Arrival in Endora

Seth caressed Henrietta’s soft cheek, passing his fingers through her silky golden hair.

“You will understand better as your energies become closer to their concepts, but death is not the end, and destruction is not painful for the one experiencing it.”

“Death will bring your soul to the Spirit Well, waiting for another human to be born and house it, while destruction will eliminate your soul. It sounds scary, but it’s a simple and painless disappearance from existence.”

“I might have gone through both of these countless times as the different timelines resulted in failures, but those were just broken paths I had to walk so I could find the one leading me to you all.”

“At the same time, I know you had to watch each of those deaths, and it must have hurt, just as it hurt me to have you all taken from me, but none of that matters anymore.”

“I have returned, we are back together, and the path forward is clearer than ever. Don’t cry for things that could have been, and smile in expectation of what will come next.”

Henrietta pursed her lips and buried her head into Seth’s chest.

“I understand, but it still hurts. Every time I think back to those memories...”

“Do you want me to take them away?” asked Seth, holding her tightly to his chest and resting his head upon hers.

Henrietta shook her head softly, “No… I would feel like I betrayed you if I chose to forget. I’ll be fine... as long as I have you.”

The two held each other briefly before Seth pulled back and said, “Are you feeling better?”

Henrietta shook her head and slapped her cheeks twice before smiling back at Seth. “I do now.”

“That’s my girl. I need to chat briefly with Sun before we are ready to depart. Can you go wait with the others until I finish that?”

“Mhm.”

After Henrietta teleported away, Seth did the same and appeared in a simple room at the mountain’s edge. A large opening was drilled into the cave wall, giving the room a great view of the sea below.

Seth created a chair and dragged it next to the Knight of Sun, joining him in watching the calm blue sea from high into Dream’s mountains.

“Back then, we were all here when the spirits came to propose an alliance. The sea that bore witness to the greatest alliance between man and spirit still looks the same as it did that day. One of the few things that stayed the same, passing the test of time.”

Seth smiled subtly and nodded, “I was not there to witness it, but I know a bit of it from Panther. I can imagine how it would have appeared that way for any human.”

“The little cat girl?” asked Sun with a laugh. “She was always the heart of the alliance. Feeding the hungry, fighting horrors, playing with the children... There was nothing she wouldn’t do. To end up like that...”

“She’s fine. Her energy will hold for a few hundred years. By then… sigh.”

Sun turned from the sea, looking straight into Seth’s eyes. “Will you finish what we couldn’t? Will you kill those things once and for all?”

“I can’t promise you it will be once and for all, but as I cleansed them once, I’ll do it again, this time making sure I won’t wipe the whole world in the process….”

“Good… good…” replied the Knight of Sun with a long sigh. “Then you can send me now. I haven’t gotten the chance to know you, but from what little Pearl and Dream told me, this world will be alright in your hands.”

“I’ll never be a true hero like you were, but since the horrors stand against my people and me, they will be taken care of,” said Seth with a soft nod.

“I am no hero... Only a sinner.”

Seth didn’t comment, asking, “Are you sure you don’t want to see it, Aegis? A world free of horrors, war, and misery?”

“Aegis… That’s what she named me…” tears began appearing in the man’s eyes.

“How many summers have I walked this land, a ghost of the man I used to be?”

“… I guess too many.”

“I am sure, Seth. Send me off before I lose everything I still held onto for so long.”

Seth nodded and stood up from his seat, circling and walking in front of Sun as the man stepped down from his chair and fell to one knee.

“I beg of you, rid this world of the horrible sin I have committed.”

Seth was about to use his destruction energy to wipe Sun out of existence when his lust source began spinning out of control, his eyes flashing a powerful pink color.

A feeling of weightlessness encompassed Seth’s body, and his mouth opened outside his control.

“In the name of the All-mother, I relinquish you of your sin and curse, Aegis. May you walk out of the shadow of your pain, able to see the bright Sun above. May the ever-green gardens of the lands beyond bloom in the wake of your arrival.”

Sun’s body shook with Seth’s words, eerie green energy leaving his body and dissipating shortly after. After the energy’s departure, Sun’s face aged quickly, and his eyes turned misty.

“Thank… you…” muttered Sun, his body turning to ash and being carried by the wind towards the sea below.

Seth watched his ashes drifting away in silence for a few moments before bowing once towards the sea and turning around.

“Was that you, Lust? Are you finally awake”

‘I am. You broke your link to the Tower, even managing to hide from its ever-watchful gaze.’

“It was not easy...”

‘And without sacrifice...’

Seth could hear the sadness in Lust’s voice and heaved a sigh, sitting back in his chair and continuing to look at the sea.

“I had no choice, Lust. If there existed any other path that led to me saving everyone I love, I would have taken it. Unfortunately…”

‘It’s alright. You did what you had to. Still, he was my little brother… no matter how twisted he might have become.’

