The master spy or Puss in the boot adventures

Lyra, the Goddess of Dreams 53, Part 183

As Elysia's luminous form began to fade, she reached out and grasped Ares' hand, her touch light as a whisper of stardust upon his skin. With her remaining strength, she pulled the god of war close, her lips brushing against his ear as she imparted her final words - not a farewell, but a prophecy born from the last flickering embers of her cosmic sight.

"Hear me now, my love, my brave Ares," Elysia breathed, her voice at once intimate and vast, echoing through the chambers of his immortal heart. "Though my time in this form has reached its end, the essence of my being shall endure, woven into the very fabric of the multiverse. For in the tapestry of creation, no thread is ever truly lost, but merely transformed, given new purpose in the grand design."

As she spoke, visions blossomed behind Ares' closed eyelids, vibrant and alive with prophetic meaning. He saw the shattered fragments of the Nexus, adrift in the ether like the scattered pieces of a cosmic puzzle, waiting to be reunited and made whole once more. And he saw the Triad - Solaris, Nyx, and Astraea - their essences intertwined, working as one to gather the shards and restore the intricate balance that sustained all of existence.

"The path ahead is fraught with peril," Elysia continued, her words painting vivid images in the minds of all who listened. "The Super Void's hunger grows with each passing moment, and its servants will stop at nothing to see the light of creation extinguished forever. But there is hope, my beloved gods, for the Celestial Blade awaits its rightful wielder, hidden within the mists of forgotten lore."

Ares saw the sword in his mind's eye, its blade shimmering with the condensed might of a thousand suns, its hilt thrumming with the power to shape the very foundations of reality. And he saw the guardian of this sacred treasure - Krenos, the Timeless One, a being ancient beyond reckoning, cloaked in the dust of eons and the whispers of unwritten histories.

"Seek out Krenos in his hallowed archive," Elysia intoned, her voice growing fainter, yet still rich with purpose. "Prove yourselves worthy of the knowledge he guards, and he shall guide you to the Celestial Blade. With this weapon in hand, and the Spark of Creation burning bright within the Prism of Eternity, you shall have the power to face the Super Void and its minions, to banish the darkness and restore the light of hope to all the realms."

As Elysia lay dying, her form fading like mist beneath the morning sun, she beckoned the gods to draw near. With her final breaths, she imparted a prophecy that would echo through the ages:

"Hear me now, children of the cosmos," she whispered, her voice at once frail and resonant with power. "Though darkness gathers and chaos threatens to engulf all of creation, hope is not lost. In the Celestial Blade, forged in the crucible of the universe's birth, lies the key to salvation. Only when its light is joined with the Spark of Creation and tempered upon the Celestial Forge can the Nexus be made whole once more."

Elysia's luminous eyes fluttered closed for a moment, as if she were gazing upon distant vistas beyond mortal ken. When she spoke again, her words carried the weight of destinies yet unwritten.

From whispers of fate, three shall ascend—

the Triad reclaimed from stardust's end.

The Blade Bearer, bold, a light in the void,

whose heart shall shine, undaunted, unalloyed.

The Forge Keeper, with flames that ignite,

the ceaseless spark of creation's flight.

And the Dreamer Ascendant, in visions profound,

shall spin hope's fabric, where lost dreams are found.

A true champion rises, a new star reborn,

as phoenix from ashes, through dusk into morn.

Farewell, my dear, let no tears be sown,

for soon we'll reunite, our spirits have grown.

A beatific smile graced the goddess's lips as she beheld the faces of those gathered around her, each one a shining thread in the vast web of existence. "In the face of annihilation, when all seems lost and shadows threaten to devour the light, look to the stars, my beloved children. For it is there, in the vast expanse between worlds, that you shall find the path to restore what was broken."

Elysia's form began to shimmer and fade, her essence unraveling like gossamer strands caught in a celestial breeze. But even as her physical being dissipated, her voice lingered, a fading echo that reverberated through the hearts and minds of all who listened.

"Remember this, gods and mortals alike—the Super Void may consume, but from the ashes of its passing, new life shall arise. Where there is love, there is light. Where there is unity, there is strength. And where there is the will to dream, to hope, to believe...there is always the chance for rebirth."

And you, Lyra, Daughter of Destiny - upon your shoulders rests the fate of countless realms. Yours is a power yet untapped, a potential that shall shine bright against the encroaching darkness. Trust in your heart's compass and let it guide you through the trials ahead.

Elysia's gaze drifted to Lyra, who stood at the edge of the gathering, her eyes wide with wonder and trepidation. "And you, child of destiny," the dying goddess murmured, her lips curving in a gentle smile. 

"In the tapestry of fate, your part remains veiled,

Yet know this truth: within you, a force prevails,

A power so vast, the deities cannot see,

Crafted from kindness, fierce heart, and love's decree.

When shadows deepen and hope takes flight,

Your spirit shall blaze, a beacon of light.

Lyra stepped forward hesitantly, tears glistening upon her cheeks. She knelt beside Elysia, taking the goddess's hand in her own. "I...I don't understand," Lyra whispered, her voice trembling. "How can I possibly make a difference against such overwhelming odds?"

Elysia's fingers tightened around Lyra's, her touch infusing the young woman with a warmth and comfort that seemed to emanate from the very heart of the cosmos. "Trust in yourself, Lyra," the goddess breathed. "Trust in the bonds of friendship and love that you forge. For in the end, it is the connections between hearts that shall prove stronger than any force in the universe."