The Escape from the Void
Akihiko had barely had time to breathe after what had happened in the Labyrinth of the Eight Fragments. The remnants of the battle still vibrated in the air, and the Void still resonated within him like an ominous drum.
Lirea, covered in wounds and staring at the crack the Dark Founder had left, exhaled heavily.
"This isn't over. We've just entered their territory."
Naeya held the remaining fragments, each pulsing with a distinct rhythm. One of them began to emit a faint resonance, as if it were... calling to something.
The Interrupted Continuity
As they attempted to reconnect with the rest of the scattered members, they discovered that Edenfall no longer followed a spatial logic. Every street, every corner, had become an echo of possibility.
"We're trapped in an emotional loop. Each area repeats an incomplete memory," Lirea said, scanning the symbol-distorted walls.
In one of the alleys, they encountered Kael , who seemed to have aged decades in minutes. "Every time I walk through this alley, I forget something else. I don't remember why I came here anymore."
Akihiko decided to use the Void to forge a path free of distortion. His ability created a kind of "clean path" through the distorted memories.
III. The Guardian of the Broken Shards
In Zone VII, Maegari , one of the Throne Highs, appeared, an emotion exorcist who could absorb the impulse before a memory solidified.
"Continuity is not a gift... it's a curse. Those who maintain it must pay with their own memories."
The fight was brutal. Maegari threw whips formed from compressed trauma. Each blow made Akihiko and Naeya relive old moments with greater intensity.
But Lirea managed to fracture the core of Maegari's power by reminding him of his first smile, something he could not destroy.
"Continuity is also beauty... because we choose not to forget."
The Dark Founder's Heartbeat
As they defeated Maegari, the fragments thrummed in unison. An echo rose from deep within Edenfall, a double pulse . It was the Dark Founder , still without final form, but aware of his revival.
The entire city began to shake. From above, a black structure descended: the Tower of Incomplete Remembrance , a floating building powered by the stolen fragments.
"Continuity has awakened... and wants to be completed."
Akihiko realized that if they didn't seal the Tower soon, Edenfall would lose its narrative line, becoming a city without a present.
Total Reconnection
With the help of Lirea and Naeya, Akihiko connected the eight fragments and fitted them into his emotional core. Each piece reconstructed a part of the history the Throne wanted erased: the war of the eleven clans, the founding of the Tree, the first sacrifice, the birth of the Void.
A new symbol appeared over Edenfall: The Eye of Persistence , representing the human ability to hold on even when everything wants to break.
"We decide how this story continues. No one else."
Continuity was restored… but the Tower still hovered, watching.