Moments earlier, atop the Creation Engine.
Stelle and Cocolia traded blows, a back-and-forth of calculated moves.
Or so it seemed. From March 7th and the others' perspective, Stelle was all offense, no defense, letting Cocolia's attacks land without a care.
"[Eternity]'s blessing, sister!" She smirked, striking a provocative pose.
Stelle leaped forward, her bat morphing into Himeko's scythe, slashing at Cocolia.
"Actually… I've got another nickname. The cosmos-renowned Galaxy Weapon Master! Ever heard of mastering all arms?" The scythe transformed into a bow, firing countless mimetic arrows.
"Isn't she copying my moves?" March 7th griped.
"Seems like mine too." Himeko sweated, stunned by Stelle's strength.
"Teacher Dan Heng, no comments?"
"Look closely. Both sides have shields negating attacks… Neither is actually hurting the other."
"Solid analysis. Let's hope Stelle's shield doesn't give out first." March 7th clasped her hands, praying for Stelle.
"Shouldn't Priestess Sister handle that?" She suddenly realized the issue, glancing at Freesna chatting with Adrian.
"How are those two casually chatting? [Eternity] Emanators aren't diligent at all."
"Also, I've got a bad feeling my words might backfire."
Sure enough, trouble brewed atop the Creation Engine.
Stelle closed in on Cocolia, her mimetic weapon keeping Cocolia from countering.
Zzt!
The grinning mask on Cocolia's right arm glowed with blinding red light. Upon contact, Stelle felt a wave of exhaustion… Adrian's [Eternity] blessing was dispelled.
"Ugh… Teacher Adrian, dropping the ball at a critical moment…" Stelle collapsed to her knees. The red light not only erased her [Eternity] buff but slapped her with a weakness debuff.
"Humans… always weak and foolish, always overreaching."
"Let me… grant you despair!"
Thud!
Cocolia seized the moment, an ice spear piercing Stelle's body.
"Again… the same ending…"
Recalling face-tanking Doomsday Beast at [The Herta] Space Station, and now eating an ice spear up close on Jarilo-VI, Stelle's consciousness faded, plummeting from the Creation Engine.
On the ground, Adrian saw this, a faint smile curling his lips.
"Here… broadcast this live for me. Tell Miss Himeko not to worry. With [Eternity], Stelle will be fine." Handing his phone to Freesna, Adrian shattered the barrier trapping them and flew toward Stelle's fall.
Freesna's expression turned ecstatic. She muted the phone's mic. "Is the miracle coming?!"
Then, she snapped back to seriousness, unmuting the mic.
"Ahem… Behold, the miracle of [Eternity] will manifest upon the girl named Stelle." As she spoke, Freesna fired a blast at Cocolia to disrupt her.
…
Between the Paths.
In a haze, Stelle opened her eyes.
"This feels so familiar. Is this… the cosmos?"
"Wasn't I fighting Cocolia? Why am I here…"
"Oh, right. I got skewered."
Memories flooded back. Stelle pondered why her consciousness was here.
"Last time, Nanook and trashcan-shaped Ite glanced at me. Could it be…"
Another Aeon's gaze?
"No way, I've got to get back to reality, or everyone's in danger."
Stelle admitted she'd underestimated Cocolia, who'd pulled a trump card, breaking her [Eternity] blessing.
[This way~ Over here~]
An unfamiliar voice echoed in her ears. In a blink, she stood at the center of the Path Nexus.
"A… little girl?" Stelle looked down at a young girl who appeared out of nowhere. Why was a child in a place like this?
More importantly, the girl held a lance in both hands, wearing a grinning mask identical to Cocolia's.
"We are the will of the Guardians. Listen, this city weeps… Once, [Preservation]'s power waned. In the end, we couldn't resist the [Stellaron Core]'s will."
"Cocolia abandoned [Preservation], betraying its essence."
Stelle shook her head, engaging the Guardian's will.
"True… but we've no right to judge, just as THEY intervene. For seven hundred years, the Void has expanded every second. We left our successors… no faith or wealth, only endless despair."
"Watching the home we swore to [Preserve] fade before our eyes… it's torment. Add the relentless, beguiling whispers…"
"No mortal can clear the irreversible Void. As long as it exists, humanity lives in constant fear. Even the strongest Guardian's will wavers. This day was inevitable."
"THEIR blessing… was bound to leave us. How long can hopeless persistence last?" The Guardian's will looked up. Despite the mask, Stelle could sense her sorrow.
"There will always be unyielding Guardians. If your persistence was meaningless, I wouldn't be here."
Stelle crossed her arms. "Let others uphold [Preservation]."
"You… a mere passerby bathed in THEIR gaze, yet you insist on shouldering an entire world's fate."
"Fine. What's left to lose… what's left to try?"
"Touch the light of amber and fireworks, Trailblazer. See if your will is strong enough… strong enough to draw THEIR gaze."
The Guardian's will removed her lance and mask, offering them to Stelle. "Trailblazer, make your choice."
[When you have the chance to choose, don't let yourself regret.]
Kafka's gentle words echoed. Stelle resolved, donning the mask and gripping the blazing lance planted in the ground.
Boom!
A hammer's strike jolted her back.
[All things in the world return to [Eternity], but no one said… it has to be a single-choice question.]
"We feel it—[Preservation] that chose [Eternity]…" The Guardian's will sighed, dissolving into golden particles.
It didn't vanish but coalesced into a unique hourglass, floating in Stelle's hand.
"Now!"
Stelle roared, yanking the lance free.
In a daze, her consciousness shifted to a corner of the cosmos, beholding a colossal amber figure…
She saw the legendary [Preservation] Qlipoth. The thrill was undeniable, especially up close to THEIR planet-sized amber hammer, its pressure surpassing even Nanook's glance.
Sadly, no familiar muscular trashcan… Stelle felt a twinge of disappointment…
Wait, why was there a giant grinning mask behind Qlipoth?
"Haha~ Too much fun~"
Seeing Qlipoth glance at Stelle, Aha couldn't resist joining the spectacle. Being gazed upon by two Aeons at once—probably only Stelle could pull that off.
"Be… behind… What's with this intense déjà vu?" Stelle's eyes gleamed, her tone tinged with excitement.
"Hm?"
The mask jerked up, but it was too late. A painfully familiar voice reached THEIR ears as a muscular hourglass beast, several times larger than Aha, appeared behind THEM:
"Ready to face [Eternity]'s wrath?"