221. The Fragment of The Future

Her cat ears twitched. An eerie stillness had settled over the grand library, and Cartier's gaze trailed to her side. As though time itself had solidified, Triss was frozen in place, her shoulders stiff.

"Hold up…" The words escaped Triss's lips, barely a whisper.

Beyond her stood the titaness, an ethereal flow of light ribbons radiating from her statuesque form. Cartier's breath hitched, and she blinked in disbelief.

"Come…" The three-metre-tall titaness nodded, gesturing for them to follow.

As Triss took a compelling stride forward, Cartier tugged at the edge of her clothes. "Is… is that a titaness?" she guessed, her voice trembling.

"Huh? You see the divine echo, little kitten?" The voice was cold yet motherly, echoing through the vast space.

"C~Cartier? You're really seeing this?" Triss gasped, blinking rapidly.

"Y~yes… O' eternal Moirai." Cartier bowed in absolute submission, though her gaze fell upon the ornate fabrics adorning the divine being. "Through heavens and earth, I am honoured to be graced by your presence, The Mighty Titaness Clothia."

Upon closer inspection, the titaness's ribbons weren't ribbons at all. Clothia wore rolls of golden scrolls on her body, each one speaking of a foreseeable future, a different possibility. Cartier's eyes sparked with pure ecstasy. She couldn't restrain herself from trying to read a paragraph from a swaying stray.

"This child is perceptive… and terribly curious alike," Clothia observed, tucking the stray scroll away as Cartier followed its every move.

"Cartier." Triss gently nudged her away, an adoring smile on her face, relishing a reaction so similar to her own first encounter.

"My apologies." Cartier scratched her round cheek, trying to ease the awkwardness. The script on the scroll was a language she had never known to exist.

Clasping her hands gracefully, Clothia closed her emerald eyes. "Hmm… The future is indeed eternal. But I am not, for I am a mere echo of the one who came before."

Confused yet intrigued, the two mortals nodded at one another.

"Then let me question you this," Clothia said, her glance falling upon Triss and Cartier. "How knowledgeable are you, the divine historians? Precisely, about the divine finale."

"Um…" Triss nudged her friend with an elbow.

"Ahem, since your last visit, we have been researching tirelessly, gathering stories and tales from across the globe…" Cartier began, her voice uneven.

Clothia rolled her eyes. "Must you bore me with such phrases…"

"M~my deepest apologies…" Cartier stammered. Clothia simply gestured for her to continue.

"Various sources recorded about the age of mythology," Cartier pressed on. "The gods and goddesses, with the combined strength of mortals, emerged victorious in the final battle against Kronos."

"Correct… Before Zeus, Kronos was a king of the gods. All-powerful, all-knowing, all-eternal." Clothia's head downcasted towards the carpeted floor. "My father…"

Such a surreal sight, Cartier thought, her eyes widening at the fact that even the echo of a titan could express remorse and guilt.

"O' Mighty Clothia, is it true that he will eventually return?" Triss implored, her hands clasped to her chest.

"It is Fate." Clothia drifted past bookshelves, her fingers dancing along the spines of ancient tomes. "Even at their full power, the divine forces could not destroy the tyrant titan. Instead, they sealed him away, far from here."

"Where?" Cartier blurted out, quickly cupping her lips and suppressing her impulsiveness.

"That exact location, I do not know at the time of this echo." Clothia closed her eyes, her jaw visibly tightening at her own ignorance. "However, the goddess Gaia knew… As one of the remaining divinities, she planted her champions throughout mortal history."

"It is the true origins of the champions of Gaia," Triss whispered, her lips drawn into a thin line while Cartier fidgeted with a lock of her hair.

"I foresaw that your mission was fulfilled." With a sweep of her hand, Clothia tore through the fabric of the space, revealing a cosmic tapestry of stars and distant galaxies. She reached into the vista, her fingers closing around a single point of light. As she drew her hand back, the captured star coalesced, materialising into a glowing orb in her palm.

A beautiful spark of light danced in Cartier's pupils, leaving her frozen and awe-struck.

