Nova set Annelie down on the black ground with careful movements. Her eyes followed him as he gathered the silver coins now floating calmly in the air, drawing them toward him through the darkness.

The coins clinked together as his essence heated specific points, creating a loose framework in the air. A quick formation sketched in blue light held them suspended while he worked. Each coin found its place in the growing lattice, linked by thin streams of molten silver.

"The heat might feel uncomfortable." Nova shaped the silver with precise control. "But it should help keep your mind clear."

Annelie blinked once, still held firmly in place by the chains. Despite her silence, her eyes remained alert and focused.

Nova's fingers traced delicate adjustments in the formation as he lowered the partially-formed helmet. The silver coins settled around her head like a sphere, blocking most of her vision.

"Better?" He studied her face for signs of distress.

Another blink. The silver gleamed against her black hair, casting faint light across features that had started to look more relaxed.

"I'm going to insert some essence into the silver to amplify the effects, okay?"

Annelie blinked again. Nova placed his hands against the silver at her temples. His essence flowed into the metal, spreading through the network of connected coins. The crown began to hum with stored power, taking on a pearl-like sheen.

'That should keep her sane. Or at least stop the madness enough for her to resist it. But I'll need to refill the helmet whenever it gets worse.'

"You won't be allowed to use your essence much from now on. Just focus on staying lucid. I'll undo the chains now."

The ethereal chains dissolved into mist. Annelie slumped forward immediately, forcing him to catch her in his arms. Her breath came in short gasps.

'Did the transformation cause her to overexert her body?'

He could feel her shaking, struggling to stand upright. "Can you stand?"

Annelie tried to stand on her own, leaving his embrace. But her legs only shook violently before giving out. "The transformation..." Her voice came out raspy and weak. "Used too much..."

Nova surveyed their situation. The bomb lay several meters away where he'd dropped it during their fight. The silver thread stretched behind them into the endless dark, and somewhere ahead waited the being holding the rift open.

"Right then. Let me get your arms out. Then I'll carry you on my back."

She managed a weak laugh. "You'll carry me? And the bomb?"

"I'll keep it on my front." He put his arm through the sleeve of the robe he had given her, taking her hand and pulling it out. Then he did the same on the other side.

"...You can say it now." Annelie's voice carried a mix of embarrassment and resignation.

"I don't need to. I knew the risks of taking you in here with me. It was a mutual decision."

"Hmm…" The silver helmet gleamed as she lowered her head.

Nova knelt with his back to her. "Put your arms around my neck."

They struggled through the awkward process of getting her onto his back. Finally, Nova stood with Annelie secure against him. Her skin felt warm through the thin robe.

He retrieved the bomb from where it had fallen, securing it against his chest. The weight of both burdens pulled at his small frame from opposite directions, creating a nice balance.

"Comfortable?" He adjusted his grip on her legs.

Annelie's only response was to rest her silver-covered head against his shoulder. Her breathing had steadied, but she was clearly exhausted.

'At least she's back to normal. Though carrying both her and the bomb will slow us down considerably.'

He waited in silence for a while, expecting her to say something. But she remained silent.

"...Can you tell me what direction the silver is pointing you?" He kept his voice soft, barely disturbing the heavy quiet.

"...Forward. A bit left."

Nova started walking, keeping the Grounded skill active. The skill anchored his feet firmly with each movement, helping him balance the awkward load. The combined weight of Annelie and the bomb were no match for his strong body, but it still made moving awkward.

Nova's body suddenly went rigid mid-step. The same sharp tug he'd felt with Darius yanked at his soul, forcing him to pause.

"What's wrong?" Annelie lifted her head from his shoulder, studying the surroundings for disturbances.

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"Collier just broke the contract." Nova's voice came out heavy. "He's dead."

"No… Not him too?"

[Gained soul of Cardinal Collier Deepwood.]

Nova stood motionless in the darkness. The death of the curious Cardinal hit harder than Darius's had. He'd genuinely enjoyed Collier's scholarly interest, his constant questions about formations and magic.

'The man was likely a lexicon of knowledge. I would have liked to speak to him in a casual setting, trading questions back and forth.'

"Only Victoria and Shivere are left to protect Millie now." Nova's grip tightened on Annelie's legs. "Though at least Victoria was assigned to guard her directly. And neither of them have broken their contracts, so Millie is still alive."

"The madness is spreading faster than we thought." Annelie's voice carried a tremor. "We need to hurry."

Nova nodded and started walking again. The void seemed to close in tighter around them, as if sensing their growing uncertainty.

'Hold on, Millie. Just a little longer.'

After walking for another while, the darkness began to shift. The solid black ground turned to uneven forest soil beneath Nova's feet. Bare trees rose from the void. Their twisted branches stretched across a starless sky.

Nova felt Annelie stiffen against his back. A broken carriage appeared ahead, wood splintered across the dark earth. Two bodies lay motionless by the wreckage—a man and woman, both bathed in blood. Near them sat a small girl with legs bent at impossible angles, just staring at the two red corpses.

She didn't move despite the pain, completely in shock by the sight in front of her. Her hands were clenched around the blood-soaked cloth of her parents.

