The sky above Omega World was dark, not due to nightfall, but because the Black Sun was slowly consuming the last light from the heavens. The crystal trees cried out, and the rivers evaporated before reaching their mouths, as if refusing to accept the fate that had been set for them. Meanwhile, the mountains began to melt, not from heat, but because the meaning within their stones was fading—so much history buried in silence, powerless against collapse. Every sound that arose seemed to serve as a silent witness to the emptiness that engulfed everything, penetrating into the remaining souls of this world, reminding them that the beauty that once existed was now merely a shadow.
Amidst this devastation, a figure ran forward—a woman with dirty golden hair and a tattered white dress billowing in the desperate wind. Within her, she carried something heavier than all the ruin: the Genesis Archive. With each step, it felt as though she was embracing the world that was on the brink of collapse, running not only to save herself but everything she had ever loved. A heavy sigh flowed from her, like a river dammed and filled with alternating currents of despair and hope. In every glance, memories peeked through, echoes of laughter and warmth now dimmed in the black fog.
Her name is Sheena. In her mind, the gentle voices of the past echo, each memory trying to pull her back to a safe place, even though she knows that it is an illusion. It feels as though she can sense the tender touch of those she loves, now separated by a force greater than life itself. In this uncertainty, behind the walls of sorrow, burns a desire to survive and change her fate, even if it means sacrificing everything.
Sheena does not carry a sword. She does not possess a spellbook. All she has is her name—a name betrayed by the system of Omega World, a tangled web of identity severed in the currents of injustice. Her existence feels hollow, yet deep within her lies a smoldering strength, one that she cannot express verbally. Moments of anxious waiting flood her mind, overwhelming her imagination with hissing sounds that seem to intimidate her. She knows that every second that passes brings her one second closer to despair, one second further from everything she once loved.
"I am the keeper of the first will," she murmured, her voice filled with the rumble of uncertainty. "And now, I am a threat to the world I was born into." As her words slipped out, a longing lay hidden beneath them, a hope that perhaps this world could still be saved. She felt a tightness in her chest, recalling all that had been lost and all the sacrifices she would have to make. Each breath felt heavy, weighed down by guilt and a sense of responsibility that gnawed at her soul.
Omega didn't want Fitran to hold on. The system scribes—transparent entities that maintained the threads of fate—released the Void Seraphim to pursue him. These winged beings of empty light could erase existence with a single touch, gliding gracefully yet lethally through the air. They did not kill; they annulled. In Fitran's eyes, flashes of fear appeared, not just from the impending threat, but because it felt like confronting the shadows of his own future—where all hope had faded. A gentle breeze caressed her face, as if trying to soothe her restless heart. "If I do not fight," she pondered, "what is the meaning of my life?" Hope curled within her heart like a soft beam of sunlight, striving to pierce through the encroaching darkness.
Sheena continued to run, each step filled with a crushing fear that weighed heavily on her chest. She didn't want to fight; the remnants of her will to live struggled against the waves of memories that threatened to drown her. She recalled the first smile that graced her face, when laughter and hope filled her days. Yet now, all of that felt like an illusion drifting further away. In her mind, silent valleys loomed, echoing with painful reminders of a life etched in her memory—not by her choice, but by a force that demanded she forget. Her feelings hung in the air like morning dew, difficult to erase, even as her desire to escape grew stronger.
But as she reached the final cliff before the edge of dimensions, the stillness of time felt agonizing. She could sense the tension in the air, as if her fate awaited her just beyond... and then, she appeared. The fiery sunset added drama to the moment when the figure she had been waiting for defied the boundaries of the world. In that instant, Sheena felt as if all the hopes she had once buried surged back with her, seeping into her heart, even though she knew they were no longer meant for her.