The golden orb contained a conscious eye, half-open, revealing a sparkling golden iris with a black sclera. "This is my fragment… Bring it to the champion—"

"I beg your forgiveness…" Triss fell to the floor, her head wobbling. "We, um, we haven't found the champion yet," she confessed, her voice cracking.

"You what?!" Clothia choked out, her eyes widening to reveal a pair of bright emeralds. "But have you not sought out the one who is already woven into your past?"

"We… we did…" Triss mumbled, her eyes darting sideways.

Awkwardness hung heavy in the air. No one dared to say another word. The two mortals could only share a look of incompetence.

Exhaling deeply, Clothia's shoulders slumped as she began to read from one of her scrolls. "Something that defies my writing…"

The spatter of rain hit the glass. A flash of distant thunder illuminated her long visage.

"I can no longer condemn you for a task so impossible that I could not do it myself." The titaness half-turned, her motion fluid and weightless. "Very well. Both of you, this way."

Their footsteps thumped on the carpet as they moved across the hall to the far end, where an old, tall bookshelf stood, its intricate exterior crafted from dark phantomwood.

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"Come." Clothia's voice beckoned Cartier. The titaness then bent, placed both hands under the little Wildren's armpits, and lifted her into the air.

"Whoa…" Her body felt light as she rose towards the top shelf.

"The nameless tome, little one," Clothia instructed calmly.

"I never realised this book existed!" Cartier murmured, extending her arm to pull the hardcover book from its place and clasping it to her chest. With the mountains of tomes and scrolls in this grand library, it was not so rare that a nameless book might be uncatalogued and overlooked.

"Excellent," Clothia whispered.

After lowering Cartier to the floor, Clothia returned to her poised posture. "This is absurdly far from what was written. The former Essenceborn was quite a pragmatic and genius strategist; she had contingencies in place."

"So this book?" Cartier inspected the cover and its frame. It had a similar feel to it, like one she had encountered before.

"Yes. It was how we communicated against the erosion of time. This shall aid you in your quest to find the champion of Gaia." Clothia nodded. Her pale face began to crack, light seeping through the fissures.

Cartier and Triss nodded in unison. "We thank you, O' Mighty Moirai."

"Until our fates intertwine again…" Her body shifted, becoming translucent until she disappeared into nothingness.

A gentle flash of thunder cast a white light across the floor.

"Fascinating." Awe left Cartier's lips; she touched her sternum and felt her elevated heartbeat.

Simultaneously, Triss felt an immense weight lift from her. She collapsed onto the carpeted floor. "O Holy Allmother…" she prayed, her eyes closed tight.

"Triss. Are you alright?" Cartier sat down beside her.

"I am… I just need to breathe." Triss replied, and Cartier gently brushed her shoulders to provide comfort.

A beat passed. Triss pointed at the book clasped in Cartier's arms. "So… what's in that tome?"

Cartier flipped through the first few pages. The elegant handwriting was unmistakable; she had seen such a beautiful stroke of the quill before, the distinct press marks on certain characters. It was just like the book she had found in Celestius Vivian's library.

"This was written by Austria Vere Borealis," Cartier revealed, her voice firm. "It is safe to assume that she was the Essenceborn before you, Triss."

Slowly, Triss's hand rose to cover her mouth. "My, the answer has been lying dormant in this library from the start."

***

Aurora's immaculate skin glinted in the splintered moonlight. A mixture of sweat and rain drenched her body, clinging to the arc dress she wore.

Standing atop the cliff, her gaze grew distant.

The once-beautiful grasslands, thriving only a few hundred years ago, were now cracked and desolate. Not even the constant rain could revive the land to its former glory. Perhaps it would not recover for another hundred years.

However, there was a silver lining. The spot was perfect for her arcane practice. No life would be caught as collateral in the devastation she could unleash.

The ornate ring adorning her index finger vibrated with an incoming arc-comm.

Her visage was illuminated by a holographic blue light. "Lunarius Willhelm, report."

"Astral Empress, we have exercised your decree and barricaded the zone. We will hold it until the fissure is located and closed," Willhelm's voice came through, firm and clear. "However, at this rate, we might need to seek out a long-term solution to this hell-breaking-loose situation."

