Stygian Beach

“Mr. Leonardo.” A magic user dressed in a black robe opened the door to the principal’s office. Leonardo was looking out the window, seemingly having long expected this. A pipe was clenched between his teeth, and wisps of grayish-white smoke drifted slowly out the open window. The wind tonight was strong and carryied a sense of desolation.

“What is it? Speak, I’m listening.” Leonardo set down his pipe but did not close the window. He seemed to enjoy the intermittent gusts of the breeze at this moment.

“The advance team observed a large number of magic beast traces near Ruin 34. I’m afraid...” The black-robed magic user took a long, deep breath. “I’m afraid the magic beasts have pushed their front lines forward once again.”

“How far, approximately?”

“Thirty-four kilometers.”

“I see. You may leave now. We will discuss the details of this matter during tomorrow’s meeting.” Leonardo let out a sigh. He looked at a tall building across from him; outside its dark green floor-to-ceiling windows sat several deep red chairs. It appeared to be a fairly well-run cafe.

...

“Why didn’t she write to me today... Could she have run into some kind of danger...” In the dim room, Clo lay on her side on a bed with dark gray sheets. Her deep blue hair was scattered across the bedding, looking somewhat disheveled.

She rested her head on a deep blue pillow while tightly clutching a large red one in her arms. She bit the nail of her thumb, seemingly restless and unable to fall asleep.

“How could she... She’s so powerful; there shouldn't be anyone in this world who can defeat her. What am I worrying about... Just sleep, sleep... Once I’m asleep, I won’t think about anything.” Clo slowly closed her eyes, hugging the pillow in her arms even tighter.

...

Amidst the dim, orchid-colored tide, Li Yue slowly sank. She watched the spirits drifting away from her; these wandering souls, with nowhere to go, feared her. They swirled in all directions, leaving a vast space of deathly silence around her.

“Now, truly only I remain here.” Li Yue spoke slowly. Deep beneath the endless tide, she saw a skeleton. She no longer remembered which of her deaths this massive set of remains belonged to.

The Underworld had no exit. The surging River of the Dead wove this world together like threads. There were no castles here, no real palaces; there were only the fantasies of the dead. Here, she could see many who had already passed away.

“The Underworld has no exit. If I want to leave, besides seeking help from fate... is there any other way?” Li Yue looked toward the sky. It was a hazy gray, containing nothing at all.

“The wounds on my body still hurt... Should I rest for a bit?” Li Yue gazed at the gray sky, a hint of confusion appearing in her eyes. “Having come all this way, what was the meaning of it all... I have already done too much for the sake of the world.”

“I really want to spend a little more time with her. I don't want it to end so quickly. My time is already running out...” Li Yue’s vacant gaze stared fixedly at the pitch-black, deathly silent sky—the sky she had watched over for tens of thousands of years.

After an unknown amount of time, a girl with blood-red vertical pupils rose from the River of the Dead. Her hair was soaking wet, and her gaze held a trace of divinity. Her appearance had not changed, but upon closer inspection, it seemed something was missing—something important was gone.

Within the vessels beneath her skin, her blood seemed even more vibrant, yet it also seemed as though it was no longer pure blood.

“The feeling of being reshaped... is terrible...” Jormungandr let out a sigh. She clutched her head, organizing those complete memories. Her appearance had already begun to resemble her form from the day of the divine descent. Even though it was clearly a wonderful thing, it felt as if something was missing.

“No matter what I do, that obsession and madness always accompany me... they cannot be uprooted.”

“My current power is not yet enough to shatter the Underworld. If I want to leave, I must find a path...” Jormungandr walked slowly along the riverbank. Lost souls brushed past her, slowly walking toward the water. This was one of the many banks along the River of the Dead—the Stygian Beach.

Li Yue sat down slowly. She gazed into the distance, silent for a long time.

The sound of a melodious tune drifted slowly from afar. Her ears twitched; she did not understand why a flicker of excitement stirred in her heart.

This melody held a sense of familiarity that she couldn't quite put into words.

It was like meeting an old friend, and yet again, meeting an old friend.