Askerian followed Rain through the main foyer of the Castle Celeste, his hand never leaving the place where his wound was just moments ago.

The inside of the palace was just as glorious as it was on the outside, if not more so.

A quartz floor flowed outwards towards two pillars that marked the entrance to the main hall, while a purple carpet crawled along it’s surface, connecting the floor of the foyer to the hall. The quartz was etched with patterns, which were entwined with veins of angel fire that lit the entirety of the large room.

Tall quartz pillars held up two marbled staircases that rounded upward, reaching both ends of a catwalk. The catwalk was just above the entry to the main hall, an iron railing lined the edge of the structure, connecting more quartz pillars to the design.

A door stood at the top of each staircase that Rain had explained to be entrances to the library itself. Along the catwalk, the same sconces from the platform hung on the wall, lit by the familiar brilliant flames.

Vases filled with flowers, a grandfather clock, various framed Gaian items and many paintings dotted the foyer, while two large windows stood guard behind Rain and Askerian, pink and teal curtains pulled open over each.

Several banners with the Celestial emblem stood proudly on the pillars that housed the entrance to the main hall. The bright teal star shone against the purple backdrop, exuding a pink light which faded into the purple fabric.

Above their heads, the high ceiling nestled, a deep teal color which was accentuated with angel fire filled quartz that danced throughout the flat surface, meeting the white walls with beautiful quartz mounding.

“Beautiful isn’t it?” Rain asked, pride in her voice.

“It’s definitely something.” He replied before asking the one question that had been on his mind since before the “incident”, “There’s an island here, one with lava. Where did it come from?”

Rain glanced over her shoulder. “That’s something you’ll have to ask Lady Ardent. She’s the one who made the realm after all.”

“So you say.” Askerian retorted as they stepped through the threshold of the main hall.

A gilded high ceiling that tapered into an A frame at the top, climbed above them, angel fire and golden beams shone brightly from above with stained glass panels that seemed to be lit from within.

Small cobbled pillars stuck up from the quartz floor, holding up daises on either side of the hall, continuing to stretch until they were holding up the sloped ceilings of the library, another terrace connected the two parts of the library together, beyond that, the thrown rested in the safety of the ballroom.

Askerian, spun slowly in a circle taking it all in. Behind them, just above the entrance to the hall, was yet another catwalk that was up higher than the others, a large painting stood out between the entry frame and the mezzanine.

The painting was of Ardent, except it wasn’t Ardent, or at least it was the angel without the feline ears and wings. In the painting, she stood with a smile in a white gown, a laced veil flushed down the back of her head. Her arm was interlaced with the man’s, who stood next to her, wearing a red and black suit, golden bears were embroidered into the suit jacket, along the trim line. The suit hid a husky build, while his blue eyes sparked against his pale skin and black hair, a black beard and mustache to match.

“I’m sure you have many questions about the islands. Yes the islands are not from this realm, they were originally in Gaia.” Rain continued, before catching Askerian stare.

“That painting you see there, was made on the day Lady Ardent married King Alexander.”

“She’s married?”

“Indeed she is.”

“Good. Let me speak to this king of yours.” Askerian said, placing his hands on his hips, his focus still zeroed in on the painting. Something about the background seemed familiar to him.

“I’m afraid that’s impossible.”

Rain’s remorseful tone hooked his attention then. “What do you mean?”

“King Alexander, no longer resides in Ardentia. He lives in Alexhand, in Gaia. He’s the kingdom’s leader.” Rain sighed. “Every person you see on the walls of this gallery here, no longer call this realm home. Some of them don’t call any realm home…” She broke off at the last part, her voice beginning to quake.

“You mean, their dead?” Askerian asked.

“That’s correct. This hall has a special name, its called the hall of Memoirs.”

“And what of the people who still live and are on these walls? Where are they?”

Rain looked around at all the paintings if departed celestials. “They either went back to Gaia, the Faery realm or they died.”

“That’s rather sad.” As the words came from his mouth, Askerian finally remembered why the background of Ardent’s painting looked so familiar, because where he had found her, was just right outside of that same village, the one that was now burnt to a crisp.