Night fell gently across the sanctuary.
The floating city glimmered beneath silver stars while Luminals drifted lazily through the skies like scattered pieces of dawn. Restoration bells echoed softly in distant districts, and for a brief moment…
everything felt still.
Yet deep within the sanctuary's highest celestial court, ancient power gathered quietly.
Because Aurelion had asked for Luke.
Alone.
Lucien hated that immediately.
"No."
The Prince of Hell folded his arms sharply while glaring at the colossal dragon occupying nearly half the ancient courtyard.
"You are not taking my son into mysterious ancient chambers alone."
Aurelion blinked slowly.
"I HAVE NO DESIRE TO EAT THE CHILD."
"That is somehow not reassuring."
Luke sighed tiredly nearby.
"Dad…"
The Father of All looked equally exhausted.
"For once," the old creator muttered, "I ask that neither of you argue with beings older than civilization."
Lucien looked unimpressed.
"I argue with you constantly."
"Unfortunately."
The Spirit Guide quietly lowered its head beside Luke.
He has inherited your stubbornness.
Lucien looked offended.
"From me?"
Luke and the Father of All answered simultaneously.
"Yes."
Eventually but very reluctantly,Lucien allowed Luke to follow Aurelion deeper into the sanctuary's ancient inner halls.
Though not before threatening:
the dragon,
the walls,destiny itself,and possibly time.
Luke was still embarrassed about that.
The deeper halls of the sanctuary felt older than the rest of the city somehow.
Massive silver pillars lined endless corridors carved with forgotten celestial language while ancient starlight flowed softly through cracks in the ceiling above.
Luke walked quietly beside Aurelion, Luminals hovering nervously around his shoulders.
The giant dragon moved slowly now, each heavy step echoing through the sacred halls like distant thunder.
Finally Luke looked up carefully.
"So… where are we going?"
Aurelion's deep voice rumbled gently.
"TO SOMETHING THAT HAS WAITED FOR YOU LONGER THAN YOU UNDERSTAND."
Luke frowned slightly.
"That sounds dramatic."
"IT IS."
Eventually they reached enormous golden doors hidden beneath the sanctuary itself.
Luke stopped instantly.
Because the moment he saw them,
his chest tightened painfully.
The black cracks on his arm glowed faintly beneath the bandages.
The Heart pulsed softly.
And somewhere deep inside him…
something ancient stirred awake.
Aurelion noticed immediately.
"YOU FEEL IT."
Luke nodded slowly.
"I know this place."
But that was impossible.
He had never been here before.
At least…
not in this lifetime.
The ancient dragon pressed one massive claw gently against the golden doors.
Runes ignited instantly across their surface.
Then the entire sanctuary trembled softly.
The doors slowly opened.
And Luke forgot how to breathe.
The chamber beyond looked endless.
A vast circular sanctuary hidden beneath the floating city itself, illuminated by streams of ancient starlight cascading from above. Forgotten murals covered the walls showing:
ancient wars,
celestial guardians,
primordial darkness,
and a single figure carrying a sword made from pure dawnlight.
At the center of the chamber stood a massive stone altar.
And resting within it…
was the sword.
Luke's heartbeat stopped.
Because he remembered it immediately.
Not fully.
Not clearly.
But enough.
Golden dreams.
A distant past.
Warm hands that did not yet exist.
And himself, unborn, touching the blade long before his first breath.
Luke staggered slightly.
Aurelion's ancient eyes softened.
"YES."
The dragon slowly approached the altar.
"YOU HAVE STOOD BEFORE IT ONCE BEFORE."
Luke looked up sharply.
"How?"
Aurelion became silent for several moments.
Then quietly:
"WHEN YOU WERE STILL WITHIN YOUR MOTHER'S WOMB."
The chamber fell completely silent afterward.
Even the Luminals froze.
Luke stared at the dragon in shock.
"That… that wasn't a dream?"
Aurelion shook its massive head slowly.
"NO."
The ancient dragon's voice echoed through the chamber softly.
"YOU TOUCHED TIME ITSELF BEFORE BIRTH."
Luke slowly turned back toward the sword.
It was beautiful.
Not because it looked overly grand or cruel like weapons forged for conquest.
But because it felt alive.
The blade shimmered with soft silver-gold light while ancient celestial runes moved gently across its surface like flowing water. The hilt resembled intertwined wings protecting a single crystal at its center—a crystal pulsing softly with the same rhythm as Luke's Heart.
The entire weapon radiated warmth.
Not violence.
Hope.
Luke stepped closer unconsciously.
The sword reacted instantly.
Golden light erupted across the chamber while the murals awakened around them. Ancient voices whispered softly through the sanctuary like echoes from forgotten ages.
Then Aurelion spoke its name.
"Astrael."
The word itself carried power.
The blade glowed brighter immediately.
"THE FIRST LIGHT OF BALANCE."
Luke stared silently.
Aurelion lowered its massive head beside him.
"THIS BLADE BELONGED TO THE FIRST Guardian of the Heart."
The dragon's voice softened further.
"IT VANISHED BEFORE THE FIRST WAR."
Luke reached out slowly toward the sword.
"And nobody could use it again?"
Aurelion nodded once.
"BECAUSE IT WOULD NOT ANSWER THEM."
The chamber became still.
Then quietly,almost reverently the dragon continued:
"UNTIL YOU."
Luke's fingers trembled slightly as he touched the hilt.
The moment contact happened,the entire sanctuary exploded with light.
The Heart pulsed violently.
The skies above the city ignited gold.
Every Luminal across creation cried out joyfully at once.
And the sword…
sang.
Not with sound.
With memory.
Luke suddenly saw fragments:
Celestia smiling beneath stars,
Lucien holding him as a baby,
ancient guardians standing against darkness,
Vaelthoros kneeling in the void,
the wounded places of creation crying softly across existence.
Then one final vision appeared.
A child standing alone before endless darkness…
holding Astrael not to destroy the void,
but to heal what had been abandoned by creation itself. The vision vanished instantly.
Luke gasped softly.
The sword's glow slowly settled afterward.
And without resistance…
Astrael lifted itself freely into Luke's hands.
The blade had accepted him completely.
Aurelion watched silently.
Then slowly bowed its massive head.
"THE BLADE REMEMBERS ITS TRUE MASTER."