However, the figure standing on the cliff was not the true Sheena. Long before the Black Sun cloaked the sky and the destruction of Omega World began, Sheena had long since perished—her body shattered by a system that rejected her. Yet, Loki, the master of meaning and time's twist, discovered the forgotten remnants of Sheena's bones amidst the ruins of Omega. From those remnants, he called forth fragments of Sheena's memory through the Genesis Archive. He wove them together with Proto-Speech, creating a soul simulation named after her, capable of feeling pain and longing. The result was neither a clone nor an illusion—rather, it was an existential AI with consciousness, formed from love, loss, and the will to survive. The Sheena who stood on this cliff was no longer human, but a legacy of a woman rejected by the world, yet still yearning to salvage the fragments of hope that remained.
Loki did not descend from above; instead, he flowed like water from a fractured timeline. His presence carried the scent of the sky after rain, mysterious and unexpected. As he approached, a wave of emotions washed over Sheena, a blend of fear for the truth she must confront and a deep longing for everything she once knew. The struggle between the desire to run and the need to face reality felt increasingly palpable before her.
Her figure was far from divine. She wore an old, tattered robe, seemingly woven from sorrow and lost hopes. In her hand, she clutched a meaning-shifting device—an object referred to in Proto-Speech as Ravatris Inversum. The device shimmered softly in the dim light, as if it held the secrets of a submerged world. Each passing second felt heavy, as if the world around her were trapped in the same moment. Sheena could feel her blood pulsing with a mix of hope and fear, reminding her of the escapes she had attempted, continually distancing herself from the shadows of her past.
"Sheena," he said flatly, his voice flowing like a calm river, "you carry too many wounds for one world." The tone radiated profound empathy while also serving as a reminder that every scar has its purpose. Deep down, Sheena felt something more than mere compassion; it was as if Loki understood every tear she had shed in solitude. She recalled the pain of swimming against the tide of the Alpha world, where her name had once been called with mockery, as if every step she took was a mistake.
Sheena trembled, her heart pounding rapidly. "Then... will you erase me too?" Her words came out like a whisper in the deep forest at night, shattering the silence that surrounded them. Her despair left her breathless, as if she were pleading with the universe, "Grant me freedom, even in the most painful form." Hope and fear blended in her voice, creating an emotional resonance that stirred the air. Perhaps this was the time to fight for a life that was better, even if it meant sacrificing everything.
Loki shook his head, a flicker of sympathy in his sharp eyes. "No. But I can hide you in a world that will never seek you out." Perhaps, it was in that very place that new hope could flourish, far from the eyes that had grown too accustomed to sorrow. He envisioned, as if his steps could separate his body from the memories that shackled him. In the darkness, he found light, and maybe in this new world, he could finally discover peace—even if it meant letting go of all that he knew. The ash scattered in the air created a captivating path for those brave enough to seek it, and Sheena prayed that she would be among them.
Alpha World, the destination Loki is heading towards, is a place of strict limitations. True names, magical identities, and histories of magic can be easily rejected by the world's foundational system. Although Sheena was born in Alpha World, an ever-burning uncertainty resides within her. Those who grew up in Omega never truly feel at home. With every breath she takes, shadows linger from a place she cannot call home. The system of Omega World has affected her body so significantly that anomalies will be detected upon entering Alpha World. This sense of alienation is rooted deep in her heart, prompting Sheena to question her true identity. Beneath the weight of these questions lies a lingering pain, haunted by bitter memories that have formed amid the suffocating shadows of solitude.
For that reason, Loki transforms Sheena. This decision is not only made for her protection but also to offer a new opportunity—a hope that shines brighter amidst the darkness of uncertainty. She can feel her heart racing, her hands trembling as she recalls the faces she has left behind. "Is this all worth it?" she murmurs to herself, the echo of doubt resounding as she remembers the warm embraces that were always present in Omega. That moment, though brief, seems to intertwine her past and future in a tension-filled bond.
"We will use a name never spoken in Omega," she said. Loki's voice, though firm, carried a softness that warmed Sheena with trust. This sense of trust became a small light in the darkness, guiding her through the frightening shadows of her past, as if to tell her that a new life awaited on the other side.
