The stars shifted again.
Not violently. Not with fire or judgment.
But with silence.
The kind of silence that precedes remembrance.
The kind that carries forgotten names to the surface.
---
Location: Shrine of the North Wind
Eirenne walked through the mist-covered grounds of the shrine, her halberd resting against her shoulder. Ever since Rei had returned with the Soul Codex, the very air felt heavier—like time waited with baited breath.
Mireille, meanwhile, deciphered echoes from the Codex itself, seated beneath a spirit lantern. The runes surrounding her glowed in tandem with her breath, suggesting a living resonance.
Noira practiced silently in the courtyard, her strikes drawing flame from the air.
They waited.
Rei had entered trance again—this time deeper than ever before. Bound not by battle, but by name.
Velis stood nearby, unreadable. "He's calling them."
Karasu perched above. "No. They're calling him."
---
Inner Spirit Domain — Realm Between Thrones
Rei floated within a sea of fractured coronas—circular halos representing each Sovereign domain. His flame was calm, not blazing. His breath synchronized with a deeper song.
From the horizon came five shadows.
None bore weapons.
None walked. They simply were.
> [System Notification: Sovereign Echo Alignment — Phase: Name Retrieval. Threshold of Forgotten Authority Reached. Initiating Contact with Silent Thrones.]
One of the shades moved forward.
It had no face, but its presence felt familiar—like something Rei had almost remembered once, but never fully grasped.
"Your name... was once ours."
Rei didn't flinch. "Then take it back, if you can."
The realm shook, not from challenge—but from consent.
One by one, the five shades placed a single flame into Rei's chest.
He staggered—visions overwhelming him.
> A woman in white armor laughing beside a throne of glass. A crimson battlefield where time burned backward. A vow spoken under falling stars: "Should I fall, let my name be born again."
He gasped, and the fire merged with his core.
> [Trait Gained: Sovereign Recaller. Passive Unlocked: Forgotten Inheritance. Past Sovereign Names may now manifest as temporary echoes in battle or judgment. First Name Recovered: Cael'Tharion, The Ember Oathmaker.]
---
Return — Shrine Grounds
Rei exhaled as the world pulled him back.
Eirenne knelt nearby, eyes scanning for danger. Mireille clutched the Codex.
Noira stood with her hand on his shoulder.
"I remember," Rei whispered.
Mireille narrowed her eyes. "Who?"
Rei opened his palm. A glowing sigil spun into existence—the crest of a lost Sovereign house.
"Cael'Tharion. He died sealing the Paradox Throne. And he left... me."
Velis's tone turned reverent. "You carry his ember oath."
Noira asked, "So what does that mean?"
Rei looked out toward the valley.
"It means I'm not just walking forward anymore. I'm walking back—through every forgotten promise."
---
Elsewhere — Within the Dominion of the Azure Choir
Angels sang in mathematical sequence. A new pattern emerged.
Michael, Leader of Heaven's armies, stood before a memory lattice.
"What does this sequence mean?" he asked.
Gabriel answered, her voice laced with foreboding. "It means Sovereigns remember. And not all will be content to stay forgotten."
Michael's gaze hardened. "Then we'll need to decide… which thrones we protect, and which we erase."
---
Final Scene — The Valley of Returning Stars
As night fell, Rei walked alone to a cliff edge.
He opened the Codex.
Pages rearranged themselves.
Not from magic.
But from memory.
A title appeared: Chapter 1 — Before the First Flame.
Rei whispered, "Then it's time we start rewriting everything."
Behind him, Eirenne, Noira, and Mireille followed.
The past wasn't just returning.
It was walking beside them.