Floating in the infinite stretch of space-time-
A universe filled with celestial bodies of all kinds.
Some warped the very fabric of space, their gravity so immense that even light could not escape. Bright accretion disks swirling around them as light bent along their contours.
Others were small, dense, city-sized objects. Pulsating. Flickering rhythmically within the vast expanse.
And beyond them-
Rogue planets drifted aimlessly through the cold emptiness.
...
Carthanalenia spoke.
Her gaze settled on a pulsating object before her, unmoving. Untouched by its pull.
"I'm not the same girl back then..." she murmured.
Her expression hardened slightly as she exhaled.
"Mom and Dad... even Francesca is already there."
Her hand rose slowly, clutching at her chest.
"So why did Egrathiel say that...?"
A pause.
"...That I still don't find my own value unless I do something worth acknowledging?"
She shook her head, letting out a dry, hollow laugh.
"I don't do that anymore..."
Her voice softened.
"I already stopped."
Her eyes flickered.
"...Didn't I?"
Her gaze drifted slightly.
"What was the point of assigning deities to each planet... if I still feel like I have to watch everything myself...?"
The object before her continued to spin, energy surging from its poles as its rotation intensified.
She turned.
A distant spiral galaxy stretched across her vision. Its core spewing gas outward, leaving dust to gather along its edges.
Then, slowly-
She turned again.
Toward the void behind her.
A presence.
Vast.
Larger than any galaxy she had ever seen.
Not seen-
Felt.
Light bent unnaturally around it.
Swallowed.
"Am I really still stuck in the past...?"
No answer came.
Carthanalenia lowered her gaze to her hands, flexing her fingers slightly, testing them.
Behind her-
Something moved.
Silent.
Colossal.
An incomprehensible entity drifted closer, its mere presence distorting space. Galaxies stretched, torn just from its passing.
Yet Carthanalenia only glanced over her shoulder. Watching as its massive maw slowly opened.
Then-
"Lady Carthanalenia."
It spoke.
Its voice was deep.
Low.
Heavy enough to match its form.
Carthanalenia's brows knit together, a faint frown forming.
"Why did you follow me this far?"
The entity collapsed instantly.
Its massive form folding in on itself. Shrinking, condensing until a white-haired girl stood in its place.
"...Egrathiel?"
The girl paused.
Then slowly, reluctantly, approached.
Her lips pressed into a thin line.
"I will not let Lady Carthanalenia run away again," she said, determination threading through her voice.
"I've already delegated my role as Supreme Deity of Apoche."
Carthanalenia froze.
The calm in her expression cracked slightly as she turned fully toward her.
"What are you trying to-"
"As I've said, Lady Carthanalenia," Egrathiel cut in.
"My loyalty is to you. And you alone."
A pause.
She swallowed.
"...Which is why I'm asking you."
Her voice softened, just slightly.
"Please... let me stay by your side."
Egrathiel placed a hand over her chest, her expression steadying into something resolute.
"As your most loyal aide... your partner... and your friend."
She drifted closer.
Stopping just beyond arm's reach.
"I understand that you have The First... your little sister... and your father."
"Family is important. I know that."
She shook her head faintly.
"But most of all..."
Her voice wavered.
"I think it's important to have someone, my lady."
Her hand reached out.
Slowly.
Carefully.
"So please... don't push me away again."
"...At least not me."
Before she could move any closer-
Carthanalenia caught her wrist.
Her fingers wrapped around it gently, but firmly.
"Egrathiel..." she said softly.
Around them, the torn galaxies remained suspended, frozen in place. Fragments of matter drifted slowly past, pulled toward the massive black hole looming behind them.
"I'm really fine... okay?"
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
"We already talked about this back in Apoche, didn't we?"
Egrathiel's expression crumpled.
Her free hand shot forward, gripping Carthanalenia's wrist in return.
"No."
A beat.
"No, you're not."
Her grip tightened.
"Lady Carthanalenia... I'm not stupid."
Her voice trembled-
But didn't break.
"Please don't think I'm foolish enough to believe something like that."
Carthanalenia froze.
A faint flinch ran through her as she caught the conviction burning in Egrathiel's eyes, something that threw her off balance completely.
