I RETURN TO THORNTHISTLE.

The city that lies between mountains and trees. I fly low, sticking close to the valley before I see the high walls in the distance. It protects the tall buildings— houses of stone and brick standing alongside towers that rise to the sky. It is bustling with life, with Elementalists standing on the crenellations, keeping guard of any monsters that may come.

They spot us arriving in the distance. My glowing wings flap behind me, leaving a trail of ethereal feathers which vanish like flakes of ember from dying ashes. I carry Galgom, still trapped by my Aspect. Gripped tightly within a giant hand made from my Aura.

And more gently, I hold Nindran to my side, as she cheers and waves at those below welcoming our return.

Thornthistle looks different from when I was last here. It had been almost brought to ruin when the Esh and En sieged it, under the orders of the hivemind of Galgom. After destroying Galgom’s Hive and killing most of his bodies, the city began to undergo repair. But we didn’t stay. Not for long.

Kalmat spoke of the other domains. The lands ravaged by Galgom during his tyrannical rule; we left for the Blazing Desert and the Frosty Mountains, liberating the cities there from the Esh and the En that were stationed there. We could not allow them to continue living under oppression now that Galgom was dead.

Or, most of him was dead.

I see the Galgom I have captured. He has given up struggling, resigned to captivity. I found him deep in the abovelands of the Desolate Caverns. I only knew of his existence after I freed the Frosty Mountains, raiding an outpost of his machines.

Seiled and Beihal discovered records of a secret location. It was not a direct map or path to it, so I left with Nindran to find it while the others returned to Thornthistle. And they greet me now as I make my descent.

I spot Kalmat at the fore of the group gathering at the large courtyard. They are greeting us, cheering, only to pause when they see who I have in tow. Their whooping tones down as I lightly land, letting Nindran down.

“Thank you—”

“Welcome back, Tian, Nindran. It seems the both of you have completed what you set out to do.” He peers at Galgom, who simply gives a sidelong glance in return.

“We have,” I say, smiling. “There is much we have to discuss, Kalmat. Much more we have to get out of him too.”

He looks at me, apprehensive. “I hope you bring good news.”

I shake my head, wearing a grave face. “Unfortunately, no.”

***

“Idu…” Kalmat creases a brow, leaning on his elbows against the table. “A void pirate— someone who once worked for Galgom?”

“I believe it is the opposite. Galgom used to work for him before defecting, is that right?” I face the purple-skinned man.

He gives a small nod, nothing else.

“And Galgom then came to this world to… save it? Or so he claims.” I suspect there is an ulterior motive— one he refuses to disclose. But he sees himself as a hero. And his failure and capture only adds to his shame.

“He has only brought grief and terror to Utana,” Beihal says, slamming a fist on the table. The tanned and bulky man glares at Galgom, not hiding his fury whatsoever. “We should kill him and be done with it.”

“We do not know enough.” I fold my legs, leaning back on the chair. “There are things he can still tell us.”

“Lies and deceit.” He spits.

“Tian is right.” Standing up, Kalmat walks over to Galgom. “There are things we still don’t know. The fact that he could be lying is reason enough for us to keep him alive. That is the only way the truth can come out. Also, he may not be all that’s left.”

I narrow my eyes. “Do you believe there are more of him?”

“Didn’t the squirt say that the data from that computer-thingy pointed to only one secret outpost, as a failsafe?” Nindran pipes up.

Seiled, the boy who is barely half my height, sputters. “That’s what it said! But I’m not entirely… sure?”

There is a pause that comes after Seiled’s moment of hesitation. He is one of the best here with Galgom’s technology, second to Beihal. In some ways, he is better than Beihal, since Beiahl is only interested in weapons. Seiled finds himself fascinated with the technology as a whole.

Finally, a voice speaks. But it comes from none of us in the Keepers of the Grove. It is Galgom who addresses the room.

“I have aired my grievances, given my warnings. There is no other of me left in this world. I did not believe I would fail in my goal. Death was never an option, although I prepared for it.”

“And why should we trust you?” Beihal crosses his arms.

“Because, boy—” Beihal looks nothing like a boy. Quite the opposite, really. But Galgom continues. “When my others died, I could have fled. I could have left my hideout. It would not be wise for me to remain, knowing that I can be found. But I stayed. Because you destroyed my ship.”

“Your ship?” I raise a brow.

“Yes. Or as you call it, my Hive.” The chained tyrant’s eyes rest on me. He stares at me with hatred and contempt. “Your foolishness brought destruction to my only escape. It is what allows me to cross the void, alive.”

“You speak of this void— is this the same void I crossed from Jhisie to Utana?” It was by pure accident I ended up in this world. I had been tricked, defeated, and forced to flee from my own world. The only exit was a hole in the world, which led me here.

“It is,” Galgom says, his eyes narrowing. “But your survival was by pure chance. Or did you navigate through nonexistence on your own?”

