A few days after her transformation into a powerful entity, Maria stood before her father, Absoria, her eyes filled with determination. She expressed her desire to see her mother again. Absoria, initially reluctant, thought long and hard before refusing her request. However, faced with Maria's insistence, he finally gave in.
"Very well," he finally said, "but Celina and Garu will accompany you for your protection."
Before Maria crossed the dimensional rift he had created between hell and the world of the living, Absoria approached his daughter and whispered a few words to her. "Give a message to your grandmother and your uncle... Tell them that I am still alive, even though I am no longer human. And to your mother... Tell her that I am sorry for not knowing sooner all the suffering that she and you have endured."
Maria, with tears in her eyes, smiled softly. "It wasn't your fault, Father. It was the fault of that woman and her daughter, Melia." She hugged him briefly before rushing with Celina and Garu into the dimensional portal.
They landed on Earth, and Maria was shocked by the many changes she hadn't anticipated. The familiar streets had changed, and the world seemed foreign. However, she quickly pulled herself together and guided her companions: "Follow me."
Celina and Garu followed her as they flew toward her grandmother's house. Once there, Maria entered the empty house. Her heart sank when she saw no sign of her grandmother, but then she suddenly heard a voice outside. Rushing outside, she found herself face to face with her uncle.
"Uncle!" Maria exclaimed enthusiastically. But the man looked at her puzzled, not recognizing her immediately.
"Who are you?" he asked suspiciously.
"It's me, Maria," she replied in a soft but confident voice. "I'm still alive... and so is my father." Seeing the disbelief in her uncle's eyes, Maria told him her whole story. She revealed her newly acquired powers by demonstrating them in front of him, which left the man stunned.
Meanwhile, Celina and Garu were talking quietly to themselves. Garu whispered, "So this is our master's older brother." Celina gently hit him on the back of the head. "Shut up, Garu," she said, scolding him.
Finally, after explaining everything that had happened, Maria asked her uncle, "Where is Grandma?"
The man looked sad and lowered his head. "She died after learning of your death. It was too much for her. She couldn't bear it."
Hearing this, Maria collapsed to the ground, overcome with grief. She cried bitterly, and her uncle, taken with pity, took her in his arms to comfort her. After a moment of silence, the man turned to Celina and Garu. "I am Cetyre, Quitar's older brother... or rather, Absoria now."
Maria, still distraught, asked, "What about my mother? Where is she?"
Cetyre shook his head. "I don't know. After your death, she disappeared. The only thing she left behind was a letter announcing your disappearance. Then she left without a trace."
Maria slowly got up, gathering her strength. "I have to find her."
Cetyre nodded. "If anyone can find her, it's you."
On the other side of the world, Nitra, now the goddess of despair, still couldn't forget the pain of losing her daughter. Consumed by sadness, she finally shared her secret with two of her generals: Amaterasu and Joan of Arc.
"I can't find peace anywhere," Nitra confessed, her voice broken. "What should I do?"
Joan of Arc, sympathetic, placed a hand on her shoulder. "Perhaps you should return to your old home. There, you might find some semblance of refuge."
Amaterasu gently nodded in agreement and added, "We will accompany you."
Nitra nodded, deciding to return to the place where it all began, hoping to find peace there.
As for Maria, Garu, and Celina, they also set off, determined to find Maria's missing mother. The destinies of these two groups were inexorably drawing closer together, as the energies of the world seemed to be preparing for a new turning point.