Robert Guilliman's Thunderhawk Gunship vanished from the view of the genesis's hangar bay like a fading scar.
The echo of Angronia's threat, brimming with wildness and mockery, seemed to still linger within the grand hall.
But with Guilliman's departure, the tense, confrontational atmosphere dissipated as swiftly as air being sucked away.
The bridge of the genesis returned to its customary, sacred tranquility.
"Set sail."
Leticia's voice was calm, without a ripple of emotion.
"Destination: the 'Tear of Heaven' star system."
The order was carried out in silence.
The pure white warship, belonging to no known civilization, adjusted its course like an elegant leviathan of the starry sea, silently slipping into the deep Subspace channel.
The light outside the window stretched into brilliant, flowing ribbons; the concepts of time and space grew indistinct here.
The colossal shadow of the Ultramarines fleet had been left far behind. A new game was already unfolding.
...
That evening.
On the genesis, the Captain's Stargazing Chamber.
This was the quietest corner of the entire vessel, Leticia's personal sanctuary.
A vast, curved floor-to-ceiling window replaced the cold steel walls. Outside flowed the magnificent yet perilous, bizarre river of light that was the Subspace.
Countless distorted, shrieking soul-colors surged silently beyond the glass, utterly blocked by an invisible barrier, unable to bring the slightest trace of madness or corruption into this peaceful space.
Leticia was not seated upon her throne.
She stood quietly before the panoramic window, clad only in a simple black silk gown, her feet bare.
Her magnificent robe, woven of light and thorns—a symbol of her divinity—lay casually draped over the high-backed chair.
With the divine mantle removed, the awe-inspiring majesty that could make the universe hold its breath seemed withdrawn, leaving only a pure, breathtaking beauty.
And... a trace of weariness known to none.
She raised a hand, slender fingers pressing gently against her temple.
The first game of chess with the Imperial Regent was far more mentally taxing than crushing a Chaos fleet head-on.
Guilliman.
That man was like the Imperium itself: ancient, stubborn, yet unyielding.
His reason was a fortress forged from ten thousand years of solitude and duty. Even after witnessing a 'miracle' that could overturn all his understanding, even after feeling that irresistible resonance born of shared blood...
He could still, in the shortest time, forcibly pull himself back from the brink of emotional collapse, don the mask of the 'Imperial Regent' once more, and calmly lay out the board to his greatest advantage.
Such willpower was admirable.
And... a headache.
Every step of the upcoming 'Tear of Heaven' summit required the most precise calculation.
It would be a dance upon a blade's edge. The slightest misstep could plunge the entire Genesis Sisterhood into an abyss from which there was no return.
Pressure, like deep-sea water, pressed in silently from all sides.
This sensation was unfamiliar to the 'genesis Goddess.'
But for the soul from another world named 'Leticia,' it was all too familiar.
It was the anxiety and weariness of a mortal facing a situation beyond her control.
She closed her eyes, attempting to calm her mind through meditation, to readjust her mental state back to that detached, all-seeing level of a 'goddess.'
But this time, what surfaced in her mind was not the trajectory of stars or the pulse of the cosmos.
It was the immense shock hidden behind Guilliman's blue optical lenses.
It was the challenging Battle Intent in Angronia's eyes.
It was the proud scrutiny at the corner of Fogremia's mouth.
It was the profound compassion in Sanguinia's gaze.
And... that little golden head peeking out from behind the throne—Terrania.
Too many emotions, too many bonds, too many responsibilities.
She found she could no longer return to that pure, observer-like mindset of the beginning.
A sigh, almost imperceptible, escaped her lips.
Just then.
A pair of soft, slightly cool little hands gently encircled her waist from behind.
The movement was as light as a falling feather.
Leticia's body stiffened for an instant, then relaxed completely.
She didn't even need to turn around to recognize that familiar, pure scent—like sunlit grass after a rain.
It was Terrania.
The little one gently pressed her cheek against Leticia's smooth back.
She said nothing.
She simply held her quietly, using her own body warmth, her own steady heartbeat, to convey the purest, most direct support and comfort.
Leticia could feel the little hands holding tightly around her waist, as if using all their strength to try and share some of her burden.
A gentle silence fell over the Stargazing Chamber.
Only the river of Subspace-light flowed silently beyond the window.
Time seemed to stretch in that moment.
A long while later.
A soft, almost inaudible voice, carrying a hint of youthful tenderness, whispered beside Leticia's ear.
"Sister..."
"Don't be afraid."
"No matter what happens, I'll be by your side."
"You are not alone."
These words were so light they seemed ready to dissolve into the air.
Yet they acted like the warmest key, instantly unlocking a floodgate in Leticia's heart—one she hadn't even realized was tightly shut.
All the pressure.
All the weariness.
All the mortal pretense and fortitude.
In that moment, the dam burst.
Leticia slowly turned around.
She looked down at the little one before her, who saw her as the entire world.
Terrania was also looking up at her, her pure golden eyes utterly clear, filled only with unmasked heartache and dependence.
Leticia reached out and pulled the girl, who had given her infinite strength and courage, tightly, tightly into her embrace.
She buried her face in Terrania's faintly fragrant golden hair, savoring the warmth and softness that belonged uniquely to her.
The Imperial Regent.
The cosmic crisis.
The end of an era.
In that moment, none of it seemed important anymore.
This embrace.
This vivid, warm little one who worried for her.
This peace and affection.
This was the entire meaning of her fight.
This was the 'home' she was willing to defy the entire universe to protect... with her life.
Just as this tenderness seemed about to crystallize into eternity—
Bzzz—
A soft, jarring vibration broke the silence, coming from the high-backed chair where her divine robe lay.
It was Leticia's private communicator.
A steady, respectful female voice came through the encrypted channel, carrying a trace of unconcealed urgency.
"Goddess, we have arrived at the 'Tear of Heaven' star system."
It was Valeria.
Her voice paused, as if choosing her words.
"But..."
"It seems... we are not the first guests to arrive."
------------------------------
I hope you're enjoying the fanfiction so far! If the fanfiction has you hooked and you can't wait to see what happens next, you can unlock 30 or more chapters in advance over on my patreon: patreon.com/FTLGenBen
Also every bit of support means the world to me so if you're loving the ride, don't forget to drop a Power Stone, Thanks.