“I admit, I did not. However, how can a mere object ensure travel is safe?” If I had not been saved by the Elocunive, I would still be adrift in that void.

“The void is a strange place. It is what lies between worlds. It is nothing, yet it is everything at the same time. Only true Gods can walk it undisturbed. But that is because they create realities where they go. No. My ship does not traverse it, for if it did, it would perish. It simply creates a link between worlds, skipping over the void in its entirety.”

“I see.” I place a hand on my chin.

Kalmat frowns. “So, without it, you couldn’t return to your world, could you?”

“My world is long gone, brat.” Galgom’s gaze snaps over to the black-haired man. “I have lived a thousand— no, ten thousand of your lifetimes. It came to its end, naturally, as all things do, even as I tried to stop it. Only I survived.”

“And is that when you joined Idu?” He is now offering information for free, not coerced, nor silent. So, it is only smart of me to prod him for more answers. “After your world came to an end? He saved you?”

Galgom laughs. It is a hearty laugh, one I never expected to hear from him. “No.” He shakes his head. “Even then, I had built a machine to bring me to other worlds. And I did.

“I crossed planes and dimensions, learning, growing. I joined many groups and organizations. I became king and god countless times before. That was until Idu offered me the chance to be a true God.

“He convinced me. He told me it was possible. I believed him. I followed him in looting worlds and razing them to the ground, amassing power. Then, he told me of his plan. The only path for apotheosis.”

I remember the short conversation I had with him when I just found him. “He wants to steal the Elocunive’s power?”

“Yes.”

There is a moment of silence after he speaks. The room remains silent. At least, until Beihal jabs a finger at Galgom. “That is impossible. Enough with your lies!”

The purple-skinned man only smiles in return. “I agree. It is impossible. That path only leads to death. But he will try. He will do what he can. Even if it means destroying your foolish world, and moving on to the next, searching for one which can give him what he wishes.” His eyes flicker, his smile twisting. “You will all die to him. So will I. But I will die knowing you all brought your doom to yourself.” This time, he cackles. A wicked sound that sends a shiver down my spine.

Beihal says something. Kalmat tries to calm him down. Seiled quakes in his chair. Nelrel opens her mouth. But the door bursts.

A figure comes tumbling in. Keshiy, the orange-haired woman— she is a strong Elementalist, so she was in charge of guard duty at the walls— stops, panting. “Kalmat, Tian, you guys… you have to see this.”

We exchange glances. Then we follow after her. She leads us out of the so-called town hall, out into the squared foyer before it. A crowd is gathering in the streets. Hundreds of people are clustered together as Lifeblood, the red blobs of magic, gathers around them. Their hands are inclined, facing up. They point to the sky, whispering.

“What’s that?”

“It’s so bright—”

I pause. I slowly look up as a flash catches my eye. It is false day. The sky is not supposed to be too bright. And yet, a scintillating light shines up above, hanging from the sky like the Heavens do in Jhisie. Then it expands. A hole forms in the sky, nothing on the other side.

And objects pour forth from it. Like a hail of comets. It burns across the purple dome overhead, crashing at various spots of Utana. One for each domain. The Desolate Caverns. The Frosty Mountains. The Blazing Desert. And where we are, the Flourishing Flatlands.

Panic erupts from those watching. A blast is seen from where the ‘comets’ land. Kalmat’s brows furrow as I glance at Galgom.

“It begins.” That is all he says.

It begun.

A new day had risen. The world was different. Or it was the same. Not much changed for the animals running across the forest floor— the thick foliage their playground and home. To them, nothing different happened.

The Heavens dimmed at night, before growing brighter as night came to an end. They woke up, searched for food, and went about their day. It was all the same.

But everything was a matter of perspective. The world remained unchanged for them, but for Tian, it was all so different. She wandered, alone, lost. She traversed a forest of blue and white, following a river that rushed to an open field.

Her mother was dead. Liufan Tiao… no, Tiao had protected her. The Patriarch had tried to execute Tian, but Tiao stopped it. She exerted herself for the first time in a decade. Her Qi, poisoned by her failed ascension, betrayed her.

She brought Tian to safety, as far as she could, before it finally failed her. And she passed on, leaving the girl alone to fend for herself.

There was no ill will from Tian. No anger or hatred. Mother had saved her. She only felt gratitude. But now, she didn’t know what to do or where to go. If she took one wrong step, she’d die. She knew it. So, she tried to be cautious, tried to—

Tian tripped. A branch caught her leg, sending her stumbling into the rushing water. Oh no. She was taken by the rapids in an instant. She struggled. She tried to swim out. But she was only a child. She couldn’t get out. She would die now too, so shortly after Mother.

Tears filled her eyes, meaningless in the waves. She looked up at the Heavens, praying for anything to save her. And a figure approached. It descended from the sky. Tian could barely make it out from under the water. But it was— a Sacred Beast.