“So, Evelyn, enjoying a vacation?” Hannah asked.

“Yes. The Atlas World Resort is wonderful. You’ve made this place into quite a paradise!”

Kye and company sat near Evelyn after they ordered their food. They were waiting for order number to be called while chatting it up.

She almost never shows up in a world unless it’s bad news. Kye was nervous in front of Evelyn.

What did we even do? Alethea did everything she could to avoid looking at Evelyn.

“You know I can hear you, right?” Evelyn smiled at the two as she continued her conversation with Hannah and the others while starting another conversation with Kye and Alethea telepathically.

“So, why are you here?” Kye asked.

“I don’t have any company left. Azalea and Kaede are in this world now, and I didn’t want to stay by myself.”

“Uh, huh. So, why was Maya born a boy? That’s awful.”

“I didn’t decide that. That’s just how it worked out.”

“I don’t like that answer.”

“I’m sorry, Elysia, but that’s the truth. It wasn’t planned, it was just how things worked out.”

“Well, fine. So, who are you in this world?”

“Evelyn Barrett, mother of Magic King Edward.”

“Ah, we’re relatives. If you’re Edward’s mother, why aren’t you considered a founder? I’m aware of all nine founders.”

“Just look through Astraia’s memories. You’ll find the answer.”

“Hmm...”

An image came forth in Kye’s mind of Edward kneeling before Atalante, asking to bring his family to Atlantis in 2024 out of fear for their safety on the planet’s surface. “Please, allow my mother and daughter to join us here in Atlantis. She will not serve as a distraction. In fact, I would say I am more distracted now worrying about their safety.”

“Sister, perhaps we should,” said Astraia. “All nine Paragon members are invaluable. We should help them.”

“I agree, sister,” said Astarte. “Mental health is as important as physical health. They’ll suffer if we leave their families on the surface.”

“Indeed,” said Atalante. “Very well. Edward, we will bring all surviving members of your and your colleagues’ families to Atlantis.”

Kye opened her eyes after watching the memory. She hadn’t peered into Astraia’s soul much yet and was hesitant to do so. Astraia gave her a sympathetic smile after she opened her eyes. The soul-bond was a two-way street. Either party could tell when the other looked.

“I see.”

“Elysia, you should talk to Astraia more. She’s a very kind woman and cares greatly about you and Maya, and not because of your power. She cares for you because she sympathizes with your experiences. She knows tragedy. Those sisters have lived longer than anyone else in this world and have seen both a natural and a man-made extinction level event. Maya, Astarte is no different. And don’t leave Atalante out!”

Kye and Alethea looked at each other. While they had soul-bonded with the Atlantis sisters, they hadn’t thought much about trying to get to know them better, though they could speak telepathically whenever they wanted thanks to their new connection.

“Have I become indifferent to mortal lives?” Thought she said it telepathically, Kye was asking only herself. “...when was the last time I lived for more than just the mission?”

“I... I think...” Alethea felt a tear running down her face. She reached for it, saying, “What?” Each soon felt a warm hand on their backs. The vocal conversation had paused. Everyone noticed, not just Astarte and Astraia. Alethea looked up at Astarte, her tears flowing freely. Astarte pulled her in and held her while she let it out.

Kye felt a napkin on her face. Astraia wiped away a tear Kye didn’t even realize was there. Kye looked up at her warm smile. Another tear replaced the one Astraia had just wiped away. Unable to hold herself back any longer, Kye began to cry as well, Astraia holding her close just as Astarte did with Alethea.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Astraia asked. “If you want to go back to the hotel, I will accompany you."

Kye gave her an apologetic smile. “Thank you, but I’m fine now.” She looked at Alethea. “I think I got what I needed.”

“Mhm!” Her pink-haired partner nodded with a smile.

“Well, okay, if you’re sure.”

“Thank you, Astraia.”

“Kari.”

“Kari?”

“Yes. Hikarimaru. Hi-kari-maru.”

“Lanti, Gaia, and I use those names in private.”

“Oh. I... okay!” She grinned.

