The door remained open.
On the other side, an unfamiliar sky stretched as far as the eye could see.
There were no clouds.
There were no ordinary stars.
There were gigantic structures floating in the void, suspended cities, and enormous towers that seemed to pierce through space itself.
Celestine stood before the passage.
After everything she had discovered, that sight should have seemed impossible.
Yet, somehow, it felt familiar.
The Void inside her remained silent.
— So this is the original world... — she murmured.
Seraphina approached.
— Yes.
Celestine looked at her.
— Have you been there?
— Many times.
— And why did you never tell me?
Seraphina took a deep breath.
— Because I needed to make sure you were ready.
Celestine let out a small laugh.
— Everyone keeps saying that.
Leonhardt approached.
— The important thing is that we now know another world exists.
Seris looked at the door.
— And apparently, it's far more advanced than ours.
Aldren remained focused on the passage.
— That explains a few things.
Celestine turned toward him.
— What?
— The ancient artifacts.
Aldren pointed toward the walls.
— Some weapons and objects found in the ruins possess technology that no one in this world can reproduce.
The Guardian nodded.
— Because they weren't created in this world.
Celestine looked back toward the passage.
— So the ancient gods came from there.
— Not exactly — Seraphina replied.
— What do you mean?
— They were created there.
Celestine fell silent.
That distinction was important.
The so-called gods weren't divine beings.
They were beings created by an ancient civilization.
A civilization capable of manipulating space, creating worlds, and wielding forces beyond human comprehension.
— Why did they create this world? — Celestine asked.
Seraphina took several seconds to answer.
— To escape.
— Escape from what?
Seraphina's expression became serious.
— Their own creation.
Celestine felt a chill.
— The Abyss?
— No.
Seraphina looked toward the passage.
— Something that existed before it.
Silence returned.
Then a voice came from behind them.
— You really intend to cross?
Everyone turned.
The First Inquisitor was standing there.
His mask had been destroyed.
Blood ran down his face.
Leonhardt immediately pointed his sword at him.
— Don't take another step.
The man smiled.
— If I wanted to attack you, I would have done so already.
Celestine didn't lower her sword.
— Then why are you still here?
— Because I've finally realized that I can't stop you.
He looked toward the door.
— But I can give you some advice.
— I don't need it.
— Even so, you'll hear it.
Celestine remained silent.
The First Inquisitor pointed toward the passage.
— Don't cross.
Seris frowned.
— You spent centuries trying to open this door.
— I wanted to reach the original world.
— Then why are you telling us not to go?
The man answered:
— Because the original world isn't waiting for you.
Celestine narrowed her eyes.
— What's there?
— Whatever remains of the creators.
The man took a step backward.
— And they aren't human anymore.
Celestine felt the Void finally react.
We must not stay.
She was surprised.
— Why?
Because something is watching us.
Celestine raised her eyes.
For a moment, she had the feeling that someone was watching from the other side of the door.
It wasn't the Abyss.
It wasn't Elyndra.
It was something completely different.
A distant presence.
Ancient.
Intelligent.
And incredibly powerful.
— I felt it too — Seraphina said.
Leonhardt looked at her.
— What?
— Someone.
Aldren tightened his grip on his sword.
— Then we're not alone.
A shadow crossed the sky on the other side.
Everyone froze.
A gigantic creature passed between the floating structures.
It looked like a serpent made of metal and light.
Its eyes were enormous.
It quickly disappeared between the towers.
Seris swallowed hard.
— Was that an animal?
The Guardian answered:
— No.
— Then what was it?
— A living machine.
Celestine was fascinated.
— A living machine?
Seraphina nodded.
— The creators learned how to give consciousness to their own creations.
Leonhardt looked at Celestine.
— This is getting worse and worse.
She smiled.
— Maybe.
Celestine sheathed her sword.
— But we're going anyway.
Leonhardt sighed.
— I knew you'd say that.
Seris crossed her arms.
— Me too.
Aldren looked at Seraphina.
— And you?
— I'm going with her.
The Guardian nodded.
— Then we'll all go.
Lyra remained quiet.
Celestine approached her.
— You don't have to come.
Lyra shook her head.
— I have to.
— Why?
She touched the mark on her neck.
— Because the fragment inside me is pointing there.
Celestine became serious.
— Then we'll find out why.
Before crossing, Celestine looked back one last time at the world she knew.
The capital.
The mountains.
The people.
All of it would be left behind.
Perhaps temporarily.
Perhaps forever.
She took a deep breath.
— Let's go.
The Guardian was the first to cross.
Then Seris.
Aldren.
Lyra.
Leonhardt.
Seraphina.
Celestine remained last.
When she passed through the door, she felt something strange.
For a moment, she couldn't breathe.
Her body seemed to disappear.
Her soul passed through something invisible.
Then everything returned to normal.
She opened her eyes.
The ground beneath her feet was white.
The air smelled different.
In the distance, a gigantic city floated in the sky.
Crystal towers pierced the heavens.
Glowing roads connected suspended platforms.
And enormous circular structures orbited the city.
Celestine stood completely still.
— It's beautiful...
Leonhardt looked around.
— And terrifying.
Seraphina walked toward the edge of the platform.
— Welcome to the original world.
Celestine approached.
— What's this place called?
Seraphina answered:
— Aureon.
— Aureon...
— The first city built by the creators.
Celestine stared at the horizon.
Then she heard a voice.
It didn't come from the Void.
It didn't come from anyone beside her.
It came from the sky itself.
— Identity recognized.
Everyone looked upward.
A massive circle of light appeared.
— Elyndra registered.
Celestine froze.
The voice continued:
— Secondary bearer identified.
Seraphina's eyes widened.
— No...
The voice changed.
— Return protocol initiated.
The city's structures began to move.
Towers awakened.
Lights turned on.
Thousands of machines began flying through the sky.
Leonhardt drew his sword.
— I think they noticed our arrival.
Celestine felt the Void awaken.
Celestine.
— I'm listening.
They're not machines.
She frowned.
— Then what are they?
The Void answered:
They're soldiers.
Suddenly, dozens of figures appeared in the sky.
All of them wore white armor.
All of them carried unknown weapons.
And all of them were pointing directly at Celestine.
A voice echoed throughout the city.
— The heir has returned.
Celestine tightened her grip on her sword.
Seraphina looked at her.
— It has begun.
Celestine raised her blade.
— Then let's find out what they want.
The figures began to descend.
And at that moment, Celestine realized that her true journey had only just begun.