Chapter 2585: Story 2586: The Choice of the Forgotten

The golden sky above Asterion filled with countless forgotten worlds.

Each one appeared like a living memory.

Some were beautiful.

Others were broken.

Some contained peaceful civilizations.

Others showed wars that had ended thousands of years ago.

Victoria Kane stood beneath the Witness, Dawnblade trembling in her hand.

The ancient figure she recognized remained among the forgotten souls.

Victoria stared at him.

"It can’t be."

The figure smiled sadly.

"You remember me."

Victoria’s eyes filled with tears.

"Everyone told me you were gone."

The figure stepped closer.

"I was."

The Witness spoke.

"He belongs to a world that was erased."

Victoria looked upward.

"Which world?"

"The First Earth."

Evelyn gasped.

"The original human world?"

The Witness nodded.

"Its people were among the first to discover the Dawn."

Valerius lowered his head.

"They were destroyed during the First War."

Victoria looked at him.

"Why?"

"Because they tried to use the Dawn to protect everyone."

Nox’Rath whispered,

"And failed."

The Witness raised one enormous hand.

Three worlds appeared before Victoria.

The first was filled with peaceful cities.

The second was a world of warriors.

The third was almost completely destroyed, but millions of souls still waited within it.

"Choose."

Victoria stared at the three worlds.

"Only one?"

"Only one can return."

Cole stepped forward.

"What happens to the others?"

The Witness answered,

"They remain memories."

Lyra looked at Victoria.

"You don’t have to choose alone."

Victoria shook her head.

"If I choose, their lives depend on me."

Dawn stepped beside her.

"Then ask them."

Victoria looked confused.

"Ask who?"

Dawn pointed toward the forgotten souls.

"Let them choose."

The Witness became silent.

Then the millions of souls began speaking.

At first, their voices were whispers.

Then they became a storm.

Some wanted their worlds restored.

Others wanted their families remembered.

Some begged for another chance.

Victoria closed her eyes.

She suddenly understood.

The Witness had created another false choice.

Not three worlds.

Millions of lives.

The real question was whether she would decide their worth for them.

Victoria raised the Dawnblade.

"I refuse."

The Witness’s golden eye widened.

"Refuse?"

"I won’t decide which world deserves to exist."

She turned toward the forgotten souls.

"They should choose their own future."

The Witness remained silent.

Then the familiar figure stepped forward.

"We choose."

His voice echoed across the heavens.

"We choose to be remembered."

The other souls joined him.

"We choose to exist."

"We choose to begin again."

"We choose."

Golden light erupted across the sky.

The three worlds began merging.

The Witness trembled.

"Impossible."

Malachor smiled.

"You asked the Keeper to choose."

"But she discovered the choice belonged to everyone."

The seven successors raised their weapons.

Courage.

Compassion.

Hope.

Sacrifice.

Freedom.

Wisdom.

Memory.

Their powers connected with the forgotten souls.

The worlds stopped fighting each other.

Instead, their memories became bridges.

A new realm formed between them.

Not one of the three worlds.

Something entirely new.

Victoria stared in wonder.

"We didn’t restore the past."

Evelyn smiled.

"We gave it a future."

The Witness lowered its enormous head.

For the first time, its expression seemed peaceful.

"The second test is complete."

Suddenly, the familiar figure began fading.

Victoria reached toward him.

"No!"

He smiled.

"I was never meant to return."

"Then why did you appear?"

"To remind you that some people don’t need resurrection."

His body became golden light.

"They only need to be remembered."

Victoria lowered her hand.

The Witness’s eye closed.

Then another voice echoed from beyond the sky.

Cold.

Ancient.

Familiar.

"Two tests passed."

The heavens darkened.

"One remains."

Victoria looked upward.

A massive black door appeared above Asterion.

Seven symbols covered its surface.

And behind it...

Something began laughing.

The Witness whispered,

"The Final Test has arrived."

Victoria raised the Dawnblade.

This time, she did not hesitate.

"Then let it come."