60 Them

Ai nodded as she heard the names. She had her suspicions about the identity of 'mother' and 'father', but now she was certain. Ambrosia and Kha'Duran had come back to life, and more importantly, they were currently the most powerful opponents in their new world.

A few seconds after repeating their names in her head, her eyes widened in disbelief. She remembered them! The images of the two in front of her reaffirmed this as even their faces had been obscured from her memories before. She finally remembered.

His name was Kha'Duran, Paladin of Vengeance, wielder of the [Celestial Armory], and Hero of Radiance. Kha'Duran was half-angel, and due to his lineage, he lived through several human lifetimes to reach a high enough level to use the Prestige Altar. Somewhere along his journey, he met the Witch of the Spirits, Ambrosia, and they fell in love. Well, he fell in love. Somehow she managed to deceive him for years, using his power to level herself enough to alter the Prestige Ritual.

As for her, well, most of her memories were still locked away, as if she knew that her alteration of the ritual would go wrong. She kept most of her past before meeting Kha'Duran locked away, leaving little for Ai to contemplate. Still, something lingered from her plans. She didn't know that the ritual would result in this as she had originally planned to take all of the power for herself.

However, there was one detail that changed everything, one detail that resulted in the future incarnation of Andromeda to gain all of the power she had attempted to take for herself. That one detail hit Ai like a castle had fallen on top of her head, as all of the memories that she originally had excluded this important detail.

Ambrosia was pregnant.

"Did you know?" Ai asked with a serious expression on her face.

Andromeda tilted her head to the side, raising an eyebrow. "Know what? Who they are? Of course, I unlocked those memories a long time ago."

"Did you know that you were their daughter?"

Andromeda remained silent for a while, her eyes wandered down as she gazed down at nothing in particular. "T-that's... it's comp-"

"Don't feed me that complicated crap, Ameda." Ai interrupted as her serious expression turned to anger.

She took a deep breath to calm down and sighed. "So you did know to some extent. Probably thanks to the aspect of knowledge. Do you still have access to the recollection system without your own body?"

Andromeda shook her head. "Only you have access to it. I'm surprised that you managed to remember that, I never knew until you gave me the gift."

'Come to me.'

Ai scratched her head as her mind pulsed, causing a brief headache. "Now the question is, did she plan any of this, knowing that she was pregnant with you."

"Nothing in those memories showed any hints of her planning this. Although there are plenty of blank spots in her memories. So I suppose it's not impossible."

'And find me.'

Ai massaged her scalp as the headache returned slightly stronger. "Mn, damn headache. Anyways, I should get some rest, we've got a lot of work to do tomorrow. I'll come back when I get the chance."

Andromeda smiled and nodded as she waved a hand, causing the barrier to evaporate.

"Take care, Ameda." Ai said as she focused her mind back to reality. She opened her eyes, noticing that night had finally settled in.

"Fuck. That was... enlightening." She closed her eyes again and slowly drifted off to sleep.

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'Come to me... and find me...'

As I lay here, dreaming, I could feel something, someone, calling to me. Following the voice, I find myself within a dark place. Dimly lit torches of an unnatural blood-red light coat the eerie walls of a throne room that just screams 'evil lair'.

The source of the voice sits there, on a throne of skulls and iron. Black armor, no, armor made from shadow itself, adorns this woman. Quietly she hums a familiar tune, as the voice echoes once more within my mind. 'Come to me... and find me...' The voice repeats, over and over again which causes both tension and calmness in my heart.

The woman looks up towards me, but not at me, as though she can feel my presence, but cannot see me, I feel safe in that feeling for now until she speaks to me.

"There you are my sweet, sweet child." The shadows that make up her helmet fade away, revealing her familiar face, crimson eyes, and raven black hair. "But you are not here, are you, my sweet child. You are from elsewhere, no, from some time. The future perhaps? But not too far if I have yet to find you."

I gasp for air as a tightness grasps my chest, however, I have no mouth, no breath, no voice. Silently, I stare at Ambrosia, this is not the present. In the present, she is not in this foreboding castle, she rides a ship bound for Caladan Proper. How? Is this a dream? No, I can feel her presence. A presence I haven't felt in a very long time, long before this body. This is her, I am here, in the past.

'Come to me... and find me...'

The voice continues to beckon, however, I am here, is she beckoning me to come closer? But I can't move. I am powerless.

Ambrosia smiles at me, there is not a hint of hatred, killing intent, or any negative emotion for that matter. She seems almost... Happy?

"My dear, sweet daughter. I have longed for your arrival. Tell me, where are you now?"

She stares in silence for a moment, as though listening for my reply. I want to tell her to fuck off. I want to tell her to leave me alone. Myself and my friends. I must protect my friends and my home. I will protect my friends and my home. Tomorrow, I will travel to Caladan Proper, and I will be ready to stop you, Ambrosia.

"My my, stop me? My dear, sweet daughter. I only wish to save you from the fate that the cruel gods have bestowed upon you. I shall sail to Caladan Proper and save you, my sweetest daughter."

Fuck! She can hear my thoughts!? Stay away! At least give me more time!

"More time, my dear? I have longed to finally meet you. But very well. My enchantment worked. I called on you, even though you come from a different time. I will give you one month. One month and I will come and find you, save you."

The tightness in my chest intensifies. Is this all my fault? Is this how she found out where I was? I'm the reason so many people are put at risk? I have to get stronger. Stronger.

I feel the voice weakening as my surroundings slowly begin to fade. But before they do...

"Know this, my sweet. Everything in this world that is wrong is because of you. The impending war was started by your hand, the new system was broken because of you, the Cycle will continue because of you. Come to me... and find me... and I will save you, love you, teach you. You do not wish to cause any more damage to this world. Trust me, I will save you from this insufferable fate. I will train you to control your powers. I will protect you from those lecherous fiends from the End. I will guide you on the path to stop the Cycle once and for all. All I ask is for you to come to me... and find me..."

With that, the darkness fully embraces me as I drift back to sleep.