"It's the same as last time..." Annelie's voice sounded hollow from his back. "Last time I was here. What finally broke me…"

Nova could feel her body shifting uncomfortably on his back. "...Are you okay?"

"Yeah… Yeah, because..." Each word came out stronger than the last. "Because the one who made me whole again after this happened… He is right here. The one who saved my life, in more ways than one." Her arms tightened around his neck, like she was afraid he would disappear.

"...I'm not going anywhere." Nova tried giving her words of comfort as he walked past the carriage.

"...Thank you. For everything." The phantom trees began dissolving back into darkness, leaving the horrible scene behind.

"You've thanked me so many times already." Nova shifted his hold on her legs. "Your gratitude is infused in my bones."

"And it's still not enough. Not even a million times would be enough."

Nova simply smiled, letting the silence stretch again. His feet moved steadily through the darkness, each step anchored firmly by his skill.

'Is this a good time to talk about the emotions she laid bare earlier? Probably not, right?'

"I love you." Her voice came out barely above a whisper, muffled against his shoulder.

Nova's steps faltered for a moment before finding their rhythm again. "Oh…"

'Guess that answers that.'

He cleared his throat, feeling the awkward silence pressing down on his neck. "I'm not sure what to say. I would say it back, but I don't think we're thinking of the same kind of love."

"No..." Annelie shifted slightly on his back. Her tender voice sounded so brittle as she spoke. "I already know…"

Nova walked a few steps in silence before speaking again. "But I genuinely do feel love for you. I care about you more than nearly anyone." His voice stayed soft, meant only for her ears.

Her silver helmet pressed gently against the side of his neck. "Have you really never felt romantic love for someone?"

"Not once." Nova adjusted his grip on her legs, careful not to jostle the bomb strapped to his chest. The metal sphere felt cold compared to Annelie's warmth. "As I said, I think there's something wrong with my head. Or perhaps soul is more accurate, since it's consistent through all my lives."

"That's sad."

"Oh, I don't mind it." Nova kept his voice light despite the weight of their conversation, like they were talking about the weather. "I wonder what it would be like at times, but I think I have a good idea."

"...Well, I don't have much experience myself." Annelie's fingers twisted nervously in the fabric of his robe, betraying emotions the silver helmet helped contain. "You might remember how I never got married in the New World."

"Don't tell me that was because of me?" Nova stared at the darkness ahead as he walked, barely feeling the weight anymore. A mix of confusion and guilt twisted in his chest.

The silence that followed was answer enough. Annelie's arms tightened slightly around his neck. Her breath seemed stuck in her throat, like she was unable to speak.

"No! Come on, I was thirty years older than you!" The words burst from his mouth before he could stop them. "That's such a waste…"

"The heart wants what the heart wants." Annelie's voice carried a gentle and practised warmth, like she had told herself the same thing a hundred times. "And I never really felt the same for anyone else after that. The reincarnation thing makes it kind of hard to relate to people, and the lives I led never had much room for love. Though some tried."

Nova drew a slow breath, forcing his thoughts into order. "But you should have at least told me back then. Then you would have understood that nothing could happen, and maybe your heart would have moved on." His voice came out softer than intended, betraying his genuine concern.

"Easy for you to say." A hint of bitterness crept into her voice. Her fingers twisted in his robe, betraying old hurt beneath the words. "You don't know how it feels."

"I don't know how it feels to have cancer either, but that doesn't make me a worse doctor." Nova kept his voice flat, trying to maintain logical ground in the conversation. The void seemed to press closer around them, as if interested in their exchange.

"Those are such different things. Are you suddenly a love expert, then?"

"No, but I'm saying you had nothing to lose. You knew I wouldn't resent you or anything like that, and the worst thing I would do is tell you no." Nova wished he could turn to face her, to make her understand his perspective better.

"...How valuable do you think dreams are, Nova?" Her arms tightened around his neck. "Or hope?"

Nova's steps faltered for a moment. The weight of her words hit harder than he expected. "Fine, I see your point." He resumed walking, his mind racing through memories of their shared past. "But did you die happy?"

"I was content." The silver helmet shifted against his shoulder as she tilted her head. She didn't seem convinced of her own words.

"Mmh, I know that feeling." Nova's voice grew distant. "Most of my lives, that's how they ended. Except for... this one."

Their surroundings hadn't just shifted this time. Instead, it had transformed completely as far as the eye could see. Nothing remained of the darkness that had surrounded them.

An endless ocean stretched to the horizon, its dark waters reflecting the pale moonlight. Each wave brought the sharp, briny scent of the sea, carried on wind that cut through his thin clothes with frigid fingers. His feet stood atop the surface, sinking just slightly below the waves.

White shapes dotted the water like fallen petals on a pond. But these weren't petals. Corpses bobbed softly in the gentle swells, with pale flesh bleached by sun and salt. They formed a grotesque trail leading toward the shore, where a solitary lighthouse rose against the night sky.

Its white stone caught what little moonlight filtered through heavy clouds, standing as both a beacon and an eternal grave marker.

'I knew I would see this place before leaving…'

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