"I understand. We can't have warmongering mages running around forever," Aurora nodded in agreement. "Our resources have been spread thin. Do not worry. I have another plan in motion, one that has not yet reached fruition."

"Acknowledged, Empress. Speaking of which, I'd like to extend my stay in Northern Orien for a few more days. But I will be back for your coronation." Willhelm scratched his neck, his voice faltering slightly. "This doesn't involve women… well, sort of." A dry chuckle followed.

"Granted."

Willhelm's voice was filled with surprise. "Huh? That was swift. Then I shall not take any more of your training time. I take my leave, Empress."

With that, his line cut off, returning her to the sound of drizzling rain hitting shallow puddles.

The training resumed as Aurora fell back into a focused state. Her mind reached a state of tranquillity, listening to the rain gathering and dripping from her chin.

Thunder tore through the dark, cloudy sky. Her silver eyes snapped open.

The purple flames of Thanatos manifested in her hands. Her mind's eye pictured the dark fox Empress — nine of them, their eyes red with malice.

Kicking off the ground, she lunged forward, her sword of death cutting through her enemies. Three down in one powerful sweep.

Shockwaves erupted, louder than the thunder above. Mud and rock spilled into the air.

Behind her, three more enemies jumped, their long, sharp scythes glittering in the moonlight.

She raised her blade overhead and swung it over her back.

Another three enemies rushed her exposed front.

Defence and riposte.

Aurora slashed horizontally, dispatching them all.

The wind itself blew back, fluttering her long, silvery hair. She stood rock-steady, panting heavily. Steam leached from her skin as raindrops made contact with her overheating body.

The shadow-fencing technique was still one of her favourites and most practical. Most real enemies were far weaker than the ones she created in her own mind.

"One more," Aurora spoke to herself, against the hailing rain.

She closed her eyes, reaching the height of her concentration. A tall, ox-eyed goddess emerged from the darkness of her mind.

With precise grace, Aurora fell into an attack stance, her sword raised to shoulder level, pointed at her enemy. "I must prepare to fight forces unimaginable. Beings preceding the age of mortals. Legendary beasts. Gods and goddesses. The titans and titanesses. This is my response to those who attempt to destroy us."

The thunder flashed.

Aurora stomped, cratering the ground beneath her. The purple flame around her sword shifted into a streak of light.

The dark goddess raised her hands, a barrier clashing with the edge of Aurora's sword.

Again, Aurora hurled herself against the spherical defence with evermore intensity. Her mana surged through her like a storm, her heart pounding.

Again and again, each impact creating a boom.

Aurora roared. The ground underfoot erupted, transformed into a massive crater. The earth shook violently, like a cataclysmic quake.

"EVIL, BEGONE!" Her voice cracked as she raised her sword overhead, both hands gripping the hilt tightly. And she hurled it down—

"Ooh… such a temper…" a voice interrupted mid-strike.

The Thanatos-spatha fell from her hands, skittering across the hot, smouldering rocks.

"Who goes there?" Aurora bellowed, snapping her head around. Her shoulders stiffened, her legs squaring and bending in anticipation of quick evasion.

Nothing. Not even a flicker of life or soul.

She hissed, biting down on her molars. "My sword fell from my grip for the first time since the age of Osten… Such a bad omen…"

Aurora bent over to pick it up and swing it around experimentally, the edge cutting through the air with ease. Nothing was wrong with her swordplay.

Yet, an uneasiness lingered in her heart. Could it be a trick of her mind? Impossible. Aurora wiped the damp hair from her face. Smoke billowed from the sizzled rocks.

It was only the rain and her on this lone piece of land.

"Perhaps I'm just tired," Aurora muttered, massaging the bridge of her nose. She then noticed the purple flame on her sword wriggling erratically. Startled, she hastily dismissed it into a speck of light.

"Damnation…" she grumbled, rubbing her wrist.

"Huh? Another call today?" Aurora pondered as her ring vibrated again. "Cartier?"

"Empress! We have found the Champion of Gaia!" Cartier's voice thundered through the comm, her tone dripping with enthusiasm. A distant rumbling played in the background.

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