On the shore of a lake, a man, a woman, and a sword arrived in a blink just several dozen feet away from a magnificent monument overlooking the water.

Spreading his divine sense, Nox noticed that the lake was a size larger compared to before. Previously, there wasn’t a single thing left, other than the lake and Ling's monument, but now everything around and inside the lake was lush and filled with life.

Glancing ahead, Nox and Stella’s gazes were both fixed onto a large and beautiful white jade monument. It depicted an elegant woman standing on the shore of this very lake, golden hair blowing in the wind. Flowers were beside her, while some petals were scattered by the wind. Fish were swimming in the lake and birds flying in the sky. This scene was very vivid and lifelike; as if someone poured their entire soul into it. Below that mural, there were a few words.

‘In memory of Ling, wife of Nox Ferrum, mother to Stella Ferrum.

The past is irreversible, but the future can be shaped by your own hands.

Life might not linger forever, but it will always start anew'

Eyes wet, Stella started walking towards the monument. Her gaze fixed, nothing else was in her eyes.

Reaching the monument and reading the words, Stella broke down into tears as her legs gave out, falling on the sand. She knew what happened in the end, but hearing and seeing are two different things.

Standing further away, Nox’s heart was in pain as he watched Stella.

‘My wife, it’s over now. I can’t bring you back, but I didn’t let you down. Our daughter is here, safe and sound. Rest easy, I won’t let anyone harm her ever again.’ Whispering, Nox’s eyes were filled with love and sadness.

Feeling a cold yet warm sensation on his arm, Nox turned his head only to see Nyx rubbing against him, seemingly with care and concern.

“Thanks” grabbing Nyx’s hilt, Nox gently swept his fingers along the blade, a light smile appearing on his face. Nyx wasn’t just a weapon. She developed emotions and had a deep connection with him. A connection that could be felt without words. Throughout the years, other than his goals, she was the only one keeping him together. Always there, unconditionally.

Stella didn’t seem to realize, but Nox noticed long ago that there were flowers and incense at the base of Ling’s monument. Several hundred feet away, was a small little cottage with a presence inside.

Although wondering how someone could be here, Nox decided not to investigate right now, as he didn’t feel a threat coming from inside. They came to visit Ling, and this was especially important for Stella.

–

Several hours came and went, as Nox continued to wait patiently.

On the ground leaning against the monument, Stella appeared to be asleep. A scene of serenity with only the sounds of nature remaining.

A few minutes later, Stella’s eyes opened. Tilting her head to gaze up at her mother’s monument, a smile crept onto her face as her previous disposition completely changed. Standing up, she turned and walked towards Nox.

“ It looks like you took this well. I’m glad you take after your mother in that regard… Meanwhile, well… Look at me haha” Nox patted Stella’s head and laughed self-depreciatingly at himself.

“Now, I’m not the same man I used to be. The same father…”

“Come on, mom wouldn’t have wanted us to be so melancholic. You know that. You wrote some of the words mom had said, so how about you listen to them? We have to live happily from now on, especially you. Not everything was good, and maybe you could’ve done some things differently, but everything you did, you did for us. I’m here again because of you.” Stella asserted, hugging Nox.

“Things might change with time, but you’re still my dad. I don’t blame you. I don’t think mom would have, either. ”

“Well, maybe she would’ve almost killed you.” Stella giggled.

Viewing his daughter smile and laugh after those horrible events, Nox felt truly gratified, albeit slightly ashamed at himself. She could move on after only a day, yet even after accomplishing everything today, it still wasn’t easy for him.

*Creeeak*

Breaking the atmosphere, the creak of a wooden door opening suffused the surroundings. From that dainty cottage, a beautiful woman with long golden hair and red eyes appeared. She wore a warm smile as she intently observed Nox and Stella.

Gazing at the woman, shock surfaced on Nox and Stella’s faces. This woman was strikingly similar in appearance to Stella and Ling.

Briefly stunned, Nox quickly came out of his reverie.

“Who are you!? “ slightly raising his voice, Nox became vigilant. Although he felt no maliciousness, this was too unusual.

Hearing Nox’s voice, Stella was jolted awake and on guard, yet curious.