They continued chatting for a while, Liliana and Aliana smiling warmly watching Kye and Alethea properly enjoy everyone’s company. Princess, I am so happy you have found this measure of peace.

“Thank you, for looking after Elysia.”

“You can hear me?” Liliana recognized the voice. Evelyn spoke directly to her. “You have telepathy? And you know of Princess’s past?”

“Elysia has shown you a great many things of her true being, including times she has met with me between her lives. You know who I am.”

“It’s true, Lily,” Aliana said, having been brought into the conversation as well. “Her hair is not the myriad of colors here, but she is still unmistakable. Lady Evelyn Barrett is none other than Lady Eve the Primordial Goddess.”

“You may refer to me as Eve or Evelyn if you wish. The two of you have welcomed Elysia far more than any other mortals. In fact...” Evelyn snapped her fingers, and the world suddenly lost its color. Everyone aside her, Liliana, Aliana, Kye, Alethea, Astraia, and Astarte were frozen in the colorless world. Evelyn waved her hand in front of the small group left unfrozen and the scenery changed, warped as if erased from existence. The group soon found themselves standing on a circular platform of white stone and Evelyn’s white hair gained a variety of colors.

“I wish to speak to all six of you together briefly, so I paused the world.” Eve sat upon her white stone throne and crossed her legs. Her outfit changed from the beach attire she was wearing to a simple white summer dress.

“What is this?” Liliana asked.

“Welcome to the Nexus.”

Liliana, Aliana, Astarte, and Astraia looked around at the vast expanse of stars.

“It’s beautiful...” Aliana mumbled to herself as she gazed out.

“So,” Eve said as she leaned to one side and propped her head up with her hand. “I wanted to personally thank all of you for taking care of my girls here.” She gestured at Kye and Alethea with her other hand.

“Your girls?” Liliana asked.

“Yes, they are my daughters. Astraia and Astarte have become soul-bonded with them, so they can attest if you are uncertain.”

Astraia nodded. “Yes. It’s true. I gained much when we bonded. Though they are not traditional parent and child, such that a mother gives birth to her child, Elysia and Maya are her first and second creations. Lady Eve, treasures all of the immortal souls she created herself as her children.”

“Yes,” Eve said. “While I do have two biological sons, I have many spiritual children. I gave birth with a mortal body once and granted Azriel and Ezra immortal souls. They are... quite childish I am sorry to say. Elysia has taken to disciplining them when they act out too much.”

“Speaking of which,” Kye said. “Is one of them to blame for that monster Shiro Shikigami’s release from Eden?”

Eve nodded. “That’s right. Azriel released him some time ago and set him loose on the world you are currently assigned to.”

“Is he the entity you sent us there to eliminate?” Alethea asked.

“I will not say.”

Kye sighed. “Why can’t you ever give a proper answer?”

“Some things you must discover on your own, you know that.”

“I don’t have to like it...”

Eve nodded. “Indeed.” Kye turned to Alethea, then glanced between the other four. If this was all Eve meant to tell them, why did she freeze their world and pull them into the Nexus? As the question was about to escape Kye’s lips, Eve answered ahead of her. “I gave you everything when I sent you to that world. I had hoped you would realize what that world is by now, but no only have you yet to realize its significant... you are still restraining yourself. It will remain frozen, and all of you will remain here, until you gain an understanding. Between the six of you, the knowledge is there.”

She stood up and stepped toward them. First, she stood in front of Astraia. “Astraia. Hikarimaru. You are the Light of the Heavens.” Next, she stood in front of Astarte. “Astarte. Gaia. You are the Light of the Earth.” She moved to the next person. “Liliana. Seraph. You are the Angel of Radiance.” Then to the next. “Aliana. Shadow. You are the Angel of Void.”

The four were unsure how to respond, but when their bodies glowed, they realized that Eve was not simply stating their names or titles but engraving them upon their very souls. Astraia’s body glowed with a brilliant golden aura of aether, Astarte a similarly brilliant green, Liliana a fiery gold, and Aliana a blackish purple. “These are the colors of your immortal souls. I take the four of you as my own, no different than Elysia and Maya. You may choose your true name, as Elysia and Maya did.”

