The morning light slowly crept up the sky, its pale orange and golden hues cautiously spreading over the city. The car glided along the road with a soft hum, our convoy moving forward in disciplined order. The ruler's car rolled two vehicles ahead of us, as if the distance itself reinforced the power gap between us.
I sat in the back seat, flanked by two figures in dark clothing. Their movements were not restrictive; they did not chain me, nor did they hold me as a prisoner—yet something heavy and intangible lingered between us. Their mere presence was enough to make me feel the gravity of the situation. The general sat in front of me, rigid, back straight as always. We did not speak to each other.
We passed through the gates, and the cityscape gradually unfolded before us. Rindanof… In the golden morning light, the square pulsed with life. Angels strolled in groups, laughing, as if nothing had happened. Their movements were light, their steps hovering over the ground as if they were walking on air. A dreamlike purity surrounded them—as if their world remained untouched by everything that had been spoken at the table.
The convoy moved slowly toward the academy. In the open courtyards of the training grounds, movements cut through the air—angels sparring, swords clashing, shadows flickering across the ground. My eyes instinctively searched for familiar figures. I looked for the small black-haired ones, the ones I had gotten along with since my arrival. But I did not see them. They were probably on a mission… or on duty. For a moment, I lingered, watching the warriors. I hope the lack of a year's wages won't break them…
The cars veered toward the castle. This was my second time here, and once again, not for a good reason. The shadows that had fallen upon me last time were still here. The massive gate slowly opened before us, and I knew that whatever awaited inside would not be easier than what I had left behind.
As the convoy came to a halt, the soft hum of the engine faded, and for a moment, everything was still. I was not afraid. I felt no sorrow either. I sat just as firmly in my seat as I had when I had cast out every distracting emotion. I knew what I had done, and I did not regret it.
Stepping out of the car in front of the castle, I initially saw nothing beyond the other vehicles. But then… well, who else could have been waiting there if not that arrogant woman? She stood in a white dress, much like the first time I saw her, when I had awakened on the marble table. Her expression remained unchanged: cold, composed, lifeless, as if nothing could truly touch her. Her cynical gaze locked onto me, and as I passed her, for a fleeting moment, I thought that perhaps, for once, she wouldn't say anything.
I was wrong.
"There are no words for this," she whispered softly, but just loud enough for me to hear.
I did not stop. I did not react. I just kept walking—because I had far more important matters to attend to. People like her thrived on pointing out others' mistakes, on attacking those who strayed from the path of law. Perhaps she was right, perhaps I had truly broken every rule that existed. Perhaps speaking to the ruler the way I did was not just defiance but treason. Or something even worse. But he deserved it. Oh, how he did.
The sound of my footsteps echoed through the long corridors. Motion-sensor lights flickered on one by one in my wake. I studied the statues, their cold marble faces, silent witnesses to everything that had transpired here. Then I reached that room. The place where I had first awakened within the city walls.
But now, it was different.
The last time, the dark-clad figures had surrounded the room, but now they only escorted me to the entrance before closing the doors behind me.
In the vast, open space stood a single figure.
A woman.
That woman.
She did not need to smile for me to feel her calm presence. I hardly knew her, yet there was something infinitely soothing about her. For a brief moment, I let go of all tension. If I had to close my eyes forever, at least it would be in her presence—and not in the company of the woman who had waited at the gate.
I walked forward with determination. I knew why I was here. And no matter how much I had prepared for the consequences, one could never be entirely sure of what awaited them. Would I have to lie back on the marble table? Would I be exiled? Erased? I did not think these beings would torture me, yet one could never be certain. The ruler's decisions were unpredictable.
The woman watched me in silence before she spoke.
"Would you like to say something?"
That was the question that gave me pause. A final request? A confession?
But I was not the type to agonize over an answer. I did not waste time, I did not beg, I did not explain myself. If I had spoken, I would stand by my words.
"Thank you for the opportunity," I said with respect—because I truly respected her, even though I barely knew her. "But I feel that yesterday, I already said everything to the one who needed to hear it."
Determination vibrated in my voice. I was not one to follow the crowd. I was not someone who changed their mind simply because the majority demanded it. Yes, sometimes one had to bow their head to survive—but there were moments when they could not. When they must not. When truth was more important than the consequences. And I had chosen that path.
The woman did not speak. She simply gave a small nod, then, in a gentle voice, asked me to lie on the table.
As I looked up at the marble slab, I realized how high it was. For a moment, I hesitated, wondering how to climb up, but then instinct took over. I leapt onto it with ease, then slowly, deliberately, lay down.
My pulse quickened.
Not from fear.
But because I had not said goodbye to Elise. Or Clara. Or John.
But I knew this was best for everyone. So I did it. I closed my eyes.
The woman's palm rested gently on my forehead, then over my chest. Her touch brought peace. A kind of love. A deep silence in which all questions faded.
And then…
Light.
A single, blinding flash—then it was as if I had been dropped into another life.
Movement. People. A completely different setting. It was like watching a film unfold before my eyes. I tried to understand, to see my hands, turning them over, looking at them…
And then I saw myself.
A different me.
The woman was hurrying through the streets, her hair a deep, natural red, a beige dress hugging her form. I saw myself, and yet it was not me.
And as the streets twisted and turned, I began to follow her.
Where was I going?
And who was I now?
And then, my inner voice swallowed me whole.