"When are the lovebirds going to wake up… they are going to wake up, right?" Sasha asked Celeste for the millionth time.
"I'm not sure. They're both stable and alive. I see no signs of any permanent brain damage or anything. It's really up to them." Celeste said with a sigh.
"Why in the hell would he hesitate and think of saving me?" Levi said with tear filled eyes. "The choice was so obvious. I would have gladly died by his side."
"You better not go and die on us! None of us can! We all need to stay strong so Sora and Brie live happy lives and have happy babies," Sasha said while hugging Levi.
"It's nice to see so much love and compassion in a group. A lot of the demons aren't bad, you know. A lot of them live in fear of what Azazel will do to them if they don't follow him blindly," Sera said with a frown.
"I'm sure the same is true for werewolves. It'd be nice to actually meet one who isn't in favor of Azazel's plan to destroy the world," Leila said.
After a few coughs, they heard Sora say, "Yes, that would be nice."
"Sora! Thank the gods you're alive. Are you ok?" Celeste said while infusing more healing magic into him.
"I'll live… I can't believe I hesitated. Had I not hesitated Celeste would have teleported Levi to safety and Brie and I would have teleported out as well." Sora said sadly. "How is she? Please tell me she's awake."
"Sora, relax… no one is blaming you. We're just glad you're ok. If anything it just reinforces our belief in you. You'd really go out of your way to save any one of us. So much so, it caused you to hesitate on saving the love of your life…" Sasha said with tears flowing from her eyes. "Thank you for being you." She gave him a big hug.
"Thanks Sasha… but could you please go easy. I'm still in a lot of pain." Sora said with a small laugh.
"Oh, sor–"
Sora cut her off. "Please don't say sorry. It's nice to see you emotional and the hug was nice. It's not like you." Sora smiled.
"Well don't get used to it!" Sasha said while wiping her tears away and laughing.
"Well, we'll leave you to get your rest. Celeste, I know you're a goddess and all… but don't you think you should rest too? Now that Sora is awake? You've been in this room for 2 weeks," Leila suggested.
"Rest would be nice. Believe it or not, we do sleep. Even gods and goddesses need to rest. I'm exhausted. Let's move Brie to Sora's room. He can keep an eye on her for now." Celeste said.
"Just reach out telepathically if you need me. She's completely stable, she's just not awake yet. I wonder what or who is preventing her return." Celeste said.
"Will do. Thank you for everything. You saved our lives, thank you so much."
After moving Brie safely into Sora's room, Sora insisted that she lie in his bed with him. All the tools Celeste used were nothing like those on Earth. They were so much more advanced. Brie simply laid in his bed on her back with floating devices consistently scanning and monitoring her. Celeste walked Sora through everything and with the help of his system, Sora had everything he needed programmed internally.
It was finally quiet. Sora could hear Brie's breathing and it relaxed him. He felt like he could finally think. He still couldn't believe what happened while he was unconscious.
'So that was what my life was like growing up on Exteria. Chronos told me the systems AI powered my body. I wonder why he just didn't tell me that my soul was split because I was still alive on Earth?' Sora wondered as he stared at Brie's unconscious body. 'I really am the son of Aphrodite and Cyrus… just reincarnated, not transmigrated—I wish I could ask him why he didn't tell me that.
He gave Brie a kiss on the forehead and whispered to her, "I love you Brie. Come back to me. I'm sorry I hesitated. There's so much more I want to tell you about myself. I just wish I could."
*****
'Huh? Where am I? What does Sora mean he wishes he could tell me more about himself? What the hell is going on?' Brie thought as she stood in the cosmos.
"Why hello Brie," an older man, dressed in a black cloak illuminated with vibrant white edges said to her.
"Hi… Do I know you?" Brie asked politely, clearly confused.
"No, you do not, but I know Sora quite well. He and I have… history, you could say." the man said.
"History? What do you mean history?" Brie asked.
"Ah, well you see the Sora you know and the Sora I originally met 5,000 years ago are the same person," the man said with a kind smile.
"5,000 years ago?! On Earth? So it did exist. Wait, so how is he the same person?" Brie asked with a confused expression.
"You will see, soon enough my dear… come with me," the man said excitedly.
Brie noticed they were both literally floating through the cosmos as they walked. She turned to her left and saw Sora laying next to her. He looked tired and worried. The black circles underneath his eyes were covered in silver tears. She saw her unconscious body next to his and had to ask.
"Sir, am I dead and are you a god?"
"I am Chronos, my dear girl, the god of time. I first met Sora on Earth many years ago. You are not dead. I am merely here to show you some things," he said happily.
Brie smiled and continued listening.
"As I said, the Sora you know and the Sora from 5000 years ago on Earth are both the same person… however up until he saved both of your lives against Pride, not even he knew that about himself."
"Ok… but how?" Brie asked.
"Humans have a very different concept of time than is reality. When I first met him on Earth, well—Telling him the truth was not an option as he would not have believed it," Chronos said.
"So what does he believe?"
"That his body used AI to pilot his life when really it was him all along. Just an incomplete soul until he agreed to my proposition on Earth 5000 years ago after he passed away. But for him, well, you shall see my dear girl," Chronos said brimming with joy.
He motioned for her to sit in a strange looking chair. It was white and long. It sat elevated and had a strange helmet-looking object with several straps for her arms and legs. It also had sticky pads, like for an EKG for humans.
"Uh… is that thing safe?" Brie asked.
"Of course it is! It's one of my inventions. I mean, I could always send you back without living both of Sora's lives," Chronos said cheerfully.
Brie didn't hesitate. She laid in the chair and allowed Chronos to hook up the straps and wires. Finally, he slid the helmet over her head.
"You will not live it from his point of view, but you will experience all of his emotions. Enjoy!"