What Alea went through was similar to Zara.
The woman she met in that space was different, the things she symbolized were different, but their conversation was similar.
Unlike Zara, the space she entered was white, filled with souls of purity. And unlike Zara, the woman she met was the brightest and most noticeable being in that space.
Yet, who would've expected it?
Despite being polar opposites in both personality and power, the way these two women thought was almost identical.
Alea didn't have such a strong connection to Damien.
She felt interest in him that she originally assumed was love, but as time passed, she realized she was wrong.
She was drawn to him because of something else, something unexplainable. It was a factor that was entirely related to her origin, the very thing she was currently chasing.
Therefore, her motivations were different from Zara's.
She didn't see those horizons through Damien, she only became aware of them after traveling with her half-sister for so long.
But now that she was aware of them, how could she ignore their presence?
The ambition in her heart was growing by the day. It wasn't quite as firm, but she was confident she would reach that point eventually.
So having this encounter was imperative for her.
When she opened her eyes after receiving her mother's blessing, she felt like a changed woman.
The part of her that remained immature until now, clinging to the comfort she'd become used to on Apeiron, completely vanished.
It wasn't like she was going to change her personality. She enjoyed life far more acting the way she did.
But she refused to let her mindset and thoughts be clouded by immaturity anymore. It was growth she desperately needed.
When both sisters woke up and glanced at each other, they realized something else,
The push and pull of their mysterious connection was far greater than it once was.
It felt like the calm before the storm, the rushing of waves before a tsunami.
As long as they found that final trigger after this reaction reached its peak, they would encounter something magisterial.
"Wow…"
Alea couldn't think of a better word to describe this moment.
Zara also nodded in agreement.
She fully encapsulated their emotions with her breathless word.
"There's a lot to do now," Zara said with a wry smile.
"Is there, though?" Alea asked.
"Yeah, there is," Zara responded immediately.
It looked like they didn't have to do much. As long as they stayed close and diligently trained, the things they desired would come to them, but that didn't give them an excuse to slack off.
"It's not just about us anymore, right?"
Alea's eyes widened slightly. A wry smile formed on her face as well.
"I guess not. Responsibility sucks."
"It sucks, but it means we're growing, so we can only accept it."
Alea nodded.
The time for running was over.
She stood up, as did Zara, and together, they walked to that singular podium that joined them in this blank space.
On it were two bracelets and a strange prism.
"These are for us?" Alea voiced curiously, picking one of the bracelets up.
"It should be the last gift they left us," Zara said, taking the other one.
"And that thing…"
The prism, a physical manifestation of their responsibility.
"This is our saving grace."
It felt like destiny when Rose first brought it up.
The fact that this thing was in the Divine Beast Sanctuary that Zara and Alea learned about through their bloodline memories, the fact that it was in a place only they knew the location of…
The Dimensional Prism. It was a fragment of this alternate reality.
"Now that we have it, Beast Emperor Star can finally be saved. It feels nice knowing we played such an important role," Alea said.
Zara glanced out into the distance.
"Mm, it's just…"
"…I hope we aren't too late."
With the events that had transpired both in the strange realm of souls and during the trials they endured to reach that place, it was inevitable for them to wish to take a moment to look back on everything and reflect.
However, they didn't have time.
"Let's get out of here."
It was time to return to the cruelty of reality.
It was time to face it head-on.
"You ready?" Zara asked.
Alea smiled.
"Of course."
These two sisters who only knew each other for a few years, for some reason, they felt like they'd known each other for an eternity.
Together, they left that realm.
And together, they would change reality.
Until it mirrored the version of it they wished to see.
***
BOOOOOOOOOM!
A massive explosion rocked the world. The crater it created was enough to massacre hundreds of thousands in a single instant.
They were only lucky they'd already evacuated the common populace before things escalated so.
"Beta Squad, move to the west and hold them back! Delta, you guys support me here!"
Rose's words boomed through their communication network as she desperately supported the battle, but as she was on the frontline, it was hard for her to take complete control.
"Alpha, what's the situation with the Golden Dragon Clan?!"
BOOM!
Rose rapidly dodged another explosion and pushed her mana forth.
Reality changed to her preferences, the world itself altering its environment to provide natural shelter.
She gazed up into the sky with hardened eyes.
It was covered in blackness.
A blackness created by dozens of millions of Nox beings that suddenly invaded their world.
They appeared in a single instant. She thought all the pocket dimensions were already gone, but she was sorely mistaken.
There was still one more, waiting for the perfect moment to completely eradicate the Beast Domain.
Led by a force of three Supremes and a large number of Executioners and High Commanders, this final wave of Nox beings descended on them before anyone could prepare, and hit them harder than they could have ever expected.
'DAMMIT!'
"Alpha, report!"
She yelled again, but the radio silence was only making her more nervous.
On the other side of the world, Su Ren stood in the Golden Dragon Estate with the squad he commanded.
His expression was desolate, but he had to maintain lucidity right now.
"This is Alpha…" he said, his voice shaking noticeably.
"The Golden Dragon Clan…"
He didn't want to say it, but he had no choice.
They had to know.
"The Golden Dragon Clan has been exterminated."
His words traveled to countless parts of the world.
Everyone was silent. Their hearts fell instantly.
The things they'd been moving to protect…
…were they really gone?
On the western edge of Beast Emperor Star, Astoria, Hedrick, and the squad controlled by them, made up of the Golden Dragon Clan's elite forces…
They raged.
They raged unable to accept the news.
Because as of this moment, they were the last survivors of their clan.
They were the final remnants of the Fate Star's progeny.
Astoria's eyes were red.
Golden mana roared through the air as she took control of the atmosphere and eliminated wave after wave of enemies.
The tears streaming down her cheeks were burned away by the heat of battle, but her thoughts were so chaotic she could barely continue fighting.
Why…?!
Just how did things turn out this way?!
