58 Andromeda

Ai sat at the edge of her bed, staring out the window at the setting sun with a calm smile on her face. She was glad to have accomplished so much today, from getting her new blue and white outfit and a new cloak to match, and sparring with Hoat'l and experimenting with Revolution.

Still, with so much to do in preparation for the arrival of the Solitary Empress, she couldn't help but think of when the next time she would get the chance to speak to Andromeda about the thoughts that lingered in the back of her mind. Such as who she was, who Andromeda was, and why she loved her.

Furrowing her brows, Ai realized that until now, she has had plenty of opportunities to talk to her about it, but she couldn't work up the courage to actually go through with this. What if, after today, she never got that chance? What if she ultimately failed in stopping the Empress? Even if she survived the dreaded Blood Plague by some miracle, how could the party stand against someone that high of a level?

Ai took in a deep breath and quieted her mind. If she was to talk to Andromeda, now would be the time. Preparing herself, she closed her eyes and focused on her Domain as the familiar void began to surround her.

When she opened her eyes, she was in the depths of the void, not a single mana strand in sight. In front of her, smiling sweetly, her silver eyes stared at Ai as Andromeda stood with her arms behind her back.

"So we've decided it's time, then." She said simply as she brushed her silver hair behind her left ear.

Ai nodded, unable to return a smile. She felt anxious, she knew that what she would hear today would change something.

No...

...Not something...

...Everything.

Andromeda waved her hands as a magic barrier surrounded them, the sepia-colored barrier faded in color but Ai felt the effect, they were cut off from the rest of her Domain, she could no longer sense Aiya and the mana strands in the distance.

Andromeda dropped her usual warm smile, replaced by a deadly serious expression. "Are you sure you wish to hear our story?"

Again, Ai nodded with no change in her expression, no words could come, the anxiety and dread silenced her.

"Then let us begin." She waved her hand once more, summoning two floating blue mana disks as they both sat down.

"My story starts much the way yours did, awakening from a deep slumber within the very same altar, with the exception that I was the first to do so. I awoke two hundred years ago into a new world, rather, it was their world, but several thousands of years in their future. I left that broken hall with nothing but a simple grey dress and a desire to survive and learn. I spent a year exploring the lands that would become outer Caladan, killing monsters with spells, and meeting people of no importance. Another year would pass as I would gain strength and make a name for myself, further exploring the world. I met a man that would later become your husband and the simple life of adventure I had lived had changed. He told me of my death, and that it would be at the hands of our father, who would bring about the start of the next Cycle."

"Wait, but the Cycle hasn't started yet, and we came about because you died, right?" Ai finally interrupted.

Andromeda nodded. "He never said when he would start the Cycle. I awaited my death, rather, I went into seclusion, leveling up away from prying eyes when I had discovered a way to break the Level 20 threshold. I spent many years becoming powerful, achieving a level of power many could never fathom. I alone became the most powerful being in this world and eventually, I reached the point where I no longer feared death, I was certain that I could handle our father when the time came. I became complacent and met a man, a man I would fall in love with and marry. Over the many years we had been together, I bore him five children. Eventually, I discovered that I aged much slower than normal, and unfortunately, he eventually grew old and died, and our children scattered throughout the world, becoming lords, kings, and heroes, whilst I stayed complacent, awaiting the final confrontation with father. I was a hundred and fifty-seven when he finally arrived. Nothing could have prepared me for his power. I had reached an astounding Level 93 when he arrived. The fight was quick, I stood no chance, he slaughtered me before I could even put up a fight. Then, the most peculiar thing happened. My soul split, and as the part that I am now, lingered at the place of my death, the other fragment departed and found a new body, the one that would eventually become you. The girl would be named Ai. As much as I would love to tell you how your life went, knowledge of that life would never be passed down to me. I do, however, know how you died. The man you called your husband ended your life and started the chain of events that would lead us back to the altar, at least for a time."

"Wait, hold the fuck on, my 'husband' killed me? What the actual fuck?" Ai yelled out as she slammed her fists into the mana disk.

"He is not from this plane of existence, the knowledge that he possesses about this world far surpasses anything we could assume, ultimately I believe that his actions were... helpful..."

"How in the hell did I wind up marrying some extra-dimensional bastard!?"

Andromeda shook her head. "I do not know, perhaps fate has some plan in place, seeing as everything that has happened in the past has led to this very moment. Anyways, when you died, I came back to life at the altar, having no knowledge of your life before my return. I had, fortunately, come back at the same level and spent some time re-discovering the world. I ran into your husband once more, who seemed to be intrigued by my return and captured me. In the Cathedral of the End, he and the other priests did countless experiments on my soul, ripping me apart and tearing my soul to shreds to find out how I had rejected the cycle of life and death. This, of course, killed me, once again sending another fragment of my soul out which found a new host that would later become Aiya. This girl would come to live a relatively normal life with her sister and her tribe until a few years ago when your husband found her. It was then that he decided to perform yet another one of his twisted experiments and infected her with the Memory Virus, which would become the Blood Plague. The first time that she split, I came back to life. I still resided in her body, which, besides the hair color, was much the same as my own when I was young. She attacked me immediately, infecting me. As I was about to succumb to the virus, your soul appeared before me and gave me a gift that I treasure to this day. With your gift, I was able to retain portions of my memory as the virus ravaged my mind and you appeared before me in your body. I, unfortunately, failed to stop myself from infecting you as the vicious cycle was allowed to continue. Once we had merged after you succumbed, Aiya was split off, and thanks to your gift and your will power, we were able to avoid attacking Aiya as she was allowed to live her life once more, never knowing the cycle that had started from your husband's corruption. Eventually, however, we succumbed to the influence and a few months ago, we tracked Aiya and infected her as well. She left her tribe and went to the altar, where we tracked her again and attacked once more, with your gift, we had hoped to kill her, allowing the cycle of splitting to be stopped. Of course, we failed, and she managed to split before dying, leading to your current incarnation."