As Elara heard that name, she knew she was standing before the origin of Ashes Whisper, a figure whose power she had inherited. Her heart pounded with curiosity. "How can you be here?" she asked and continue "Aren't you within The World Tree?"
Axnir nodded. "Indeed, The World Tree is a part of me. But this crystal realm you've entered holds the potential for us to meet. It is a manifestation of your heart's deepest desires, Elara."
Elara fell silent, absorbing Axnir words. He continued, "Now, Elara, what do you truly wish for when you meet the Chalice of Hope?"
Elara took a deep breath and replied, "I wish for world peace. By sacrificing myself and ensuring that Ashes Whisper no longer exists, I believe the world will finally peace."
Axnir replied "So, you also wish to cease your own existence?"
Elara's voice was tinged with sorrow. "Yes, I believe if I wish for Ashes Whisper to no longer exist, then I too will cease to be."
Axnir observed her thoughtfully. "But you do want to live, don't you? With the friends who accept you and the people who love you?"
Elara nodded, her eyes brimming with unshed tears. "Yes... I do want to live with them."
Axnir smiled faintly. "I've always believed in miracles, in things beyond our expectations and understanding."
Suddenly, Axnir staggered and feel. "Axnir-" Elara exclaimed, rushing to this side.
He raised a hand to stop her. "We don't have much time left. Elara, you must forge the Necro Sword. I have a feeling the world might end soon if you don't stop Azathoth."
Elara held Axnir hand as he began to fade. Before disappearing completely, he whispered, "Elara, don't worry. You will succeed one day. Fate brought us together for a reason."
As Axnir vanished, Elara noticed two figures materializing before her. Her heart skipped a beat when she recognized them-it was her father and mother.
Elara rushed to them, hugging them tightly as tears streamed down her face. "I've missed you so much, Mother, Father."
Her mother wiped Elara tears with her thumb, while her father gently touched her head. "We've missed you a lot too, Elara. You've grown so well, just like your younger sister, Mikaela. "
Elara looked up, surprised. "You met Mikaela?"
Her father nodded. "Yes, thanks to her and your friends, our souls are finally free from the Homunculus known as Death"
Elara's father continued, "We don't have much time left."
She looked at her parents, feeling the overwhelming sense of love and belonging she had missed so deeply. As her mother and father held her hands, a brilliant light enveloped them, and the entire space around them began to glow. In an instant, Elara opened her eyes, finding herself in a mysterious place.
She stood, disoriented but determined, and began searching her surroundings. As she moved forward, she encountered a towering guardian, who spoke in an ancient, resonant voice, "Ashes Whisper, what dost thou seek here?"
Elara replied, "I seek the God of the Forge."
The guardian regarded her with a stern gaze. "And what desirest thou of the God of the Forge?"
Elara stood her ground and replied, "To forge the Necro Sword."
The guardian's eyes flared with a fiery red glow, and his voice boomed with anger. "The Necro Sword?! What wouldst thou, a mere mortal, do with such a weapon? To slay the gods themselves? A mortal like thee cannot bear such a perilous blade. Only those of indomitable will may wield it!"
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Ashes Whisper
FantasyAshes Whisper is a novel that follows the story of Elara, a young woman cursed with the ability to absorb the souls of the dead. As the war takes a heavy toll on Elara, she struggles to keep fighting, and her curse becomes increasingly difficult to...
