful and never forget your original time.
After giving her the advice, she snapped her fingers.
—Ah, I… —her figure began to glow red, preparing to vanish—. I know this isn't a final goodbye, but I still wanted to say it.
His figure began to distort, slowly disappearing from the misty world.
"I will never tire of your company or of serving him," Morgana smiled gently, her eyes shining brightly. "I will await the day of our reunion... Merlin."
The Lord of Mysteries froze, and by the time he tried to say something, the Angel of Liberty's presence had already departed from Sefirah Castle. He blinked, feeling a strange emotion settle in his chest; it wasn't emptiness or fear, but a rare sadness he had never felt before.
"Is this how parents feel when their chicks leave the nest?" Merlin clutched the cloth over his heart and sighed, then smiled. "I, too, will wait for the day we are reunited. My dear daughter."
---
In the Spirit World, an entity advanced at great speed, dodging hundreds of spirits who, sensing its aura, fled in terror. Morgana traversed that multicolored world with a nostalgic expression; her lips were slightly lifted as her eyes clouded over, recalling the past.
"What was that expression when I called you by your name?" I couldn't get it out of my head. "Were you so surprised that you were speechless? If so, I'm really happy."
Her thoughts stopped when her senses warned her that she could go no further. She halted, but ahead there seemed to be nothing blocking her path; however, when she reached out, it touched an invisible wall that blocked her way.
—I'm here now—he moved his hand away—. The barrier that separates the Western Continent from the rest of the world—he acknowledged with a touch of pain; the time for parting had finally arrived.
The Angel of Liberty took a long breath and left the spirit world. Before her now was a vast wall of fog that obscured her view. With a sad smile, she closed her eyes, clasped her hands to her chest, and began to pray.
—The Fool who does not belong to this age; the First Distortion of the River of Destiny; the Incarnation of miracles who brings good fortune—he paused for a few seconds—. Please, open the path before me so that I may fulfill your command and approach your throne.
Morgana soon felt a familiar energy surrounding her. Opening her eyes, she saw a gray mist cling to her skin and slide over her as if trying to comfort her. Then it moved toward the wall of fog, merging with it and opening a small crack. A path to follow.Remember to prioritize your safety," the voice was stern but her concern was evident. "I'll be waiting for you here, so never think about sacrificing yourself."
Merlin's declaration and command touched the false heart of the mythical creature. The Angel of Liberty finally had a place to return to; his former home was now only a fleeting memory, and he had spent the last few centuries wandering without a place to settle permanently. But now he had one: Sefirah Castle, now ruled by his Lord, seemed to have taken on the role of his home, a place to return to.
"I haven't even left and I already want to go back... the longing is truly strong," he thought, before looking back as if someone were standing there. "I'll be back soon."
Without hesitating for a second longer, she stepped through the small crack that closed before her. As the path narrowed, she was enveloped by a dense fog in every direction. It was as if she were back in the Sefirah Castle. There, crimson stars illuminated the fog of the Sefirot, but here, no star was willing to lend its light to illuminate the interior of that barrier capable of distorting space-time.
The Angel didn't hesitate and resumed his journey, turning his back on the path he had opened for him, never to turn back again. His eyes began to blur, but even when they became useless due to the thick fog, he never stopped.
And in the midst of the white mist, the Angel of Liberty disappeared.
---
At Sefirah Castle, Merlin had just felt his connection to Morgana severed by the barrier. The Lord of Mysteries restrained himself from going out to search for the one who had become his most precious anchor and, above all... his family. The one he had recently acknowledged as his "daughter" was now in a place he couldn't reach. Alone, without any protection...
Merlin banished those thoughts from his mind before they spiraled out of control into exaggerated scenarios.
"I must trust her. She'll come back, I just have to wait," he told himself as he turned to look at the bottom of the stairs. "I have things to take care of before she returns, too."
The Lord of Mysteries ascended once more the stairs made by giants, slowly approaching the cocoon from which he had previously taken his leave.
"If I want to help her, I must strengthen myself." With just one thought, the cocoon descended until it touched the ground, but it didn't break. "Ascending with my soul in this state is too risky; I need to strengthen it by recovering the lost fragments."
Zhou Mingrui's soul slept peacefully inside the cocoon, ignoring everything that had been taken from him and the twisted desires of the being who wished to turn him into a mere vessel of resurrection.
Merlin brought his head close to the cocoon, resting his forehead against it. The wizard closed his eyes as he concentrated and attempted to delve into the dreams of his other fragment. Although his path didn't grant him strong authority over dreams, the connection with the sleeping soul should be strong and special enough for him to join the dream.
When the Lord of Mysteries opened his eyes again, he was no longer at the heart of Sefirah Castle, but in a modern city, the one he had lived in long ago.
As he gazed at the nostalgic landscape, he felt someone bump into him from behind. Turning around, he immediately recognized the culprit: he had dark brown eyes and neatly styled, short, black hair. His features matched those of the other people around him perfectly, but he possessed a certain refined air that the others lacked. The boy wore metal-framed glasses that couldn't hide the pronounced dark circles under his eyes.
"I'm sorry! I was so busy thinking about work that I wasn't looking where I was going," he apologized with an energy that his body didn't seem capable of possessing.
"Zhou Mingrui," Merlin called to him with a discreet smile.
One of his lost parts now stood before him, oblivious to all that was about to befall him. He couldn't blame it, but neither could he allow it to continue dreaming. Like everything in the universe, even dreams must come to an end. It was time for this part of his soul to open its eyes and face reality.
"Good morning," he observed as Zhou Mingrui smiled at him, looking embarrassed. "It's time to wake up."
Notes: