Chapter -106: A Battle for Unity
Auris and Stonestein arrived in Sancturia close to the central pyramid. She immediately set off away from him while brushing the side of her hair up and uttering a blunt remark of, "I can handle myself fine on my own from here."
Stonestein told her in a respectful tone, "I will ensure you don't wander."
Auris furrowed her brows and rested her hand against the side of her shaking head, "I'm 21, I think the need for babysitting has long passed."
"I know better by now." Stonestein said in a stoic, but mildly humored tone.
"Haaaa..." Auris pulled her head back and was forced to walk alongside Stonestein where he could see her. Her plan to play hooky was thus foiled.
As they made their way around the pyramid Auris found herself drawn to the front entrance. The only fond memories she had of it was when she first met Sarajin and Justek, her first and perhaps only major friends in the world.
Seeing their silhouettes from the past really brought on a warm feeling of nostalgia in these trying times.
"To think I once abhorred the very notion of interacting with 'lesser' folk. How times have changed..." Now all she saw was...saw was...
"...?" Her vision narrowed as her view of the past distorted, with a notable pink and fuzzy silhouette sat atop one of the Pyramid's lower tears, kicking their feet in the air.
Auris' eyes drew open with a cold sweat down the side of her face making her shudder in silence. One blink, and the figure was gone, with an intense sting striking the back of her head afterwards.
She hung and grabbed hold of the side of her head while staring at the ground. Stonestein turned around and approached with ready concern, "Something the matter, Lady Auris?"
"N-No, I..." Auris slowly lifted her head back up and continued to see the past just as she remembered it. Perfectly normally, as it should be...?
Her expression became perturbed as she was slowly hesitant to finish her sentence, "I was just...remembering old times?"
She took Stonestein's ensuing silence to mean he did not believe her, even though it was the truth, so she thought. This would just prove to prolong her meeting with her father...
"I need to get this over with swiftly, Sarajin requires my aid to minimize damage to both sides when Oreore attacks Pulsa Minoria."
Auris paused and blinked while muttering to herself, "W-Wait, Sarajin...requires my aid?"
That pain stabbed into her brain once more and she let out an audible grunt that drew Stonestein's eyes to her once more. She quickly tried to present herself with her usual grace, but he was too attuned to her finer details.
"Lady Auris..." He began to speak.
"Not another word, Lord Stonestein!" She barked back with a surprising emphasis on anger that left her stunned more than him.
She bit her lower lip and continued following him to the palace she once called her home...
...Once?
There, Gabriel stood guard at the entrance. He's probably still waiting for T******* to return just...like...
Auris started to feel a little woozy, particularly in her stomach. Gabriel peeled away from his perch and spoke up towards Stonestein with concern, "Does something ail Lady Auris?"
"May be side effects from the demon." Stonestein commented.
Gabriel scrunched his eyes up and backed away, "I will not delay you then. Be well, Lady Auris."
Stonestein continued to guide Auris into the palace. Her home...their home...Their home? Whose home?
Her vision continued to get scratched up with intense static as the pain in her head grew worse. It was like something massive was trying to wedge itself into occupied space in her brain, and the further it plunged in the more she heard voices and saw someone she didn't know...Did know...Who knows...
A typhoon of voices assaulted her head all at once, leaving little gaps for her to hear specific lines...
"Sorry my sister is such a huuuuuuge pain in the butt!"
"I just want you to enjoy life, sis..."
"C'mon, big sis, don't be shy!"
"Truth be told...I was jealous of you first!"
"I love you, big sis."
Auris' eyes widened and she let out a loud and primal scream as she plummeted onto her knees and grabbed hold of the sides of her head feeling like she was seconds away from being split in two.
Gabriel and Stonestein immediately ran to her side with Gabriel leaning his hand on her back and trying to get a good look at her face.
She was pale as the tiles on the floor and her eyes were drained of color. She was sweating and panting with a gaze that looked deep into an abyss of despair.
"L-Lady Auris, what's happening?!" He shouted in full, tearful concern.
Auris' couldn't hear anything, even her own heartbeat, as her mind was ravaged by memories that weren't hers...but couldn't have belonged to anyone else at the same time.
"W-Where...where...where am I?!" She said while looking at her surroundings, disturbed by the presence of familiar faces.
She threw herself up onto her feet and swung around in mad desperation before throwing herself out the door of the palace so hard she fell flat on her chest.
Scrambling back onto her feet her eyes continued to lose color as she gasped and wheezed.
A hand rested on her shoulder and she turned around and screamed into Gabriel's pale face. She backed away slowly, mustering up the strength to sputter out in panic, "Where...where is Temporis...?"
Gabriel and Stonestein stared at her with puzzled looks.
"My...My sister WHERE IS MY SISTER?!" She cried while lashing her arms out to the side.
Gabriel and Stonestein widened their eyes and then looked towards one another, with dread welling within Auris' heart as it took them too long to respond.
"Lady Auris...you're an only child." Gabriel remarked.
"W-What...?" Auris backed away one step at a time while her vision got dizzier over time, "No...no that...That can't be possible. She was...she was just with me...and I...we...!"
Her body was stabilizing this pain all too quickly for her liking, then resumed as she lingered on the problem. It was an endless cycle of emotional pain and healing that left her wanting to throw up...
Stonestein immediately took action and carried her to her father's Atelier, with her remaining silent throughout the journey.
She didn't register the events transpiring over the next half-hour, as her father used his powers to examine her down to the soul.
Her soul was tarnished with pulsing, dark violet veins that rooted themselves deep, and resonated from a mark on her backside.
This was her normal nowadays, and thus not the focus of Borealis' concerns.
"I still do not see signs of the demon having tampered with her mind or soul." Borealis assured Stonestein and Gabriel.
He turned to them with his arms tied behind his back and a concerned mumble of, "You're certain about what she said though?"
"Perhaps the Anti-Genesis Theorem...?" Stonestein theorized.
"Mmmm..." Borealis closed his eyes and pinched his furrowed forehead, "I can only pray heartily to our Lords that it's caused no further changes to her system."
Borealis turned and waved his hand out and Auris was reconstructed back to her original state, every layer, pierced through by those roots.
Auris stood there in weary silence. She looked like she was giving off a tired and ill gaze, but her body showed no signs of fatigue.
Borealis reached out with a degree of hesitation that Auris currently found off-putting. He retracted his hand with a weary look in his eyes and muttered, "Daughter, I urge you to stay here and rest until we've made sense of all this."
Auris gripped her right arm tight and was shaking all over. Almost as though she was an obedient puppy, she whispered "Yes...father" and proceeded to leave his chambers and drag her feet towards her room.
When she pushed open the door she waved her hand up to ignite the crystal above with aura light. And what she found was her room as she left it...At least, according to the second set of memories she was still struggling to make sense of.
And her heart broke, as all that was waiting for her was one bed and table, with a shelf of books and a few training implements off to the side.
Her eyes began to water as she could feel the missing presence in the room and the warmth it once provided her.
She dragged herself over to her bed and collapsed atop the sheets face-first, her tears melting into the fabric as she gripped the sides of the bed with all her strength.
"Where even am I...? WHO am I...?!" She pleaded to the gods for answers but was met with their silence.
Two sets of memories were stuck in her head, two different lives she had led. Yet the one that was strongest was led by the girl with pink-hair of whom she knew and was proud to call her sister, Temporis.
But now these memories existed in a world where the person in question never seemed to have been born. How? Why? Why why why was all she could say, bartering to ANY other higher power for some sensibility in a world she did not recognize despite the familiarity plaguing her heart and mind.
She laid atop her bed for what felt like days, but was merely hours. Her body never got stiff. Her skin never lost it's sheen while being pressed against the fabric.
She was forced to suffer this heartache only in her thoughts. Perhaps it was a blessing that it did not pain her physically, for she was not sure if she could take it.
She soon flipped over onto her back and rested the back of her hand atop her forehead, gazing up at the glittering ceiling with tears continuing to roll down her cheeks.
They had never stopped. Her sheets were positively soaked below her back.
She curled her fingers tightly into her palm and squeezed until she bled, just to feel some sort of pain, even if it was for a fleeting moment, as the wound quickly healed.
After trying to make sense of her memories for hours on end there was one thing that stuck out in the recent events of this strange world...The stone of black and gold that had been uncovered in the cavern.
It's existence made sense of her senseless perception of time and space and forced her to sit upright, drying her tears upon her sleeve and muttering, "That stone..."
Past memories interlocked with what she last remembered of her sister, seeing her about to be sealed within a similar color stone as a bright light swept past herself running down the stairs to stop her...
...It was a gamble with very thin hope stringing her along but she had no choice but to pursue this lead no matter how insane it was to believe.
She dragged herself over to her table and pulled out a pen and paper to begin writing. In her feverish attempt to put down what needed to be said she neglected her penmanship and ended up having to rewrite it a few times to make sure it'd be clear enough for Sarajin.
Only once she started to fold the letter up did it dawn on her what her position was in this world...She was now Sarajin's trusted friend and confidant and had been for almost six years now.
She felt dirty, like a thief, even if she was not necessarily to blame.
The circumstances would be questioned only if her theory proved correct...For now, she had to force herself to focus on getting the letter out of Sancturia.
She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and felt around the city for the presence of the other Sages. And as fortune would have it, the one she was looking for was taking a break here for once.
She hurried out of the palace before Gabriel would know she was gone and looked up atop the pyramid. There, Nimus was laying down and eating one of his sandwiches. That was still consistent, thankfully.
She then used her Aegis Dragoon Drive to leap to the top of the pyramid in the blink of an eye. Nimus pulled his head back and swallowed the last bit of his meal with a smile.
"Well if it isn't lil ol' cotton candy! Haven't seen you in a while, what brings you back into the city?"
Auris bent down and forced the letter into his grip, "No time to explain. I need you to deliver this letter to Sarajin. He should still be in Oreore right now."
Nimus sat up with a wide-eyed look and remarked, "You uhhh, do remember him and I aren't on-"
"I remember just fine!" Auris shouted in rage, "Just hurry up and do it, please!"
"Alright alright, chill out, princess," Nimus stood up, gathered his wing blades behind his back, and tucked the letter safely into his pocket with a wink, "One more delivery for old times sake then."
He flew up and out of the city and left her to wait for as long as she'd have to.
She slid down and positioned herself at the front of the pyramid, riddled with dread and anticipation upon her heart.
Being there with her arms crossed under her chest reminded her of times she wasn't sure she wanted to remember. It was an echo from both sides of the world, from the day she first met Sarajin...
"What am I even supposed to say to him?" She wondered, "Am I the only one who even remembers...?"
How could anyone forget such a passion for life and a smile that outshone the stars? No...who would WANT to forget all that?
She put these thoughts to rest and tried to just sit still and wait for Sarajin's arrival. It took a couple more hours before she sensed movement in the barrier. Nimus' work no doubt.
And with it came Sarajin's presence, which made her heart race with an abnormal flutter. He approached her through the crowd with his usual friendly smile. More consistency between memories did little to ease her soul...
He raised his brows lightly and put on a concerned tone as he waved his hand out her way and said, "I got your letter...Why didn't you deliver it in person? ...Is something the matter?"
He was giving her the look only a close friend would make, one that bore deep into her heart. But she knew she was appearing crazy to him, as she was being withdrawn and cold, finding such familiarity unnerving.
She had to present herself with some degree of composure, a feat she now found impossible. It helped to close her eyes and stroke her hair up the side of her face, where she then smiled and remarked, "Father's having me stay in the city for a while. He's still worried about..."
She paused, realizing she hadn't quite put together what he was so worried about.
"When the demon tried to possess you?" Sarajin filled in the blanks, cushioning her from her visible unease.
"Y-Yes, that's right," She remarked, trying to look away from him, "The black monster tried to possess me...? Then why...?"
Auris shook her head and tried to pretend she was a resident of this world as best she could, "So, do you still have that stone you picked up in the cavern?"
Her tone came off a little rude, but he didn't seem to mind beyond a briefly stunned expression. He reached into his pocket and pulled out said stone, and upon looking at the clock insignia Auris' heart skipped a beat.
"I-It can't be..." She whispered under her breath.
"Did you figure something out about it?" He wondered.
Auris closed her eyes and bit her teeth down hard behind her lips. She then took a deep breath and took it from his hands.
"Not...yet, but I believe father will be able to determine the truth," Auris felt such an answer lacking and stumbled over herself coming up with something better, "I-I know this is sudden of me, but I sensed...something important about this stone. So if you can be patient with me for a little while..."
"Ha ha ha!" Sarajin chuckled, "I've put up with your whimsy for a while now, Auris. That's what friends are for!"
His words cut right to her heart and left her whispering, "Friends...yes."
A single tear trickled down her cheek beneath his notice. He gestured towards her and remarked, "I'll go visit Justek until you're done."
"I'm not being an inconvenience then?" Auris wondered.
"Oreore will be marching on Pulsa Minoria tomorrow, I got time." Sarajin assured her.
She closed her eyes and muttered, "That's a relief..."
She then took the stone and the two parted separate ways for now, with her retreating to her bedroom to unravel the mystery behind this stone in privacy.
She sat on her bed and cupped the stone in both hands, her heart continuing to race as she felt a faint presence within the stone using her aura.
It was asleep, and this was her last chance to press forward and either confirm what she didn't want to believe or "better", unleash some ancient power that should've been kept dormant.
A little aura poured into the stone was all she'd need to wrestle the presence from their slumber.
A small voice then entered her mind through the connection to her aura. Starting with a few neutral smacks of their lips, it quickly became clear who this presence was when they spoke.
"Mmmm, that was a nice nap..."
Auris' heart sank and she let out a deep and frightened gasp, leaving her throat feeling hoarse for a few brief moments. Her eyes welled with tears that swiftly dripped off onto the stone, causing the voice inside to react.
"Ah! Rain?! Wait a second..." The voice paused and then sprung it's decisive blow through Auris' heart like an arrow, "Big sis?!"
It was none other than Temporis...
"I-I don't understand...! How the heck-"
"WHAT DID YOU DO?!" Auris screamed tearfully at the top of her lungs, hunching over the stone to squeeze it against her chest as a painful series of whimpers and gasps exhausted her lungs of air.
"O-One minute you were here, and then...then you were gone...! And now I have all these memories I know nothing of, even though my body remembers the experiences...!"
She continued to cry, unable to form a coherent sentence with all the tears holding her down.
"S-Sis, I..." Temporis wanted to give her sister strength, but devastated her with her answer, "I don't get it myself...How am I still here?"
"Wha..." Auris lifted herself and put the stone directly in front of her tear-soaked face, "What...what do you mean?"
With a hesitating tone Temporis answered, "Well...I don't know if I should tell you."
Auris squeezed the stone tight and grit her teeth with feral desperation, "I-I have to know...! Please! Answer me!"
"A-Ahhhh! That hurts! Cut it out!"
Auris released her restraint right away with a stunned look in her eyes. After some pained silence between them, Temporis relented...
"Ok, so...My plan was to use the power of my Time Drive to focus on the point in time where I was born and erase it. I figured I could pull it off and maybe do the same to the demon since he had rooted himself deep in my head."
"You...erased your own birth?" Auris didn't know how to register that beyond a growing sense of frustration and outrage.
"Yeah! So I don't know how the heck I'm still around! But-"
"H-How could you?!" Auris screamed directly into the stone, "Did you not think about the consequences such a stupid action would create?! Nobody else remembers you...You're not even a ghost! You're gone...forever! Everyone who ever loved or cared about you you've just...abandoned without a care in the world!"
"Sis."
"You...abandoned me...!" Auris whimpered in a high-pitched tone.
"...I knew exactly what I was doing," Temporis stated with confidence, "If I had let myself get put in that stone Sarajin would've spent years trying to get me back to normal, and it would've robbed him of his sanity and the world of someone who could save it."
"Sarajin's a great guy but the more he cares about someone the harder he tries to make sure they're ok. I freed him of that burden and kept the demon from gaining the power to end all of time and space. It was supposed to be a clean sacrifice..."
"So why the heck am I still around in this stone? And...why DO you remember me, sis?"
"Ha," Auris said in a tired and unhinged manner, "How do you expect me to answer such an impossible conundrum?"
"Mmmm. Ok! I got an idea. Tell me about your memories in the world where I'm not around. It'll help me confirm a hypothesis I had about my Drive..."
Auris thus started from the beginning, where it didn't take long for Temporis to notice a snag in the way events played out.
"Wait...our mother still died giving birth, but to you this time?"
"That...appears to be the case."
"Weird...ok, keep going."
There wasn't much eventful stuff to report in the early years. Their father had given Auris lots of attention but it bordered on coddling, as he had her trained and well-protected BECAUSE she was the only heir to his legacy, and the only memory he still had of his wife. But still, he was in many ways distant to her, especially emotionally.
It was only when Auris' memories reached the first meeting with Sarajin and Justek that things started to get...weird.
Everything Auris detailed was how Temporis remembered the events unfolding when she traveled with them, barring a few minor differences to account for Auris' personality.
It left Temporis puzzled but that was mildly putting it in her case, "So you replaced me in this world...And basically nothing major changed?"
"What...what could this mean?"
"I think I get it now," Temporis said in confidence, "It had been nagging me in the back of my head ever since I unlocked the ability to travel through time."
"I thought if I went back in time I'd be able to change events for the better, but that never happened. I assumed that there was like, a split timeline deal going on, but..."
"Well, I never got to tell you this but one time I managed to control my time travel enough to land me around the time our mother was still alive. I froze time and gave her some of my aura to try and help her make it through childbirth."
"But obviously, in both timelines our mother still died. And I think...it's because this Drive comes with an ability built-in to prevent events that wouldn't make sense."
"Cause obviously if our mother was alive then I'd never have a reason to go back in time to help her. So I can go back and help her at the time, but then the Drive's hidden ability kicks in to prevent a contradiction and causes her to still die a little later."
"So in the case of me using my Drive to undo my own birth, how could that event unfold if I never existed? It's only because my Drive's hidden ability kept me 'existing' but not 'born'."
"But obviously since I wasn't around for the other events, my Drive took you to fill in the empty space where I once was...Which had the unintended consequence of killing our mother earlier to fulfill the conditions that would shape you to fit the mold."
"...Wow when I spell it all out like that it really sounds like someone much smarter should be saying all that. It's weird, I kinda feel like I got a better grasp of how time works while I'm like this."
"But if you're neither alive nor dead...then what are you?" Auris wondered with a heavy degree of concern.
"I guess...you could call me a living Paradox, sis!" Temporis said with a weightlessness in her voice, like there were no regrets or burdens on her shoulders.
"...I-I'm getting you out of there! Now!" Auris prepared to apply all her strength into breaking the stone, only for Temporis to hastily shoot her down.
"Whoa hold up! Bad idea!"
Auris stopped and let her explain herself, "Now, I may not have been 'born', but I'm still the same Temporis Aurora you remember. The same one who only did this whole epic sacrifice because of the parasites infecting her mind?!"
"Sorry to say, I didn't have the strength to remove the demon from time too. His influence on the universe must've been too major to get rid of easily without causing a TON of problems."
"So if I hafta guess, he's still here in this world. Which means if you let me loose he'll recognize his babies in my head and go for the possession again."
"I...I can't leave you trapped in there." Auris said in a blubbering tone.
"Hey!" Temporis raised her voice and tried to stick to her happy and lighthearted self, "This was my decision, sis. I'm really sorry it all got screwed up, I didn't think any of this would happen, I swear...But I don't regret doing what I did if it meant giving Sarajin a second chance to save our world."
"So stop fretting over me! I'm more worried about you. Again, why do you still remember me? We need to figure that out, pronto!"
"...I-I really have no idea what could be the cause though." Auris insisted with sincerity.
"Mmmm," While the two wracked their brains around all possibilities they may not have considered, something crucial sprung up in Temporis' mind, "Hey wait a minute! If you replaced me in all events leading up to this point, then you still fought that demon, yeah?"
"That's what I can gather from father's 'check-ups'," Auris murmured, "They claimed it tried to possess me, but I didn't notice any traces of it on my body."
"It tried to possess you too? But...you're perfectly fine!"
"As far as I can recollect from that encounter, the parasites just fizzled out upon making contact with my brain..." Auris said, grabbing the side of her head and giving it a light shake.
"...I got it!" Temporis declared, with Auris imagining her snapping her fingers for emphasis, "The Anti-Genesis Theorem dad put in keeps your body in perfect shape. That would include fending off parasitic possession AND..."
"Restoring my memories from the old timeline..." Auris muttered in disbelief.
"...That really sucks. Figures dad would've screwed this up somehow," She then moved on from that bitter topic to present something a little more positive, "Wait! This is a good thing! Maybe Justek remembers me too!"
"He wouldn't..." Auris murmured, "We still don't know how that cursed mark affected him, even in this world."
Her expression soured with a slightly unhinged smirk and her eyes looking drained of their spirit, "Why does any of this matter anyways...?"
Her voice started to crack like she wanted to laugh until she died, "None of this world is familiar to me, even though my mind wants me to believe it to be so...! I'm a stranger surrounded by painfully friendly faces, and none of them are yours!"
She pressed the stone against her face and exclaimed bitterly, "How can you expect me to go on living a lie I don't want to believe?! I'm not strong enough for this, sister!"
Auris felt a warm touch upon her forehead and her sister's calming whisper helped soothe her broken soul, "You have to be strong sis."
When Auris raised her head she saw that all the color had been wiped clean from the room and it left her gasping in surprise. The stone was glowing, and when it stopped, time resumed.
"Heh, seems I can still use my powers inside of this stone as long as I'm in contact with someone..." Temporis took on a serious, heartfelt tone of voice, "But...it's not the same as physically touching someone, or empathizing with their heart."
"I can't comfort Sarajin anymore. That's all on you, big sis. I mean, isn't this what ya always wanted, anyways?"
"Not like this...never like this..." Auris whispered, "I'm still me...I-I can never BE you."
"Of course! Cause there's no one LIKE me!" Temporis said with a giggle, "Just be yourself, sis. Use your strength to keep Sarajin on the right path. Be the shoulder he can lean on when he's tired. Make him laugh! Make him happy! ...You deserve to fall in love, don't think you're beneath that."
"Deserving?" Auris had to laugh at herself when she heard that, "...I'm cursed. Even if I chose to love him, my kiss would be fatal, my very touch decaying him to the core. I'm not even sure how human I even am anymore, or if I shall ever live the lifespan of a mortal."
"There is so much uncertainty and doubt clouding my thoughts and no way to clear them out...It's impossible to escape this horrid world...And impossible to find love."
"...I want to try something, sis. Hold me up to your head. Go on, trust me!"
She followed her guidance and upon doing so, felt something pouring out from the stone and into her head. All the while, Temporis assured her with her soft and friendly voice, "I can feel my vision growing the longer I'm in this stone...I can see time flowing forward and back in multiple directions. And now, I'll let you see things the way I can!"
When the process was over Auris' eyes widened and the irises were now a little more crystallic.
"What...did you do?"
"I gave you the power to see the future. If you ever run into trouble or have doubts, just look ahead and see what you need to do! It's the best I can do for ya sis, the rest...You're on your own."
Auris closed her eyes part way and began to cry, "...There are so many things we've left unsaid."
"Yeah, I know. But let's just put 'em under the bridge. You shouldn't worry about me anymore."
"Ha," Auris said, her voice cracking, "How can you be so stupid...? You're still my little sister, I will always worry about you!"
She then puckered her lips and muttered, "...Are you sure you're fine with me being with Sarajin?"
"Of course I am! It never would've worked out between us. He's a great guy yeah, but I ain't someone who wants to be chained down to romance and all it's dumb obligations. I mean, could you imagine me having to take care of a kid?"
"They would've been blessed with a great mother." Auris admitted.
"...'What-if', huh?" Temporis replied softly, "Hey sis, can you do me one more favor?"
"Yes?"
"Don't let your other 'you's' experience go to waste. You've seen what truly drives dad and the consequences of his mentality on others. You've got to stop him from getting what he wants, no matter what, before the rest of the world becomes sterilized."
"I...I will think about it, sister."
"That's all I wanted to hear! Now...About Sarajin."
A few minutes later, having dried herself off, Auris returned to the front of the pyramid with the stone in her head and a painful attempt at keeping her head held high.
She found Sarajin waiting for her at the entrance, still of the mentality that she was the Auris he remembered.
"You're back. How did it go?" He wondered.
Auris lifted the stone up before her chest and took one long look at it, "You better take good care of him."
