Chapter Thirty-Five: Known Unknowns: Part Two

Yozora stood, a mix of confusion and understanding swirling within him. "So you're saying that this 'between' is a middle ground between Earth and Elysium, and that your actual body exists here?" he asked cautiously.

Circe smiled softly. "Yes, Yozora. To put it simply, this realm is a liminal space—a threshold between two worlds. Elysium, the original world, and Earth, a mirror of sorts. Here, time bends and shifts, and things are not what they seem. Days here could feel like months, but on Earth, only a short time passes."

Yozora felt the weight of her words, but his mind kept drifting back to Mara. "You mentioned Mara... what happened after we crossed over to the between? Why didn't you kill us then?"

Circe’s eyes flickered with a strange fondness as she recalled the past. "When I first sensed your presence in the between, I fully intended to destroy you. But upon seeing your face, your heart even with your closest friends there was still cold as ice, I couldn’t go through with it. There was something different about you three. Instead of killing you, I observed you, and eventually, we spent quite some time together. You, Mara, and T.LAC trained here, and learned from the original Tuners in Elysium, the very first of your kind. You developed abilities far beyond anything S.T.A.R.S could comprehend."

She paused for a moment, letting her words sink in before continuing. "But Mara… she had a gift. She saw visions of the future. She foresaw two distinct paths, both leading to her death. One of those paths was crueler than the other, and it was the one that involved you and T.LAC being forcefully zeroed, your memories stripped away, and your titles erased."

Yozora’s stomach churned at the mention of Mara’s visions. "She knew she was going to die?"

"Yes," Circe replied softly. "In one future, she would spend more time with you and T.LAC, which would ultimately lead to her death at the hands of Jezebel. But she chose that path. She knew it would result in a more painful end, but she also knew it would give you two the chance to live. Mara sacrificed herself to ensure you and T.LAC would have your powers restored and live free of the S.T.A.R.S control."

Yozora clenched his fists, anger and sorrow warring within him. "She died to save us…"

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Circe nodded. "Mara suffered greatly for her choice, but she made me swear a blood vow—a promise to tell you two things when the time came. First, she foresaw what you would become, Yozora. She saw the darkness that would grow within you if you let your grief and anger consume you. She wanted me to warn you: Don’t let the cold, the darkness in your heart break free. If it does, the universe will fall into chaos like the one before ours."

Yozora’s heart pounded in his chest, the gravity of her words weighing down on him. He struggled to breathe, the air thick with tension. "And the second promise?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

Circe took a deep breath. "The second promise was to restore your memories."

"But we were zeroed," Yozora interrupted. "How can you restore something that was erased?"

Circe smiled knowingly. "Yes, you were zeroed, but not everything was lost. Your memories were fragmented and stored here in the between, with me. Mara knew you’d return here one day, and when you did, I was to fulfill my promise. The S.T.A.R.S high council took no chances when you returned to Earth. They debriefed you, made it seem like everything was normal, but once they realized you had crossed over into the forbidden realm, they had you zeroed. It wasn’t just because of the taboo of crossing over. Your biological mother and father… have many secrets that you should hear from them. Mara and T.LACs biological donors are both Beyonders, part of the Twelve Pillars. They agreed to have you and your friends zeroed, but only on the condition that you stay together and attend Stars Institute for the Gifted."

Yozora’s mind was racing, struggling to process the enormity of what Circe was telling him. "Mara and T.LAC’s biological donors... Beyonders?" he muttered, more to himself than to Circe.

"Yes," she confirmed. "The zeroing process wiped away your memories and abilities, but only to a certain extent. I can restore your memories, Yozora, but your abilities... they’ll need to be earned back. You were once more powerful than you can imagine, but regaining that strength will require time, hard work, and sacrifice. You can also find all your lost shards. My recommendation? Relearn everything, and build something greater than before."

Yozora stood still, his thoughts in turmoil. "So... you’re going to restore my memories?"

"Yes," Circe said, stepping closer to him. "Come closer and gaze into my eyes. It’s time to fulfill the promise I made to Mara."

Yozora hesitated for only a moment before stepping forward. Circe raised her hands, a faint smile playing on her lips as she moved them across his face, her eyes locking with his. In that moment, a wave of energy surged through him, and his mind exploded with memories—fragments of training, laughter, pain, and power. His time in Elysium, the battles he had fought, the moments shared with Mara and T.LAC—it all came rushing back with overwhelming clarity.

As the memories flooded in, Yozora stumbled slightly, his body trembling under the weight of his past. When it was over, he stood there, breathing heavily, the full force of his history crashing into him like a tidal wave.

"You have your memories now," Circe said softly. "But remember, your abilities will take time to recover. Train in Elysium once more and unlock the full potential that was once yours."

Yozora’s heart was heavy, but a flame began to ignite within him. He nodded slowly, accepting what had to be done. He was ready to reclaim what was lost, no matter how long it took.

As he prepared to leave, Circe’s gave Yozora one final warning. "Remember, Yozora… you walk a fine line between light and darkness. Don’t let the cold in your heart consume you. The universe cannot survive another fall into chaos."

Yozora gave her one last look, his eyes filled with sadness. He would not let Mara’s sacrifice be in vain. With a quiet nod, he turned and left, knowing that his journey was only just beginning.