“Now that we can speak, Lust, I have a question I’ve been meaning to ask you. Do I have to do the same for everyone else? Do they all have to die to be able to leave this place?”

‘They do not. I will take care of it for you, but you must link me to all their divinities.’

Seth made a weird face and asked: “All?”

‘The main divinities, yes. Just continue as you have until now. You’ll understand in time….’

“Understand what?”

Seth’s question remained unanswered as his eyes returned to their standard color, and Lust’s consciousness fell into slumber.

With Lust not answering his questions anymore, Seth teleported away from his spot, arriving in the room where Aleena was supposed to be resting.

The rest of the girls were all sitting around Aleena, chatting casually, only stopping when they felt Seth’s presence.

Seeing everyone smile at him, Seth was about to ask if they were ready to return to Endora when Pearl suddenly asked: “Is Sir Sun?….”

Seth sighed and nodded, “Yes. He has returned to the world. I should have asked you if you wanted to speak to him before. Sorry.”

“It’s alright. I know that’s what Sir Sun wished for the most,” said Pearl with a sad smile.

“Alright then. Let’s all go back home. Are you ready?”

“Aren’t you going to say goodbye to Dream?” asked Elise from the side, prompting Seth to chuckle and shake his head. “He’s resting and already knows we’re leaving. This entire mountain is his domain.”

With no more questions and everyone agreeing, Seth turned towards Henrietta, “Will you do the honors? It’s a lot easier for you.”

Henrietta nodded, and space energy flew out of her source, breaking a human-sized hole through space right at the center of the room.

Hollie didn’t wait for Seth to tell her what to do, moving her air energy around everyone and carrying them through the space crack.

After passing the space distortions effortlessly, the group arrived on the Imperial Palace’s balcony.

The capital of Endora had changed entirely ever since Seth last stepped inside.

It was now a city worthy of being called the capital of the greatest empire on the continent. With giant buildings reaching high up into the sky, people crowding up the streets, and even flying cars passing through the tall buildings, it was precisely the city of the future Seth had imagined.

Seth was also not the only one captivated by the city’s magnificence.

Aleena’s eyes turned red, and she left the platform Hollie had created for her, walking to the balcony’s edge to get a better look at it.

“It’s like a picture straight out of a book…” she muttered, all the descriptions of futuristic cities in Seth’s books finally finding a place right before her eyes.

“Do you like it?” asked Seth, walking beside her.

Aleena nodded and turned around, hugging Seth tightly, “Thank you. Thank you for giving me a chance to see this.”

“I have to check on some things with the officials and prepare to announce your return. See you later,” said Maya, turning into a wave of water flowing through the balcony doors.

“I also need to pay Asteria a visit,” added Hollie, joining Maya in flying away.

One by one, the girls all left, claiming they had different things to put in order, leaving only Seth, Meg, Aleena, and Pearl on the balcony.

“I’ll have to get used to the changes around here,” muttered Seth, rubbing Aleena’s back while watching the girls leave one by one.

Aleena nodded and separated from Seth, looking at the difference between the palace and the rest of the city. “You will also need to upgrade. The emperor must look like the poorest person in the whole city.”

Seth chuckled, unable to agree more. Any building they could see must have been at least three times taller than the Imperial Palace.

“I think this is better,” added Pearl, approaching the two. “The city doesn’t feel as warm as the palace does… The palace reminds me of when this place was in ruins, and we all had to work and build it from the ground. It’s like a link between us all.”

“I’m sure that’s what the others felt as well,” muttered Seth.

Noticing the hesitation in Pearl’s eyes, Seth chuckled and kissed Aleena’s forehead.

“Do you mind if I spend some time alone with Pearl?”

“No, you don’t - “Pearl tried to deny it, but Aleena pecked Seth’s lips before nodding: “Send me to my room. I missed it as well. Also, make sure to pass by when you have the time.”

Seth teleported Aleena away after a quick nod and turned to Meg, “I know all of this is too much for you, but I’ll have Maya help you settle in the city. You can also join Asteria as an ascended or do whatever you want from now on.”

Meg understood Seth wanted to remain alone with Pearl and asked, “Can I go look around.”

With Seth nodding, Meg turned around and disappeared through the balcony door, leaving the two alone.

Seth finally turned to look at the blushing Pearl, sighing while opening his arms wide. “Come here.”

Pearl shyly came closer, and Seth pulled her into a hug, “Now tell me, Pearl. What did you want to speak about?”

While Pearl was blushing, thinking how exactly she should say what she had to say, Seth chuckled and brought his lips close to her ear.

“You know, in the other timeline, you were pretty bold. You even had sex with me shortly after becoming my student.”

Pearl’s eyes widened and turned as red as a tomato, burying her head into Seth’s chest and not daring even to look him in the eyes anymore.

After a few minutes of silence, Pearl muttered, “That’s not fair.”