“You must be… Nox and Stella, Lings husband and daughter?” the woman asked in a crisp voice while appraising Nox and Stella.

Surprised, Nox almost instinctively felt more at ease, slightly lowering his guard. Her appearance, voice, and even aura was similar to Lings.

“That’s right. Once again, who are you? How did you get here? “ Nox tentatively queried, an idea quickly forming in his mind.

With a faint smile lingering on the woman’s face, she suddenly disappeared, quickly arriving in front of Nox and chopping down with a thin sword that materialized in her hand. The power was silent, yet immense, like an entire world was looking down upon you.

In less than a blink, it had already arrived just a few feet from Nox.

With only slight surprise in his eyes, Nox leisurely reached out with his left hand, as space started distorting, compressing and folding between his fingers. Making contact with Nox’s hand, the swords force instantly dissipated. Gripped between his fingers, Nox’s hand was like an indestructible and immovable object.

Staring into her crimson eyes, Nox realized from the beginning that she had no killing intent, and abruptly released his grip on the sword, allowing the woman to take a few steps back. While the sword disappeared as quickly as it appeared, she was still the same; with a warm smile.

‘That’s… not good. How do I quickly fix this’ despite that smile, she was inwardly distraught after they made contact.

Returning his gaze, it seemed as if she could peer into his soul and see what others couldn’t.

‘Oh!’ Noticing something, the woman turned her analyzing gaze towards Nyx, who was floating besides Nox.

‘So that’s the case! Perfect.’

“I was told you were stronger than me, but to think the difference could be this large. What a marvel. “ the woman voiced with praise.

‘Large? Who are you trying to fool?’ thought Nox. He could tell that physical combat wasn’t her specialty. Personal power had many different aspects to it.

“You might have guessed to a certain extent, but I’m Lings elder sister, Elise. I suppose I’m your sister-in-law and Stella’s aunt. “ Elise expressed warmly.

‘Lings… sister?’ Nox muttered under his breath, dragging him away from all other thoughts. Although he guessed it, it still came as a shock.

“What!? Mom’s sister? Aunt? My aunt? “ unlike Nox, Stella shouted in disbelief.

All her life, Stella thought she had no other relatives, besides her parents. Nox’s side of the family were all mortals that weren’t able to ascend, so they all passed away long before she was born. The following generations were too far removed from her, not to mention the circumstances of that time rarely allowed her to go out.

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This was also the case for Ling, and generally all mortals who managed to ascend.

Watching the father and daughter duo, Elise just waited patiently, letting them organize their thoughts.

“Dad, is she telling the truth? Is she really mom’s sister? “ Stella was uncertain.

“I’m not sure how, but it should be true. She feels very similar to your mom, and even specializes in the soul, like her. “

“I know this has been overwhelming, but try to calm down and think properly. You should have been able to sense it by now.“ Nox advised his daughter.

Although their power was different, Elise seemed to have broken through the limit like Nox, so he could only vaguely sense this connection. Stella was different. If two beings are from the same vein, they would have a type of resonance. A signal that proves they’re close kin. The reason being a similar life force.

Resonance can only be felt by those a few lines apart, as the further you get, the more differences start appearing. If you’re physically close enough in proximity, you could easily feel it. You could even sense it from long distances if you’re powerful enough to leave a marker.

‘Phew… ‘ trying to regain her calm, Stella let out a long breath. This entire situation was bewildering, but she wasn’t a child. So much had already happened within the span of a day, so what’s a few more surprises?

“You’re right, dad, I can sense it. She feels so similar to mom! It must be true, or there’s no way it would be this strong; almost as strong as you and mom! “ focusing intently on Elise, Stella’s doubts faded, as she became joyful. There was no way to fake such an intrinsic aspect of life, even for Nox. She finally had another family member, and it was even her mom’s sister.

“See, I wasn’t lying. “ Elise smiled amicably towards Stella.

Nox could see Elise’s joy, as he finally relaxed. It was already obvious that she never had any bad intentions… a bit aggressive, maybe, but it was still good to get Stella’s confirmation.

