"When will the two of them wake up?" Luna asked.
"They should regain consciousness soon," Crescent replied calmly.
Meanwhile…
As Lucy slowly opened her eyes, she found herself floating in an endless void.
There was nothing—no ground, no sky—only silence.
Then suddenly…
A radiant light appeared before her.
From within it emerged a woman with flowing crimson hair, her entire being surrounded by a divine glow—like a goddess.
Lucy immediately recognized her.
It was the same woman she had seen before.
But this time… she spoke.
"Lucy Hanajima."
Her voice was cold, yet it echoed throughout the entire space.
"I am Emelyra Scarlet—one of the Thirteen Zodiacs, ranked second among them."
"I am also known as the Goddess of Light. As my title suggests, light is the source of my power."
Lucy listened in silence.
"But to seal my fellow Zodiacs who were consumed by greed and ambition… I consumed the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Adam."
"In exchange, I gained immense power—"
"—but the price was my immortality… and a limited lifespan."
"I've already heard that story," Lucy said softly.
Emelyra's expression remained calm.
"But there is a part of the story that no one knows."
"The resurrection of the God of Darkness."
Lucy's eyes widened.
"We fought… and in the end, I cast a catastrophic spell to end the God of Darkness."
"At that moment, I only had five minutes left to live."
"The spell destroyed everything—him, myself… even the entire world."
Lucy's breath caught.
"But that same spell also possessed the power to restore what was lost…"
"To rebuild the world… and bring life back to those who perished."
Silence filled the void.
"I am you… and you are me."
"What you see now is merely my spirit dwelling within you."
"I was reborn as you."
Lucy froze.
"In other words… you are the new Goddess of Light."
"And now, you possess Divine Magic—a higher form of power, born from the fruit I consumed."
Lucy clenched her fists slightly.
"Within your body lies a hidden seed—the seed of the sacred tree, the Tree of Adam."
"That is why you were born with crimson hair."
Lucy hesitated before asking—
"But… if I'm your reincarnation… shouldn't we have the same appearance?"
"That would normally be the case," Emelyra replied.
"But there is a deeper reason."
"I am your soul… and within you exists the single seed of the Tree of Adam."
"It allows your mortal body to withstand the overwhelming power that comes from me."
Lucy fell silent, processing everything.
"Then… does that mean Ken is the same?"
"…Who exactly is he?"
Emelyra looked at her.
"Yes. Just like you, Ken also carries a seed within his body—one that supports his immense power."
"But the seed within him is from the Tree of Eve… another sacred tree."
Lucy's heart pounded.
"And he is the reincarnation of the God of Darkness… Kuruzen Renji."
Lucy's eyes widened in shock.
"If you were once enemies with the God of Darkness, does that mean Ken and I are destined to be enemies too?"
"That depends," Emelyra answered calmly.
"On who Ken chooses to be… and who you choose to become."
"Your fate is determined by your own will."
A soft light surrounded Lucy.
"A mysterious force returned me to the world of the living—within you."
"And somehow… the seed of the Tree of Adam was placed inside you as well."
"It is as if the one who revived me knew everything… ensuring that you could wield my power freely, without destroying your body."
Emelyra's expression turned serious.
"But heed my warning, Lucy."
"The seals placed upon the Zodiacs are slowly breaking…"
"Because of the Zodiac Fragments—entities that gather power to release them."
"You must stop them."
Lucy's gaze hardened.
"That is why… I will pass all of my knowledge of magic to you."
"Protect the world… and the universe."
Lucy, still shaken but determined, nodded.
"…I will."
Emelyra smiled gently.
She stepped closer… and placed a soft kiss on Lucy's forehead.
And then—
She vanished.