As soon as Cerydra determined the purpose of the 'other party', they immediately set off to find them. They did not have their location, but Cerydra has her unique understanding of herself.
If she wanted to meet another version of herself, where would she do so?
There were only a few that fit the criteria, not surpassing the fingers on one hand. The first four were all over Amphoreus. The Throne of Enlightenment at the Grove, the bathing house of Marmoreal Palace, the Lightless Chapel at Dawncloud, and Styxia.
They weren't there.
There was one last location, one that is special in the Imperator's heart. It was the Northern Empire, Hyperborea. The same place that marked her beginnings, and also one where she met her 'Merlin'.
Along their travels, Hysilens did not say much. She was familiar with Cerydra's current state. She sported the same look when she asked Hysilens for help, which doubled as their reconciliation.
Unfortunately, none of the two understood what a 'future projection' was. Shi Tian never left them the corresponding knowledge, nor did he anticipate there would be future projections appearing to the two.
When it appeared on him and Kiana, they already possessed a certain degree of cultivation. Amphoreus, just like the Bubble World inside Seele, lacked 'something' that makes an entity 'complete', thus blocking their path to cultivation. The two had identical solutions, and that was to make them 'real'.
After traveling across countless miles, overlooking Amphoreus being overrun by the Black Tide, they arrived at the foot of a valley. A noticeable frost could be seen on its surface. The Black Tide thoroughly invaded this land, adding a tinge of black across the translucent blue frost.
A single living being would have caused its rampage, spawning the Black Tide monsters familiar to them. Cerydra and Hysilens did not suffer from this, however. They were protected by the power of Remembrance and All Creation left by Shi Tian. It was the same power that erased their 'cycle' from everyone else's memories. It cloaked their 'existence' from the rest of the world.
Treading the familiar mountainous path, a flicker of emotion emerged on the short king's eyes. She seemed to have felt Hysilens' gaze focusing on her, hence she did not hesitate to retell everything in greater detail.
"My first expedition was to lead my soldiers outward. Expansion is but an inevitable act to sustain the livelihood of others, of which the officials are largely to blame."
Her cold tone mirrored their surroundings.
"I did not know what power was at that time. It was, ironically, the very same 'yoke' they placed onto me."
Back then, the old Emperor of Hyperborea had fallen ill. His death was long guaranteed. The palace officials struggled for power, splitting it into two major factions. The turning point of their fight came when they discovered Cerydra, who bore an uncanny semblance to Hyperborea's imperial lineage. It was supposed to be cut off from the old Emperor, but Cerydra's arrival gave the faction who discovered her a chance. They placed her as a puppet ruler, using the prestige of the 'imperial lineage' to ultimately best their opposing faction.
When the matter of famine blew up severely, everyone clamored for expansion to the 'vast greenlands' beyond the mountainous range. But, no one wanted to catch onto the blame if it fails, hence they gave it to Cerydra. Her success and failure mattered not to them, for she would be the one condemned to the depths of hell by her citizens.
What no one expected was Cerydra's expedition being a complete victory. She completely won over the ragtag army under her, and when they marched back to the Imperial Capital, she overthrew everyone and became the true ruler.
"A wise man forgets nothing, so it is fine to be petty." She imitated Shi Tian's frivolous tone, completely unbecoming of her. "That was what he said when we were heading back to the capital."
"That… sounds like him."
Cerydra caught onto that faint layer of stickly sweetness coming from Hysilens. The way the latter looked at her became stronger, as if she wanted to dig out the 'past' she missed out over their long years!
Cerydra stopped walking, her heels sinking slightly on the layer of snow above the soil. She faced Hysilens and asked:
"Aren't you afraid of running out of topics? We are only halfway through our mission. What if your love fades over time?"
"It won't be."Hysilens did not hesitate one second, denying Cerydra's claim. "One day, we could look at each other without doing anything. It would suffice."
"...You are helpless."
Cerydra could not fully understand her, and at the same time, she could not fully understand herself.
Why was she feeling… frustrated?
Before she realized it, she found herself thinking of one thing:
'If I, too, did…'
When Cerydra snapped out of it, she felt it was way too incredulous!
A cold-blooded ruler such as her, meeting the Merlin she had trusted for nearly her entire lifetime, thought of love!
No matter how well she hid it, it could never escape Hysilens' eyes. She knew full well how it was to have someone who understands her, someone who went through shared suffering with her. Inevitably, they have their differences, but that was fine too.
Being accepted and being understood…
Hysilens would not give it up for anything.
Naturally, she wanted the best for her Imperator, too.
"If you are not willing to say it…"
"..!" Cerydra's eyes widened as she shot a sharp look at her. "...Let me settle this on my own."
The two continued their expedition carrying an awkward air. They traversed past the mountains, and into the hinterland of Hyperborea. Wherever they passed through, they saw nothing but the Black Tide's influence. The ground had visibly turned dark in its presence, with monsters strolling every now and then.
Unsurprisingly, there were fewer remains on their way. It did not match the population of Hyperborea. Everything was all thanks to Cerydra. She was the one who led the majority of the people out. The population that never knew how to fight was relegated to the logistics, while the ones who could be trained were integrated. In that way, they reached Okhema.
The glory of the past resurfaced on Cerydra's mind, with the lingering scent of blood drifting to Hysilens' nose. Each of the places they passed through was just like this, and so was the massive walled city in front of them. Signs of deterioration and destruction could be seen on its parts. The thick and towering walls were but a thing of the past, replaced by tattered bricks.
They stepped on the stone pavements covered in grim, dried blood, and the darkness of the Black Tide. Every step felt heavier, somewhat suffocating, even. It is why Cerydra never returned to Hyperborea throughout all of their iterations with Amphoreus. It was her special place, and at the same time, a heavy burden.
The grand and luxurious castle had long been worn down. The large iron gate leading to its main hall was toppled to the ground, providing them direct entry to the throne. There, they saw another pair of women. One was sitting on the throne, with her feet unable to touch the ground. The other was standing to her right, her calm, somewhat mechanical gaze, looking at them.
To no surprises—
"It took you a bit longer than expected."
—they bore identical appearances as them.