“I know we should talk about other things first, but before everything else, other than to visit my sister, I’ve been waiting for you and your father. “ Elise looked at Stella, before fixing her gaze onto Nox.

“Nox, you should have already felt it, but this universe has a core. However, what you might not know, is that there are multiple universe’s, each having their own differences in energy and cores. These cores can convey their will and guide portions of that energy…” Elise paused for a moment.

“Ling and I are from the Archaeos Universe, and you’re from one called the Galactic Universe. The one we’re in now, and the one Stella originates from, is called the Tian Universe.

The reason you were able to reach this level in only a fraction of the time, is because of this Tian Universe and mine. “

“Multiple universe’s? And you, Ling, and I are from a different ones? How is that even possible? And these universe’s are why I reached this level so fast?“ this information came as a shock to Nox. He wasn’t expecting a conversation like this to happen so abruptly.

By the side, Stella was feeling exactly like Nox.

“Actually, you would have figured this out sooner or later, but because you only broke through recently and haven’t tried sensing the outer layers of this universe, I had to tell you in advance. “

“As for being from another universe, that has to do with your soul. Ling and I originated from Archaeos, and yours originated from Galactic. Sometimes, souls end up slipping through their universe’s cycle of reincarnation and end up in another, which is what happened to you and Ling. She… “ Elise paused before continuing emotionally.

“had died in my world while I was in another universe, much like now. She was supposed to reincarnate in Archaeos but ended up transmigrating here. I had reached this level long ago, but time flows a lot faster in this universe compared to mine. By the time my universe could point me to where she was… I arrived here and used my energy to see what happened. Since then, I’ve been keeping her company and waiting here for you both to arrive. Just on time, actually.“

‘So, I was right, her specialty isn’t anything physical. To have senses able to see so far into the past and know I would return with a revived Stella… Her spirit is incredibly powerful. ‘ Nox thought.

Standing besides Nox, Stella was quiet, still absorbing all this information. Multiple universe’s. Her mother’s origins. It was truly unbelievable.

“If you were originally searching for Ling, why would you need to wait for Stella and me? “ Nox calmly questioned.

“Well, two reasons. I wanted to meet my sister’s family, and in turn, also mine. Our only family left in Archaeos were my children and the families of my husbands. She had never married in all those years, so I was surprised by you and Stella, hence I figured you both would be exceptional… I clearly wasn’t wrong. “ Elise replied, regaining a faint smile.

‘Husbands?' Nox and Stella thought simultaneously.

“The second reason is that I was contacted by both this universe and mine. As I already knew you would arrive with Stella, they wanted me to convey their will to you. You would eventually be able to commune with them, but you only just brokethrough.

As for your power, my universe and this one came to some sort of agreement, therefore they decided to help in your comprehension of energy. Apparently, this goes against laws even a universe core can’t control, so the backlash could have been massive if both weren’t involved. You would have reached it in time, but they couldn’t wait for that long. It could have been hundreds of thousands of years, or even millions. “ Elise had a wry smile. This information along with that length of time was all completely inconceivable.

Listening to Elise, both Nox and Stella were confused and surprised. Even Nyx hummed slightly at all this new information.

“What a ridiculous situation. Well, what do these universe’s want from me? If it’s something going too far, I'll have to refuse. I won’t leave Stella alone. “ Although taken aback, Nox was resolute in this.

Gazing at Nox, Elise's smile widened; she was inwardly pleased with this brother-in-law of hers. To go even against a universe’s will for his family, who wouldn’t be pleased?

“It really isn’t much; they only want you to go to Archaeos and live there. You can even bring Stella and your… weapon spirit. There’s probably more to it, but it shouldn’t be an issue. “ Elise stated expectantly, especially locking her gaze onto Nyx once more.

Glancing at Nyx besides him, Nox grinned.

“Not just a weapon spirit. Her name is Nyx and she’s been with me for thousands of years. I wouldn’t be here without her. “

Hearing Nox say that, Nyx responded by happily rubbing the flat of her blade against his arm.

“I feel as if there’s a catch, and honestly, I have no desire to accept. I don’t care about anything else. I only want to be here with Stella and Nyx. “ Nox spoke lightly.

