"Hahaha~ Human world, here I come!"
Xing's consciousness had just returned when she heard Castorice's voice again:
"Finally... I know you can do it."
"Your soul remains whole, as if some kind of gravitational pull... is trying its best to hold it together."
"Is this Oronyx's final blessing? Or is it a miracle that belongs only to you?"
Castorice, amidst the sea of flowers in the Underworld, gazed in the direction where the stars had vanished and murmured to herself.
"It's... unbelievable. A vague sense of déjà vu welled up inside me, indescribable."
"Perhaps, fate has once again fulfilled its own destiny; or perhaps, it is the law of that otherworldly realm, which Your Excellency is familiar with, that has already intertwined our fates..."
After a moment of Castorice said, "... It seems this is not a mystery that can be solved in the short term."
"The feeling of becoming a demigod is wonderful. It's as if the River of Souls flows deep within my soul, transforming into a gentle, nourishing rain with every breath..."
"Do you still remember that prophecy? At the end of the sea of flowers, the souls of the living will warm your fingertips. After the embrace, there will be an Eternity farewell."
"I promised you that I would do my utmost to write another interpretation for it."
"Now that I have become a demigod, my destiny has come to an end—" Castorice smiled slightly, "And I can finally write its final chapter in the most beautiful way."
"That long-cherished wish can finally be fulfilled. In this new world, every blossoming life will raise its hands high, proclaiming the significance of this moment..."
"Every touch, every embrace we share will no longer be a cold, ruthless act of deprivation..."
"And we must spread 'love' across the earth with our burning warmth."
As if to bid a final farewell, the dragon arrived at the Twinmoon Spire with a gentle breeze, and unsurprisingly, Xing saw Castorice again.
"The other side... is extremely cold."
The Castorice gently landed before the star. "One last time, may I borrow your warmth one more time?"
Before she finished speaking, Castorice gently hugged Xing, her fingertips resting on her back, even her touch filled with a cautious reluctance.
The moonlight cast shadows that blurred their silhouettes together; their embrace had no time limit, yet their separation was timed.
Thank you for making my wish come true.
"At the end of the sea of flowers, the souls of the living will warm your fingertips. After the embrace, comes Eternity farewell."
"Etc...!"
By the time Xing realized what was happening, Castorice had already remounted the dragon.
"The place I'm going to is the place people call a land of sorrow."
"But with this heartbeat, and the warmth of your embrace... I will transform the Underworld into a gentle refuge."
"That brief embrace was proof that I 'lived.'"
"Farewell, Your Excellency. May we... meet again in the new world."
The Holy City of Okhema, inside the Vortex of Genesis
The matter of the Citizens' Assembly has come to a temporary end, Journey of Flame-Chase will continue. The Senate has suffered a great blow, and it's truly a series of good things.
But Anaxagoras, the creator of all this, is about to face his final judgment.
"Was that grand yet absurd performance all you ever wanted in your life?"
Aglaea crossed her arms and looked at that Anaxa.
"I gave up everything for the truth, just to have this moment today."
"As I expected, you didn't hesitate to seize any opportunity to wield power. Just like..."
"... power-hungry like a fly craving decay," Aglaea replied.
"I didn't say that."
"But what I said at the end... you already know? My plans for Phainon."
"I've lost an eye, but my vision is clearer than anyone else's. You're losing your humanity... you're not much different from me, a walking corpse," Anaxa said.
"Yes, after a thousand years of burning, I am long since ashes. Facing the last great enemy, Aegle... only he can unleash a flame that rivals mine."
"It seems this is our last chance... Why don't we break down our barriers against each other?"
At that Anaxa proposed, "Would you mind letting me resonate with your Core Flame, Aglaea?"
"Please go ahead," Aglaea said without refusing.
Then, Anaxa carefully examined the situation, her voice trembling slightly. "This... how is this possible? With such a weak soul... you're insane."
"Just as you can drag your dying body forward to accomplish unfinished business, I also have my reasons for doing so."
"Before Phainon grows into the prophesied leader, I must sustain the Journey of Flame-Chase and guide everyone... even if it's just an empty shell, only able to move forward a few steps."
Anaxa clutched her head, "I expected this, but I never imagined you'd fallen to this level..."
"Ha, how ironic. If we had communicated like this earlier, we could have avoided a lot of misunderstandings."
"But putting aside all our ideological differences, on this matter, I always agree with you—"
"About Phainon," the two said in unison.
"Exactly. He's a born hero, and his ability to understand people far surpasses yours."
"I can assert with certainty: he is more suited to be a leader than you, and only he can accomplish your mission..."
At that Anaxa seemed to recall something, "Alas~ it's a pity, he's a man cursed by Moneta."
"However, based on my guess, his horribly flamboyant and colorful aesthetic shouldn't hinder your ' Re-Creation '."
"Congratulations to us for reaching the same consensus at the end of our respective destinies."
Your reaction makes me want to retract what I said earlier.
Just as the two were about to continue their conversation, Phainon returned with Xing and his group.
" Aglaea! We're back--"
"Let's welcome our great hero, Xingba, who has risen from the ashes!"
Xing smiled. The Titan of Death, Thanatos's fallen soul resides in the Core Flame, awaiting its return.
The demigod of "Death" has overcome the trials and taken over the authority of the Titan, and Galactic Baseballer, who brought the "Death" Core Flame back to Okhema, has done a great job!
"I hope he didn't hear your comment just now." Aglaea looked at Anaxa.
Anaxa snorted coldly, "Hmph, this isn't the first time I've criticized him like this—a person should know their own limitations."
Then, Aglaea turned her gaze to Xing: "I am truly delighted by this victory..."
"However... it seems that Castorice is not among those traveling with you."
"It seems she not only proved herself for me, but also fulfilled her mission for you."
Xingjian said firmly, "She found out about her origins and completed the trial. I believe she has always been with us."
Aglaea closed her eyes for a moment, "Though unable to rewrite fate, she still wrote the final rhyme for her epic poem..."
"My teacher, please recite the Prophecy for us. Star, please also offer us that burning Core Flame."