She opened her eyes to find herself in an ethereal world. Looking around, she saw Axeden standing beside her, completely still, staring at the ground as if lost in deep thought.
She waved her hand in front of him, trying to bring him back. He blinked and came out of his trance, looking at her with a complicated expression.
"I just… saw something strange," he muttered.
Sophie couldn't hear him properly and wanted to ask about the vision she had just seen. But the strange atmosphere distracted her.
"Where are we?" she asked, looking around in awe.
She had never seen anything so breathtaking. Above them, the deep blue sky glowed with countless stars, multiple moons, and distant planets. It was so vivid that everything could be seen with the naked eye. The luminous ocean reflected the heavens, making it seem like the sky and sea had become one. She looked down and realized she was standing on frozen water that emitted a soft light. It was so clear, she could see the reflection of everything around her. There were no trees or flowers, but thousands of tiny glowing crystal balls floated around them. It felt like the stars themselves had come down to greet her.
"This is the River of Life," Axeden said quietly. "It's a part of the immortal realm. Mortals can't enter this place. Only death or birth can open a portal here. These glowing orbs are souls. They can recognize the ones they love. If a soul circles around you, I can help them take the form they once had, for a few minutes. But…"
He turned to her with a serious expression.
"Listen carefully. Don't let go of my hand, no matter what. And don't get attached to this place. To return to your body, you must let go of all grudges and attachments to your loved ones. If you don't, both you and they will remain prisoners here until you're ready to release them."
Sophie nodded nervously and gripped his hand tightly, swallowing hard.
"Now," he said softly, "close your eyes and remember them. If they truly love you and want to see you, they'll come. If they don't… then you won't see them. It's entirely their choice."
Her throat tightened.
"I don't know if they'll come… They left me without a single word."
Still, she closed her eyes and began remembering all the precious moments she had shared with them. Her tears fell as she called out to them, for the first time in what felt like forever. A part of her doubted they would come. If they really loved her, then why had they left her all alone, without saying anything?
"Open your eyes… and see."
She slowly opened her eyes, and gasped. Two glowing crystal orbs were circling around her. Her chest tightened, and she nearly burst into tears. Looking at Axeden with pleading eyes, she whispered,
"Do something… They're here. I want to see them."
He nodded and closed his eyes for a moment. Then, lifting his free hand, he gently touched the orbs with his fingertip. They glowed brightly, and within seconds, her parents stood before her.
"Mother… father…"
She rushed forward to hug them, but Axeden stopped her instantly. His eyes widened with fear and frustration.
"Don't! I warned you! Don't let go of my hand! You can't touch them!"
She steadied herself, watching as her mother smiled gently and raised her hand to touch Sophie's cheek. Though she couldn't feel it, Sophie sensed a soft, cold sensation, almost like a breeze. They were smiling at her… the way they used to when she was a little girl. She couldn't remember the last time they had looked so happy. Tears streamed down her face as she smiled back.
"I never imagined my daughter would bear such a heavy destiny," her mother said softly. "You have to be strong, Sophie. The path ahead is difficult, but you chose it. Trust your inner voice, and walk with him."
Sophie broke into tears. Her mother's voice gave her comfort, even if the words were confusing.
"We're sorry for leaving you," her mother continued. "But we couldn't handle it anymore. We knew you weren't ordinary. We tried to move on again and again, but the burden of raising someone like you… it was too much. We were scared."
Sophie's eyes widened.
"So… you knew all along?"
Her mother nodded.
"The moment I held you and looked into your eyes, I knew you weren't normal. When your eyes turned from black to green, I was terrified. Strange misfortunes started happening. We lost our home… my mother… then your brother. Every year, our families suffered in ways we couldn't explain. It was as if something was punishing our bloodline for bringing you into this world."
"On your 18th birthday, we had planned a surprise. But when we opened your door… we found you floating above your bed. You were asleep, glowing with green light. We tried calling you, but you didn't respond. When we touched you, we felt a freezing burn. You opened your eyes, and I saw it again. Those green eyes."
