Chapitre 68: The Truth Behind Aldwyn's Past
The silhouette was shrouded in a mist that made her features indistinct, as if she were a mirage in the desert of his thoughts. Her eyes, however, pierced through the veil, gleaming with a warmth that seemed to beckon him closer.
"Where am I?" Aldwyn's voice was barely a whisper, the gravity of his situation weighing heavily upon his words.
The woman on the throne remained silent for a moment, allowing the question to hang in the air like a specter before responding, "You are within the crucible of your soul, Aldwyn." Her voice was a soothing melody that seemed to resonate with the very essence of his being.
"Am I dead?" Aldwyn's voice was a ragged echo, torn between hope and the cold reality that had been painted around him.
The figure on the throne didn't answer immediately, allowing the silence to stretch out like a taut wire. When she finally spoke, her words were measured and filled with a cryptic warmth, "You stand on the precipice, my dear Aldwyn. The darkness that sought to claim you was the embrace of death, but you have eluded its grasp for now."
She paused briefly before continuing, "Or rather, I got you out of it."
Aldwyn squinted through the fog, trying to make out the woman's features. He felt a strange sense of déjà vu, as if he had seen her before, yet the memory remained elusive.
"Who are you?" he managed to ask, his voice a mere rasp.
"It's always sad when you forget me, Aldwyn. Each time, it's as if you're losing a piece of yourself." she said with a touch of melancholy.
The figure began to take form, her features gradually coming into view as the mist parted. She was a woman of celestial beauty, with hair as dark as the abyss he had just escaped and eyes as red as the blood moon itself. Her skin was a pale marble, unstained by the ravages of time, and she was clothed in a dress that shimmered with the light of a thousand stars.
When she spoke, her voice was a symphony of whispers and sighs, a siren's call that echoed through the vast emptiness of the chamber. "I am Ygannea. I stand between you and death."
Aldwyn's gaze went to her right side and there it was, the Duskbringer at her side. The sword was sheathed, but he could feel its malignant presence, the very essence of the blade resonating with his soul. It was as if the weapon was alive, pulsating with an energy that was both terrifying and alluring.
He recognized her, this scene was exactly the same in one of the visions he had received from the scholar.
"I don't understand any of this... " He looked at her with a kind of confusion and shock, his silver eyes searching hers for any clue as to what this place was and how he had ended up here.
Ygannea's red eyes softened, and she offered him a small, knowing smile. "You may ask anything, Aldwyn. At least we have time."
Aldwyn's thoughts raced as he considered his circumstances. "My first question is simple, how do I get back?"
Ygannea's smile remained, but the warmth in her eyes cooled slightly. "It's quite simple, you either have to survive or die. At the moment you're in the middle, between the two. At the moment, you and I are just silent "spectators" who have to wait and see. Someone or something is trying to keep you alive... Unfortunately, I can't say exactly what it is, as my perception of the world outside of this realm is limited."
Aldwyn looked at her questioningly. „I see.... So there's still hope for me... That's good."
"What happens if I die? And what exactly is your role in all of this?" He finally asked her.
"The cycle of rebirth," she said, gesturing to the pulsating light surrounding them. "My purpose is to save you from the clutches of the death and allow you to be reborn."
"Rebirth? I don't understand anything anymore... Who the hell are you?" He asked in all seriousness.
"I am Ygannea, demoness of the phoenix," she replied, her voice a harmony of whispers that seemed to dance around him. "I'm very surprised... This is only the second time you've asked me this question."
"What the hell do you mean?!" He seems quite overwhelmed and confused.
She smiled slightly at him, "Our pact welds us together, as long as I exist in you and your pact is not fulfilled, you will be reincarnated for all eternity... With no memories, no destination, starting from nothing."
With a flick of her wrist, the space around Aldwyn was suddenly filled with mirrors, each reflecting a different version of himself. Some were scarred and battle-worn, others were cloaked in shadows that seemed to whisper dark secrets. In one, he saw himself wearing the armor of a legendary knight, surrounded by the ruins of a once-great civilization. Each reflection held a story, a life lived and lost, a world of pain and suffering, joy and triumph, that he had no recollection of.
"These are your lives, Aldwyn," Ygannea said, her eyes reflecting the myriad of images. "Each one a tapestry of choices and consequences, each thread leading you to this very moment."
Aldwyn stared at the reflections, his mind racing with questions. "But why me? What is the purpose of this pact?"
Ygannea's smile faded into a solemn expression. "I wish I could give you the answers you seek, but our pact binds my tongue."
Aldwyn reflected on everything he had just heard, his head pounding with the information he had received. All the lives he had lived before were completely gone. Not a single memory remained.
He looked at her again, "I don't know how much I can trust you, but let's assume what you say is true.... Why do I have the Path of the god of death? Aren't the gods against all you demons? And why didn't I have any abilities before?"
She looked at him seriously before answering, "Who says demons can't choose the pathways? Most demons just don't want to share a body with another being or a deity... But not all are like that, I accept an extra power besides mine."
"Even if demons are the enemies of the gods, the gods have no choice but to share their power. It is in their nature."
"To your second question, your lives are never the same, they are all different, every decision you make has different consequences. In your past lives, you have only tried to acquire powers three times. But only in this one you've been successful." She added.
„What does she mean by 'the gods have no choice' are they forced to do it? Or is this some kind of kindness from them?" He asked himself mentally.
„When I think about it... Baron's last words hinted at a possible reunion... Did he know about her? I also wonder if my former selves have left clues about my life?"
"So in my first life, I must have made a pact with her that allowed me to be reincarnated for eternity... But what was the reason? And why does the pact include her silence?"
„So many damn questions and it might all be for nothing... Maybe I'll be reincarnated again and lose all my memories all over again..."
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone