Mnou stood in an impenetrable mist. Around her were scattered stone menhirs and barrows. That eerily familiar landscape stretched silently in all directions. Mnou had fallen into a trap.
Witch! Or should I call you Mnou? What would you prefer?
The mist rippled, and a naked female figure stood there. She hadn't arrived; she had simply materialized out of nothing. Her palms faced in two directions—one toward the earth, and the other toward the celestial dome, or at least what could be called heaven and earth in this reality. Her face was blurred, a shapeless something. A powerful aura radiated from her body, one that Mnou felt like a thousand needles piercing her torso. She felt she shouldn't be this close to such a being. No human should.
I'll call you Mnou. It sounds… friendlier, more homely. I also really like that name. I'm glad I'll get to carry it. And I promise, I'll wear it with pride.
That… that will never happen! I've already told you—you'll never get my body!
The witch tried to sound strong and confident, but her thoughts were consumed by uncontrollable chaos and panic. She had no idea what to do. This is the end!There's no way out of this place. I overestimated my abilities—and my luck.
She was sinking into despair but fought with all her strength to stay afloat. She knew that if she gave in now, if she submitted, she would truly remain here forever. She would never see Esme again—and break the promise she had made to her. She couldn't allow that. No matter how hopeless the situation seemed, she had to return. There was no other option, she decided. There was only one thing she could do now—buy time, until she could come up with a plan or an opportunity to escape presented itself. I'm still in the astral world. Even if I don't know where. There are still currents here. I have to find them.
Haven't we had this conversation already?
Well, yes, I must admit—I wasn't sure if I could really do it, back when your soul was firmly anchored in your body. You resisted long and hard, but now… hahaha... now you've served yourself to me on a silver platter. I'm genuinely curious what you were thinking.
Yeah, maybe I did overestimate myself a bit, but this isn't over yet. Trust me on that. Maybe my body is empty and soulless, but that doesn't mean it's unprotected.
What? You mean that girl? Esme, as you call her. Also a lovely name, but unfortunately she's as weak as a wisp, the goddess whispered mockingly, beginning to circle Mnou triumphantly. Even without a face, it was clear she was savouring the moment.
If you think Esme is weak, then that gives me hope that I can get out of here—because you must be blind and stupid. She's already a powerful witch, and I have no doubt she'll surpass me one day.
The naked woman stopped and tilted her head as if pondering something.
Her soul does have… the potential to grow. That's true, but she simply doesn't have as much experience as you. Still, it's kind of you to defend her like that. It's obvious that you… truly love her.
What could you possibly know about love, you nameless, forgotten goddess!
In the blink of an eye, the astral being materialized mere centimetres from the witch. A misty cloud, a divine face, swirled and twisted unnaturally close to Mnou's own face. She stood frozen, unable to move. Hypnotized.
What do I know about love? It hissed inside her head. It might surprise you, but we gods know plenty about love. More than you humans could ever imagine. Think about what we feel for you.
I… I don't know, the witch stammered. Though she wasn't doing well, she forced herself to keep the conversation going. She needed more time.
You don't know. Of course you don't. You'll never understand how deeply we gods… love you.
Love you?
Despite the dire situation Mnou was in, that caught her interest.
Yes. We love you. We feel for you the way a child feels toward their parents.
I don't understand. Don't all churches claim that God—or the gods—created humans, not the other way around?
The goddess stepped back slightly. With a graceful step, she walked over to one of the tombstones or menhirs and ran her hand across it.
We're flattered that you think that, but you've got it all backward. We are nothing more than constructs born from the human mind. Nothing more than an idea, a thought that grew to unimaginable wastnest.
How can a thought grow to such proportions?
Something brushed against her—something like flowing energy in the air. Like a current.
Faith. That's how simple it is. Just believe in something, and you can create anything. If enough people believe in an idea, it gains power. Faith… is like nourishment to us. Just like you can't live without food or drink—if I'm not mistaken—this is the same for us. Or… not quite.
Then how is it different?
The current had vanished—lost in the space around her. She had to keep searching.
We gods never truly die. Even when there's no one left to worship us or believe in us, a small part of us always survives in people's minds. So small they don't even realize it. But a thought is like a living organism. It evolves—from one into another. They build on each other. Improve, and then fluctuate. But the core always remains—the seed it once came from. That allows us to "live" forever. It's a cruel fate.
Cruel? But humans have always longed for immortality.
Then they're fools. To be immortal is to be eternal. Eternity is something even we gods cannot bear—let alone humans. Her voice sounded angry, venomous.
Mnou thought deeply. Something about the goddess's speech struck her as absurd and strange. Something she would never have expected from a divine being. Yes—it was emotion. She said it out loud.
Emotions? Yes, you could say we have them. After all, we are creations of humans—and without emotion, humans are like shells without souls. We feel love, pain, and despair. You can't imagine the despair I felt, existing here for millennia in a state between life and death. I don't even know if it felt like a fleeting moment or an eternal, apathetic forever.Then I felt a thought. Someone thought of me. They didn't even know it, but they thought of me. Just one glance at my stone altar—that was all it took. It was like the lightest tap—but even that was enough to wake me from my slumber. I quickly realized that unless I grew stronger, I'd remain trapped here forever. I wanted to live. Yes, no matter how insane it sounds, I wanted to live. But I couldn't grow stronger from faith alone. I needed a body. So, I went looking for one. After a long search, I found a weak spot and forced my way through the crack into the human world. That's where I found you, Mnou. And now, I think it's finally time to claim my vessel.