“““Thank you, Lady Eve.”””

“Think hard on it.” She moved on to Alethea next. “Alethea. Sayaka. Maya. And many other names. You have done so much in my name. You are my champion, the Hand of Justice.” She paused for a moment and glanced at Kye. “The two of you have asked many times to be brought together again. I will make no excuses. I did not allow you to enter the same world until now. It was completely intentional.” Eve’s eyes showed no weakness as she spoke.

Alethea bowed and said, “I trusted that you would bring us together again, and you have. I trust that you waited until we were ready to be reunited.”

Eve smiled and turned to Kye. “Elysia. Shiori. Kye. You have done more in my name than any other... you, whose power is second to none, whose experience is second to none... you are my greatest champion, the Hand of Judgment.”

“I do not like being held back with being told I am not ready. I don’t accept that.”

“You have always been cautious, never accepting the simple answers and always questioning anything that does not make sense to you. You have always had faith, but not without making sure it’s right.”

Kye walked up to her, looking her in the eyes the whole time with no fear in her own. “Why now? Why not sooner? Or later, even? What was the purpose in keeping us apart?”

Eve closed her eyes and nodded. “I wanted you and her apart so that you could learn as much as possible separately and then combine your knowledge. December 11, 12002 of AE100.”

“That’s today’s date.”

“Yes.” Eve waved her hand and the scenery changed. They were brought to a graveyard on the floating island housing the city of Atlantis. “Look there.”

The group turned and saw several grave markers. Everyone in their group on Atlas was included. Kye read the names aloud. “Astarte Atlantis, Astraia Atlantis, Ginchiyo Tachibana, Alexandra Romanov, Hannah Barrett, Akane Tachibana, Johnathan Barrett, Joseph Barrett, Liliana Venturi, Aliana Venturi, Alethea Atlantis, Kye Akari, and Kaede Akari. The only one not listed is Allison Barrett. What happened?”

“In the worldline where I did not keep the two of you separate, you missed out on an important piece of knowledge, Elysia. This knowledge is key to leading down a different path than the one you see here. You have that knowledge and are using it even now. Without it, a certain threat would have been too much. In this particular circumstance, you and Maya died first. The others died quickly afterward, leaving only the one powerful enough to survive. Allison alone was capable of surviving the attack, but only with using aether. Losing all of you at once, she unleashed her aether at full power and completely decimated the evil that came as well as the planet beneath you.”

“And even now, this could still happen? We could still fail, and Allison would still be the sole survivor.”

“Who knows what could happen now?” She shrugged.

“Why tell us this? You’ve never given me future intel. And even if we did die, we would just reincarnate again and start over.”

“This is the future of every world line where you and Maya were not kept separate. As for the futures of worldlines where you were kept separate, such as this one, I will not say.”

Kye turned to Alethea, who shrugged and said, “Knowledge that you obtained separately from me... only one thing comes to mind.”

“What is it?” Alexandra asked. “Is it something everyone else can do?”

“I only started doing this after we recovered from Overdrive enough to do it properly. I wasn’t sure if it’d work, but it seems to have worked fine so far. It doesn’t have a name, but...” Earlier in the year, in July, Kye and Alethea had recovered from Overdrive enough to use mana properly. It was then that Kye decided to step up her efforts to increase her output. She explained that her method was using multiple spells layered upon herself, all of them spatial spells. One was a gravity spell. She would have to constantly use mana to counter the effect so as to walk and move normally without boring her feet into the ground from the extra weight. Another was a temporal spell to cause her body to experience time at ten times the normal speed. That did not allow her to channel mana any faster, but with the constant flow of mana to counteract the increased gravity, her body strengthened at ten times the rate. “It’s basically magical weight training that relies on ridiculously precise mana control. Alethea, Liliana, Aliana, and I have been running it virtually nonstop for the past several months.”

“What are your results so far?” Ginchiyo asked.

“Well, in January I clocked in at 275M. Right now, I’d say I’m around 950M.”

Everyone aside the four doing the training and Eve went wide-eyed.