A blinding light surrounds me. There is no pain, no fear; only weightlessness, as if I am floating between two worlds.
And then, suddenly, I am standing on solid ground.
The temple.
Golden light spills from within, illuminating the ancient stone walls. The air is thick with an energy beyond my comprehension, warm and endless, untouched by time.
But I feel none of it.
I stand in the center of the great hall, breathless, trembling. My body. This body, the one that has carried me through countless lives, through love and loss, through death itself, feels like it does not belong to me anymore. Like I am a ghost, lingering between the past and the future.
And then, I feel him.
The God of Life.
His presence is quiet yet vast, a force unlike any other. He does not need to announce himself; his existence simply is, woven into the very fabric of this world. When I lift my gaze, I find him standing at the far end of the temple, watching me with golden eyes that see far more than I can understand.
I want to speak, but the words die on my lips. What is there to say?
"You made your choice," he says finally. His voice is soft, but there is a weight to it that presses against my chest.
I swallow. "I had to."
The silence between us stretches, thick and heavy.
"You have freed yourself," he continues, stepping closer, "but freedom always comes with a cost."
I already know this.
The moment I plunged the knife into my heart, I knew what it would mean. There was never going to be a happily ever after for me. No second chances, no return to what I once had.
I killed him. I killed myself. And now, all that remains is the unknown.
Still, his words settle deep inside me, more final than anything I have ever heard.
I let out a slow breath. "I understand."
The God of Life studies me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. "You will be reborn," he says, "but your memories will not follow you."
I tense. Even though I expected this, the reality of it is something else entirely.
"Everything you have been, every life you have lived, every love, every pain, will be wiped away." His gaze is steady, but there is something almost gentle in the way he speaks. "You will not remember him. You will not remember this place. You will begin again, completely new."
I knew. I knew. And yet, the weight of it crashes over me now like a wave I cannot escape.
I will lose everything.
I will lose him.
And yet.. wasn't this what I wanted?
To end the cycle. To break free.
I squeeze my hands into fists, grounding myself. When I look back at him, my voice is steady. "I accept."
The God of Life watches me a moment longer, as if searching for any hesitation. Then, he nods.
He lifts a hand, palm outstretched.
Golden light begins to swirl around me, warm and endless. My body feels lighter, my mind already slipping into something distant.
I close my eyes.
The last thing I hear is his voice, distant and gentle.
"Live well."