Pillar of Yita

”Your Highness the Queen, your plan with Barbaltan almost fooled everyone, even including... those worthless Believers of mine. And yet, you only got one fatal fact wrong—”

The girl parted her lips softly, as though declaring the truth of another world:

”Mortals are not worthy to behold Deities face to face.”

”For without Strength, all is but empty delusion—”

She ’looked’ toward Fang Hong. ”Even if you command half of this world’s Strength, what of it?”

”...I suppose that little girl can’t hold on much longer by now, can she?”

A dead silence.

Only then did she turn her ’gaze’ toward the Dragon Queen, with a touch of contempt upon her face. ”Well then, Alesha, we shall never meet again. Return to that immortal cage of yours, sleep forever in the darkness beneath the earth—”

The expression frozen upon the Dragon Queen’s face seemed at once utterly shocked and furious.

Yet the girl gave her no chance to speak, merely extended her index finger and gently tapped the Giant Dragon that hung motionless before her.

A beam of light pierced through the Dragon’s shell—Alesha let out a wail; the draconic form froze in midair, then scattered into countless motes of light, dispersing like smoke.

As though it had never existed there at all.

Only a voice still echoed within Fang Hong’s heart:

’Leave this place at once, young one.’

’The Divine Kingdom has descended...’

’Its coming is swifter than you imagined...’

But Fang Hong did not respond.

For at this moment another voice was resounding in his heart, that gentler, more lucid voice.

Affia was turning toward him, speaking softly: ”And now, you, Mr. Ade.”

She extended her slender finger, pointing at him.

”Farewell.”

Yet in that world of stillness, Fang Hong slowly raised his head. His tranquil bearing was reflected in the slightly startled expression on the girl’s face as he opened his mouth and asked:

”Then, Affia, what is this world’s voice?”

”No, perhaps I should say... Dika.”

”How can you move?” Shock froze upon the girl’s features, but in the next instant, they turned icy cold. Her outstretched right hand flicked, and a jet-black radiance shot forth from her fingertip.

It was like a razor-sharp sword, thrusting through Fang Hong’s body.

Yet it was as if it passed through nothing but a Shadow; Fang Hong appeared wholly unscathed, merely regarding her with utter calm.

He could almost hear that voice in his heart clearly now—two voices overlapping as one—

”Child.”

”Young man, it is now.”

And one of them belonged to Her Highness the Queen.

Shock and disbelief nearly twisted the girl’s countenance as she screamed: ”...The world’s power—no, how is it that you still possess the same Strength as I do? That little girl clearly couldn’t possibly hold out...”

But just then, her voice abruptly broke off.

A woman’s silhouette emerged from behind Fang Hong at that moment, stepping forth to stand at his back.

That dignified and resplendent lady, hands folded together, bore a face almost identical to the girl’s, save that time had left the faint trace of its Mark upon her features.

Behind her, the world under Dika’s control had begun to crack...

The Queen gazed calmly at the girl who looked like her own reflection in a mirror, and only then slowly spoke. ”Dika, did you truly think this Emerald Star had but a single master?”

”...How did you imagine a complete Soul could be wrought from that broken, incomplete Soul Mark?”

Wonder and disbelief surfaced on Affia’s face.

”That is...”

”But you refuse to believe that in this world there are those willing to sacrifice themselves to do things which, in your eyes—in you all’s eyes—are utterly foolish.” Another voice echoed through the space.

Fang Hong at last recognized the owner of that voice.

”For what you pursue is the illusory ’Eternal’, whereas what we seek is but a fleeting instant—”

A beam of dazzling green light seemed to appear from beyond the storm of wind and snow.

The King of Sand, Barbaltan, holding the Emerald Star, clad in a snow-ash robe that marked the kings of Istania, appeared there. His aged gaze swept over Fang Hong, then over Affia.

At last he looked upon his wife with boundless tenderness.

”Outsiders say...”

”These past ten years, I’ve grown old faster than at any other time. All believe it is because I pined for my wife. But Dika, can you guess what the reason truly was?”

”The Soul...” the girl ground out between her teeth.

”You’re mad, Barbaltan. Your wife was one thing, but you even dragged yourself into this as well. You cannot possibly slay a Deity, yet you will plunge yourselves into utter damnation because of it—” She shook her head with a cold laugh. ”What you seek is not some fleeting instant at all... but eternal annihilation. Have you truly thought this through?”

But the King of Sand merely reached out to take his wife’s hand. In his memory, how long had it been since he last did such a thing?

Ten years?

He smiled faintly.

”Yes, the prophecy too shall one day fade, yet Istania will endure. And for me, for those I love with all my heart, is that not another form of Eternity as well, Dika?”

Tears of deep feeling shimmered in the Queen’s eyes as she looked at her beloved, the corners of her lips lifting ever so slightly.

As though ten years of promise had here become destiny fulfilled.

She turned around.

”Child.”

”This is the chance Barbaltan and I promised you.”

Fang Hong gazed softly at the girl before him.