By the side, Stella became pained from Nox’s words.

‘Dad had so many goals before… Now… there’s nothing.’

“I understand. If I was placed in your shoes, I would feel the same. But, I believe this is something beneficial for the three of you.

The only catch is that you’d have to abandon your current bodies for new ones. The energies in Archaeos, although similar, are also different to what you know, so that also means your strengths would be different. Well, you’re an exception, Nox. Nothing can truly hold you back if you tried; not even the many universe’s. At our level, freedom is what we have the most of. ” Elise replied, trying to persuade Nox

Listening to Elise, Nox was silently staring into her eyes. She appeared sincere enough, but this suggestion was too abrupt.

I ca-“ Nox started to answer before being interrupted.

“Wait dad, I know you’ll say no, but I really like Aunt Elise's request. Although I just came back, it’s still like it was yesterday for me. I don’t want to stay here anymore. It might be selfish of me when you’ve done all of this, but I’ve always been unable to travel and live my own life…” Stella paused for a moment.

“I want to go. Mom is gone and there’s no reason to stay here anymore. Especially you, you're not old enough yet to just sit around forever and do nothing. “ Stella pleaded, knowing that this was important.

*sigh*

Nox could only release a defeated sigh. He had a feeling she would say something. How his wife and daughter could get over such heavy situations so easily, was beyond him.

“No, I’m the one being selfish. I forgot that you need to live your own life. That’s what your mother and I wanted all those years ago, and now it’s possible. I won’t hold you back. “ Nox sighed.

“Fine. If Stella wants to go, then we’ll go. Maybe it’ll be nice to start anew.“ Nox stated to Elise, before turning towards Stella with a loving yet dejected gaze.

“When we do this, I know you’ll be leaving. Just as you said, you need to live your own life, but let’s just stay here for a little longer. I want to spend some more time together and… say my goodbyes to your mother. “

At Nox’s assent, Stella ran up to happily hug Nox.

“Thanks, dad. I also want the same, so let’s stay until you’re ready. I know this is a good idea.“

“Whatever you want.” Nox expressed with a grin before letting go of Stella and turning towards Elise.

“We’ll stay here for a few years before we leave. It shouldn’t be a problem, right? “ Nox asked Elise.

“No, not at all! Even if it was a thousand more, it would be fine. After all, this universe’s time is far faster than mine. “ Elise beamed.

“Come here Stella, you’re such a good girl. It was so easy for you to convince your father. “ Elise arrived within a blink in front of Stella and hugged her as if she was a child, completely surprising her. Yet, although Stella was surprised, she felt warmth. The warmth of family and someone who felt like her mom.

*sigh*

‘What am I supposed to do? No matter age or strength, women just do whatever they want. Alas, it seems all three of them are truly family. Able to just rid themselves of negative emotions so easily… Meanwhile...’  Nox sighed once more as he observed Elise’s enthusiasm and Stella's happiness.

As Nox was submerged within his own thoughts, he was abruptly brought back to reality.

“Right, I almost forgot the other catch! “ Elise exclaimed.

“When you’re transferring to my universe, a few changes will happen. You see, my universe is a bit different than this one. This universe doesn’t have it, but mine has an energy called “Fate”. It’s similar to luck, but firmer and more elaborate. A bit like a road you can follow which connects to different areas. My universe will give one to you, which is hard for even it to do, because it can only control a tiny portion of Fate.

You’re strong enough not to be lead by this energy, so it’s your decision to let it invisibly guide you or not. Personally, I consider it to be important because it’s something I apparently couldn’t qualify to do. As for the complete fate energy, it can be unpredictable and give you other ones. Archaeos itself can’t create those. “ Elise spoke seriously.

“As for the other changes, because you guys are a special case, you’ll be able to choose the types of bodies you want while you’re transferring to Archaeos; or you could just let fate decide. When you arrive, some additional things might happen. As you three aren’t from Archaeos, even I can only slightly peer into it. “ Elise put on a mysterious smile.

‘She must really be looking forward to this…’ From Elise's gaze, Nox, an immortal who had endless energy, felt a wave of mental fatigue. This was a long day.