In one moment, Mnou stood in the misty landscape, the goddess before her—and in the next, a current of energy swept her away into the unknown. She yielded to it.
It felt like falling full speed down a waterfall. With horror, she realized she had no control over the current. It dragged her deeper and deeper. She wanted to escape from the goddess but hadn't thought beyond that. She couldn't concentrate. Each time she tried to grasp a thought, it slipped through her fingers. Like trying to catch fish with bare hands. Memories began flashing before her eyes. She saw Esme, Azra, Ruth, Professor Axel. Everything sped up. She fell deep into her own consciousness and memories. She flew through her life, reliving long-forgotten moments. In an instant, she experienced her entire life—from now to her mother's womb. She felt her very existence melting through her fingers. Like wax dripping away. Only dry, crusted stains remained on her hands—no longer part of who she was. Then, she felt a warm sensation in her lower belly, and the roaring current around her fell silent.
She was falling again—but this time, it felt different. More ordinary. More comprehensible. Almost like gravity in the real world. Still, she couldn't get her bearings. Her consciousness hadn't yet recovered. All she could perceive was that she was hurtling through a vast, cave-like space. It had a ceiling—but instead of a floor, there was endless darkness. Another wave of panic and terror struck her. She knew she couldn't die here—but instinctively, her mind screamed in fear as she fell into the unknown.
Mnou, fly!
The voice echoed urgently in her head. At first, she thought it must be a delusion—but the voice rang out again, louder and more desperate.
Fly! Spread your wings and fly!
Despite its urgent tone, the voice sounded comforting.
I know that voice. Yes, I know it. Where have I heard it before? Wait—no time. I must… focus.
She tried to calm herself and ignore the vanishing ceiling. She was wrapped in darkness, slicing through it like a sharpened blade.
Calm. Stay calm. I can't die here. I just need to focus. Fly, fly, fly!
She stopped. The space around her was nothing but a black blur—but she could clearly feel she was no longer falling. If she could have, she would've cried with relief.
Mnou!
Before the levitating witch, a dim light began to take shape. Gradually, it gained sharper contours, forming a still-blurry human silhouette. But its appearance was unmistakable.
Mom! Mom, it was you! But… how and…
Mnou stumbled over her words—not from fear, but overwhelming happiness.
She was sure she had never been happier to see anyone.
Her mother wrapped around her, their souls almost merging. They couldn't physically touch—but that direct connection brought relief and joy.
Thank God, I made it. I could feel you slipping from my grasp. You were fading from existence. I was afraid I wouldn't be able to bring you back.
You found me. Even in all that chaos—you found me. I wouldn't be here without you. Thank you, Mom.
They remained a few moments more in that silent bath of happiness.
But then Gismonda di Cortello pulled back and looked her daughter straight in the eye.
We need to move. The longer we stay in one place, the more likely it is we'll be caught.
Okay, that makes sense. But what… what are we going to do?
Gismonda looked thoughtful—her expression dark. Even with her blurry features, Mnou could tell.
I was going to ask you the same, she admitted timidly. Unfortunately, my experience with the astral world is purely theoretical. I've only ever used it to transfer information.
Mnou understood—but still felt a little disappointed. Maybe her mother had saved her, but that didn't mean their problems were over. They were still deep in the astral world.
Wait—deep? the witch suddenly thought.
We need to go deeper! she burst out.
Deeper? That makes no sense. We need to get out!
That's true—but there's still one major problem: Ruth and Azra are still here. We can't just leave them behind.
Her mother gave her a doubtful look, swaying slightly in the air.
Mnou, I understand how you feel, but… right now, you need to think about yourself first. We can't search for them while those beasts are hunting us.
The witch expected that answer. And yes—it was probably the best thing to do now.
But she also knew they might never get another chance. She told her so.
Ah, Mnou. But what if… what if we fail? Then Esme would be completely alone. Don't you think it's a bit… a bit…
Selfish?
Gismonda lowered her gaze. No, I didn't mean—
The witch didn't let her finish.
Yes, I am selfish. I've always been. You know that better than anyone, Mom—and believe me, I hate it. I'm not a good person. You can't imagine how much the thought of leaving Esme alone again terrifies me. But… we must at least try. We have a chance to fix this. If I turned my back on it now—I'd never forgive myself. And I believe Esme wouldn't either. Our whole lives would become one big 'what if.' So please—forgive me once more for my selfishness. But this time, I believe—no, I know—I'm doing the right thing.
The spirit of Gismonda fluttered nervously, as if a cold wind were blowing from a bottomless pit beneath them—but of course, no such thing existed here. For a long moment, she stared into the void without saying a word. Then, finally, she looked at her daughter.
All right, I'll go with you. I couldn't possibly leave my little girl behind.
Mnou was overcome with an irrepressible urge to hug her mother, but in this world, that was just as impossible as the non-existent wind. So, she only whispered: Thank you.
Unlike the small world where the goddess had abducted her, in this endless cavern she felt dozens, even hundreds, of currents. In Mnou's mind, they merged into a strange roar, like the rumble of a waterfall. When she tried to grasp just one, it felt like trying to untangle a knotted ball of string. Bit by bit, she worked her way through the tangled mess, until at last she sorted out all the dead ends and wrong turns and grasped a single one that was pulling her down into the depths. She was afraid to even move, for fear of losing it, so she only murmured: Can we, Mom?
Yes. I'll be right behind you.
She let go of the imaginary rope, felt a jolt, and was launched into the unknown at unbelievable speed.