The sky of Aureon lit up.
Dozens of figures slowly descended from the heights, surrounded by a white light. Their armor seemed to be made of metal and crystal at the same time, with no visible openings.
Each one carried a weapon resembling a sword, but the blade was made of energy.
Celestine gripped her sword tightly.
— They don't look human.
Seraphina replied:
— Some of them once were.
Leonhardt looked at her.
— What happened to them?
— They were transformed.
The figures landed on the platform.
None of them attacked immediately.
The one at the front took a step forward.
— Identification confirmed.
Celestine narrowed her eyes.
— Identification of whom?
— Celestine d'Arnoir.
Everyone was surprised.
Seris looked at her.
— How do they know your name?
Celestine didn't answer.
The figure continued:
— Bearer of Elyndra's consciousness.
A second figure raised its weapon.
— Access to the forbidden core.
Seraphina immediately became serious.
— Don't let them reach the core.
Aldren looked at her.
— What is the core?
— The oldest part of Aureon.
— And what exists there?
Seraphina replied:
— The origin of all artificial worlds.
Celestine looked at the machines.
— Then they don't want to kill me.
— No — said Seraphina.
— They want to take me there.
Seraphina nodded.
— Exactly.
One of the figures advanced.
Leonhardt stepped in front of Celestine.
— You're not taking her anywhere.
The creature raised its weapon.
A blade of energy appeared.
Leonhardt attacked first.
His sword clashed against the enemy's weapon.
The impact made the ground tremble.
Leonhardt was pushed several meters backward.
— Leonhardt!
He regained his balance.
— I'm fine!
Celestine rushed forward.
Her sword struck the creature's armor.
A spark exploded.
The figure staggered backward.
Celestine was surprised.
— It's durable.
— Very — replied Seraphina.
Two more figures advanced.
Seris and Aldren joined the battle.
The Guardian raised his hand.
A magical circle appeared before him.
— Stay together!
A barrier appeared around the group.
The energy weapons struck the protection.
The barrier trembled.
— It won't last long! — shouted the Guardian.
Celestine looked around.
There were at least thirty enemies.
And they were surrounded.
— Void.
I'm here.
— Can I use your power without losing control?
You know how now.
Celestine closed her eyes.
Dark energy began to envelop her body.
Unlike the previous times, she felt no pain.
The Void wasn't trying to control her movements.
It was moving alongside them.
Celestine opened her eyes.
Everything seemed slower.
She advanced.
Her sword cut through the space between two enemies.
One strike.
Two.
Three.
The figures were thrown backward.
Leonhardt watched.
— She's much faster.
Seraphina smiled.
— She's finally beginning to understand the Void.
Celestine spun around and blocked an attack.
The creature tried to strike her again.
Celestine dodged.
— You're looking for me.
The figure didn't answer.
It attacked.
Celestine blocked.
— Then answer me!
The energy blade disappeared.
The creature opened its hand.
An invisible wave struck Celestine.
She was thrown against a metal structure.
— Celestine! — shouted Leonhardt.
She fell to her knees.
The Void reacted.
Get up.
Celestine took a deep breath.
— I'm still here.
She stood up.
The creature advanced.
Celestine noticed a small opening in its armor.
— There.
She concentrated the Void at the tip of her sword.
— Void Slash.
The blade pierced through the defense.
The creature stopped.
A crack appeared across its chest.
Then its entire body dissolved into glowing particles.
Celestine remained motionless.
There was no blood.
No body.
Only a small glowing sphere fell to the ground.
She approached it.
— What is this?
Seraphina looked at it.
— A consciousness core.
Celestine picked up the sphere.
The moment she touched it, a voice appeared in her mind.
Protocol interrupted.
Celestine's eyes widened.
— It's still conscious.
Seraphina was surprised.
— That's impossible.
The sphere began projecting images.
Celestine saw a city.
Aureon.
But not as it was now.
It was much more lively.
People walked through the streets.
Children ran around.
Machines flew through the sky.
And, at the center of the city, there was an enormous tower.
At the top of it, a man watched the sky.
Celestine immediately recognized him.
It was the First Inquisitor.
But he looked young.
Very young.
— He was here — she murmured.
Seraphina approached.
— What?
Celestine showed her the image.
Seraphina turned pale.
— No.
— You knew him.
— Not like this.
The image changed.
The young First Inquisitor was standing before three people.
One of them was Elyndra.
The second was Seraphina.
The third...
Celestine froze.
It was another version of herself.
Older.
Wearing white armor.
Holding a sword.
— Who is she? — asked Leonhardt.
Seraphina didn't answer.
Celestine looked directly at her.
— Who is that woman?
Seraphina took a deep breath.
— Your first life.
Celestine felt her heart race.
— My first life?
— Before Elyndra.
Celestine remained silent.
The image showed the woman raising a sword against the First Inquisitor.
Then everything disappeared.
The sphere went dark.
Celestine stared at her own hands.
— How many lives have I had?
Seraphina replied:
— That's a question you'll have to ask the core.
The ground began to tremble.
An enormous tower rose from the center of Aureon.
Its structure pierced through the clouds.
The remaining figures stopped fighting.
All of them knelt.
A different voice echoed throughout the city.
Deeper.
Older.
— The heir has been recognized.
Celestine raised her gaze.
— Who's speaking?
— The Central Core.
The voice continued:
— You have returned after thousands of years.
Celestine tightened her grip on her sword.
— I've never been here.
— Your body has not. Your soul has.
Leonhardt approached.
— What does it want?
The answer came immediately.
— Restore the original memory.
Celestine became serious.
— And what if I don't want to?
Silence.
Then:
— Then Aureon will be destroyed.
Seris's eyes widened.
— Is that a threat?
— No. A prediction.
Celestine looked at the city.
The towers began emitting energy.
Seraphina grabbed her arm.
— Don't do anything reckless.
— I won't.
Celestine looked at the sky.
— But we need to reach the core.
Aldren frowned.
— You just heard that this could destroy the city.
— And staying here won't solve anything.
Leonhardt smiled.
— Then let's go.
The Guardian nodded.
— All together.
Celestine began walking toward the tower.
But before she could take a third step, a voice appeared inside her mind.
It wasn't the Void.
It was something else.
An unfamiliar voice.
— Celestine.
She stopped.
— Who are you?
The voice replied:
— I am you.
Celestine felt a shiver.
— What?
— The part of you that was left behind.
The doors of the tower opened.
And inside, a female silhouette was waiting.
She was identical to Celestine.
But her eyes glowed with a golden light.
She smiled.
— You finally returned.
Celestine tightened her grip on her sword.
The woman raised her own weapon.
— Let's find out which one of us deserves to continue existing.