Egrathiel's grip on her wrist tightened slightly, keeping her in place.
"How many times do I have to prove it to you, Lady Carthanalenia-"
She stopped.
Then shook her head.
"No..."
A breath.
"...Lena?"
Carthanalenia stiffened.
Her eyes widened as they met Egrathiel's gaze. As if she were seeing her for the first time. Despite the eons they had spent together.
Silence followed.
She stopped pulling away, but refused to meet her eyes. As if looking at her would burn.
And Egrathiel noticed immediately.
The deliberate avoidance.
"Why can't you see it...?"
Her voice came through clenched teeth.
"I stayed with you, Lena... through everything."
"Out of respect for what you did for my home. But why..."
Her grip loosened.
Her hand slowly let go of Carthanalenia's wrist, falling back to her side.
"...Why are you pushing me away the moment my loyalty becomes genuine?"
Her voice wavered.
"The moment I choose to stay... for who you are?"
Carthanalenia said nothing.
The question lingered between them.
Unanswered.
A beat passed.
Then another.
Still-
Silence.
Her gaze drifted anywhere but the person in front of her.
And as it stretched-
Egrathiel felt her chest tighten.
Her hand rose again, gripping at the fabric over her heart, crumpling it beneath her fingers.
And still-
Carthanalenia wouldn't look at her.
Then-
"Lena."
A presence emerged.
From nothing.
Vast.
Boundless.
Far greater than the form Egrathiel had taken before.
Yet-
Its voice was soft.
Gentle.
Familiar in a way that cut deeper than anything else.
Carthanalenia turned instantly.
Her breath caught as her eyes landed on it-
That formless, all-encompassing existence.
"...Mom?"
The surrounding galaxies dimmed.
Their scattered light overshadowed by the boundless presence drawing closer.
Moments passed.
Then the entity, if it could even be called that-collapsed in on itself.
Egrathiel, still standing in front of Carthanalenia, gasped softly as she watched it condense.
Shrink.
Take shape.
A woman emerged.
Clad in a red gothic dress lined with black. White hair cascaded down her back, fanning outward slightly. Her eyes, glowing a faint red, fluttered open.
"The First..." Egrathiel rasped, lowering her head instinctively.
Anathasia's gaze fell on them.
It drifted between the two-
Before settling on Carthanalenia.
"Lena," she murmured.
Softer now.
She stepped forward and wrapped her arms around her daughter.
The vast presence behind her followed, settling over them like a warm, endless blanket.
For a brief moment, Carthanalenia stiffened.
Her hand hovered uncertainly over Anathasia's back.
"Stop trying to keep everything to yourself, you silly girl," Anathasia said gently, pulling back just slightly.
The warmth around them lingered, slowly receding.
Her eyes shifted past Carthanalenia-
Landing on Egrathiel.
A small smile tugged at her lips.
"And Egrathiel is here as well."
She gently pulled Carthanalenia closer again, pressing her daughter's face lightly against her chest.
"Mpfft?! Mom-"
"You should come home with us as well," Anathasia added, looking at Egrathiel with a soft, reassuring smile while keeping the weakly struggling Carthanalenia right where she was.
-
Back on Earth
Just as I set the plates on the table, Francesca walked into the dining room.
"Dad, Mom and big sis are here," she said, glancing over her shoulder.
"And big sis Egrathiel too."
I gave a small nod, smiling at her.
"Alright. Tell them to come eat. Dinner is ready."
Francesca smiled back and turned to call the others.
The scent of food filled the room, warm and familiar.
But something felt... off.
Heavy.
Like a quiet weight settling in my chest.
Before I could dwell on it, Francesca came back in, her bright smile lighting up the room, easing the tension just a little.
Anathasia and Egrathiel followed.
Carthanalenia came in last.
[Where did you find her?] I asked inwardly.
Anathasia glanced at me briefly, pausing as the other two walked past her.
[Way beyond any supercluster humanity has named so far,] she replied, her gaze lowering slightly.
A pause.
[And... it might be worse than we thought.]
Another pause.
[Carthanalenia... I'm not sure what to do.]
She let out a quiet breath before walking over and taking the seat beside mine.
I exhaled slowly, resting my hand against the table.
[Let's... try talking to her after dinner.]