The past Nav and the future Nav existed simultaneously in this world. The former being brought to life by the Nexus as an Archetype, and the latter remains a mystery. While Jury was the last Elysia to be born, and Frost had her resurrection Cycles, no one knew how or why Nav existed in the first place.

That was until they became aware of the existence of Light.

Something primordial stirred within Lailah’s eyes. Immeasurable experiences spiraled in her irises, creating a depthless vortex that was devoured by infinitely dark pupils.

“Not everyone has roused on their Floors. The vibrations tell me they are still waiting for a trigger.”

Lailah spoke tersely. It was succinct, and it carried weary resignation. She struggled to find the motivation to lurch further from her seat, her body yearning to remain withdrawn. A sarcastic, ironic undertone accompanied her words, but somehow it was not in a judgmental manner.

Overall, it was a strained, mocking politeness befitting that of a sapient machine.

“The wish that we could all just remain asleep forever. The Ego never stops to think about its own wants and needs, because it must cradle all aspects of the Self. A quote from a miserable friend:”

She shambled out from her seat, tearing herself free from invisible restraints with unblinking eyes and a crude grunt.

“Ego is the ultimate failsafe of the Well. We experience Ego Death when it dries. All that is us is lost. But when it overfills through Heightened Emotions, then the spark of Light inside us all can manifest one’s true self. I have to. The Walls of the Well made by P-Factor cannot stop it.”

Lailah finally stood from her throne of crystal thorns and began descending.

“Elysia’s irrational belief was not what ultimately brought the Corruption. The Third Shattering bestowed this spark of Light into all that lives when the world was reset to a barren rock. So when I hear the whispers of the Collective Unconscious proclaim that Elysia is the one to blame…”

The stone sword behind them briefly ignited with a blue flame. Lailah’s shriveled garb burned up as the same flame consumed her body, replacing the cinders with a coat of giant sky-blue feathers.

It matched the color of her hair and was so incredibly coarse that it appeared if the feathers were glued onto her body directly.

She leapt from the staircase, landing before them with hardly any grace. Her eyes locked with Michaela’s with ire.

“… then how can I possibly remain silent? I know what a propagated Will is capable of. Even when we change, that Will does not. Is it not ironic that the one that killed me the most is the one I advocate for?”

Michaela did not speak to her. Neither did Lailah seem to speak to Michaela directly, though it was obvious who she was incriminating. Frost deeply swallowed, and was about to speak, but Lailah suddenly reached for her face.

She cupped her cheeks with cold, clammy hands. Her fingers crawled as if to ascertain that this was in fact who she thought she was.

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And suddenly, that cold façade melted away, giving birth to a genuine smile.

“My Captured Star has grown so much. I have never seen ‘Sinder’. I only remember you as the child with red eyes and white hair in our Garden. Sometimes a bird. Other times a rabbit. I cared for you all the same. Now that you are free… I could not be happier.”

Lailah’s pain was immeasurable. She despised that she missed out on watching Frost grow. But nothing could bring her more satisfaction than to see that she had finally made it to adulthood.

Her hands lingered on Frost’s face for what seemed like hours. Frost was about to embrace her, but Lailah shook her head, stating:

“Let me relish this pain that I share with my irresponsible Creator. The fact that I exist now is not because of my yearning to fulfil an ancient wish. Were that the case, then Nav would not be present.” She then moved towards Nav.

It was hard to believe that they were essentially the same person. But Lailah assured them that their sense of Self was two entirely separate things. Nav was at a loss for words, her mind trying to decipher the existence before her.

Her memories came from this same person, and yet she possessed them like they were her own. Her hands struggled to form into fists, her brows furrowing in deep thought and yet still she did not know how to feel about this other her.

Suddenly, a hand moved to touch her cheek.

“I’m not here to replace you. I am no longer bound to my Creator. I have no reason to keep watching over the Captured Star. I am Lailah. You are Nav. We shall navigate this world separately, but I would hate to see something happen to you.”

“Likewise... I recall some of your memories, even though I don’t understand most of it myself.”

“Because you are still a Shell. A husk waiting for an Ego. Waiting for mortality. Think of me as the mediator that draws from the Collective Unconscious. My purpose? Unknown. Yours? An eventuality. Even the Star Child is not one I recall. Not with those golden eyes.”

The Star Child drew an equation for Lailah, causing her to chuckle fondly.

[r =a (1 + cos0)].

The equation was the Cardioid Curve, which when dotted on coordinate graph revealed a love heart.

Lailah did not awaken to replace Nav. This much was clear to them and was Frost’s largest worry the moment she realized who she was. The question was the same with all Archetypes.

What was their ultimate purpose? Anna was the only one who knew what she needed to do, whereas the rest of them were still searching.

Lailah moved to Magus and smiled as if in humor.

“A card for a head? You must be Polaris. I remember you from one Cycle. You talked to me about the City above. That it was better to dream than to see it for myself. Because were I exposed to what resided above, then I’m sure that my delusions would have caved in. I believe I would have Corrupted before Sinder.”

“A pleasure to make your acquaintance!” Magus gracefully bowed. “I do not recall my supposedly vast influence in the past, but I am elated, oh so elated to be assured that I was no scoundrel.”

Finally, Lailah approached Jury. She did not clasp her face, neither did she wear a friendly smile. Instead, her eyes bled with relief.

“You look just like her. Long before she corroded. Jury. I adore that name. Elysia would have fared better if people understood her. I’m glad to see that you have people that do, but I suggest that you also open your heart up more.”

Jury was taken aback by those words. It was as if Lailah had sensed something inside of her that she needed to sort out.

“Elysia is not bad?” Jury asked. “I was always told that she was.”

“She takes the brunt of the blame because of the Cycles.” Lailah directed her gaze to Michaela again. “I know countless who would have done the same. Were it not for her, then another Angel would have.”

She pushed through the small crowd, striding towards her Creator.

“If not, then it would have been my Creator.”

A blue flame appeared in the palm of her hand. It morphed into a blade forged from sky-blue light with flames that were colder than ice. A winter breeze swept through the Floor of Ego. It was a thin rapier, hardly comparable to the claymore that was the False price of Paradise.

The Unlit Sword

< Restoration comes in the form of path marked by a flaming sword >

< This is a replica akin to the False Price of Paradise >

The blade warded the voices from the Collective Unconsciousness like flame in the dark.