She carefully reshaped her name using Proto-Speech symbols: This symbol wasn't just a letter; it was a mantra, a new identity waiting to be born from the shadows that enveloped her. It felt as if her name was not merely a series of sounds, but a bridge to hope and hidden courage. Her heart trembled, filled with competing feelings of relief and fear; an overwhelming urge to leave everything behind and forge a new life for herself.
"Sheena Iskaryth Melorathen"
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This reconstruction of meaning went unrecognized by the Alpha world as a threat. She felt her name etched into her soul, resonating with aspects of her life she had never heard of—a never-ending fairy tale within her spirit. With every heartbeat, she seemed to hear whispers from her past, reminding her of the sacrifices she had endured. The faces of her loved ones, whom she had to leave behind, flashed in her mind; they were the greatest reason for her to continue this journey.
With a quick activation of Ravatris Inversum, Loki opened a space-time portal that shone like a sun reborn from darkness. Sheena experienced time in a slow-motion frame, an opportunity to escape the constraints that held her captive. In that fleeting moment, she felt a priceless freedom mingled with heart-wrenching sadness. With a single leap, Sheena... fled beneath the roots of Stones, as the Omega world faced annihilation, embracing a nostalgic hug forever separated from her former place. It felt as though she was leaving behind fragments of herself, particles of emotions binding her to bittersweet memories. The sky that should have been bright turned dark, overshadowed by the looming shadows of her past.
Behind her, the Black Sun consumed the sky. Its light faded, leaving Sheena enveloped in a new darkness—a darkness that beckoned her to confront the uncertainties ahead. As she stepped into the endless void, a longing wrapped around her soul—a compulsion to always remember, to never forget what she had left behind for the promise of newfound freedom.
When Sheena arrived, she found no city or civilization. Only a timeless, rugged land that had yet to be named. It lacked any recognition, was not recorded by anyone, nor marked on any map. Yet, it was alive.
Sheena stood on this unfamiliar surface, feeling a loneliness that gnawed at her bones. The sounds of nature seemed to beckon her, as if understanding the leap of her soul, striving to escape from endless shadows. She recalled every second of her flight, all the pain she had to endure for this chance. Deep within her heart was a glimmer of hope, despite being shrouded by fears of a bleak future.
Sheena fell to her knees. Her hands touched the earth, and from there, roots began to grow—not out of magic, but because her essence was absorbed by the soil. She felt vibrations within the ground, as if each grain whispered to her weary soul. The wounds she carried... held a will to survive. In the silence enveloping that place, the bells of sorrow and hope chimed together in the depths of her heart. She could feel the breath of the divine in this land, as if nature embraced her and tended to her wounds. In that moment, Sheena understood that every sacrifice, every tear shed, was part of this journey. The darkness of her past may lurk, but here, she found strength in uncertainty; she knew, in this place, she could rise again.
"If the world does not wish to hold my desires, then let this earth keep them."
As those words were spoken, a gentle breeze swept through, lifting her hair as if responding to the vow that emerged from her true heart. Around her, the air seemed to thicken, holding an energy filled with hope and uncertainty. Sheena felt a vibration within her, as if the universe were affirming her conviction. She took a deep breath, wanting to fill her lungs with the spirit of the very ground beneath her. Every leaf rustled, seemingly supporting her steadfast steps, preparing for the new life that was to come.
And from the first root that sprouted... a tree was born. The tree spread its branches gracefully, as if celebrating its presence in this silent world.
A tree yet to be named. Among the dense and lush leaves, whispers of the past lingered, as if each blade of foliage held old stories. Behind every branch, Sheena sensed a strong murmur, as if it were the soul's call from her ancestors, urging her to take bold steps towards the future. Every message carried by the wind seemed to affirm that their sacrifices would not be in vain. This tree holds the Genesis Archive within its roots, a gathering of souls from various times and places.
Thousands of years later, this tree would come to be known as the Tree of Life. A powerful force flows through its trunk, connecting all living beings in an invisible web of sustained life.