[Flashback]
"You weren't our daughter anymore. You looked at us and said --"
"It's time for me to go where I belong. Whether it's your misfortune or past deeds, I was born from your womb. You will receive salvation for raising me. But until then, your generation will suffer the price. Your death will end the curse. And it will come soon… since you touched me during my acceptance phase. Your bodies will slowly turn into crystal from inside, and then you'll die."
Her mother trembled as she spoke, crying as she looked at her daughter, now unrecognizable. They glanced at their hands, seeing red-glowing veins beneath their skin. The pain was already creeping in. Their blood felt like it was hardening.
"What about S-Sophie?" her father cried out. "If we die… she'll be alone."
"Sophie is me," the girl answered. "I've survived worse. This is my final retribution. I won't let her die without purpose."
Her father gripped his wife's trembling hands.
"Will you protect her when we're gone? Please… we need to know she'll be safe before we go."
"She is me. We are one. She has the strength to protect herself."
"How long do we have?" her mother asked with tear-filled eyes, her heart aching at the thought of leaving her daughter behind.
"Four years. For the next four years, you'll endure the pain until your bodies fully crystallize. You interrupted my enlightenment phase. This punishment isn't from me, it's the law of our ancestors. Sophie must now awaken and complete the cycle. Your touch has bound me again within her. Only by becoming me can she break free and solve the puzzle… before it's too late."
"Why didn't you tell me!? So I killed you both?"
She asked in utter shock and disbelief. Axeden could feel her warmth fading. He tightened his grip to comfort her.
"No... It was not your fault. We came between you and your enlightenment so we got punishment. Moreover, we didn't want anyone else to suffer because of us. Our bloodline can now live in peace. I didn't do it for you, but for our family… and for ourselves. It was our karma to suffer with you, but because of us, our bloodline was suffering too. To put an end to that, we had to die."
Axeden gently caressed her palm as he saw her tears fall. Her father reached out to touch her head but stopped himself, smiling softly as he spoke.
"Don't blame yourself for any of this. It was our pre-written destiny, something we could never change. You have your own life now, and it means so much to everyone."
"I'm not blaming myself! I only want you two! Why did it have to be you!? Why am I the only one left alive!?"
"Silly girl… We're happy as long as you are. Don't grieve for us. You have your own journey, and you must move forward. Greater things are waiting for you."
Sophie shook her head, unwilling to let go.
"No… I don't wa-nt to leave you gu-ys…"
As she reached out to touch her mother, Axeden quickly grabbed her hand, his heart pounding. He raised his voice in panic.
"Don't do this! I told you, you have to let them go, or they'll be in pain!"
Sophie looked at her parents as their glowing bodies began to fade. Her eyes widened in terror. She screamed, struggling against Axeden's grip.
"LEAVE ME! LET ME GO! I DON'T CARE ABOUT ANYTHING ELSE! PLEASE DON'T GO, MOM! DAD! NO, PLEASE— NO, PL-PLEASE!"
She collapsed to the ground, sobbing, but Axeden never let go of her hand. He felt helpless. There was nothing more he could do. He had already broken one ancestral law, and punishment awaited him before he could enter heaven.
Suddenly, small crystal spheres began floating around her, but fiery orbs started crashing into them. Sophie's eyes widened in horror.
"What's ha-happening?! Why are fireballs hitting them?!"
Axeden knelt beside her and sighed.
"I told you… they'll suffer if you don't let them go. Sophie, they've found peace here, and one day, they'll be reborn. Their next lives will begin in a new time and place. And they'll have the best lives, because they raised you. But for that, you have to release them. Their journey with you has ended… They now have new destinations, without you. The more reluctant you are to let them go, the more they will worry. And if they don't release their worries, love, and memories, they will suffer more and more until they forget everything. So let them go."
Sophie stared at the trembling crystal souls, hit repeatedly by fiery blasts.
"Mother… Father… Thank you for raising me, for doing everything for my sake, and for loving me so much. I'm sorry I couldn't do more for you. But I hope… I hope you have a happy and peaceful life in your next one. Let's meet again someday, okay? And even if we don't… let's be happy in our own ways, and live much, much longer lives. Be happy, Mother… Father… and I'll be happy too."
Axeden gently covered her eyes with his hand, then closed his own, preparing to leave.
To be continued