"Don't worry, sis! I'll keep improving my powers in here!"
Auris then softly closed her eyes and extended the stone over to Sarajin, "You call this place home now, Temporis. As 'Gaia' means 'home' in our language, I believe it's fitting that I call this..."
"Father has determined that this stone is called the 'Gaia Temporis'. It's an artifact that has the power to control time in many ways, such as freeze it, or perhaps even allow you to travel through time."
"Control...time?" Sarajin's answer briefly made Auris wary, as she wanted to believe that some part of him remembered...
"That sounds useful." But his quick way of accepting the knowledge proved her wrong.
"Thus, why I'm leaving it in your care," She held his hands in her own and gently wrapped them around the stone, "It'll help you prevent close calls. Just don't abuse its power, it might get a little agitated if you do."
Sarajin accepted it but did have to wonder, "I'm surprised your dad parted with a powerful artifact."
Auris playfully winked and chuckled, "Let's just say...he doesn't realize what he's lost."
Sarajin smiled and nodded, "Well thanks for entrusting this to me, Auris. So are you going to be stuck here for a while?"
"..." Auris crossed her arms underneath her chest and looked him dead in the eyes.
At this very moment, she was seeing a path forward through her newly gained power of clairvoyance. And if at this very specific juncture, she told him three particular words, she would be given happiness and joy the likes of which she'd never imagine herself capable of having in the old world. The only obstacle in her path...
"I'm...sorry."
Was herself.
"Sorry?" Sarajin looked at her concernedly, making her gaze veer off aside.
"There is...a lot on my mind at present, and I feel it'd be best if we...parted ways for a while."
She glanced briefly enough to see the disappointment and confusion continue to grow on his face. She was in pain feeling it all projected on herself and brushed her hair to cover her eye, proceeding to murmur with her voice cracking, "I-I do hope we'll see each other again...Someday. And when we do, I will have the courage to give you my answer."
She sounded like a fool, but in Sarajin's eyes, that was an endearing quality. He smiled like he normally does, paining her even more as she knew this was not her right to have...
"I understand. But you know where to find me if you ever need to talk. That's what friends are for," Sarajin closed his eyes and gave her a grin and chuckle, "Right...Bunny?"
Auris' entire body froze over while her pupils shrank.
She was forced to stand and watch as Sarajin turned and walked away. When he was long out of her sight, her strength failed her.
She clasped her hands over her mouth and dropped to her knees, letting the tears run free.
She had stolen everything. Nothing was left behind...
Eventually she made her way back to her room, taking one last look to remember what it used to be like. A place where a young girl would come to rest, telling her big sister stories of a great world beyond these sterile walls...Stories that she should have cherished more at the time than she does now.
Now only her tears and cries would echo through these walls. This would be her place of exile, where she would relearn what it was like to live...In a world she was a stranger to...
"..." But she closed her eyes with some degree of determination and made her way towards the mirror on the wall.
She had made a brief detour to her father's Atelier and stole a vial of pink dye from his cabinet. Now she created a bowl of aura in the air and put it inside, after which she pulled most of her hair back save for the bangs over her left eye.
Taking a deep breath, she put those hairs inside of the dye and let them soak for a long while, then left them to dry in mid-air.
By the time she was through she raised her head to face herself in the mirror, and there was a reflection of pink hair staring her back.
With a weak smile she brushed that part of her hair and said with some tearful hesitation, "He was right...pink does look good on me."
She then closed her eyes and whispered to herself, "...Everyone else has forgotten you. But I never will. And even if I ever do, this spot will be there to remind me...That Temporis Aurora was alive, and she was as free as she was beautiful."
She cried her last tears for today as she looked at her face, "And her heart...was bigger than the world she loved."
"And so, I began my new life in this unfamiliar, familiar world. My sister paved the way...Now I would have to keep walking that road, one step at a time. For the sake of hers and Sarajin's dream, and the life she sacrificed to make it a reality..."
Chapter -106: The Stranger and the Paradox
Next Time: Dreams in the Stars
Author's Note:
Going to take a week break after this chapter. The last few chapters were emotionally exhausting cause of the subject matter and I need to regain energy and think about the next few some more since I put so much time into this part. Thanks for understanding!