after a while...
"You mean... this black-robed swordsman is not only connected to the Black Tide, but is also hunting for Core Flame everywhere?"
"This hypothesis is the most likely. First, it holds the container of the Core Flame; second, I am also one of its targets."
At that Anaxa began to provide examples, "Let's start with the first argument: its strangely shaped 'ritual sword' can interact with the Core Flame —the attraction when it pierced my chest is proof of that."
"I suspect that sword possesses the ability to sense, absorb... and even contain Core Flame."
"The second argument is even more direct: when it was in disarray earlier, although it was often distracted, I was always watching myself, or rather, the Cerces within me."
While Xing and Castorice were still on their way to the " Throne of Enlightenment," Anaxa and Trianne had already engaged in battle with the black-robed swordsman.
"Heh, so it's a Flame Thief..." Phainon chuckled. "But if what you say is true, won't it soon head for Okhema? The Vortex of Genesis is filled with the Core Flame of the Titan."
"Not necessarily. Let's call this person the ' Flame Reaver ' for now. Assuming our hypothesis is correct, this person has three targets."
"First, there is myself; second, there is Oronyx, who has not yet fallen; and third, there is Okhema, who holds the Core Flame of the gods, and the Vortex of Genesis."
" At that Teacher Anaxa, Oronyx it..."
Phainon briefly explained to Anaxa what had happened in the " Sanctum of Prophecy," and the other party did not seem surprised.
"In that case... Okhema won't be the first choice either. The Core Flame of Kephale is controlled by the secret magic of the Senate, Fagina's water curtain should be enough to block external senses."
"What about Thanatos and Aegle? Their Core Flame haven't returned yet..." Phainon asked.
" Thanatos's whereabouts are a mystery; no one knows of its existence. As for Aegle... can you fly?"
"No. Why are you asking this?"
"Can that swordsman fly?" Anaxa asked in return.
Even so, Phainon was still somewhat worried about me. "... Ah, you're right. But what if it grows wings under its ribs..."
"If it had wings, I wouldn't have been able to return alive from the Grove."
"That's fortunate indeed. Now that the Flame Thief may have two targets, we need to speed things up even more..."
"Considering the distances between Okhema, Grove, and these target locations, I think the area that should be most heavily fortified is..."
Phainon looked at Anaxa, "You yourself?"
"No. My fight with the Flame Reaver lasted less than a second. Rather than focusing on me and Cerces, we should be more concerned about Tirēsiās..."
"Everyone will part from one man, but he alone will witness miracles—"
"Since your mind is made up, let us traverse the Black Tide and dispel the fog for Amphoreus."
"He... has already seen you."
See you tomorrow, my dear Tirēsiās.
As her mother finished speaking gently, Tribbie suddenly woke up from her dream and opened her eyes.
"Mother...!"
Tribbie covered her head, still recovering from the dream she had just had:
"... Are we still dreaming?"
"Did you have a nightmare?" Aglaea walked over to her and asked with concern.
"... Perhaps. It's been so long since 'we' have dreamed."
"You can rest for a long time now, before we reach the door."
"No..." Tribbie shook her head, "Our hearts are still pounding."
"Perhaps that rude old soldier with the Kremnos frightened Trinnon, and that has affected you as well. If you wish, I can pierce his chest with the golden thread right now."
" Aya...! Stop saying such scary things..."
"That was a joke. If necessary, I wouldn't have waited until now. Would you like to talk about that dream? Prolonged melancholy can easily lead to illness."
"'We'... dreamed about Mom. But the dream itself is nothing... it's just that having a dream at this time for no reason is a little unsettling."
You mean...?
"... It's Trianne. Even if 'we' never use the power of the ' World-Splitting Gate ' again from now on... her soul is slowly drifting away from her body."
Tribbie spoke slowly, "Time... I'm afraid we don't have much left."
"Perhaps... letting her relinquish her ' Gatekeeper ' duties early and live a carefree life as an ordinary child until the end wouldn't be such a bad thing," Aglaea suggested.
"I understand your thoughts, Aya. But on this matter... 'we' have made up our minds."
"I think there's still room for maneuver in this matter."
"Our souls will wear down until they return to dust; that is our destiny."
Tribbie reminisced about the past, "Once, 'we' also had a complete, connected body. If that body were a tree, then the trunk and branches would wither away at the same rate, due to fate."
She looked up and gave a heartbreaking smile:
"Now, 'we' have split into many, many versions of ourselves... Although we've lost the trunk, we've gained another choice..."
"...'We' can decide in the way that is most beneficial to the Journey of Flame-Chase what form the branches and leaves will decay."
"It's more heartbreaking than saying goodbye to one person... to watch many people disappear before your eyes," Aglaea said.
"But... after all, 'moving forward' is the inevitable outcome of Janus's trial, and 'we' have never had a way out."
Don't be sad about saying goodbye to 'us'—we made that promise long ago, didn't we?
"It won't be long before I can't even taste sadness anymore."
Tribbie suddenly asked, "So... Aya, what do you want for breakfast?"
"What? How could this happen so suddenly..."
"I'm a little hungry after chatting for so long. Besides, we're almost at the door."
"Speaking of which, Aya, do you remember? It must have been not long after we met, you were still a little one, and you got caught sneaking some oatmeal and milk tea in the middle of the night by 'us'..."
"Ah! The High Priest was there too, and she really supported you drinking milk tea!"
"Ah... my feelings are fading, but those moments—I remember them all, my teacher."
"I'll go. What would you like to eat?"
"No need, no need, leave it to 'us'. You rest for a while, it'll be quick, 'we' will call you when we're ready."
"... Okay, then I'll trouble you."
"Well... see you tomorrow morning, Aya!"
After Aglaea left, Tribbie stood motionless, deep in thought.
"That's true, but nightmares are a bad omen. My Remembrance are getting increasingly blurry, even my mother's face is..."
"Should we go to the Abyss of Fate? But Oronyx is already..."
Tribbie was caught in a dilemma; Oronyx had fallen and was unable to help.
"Hmm... never mind, I'll go buy breakfast for Aya first! I remember Little Grey and his friends opened a milk tea shop at Cloud Stone Market... I wonder how it tastes..."
"Wait, wait, what does a bubble tea shop have to do with breakfast? Do they sell oatmeal...?"