Medoria's hand went through Princess. Her slimy body ruptured forwards, trying to touch her Mistress to no avail. It went through her as if they existed in two different planes.
Medoria stared at her futile action as her milky tears manifested on her translucent face and dispersed along with the wind. It dissolved into glittering vapours and floated around Princess, flickering in her dull pupils.
"Mistress . . ." Medoria said. Her words echoed within the crumbling throne room.
Princess abruptly stopped. Her bewildered eyes glimmered for a moment before the mist seeped back. For an instant, her body emerged into the world.
Medoria seized her Mistress's hand. The familiar warmth coursed through Princess and caressed her soul, evoking the nostalgia lost in time. Her expression melted as she contemplated the fading emotions inside her vast consciousness.
Though violent, the maelstrom of emotions was merely a faint ripple within the immense ocean. Princess paid only the slightest attention to it, for it was amusing but not significant enough to investigate. Her gaze flashed through the timeline and saw all which transcended the mortals. Despite knowing her past, she remained aloof and disregarded her sentiment.
Her body faded into nothingness and detached from Medoria, floating towards the Originator. The haziness enshrouded her consciousness and distanced her from worldly matter, dispersing her sense of self into the sea of chaos.
"Am I not good enough?" Medoria rose from the floor. Her humanoid part tore through the ceiling and chased after her Mistress. "Mistress, could you not go? I want to gaze at the stars with you. I want to tend to your garden. I want to be of use, to be by your side. I just . . . want you back."
Her words leaked out of her mouth, forming strings of Divinity which flooded the sky. Their brightness clashed against the auroras of the Godfall Formation, assimilating them into a part of Medoria. The disruption she caused shook the Capital and tore the barrier apart, threatening to consume the surrounding forests and mountains.
Her grief tainted the azure ocean with a moody shade. No matter how madly she exhausted her Divinity, Medoria remained infinitely far away from her Mistress. She couldn't bridge the gap between dimensions with her Void Domain.
Gradually, her desperation faded. The roaring of her ocean subsided, along with her painfully slow descension. Though the environmental temperature couldn't affect her, she felt a chaotic hot and cold alternating inside her chest, suffocating her mystical body.
The surrounding sea of Fons merged into her core, turning her body into humanoid flesh once more. Her translucent slime form shifted its hue and became pastel pink, soft on the touch and rosy on the scent. She fell onto the feathery carpet and arched herself towards the floor. Her eyes stared at her pale hands, which remembered the warmth from her Mistress's touch.
Through the ceiling, a mellow ray of light illuminated Medoria, bouncing off her smooth skin and dispersed the surrounding darkness. She glanced around her, but everywhere was blurry and unknown. The blackness enclosed her path, leaving only a single strand of hope in her mind.
"Don't cry," Princess said. "You . . . must not cry."
Medoria froze before she slowly raised her head. The suffocating darkness turned into a comforting silence which bound her Mistress with her. Though the voice was cold and distant, it rang in her ears like a lullaby which she used to sing.
Expecting failure, Medoria reached out to her Mistress and passed through her once more. Though their gazes connected, they were muddy. Princess's face only revealed confusion amidst the inexplicable sorrow. Her dissolved consciousness screamed at her about the promise she once made. Its influence remained despite her oblivion of self.
Though she held the knowledge of all things, Princess struggled to understand her sentimental response. The rationale beyond emotions crumbled under the eros, which surpassed love and companionship.
The scenes which she witnessed countless times played in front of her, yet it was now different and beautiful. Clouded by her mortal perspective, her memories played like a broken record, deepening her confusion, yet filling her with desires and flaws.
Little by little, her scattered self moved towards a point. They gathered and built into a body riddled with imperfection. Her silhouette manifested on the inferior plane of existence, standing in front of she with whom her promise resonated.
"I don't understand," Princess said while scrutinising Medoria. "What is this sensation? Why is your sorrow the source of my discomfort?"
"Mistress, you've lost your life, and now your memory too?"
"I have known you more than you know yourself. You were born in City B-11 and abandoned in City A-3 due to a difficult circumstance of your family. Due to Fate, you meet me and begin your journey. If you had not become an Authority, you would have died here a few moments ago." Princess pointed at herself. "If I were still mortal, I would bury you in the garden where I would spend the rest of my life."
"Mistress, knowledge and experience aren't the same. Only by experiencing it could you truly remember."
Medoria sank her hand through her chest and grabbed her magical core. Her Void Domain seeped into the fabric of reality and crumbled the physical plane into the endless emptiness. She stepped into the rift and guided Princess out of the bubble of reality.
The chaotic nothingness assaulted Medoria, assimilating her consciousness into a part of the void. Though she couldn't fight against the infinity, her unwavering will to succeed didn't falter in front of death.
"Mistress, do you still remember the ending of the Countryside Man and the Elven Maiden?" Medoria said.
...
In front of an oriental residence guarded by towering stone walls, a human stood at the entrance, blocked by a pair of Elven guards. The chatter between them echoed throughout the tranquil atmosphere, complimented only by the sounds of nature.
"Sir, only the members of the Churches can enter the residence," an Elven guard said as he looked at the dishevelled man in front of him. He tilted his spear forwards to threaten the man, but one gaze from him stopped his thought.
"Even if you don't tell her, she will eventually come."
"Hey, Human, how dare you disrespect the Churches?" another Elven guard said and stepped forwards. He swung the blunt side of the spear at the man. It clashed against him, but he effortlessly gripped the handle and pulled it in.
The Elven Guard fell on the ground as the sudden shift in momentum caught him off guard. Though flustered, he was unable to retort to the cold gaze which radiated the ruthlessness of a strong mercenary.
Despite his excellent equipment, his instinct told him that he would lose if they were to clash. Nevertheless, he got back up and assumed his defensive stance. On his shoulders was the reputation of the Churches. He must not bring disgrace to it.
The other Elven guard sighed and pulled his friend back. His grip dragged his friend backwards, causing him to trip and fall. He ignored the groan and smiled at the Human.
"Sir, please don't make this hard for us," he said. "Even if you're her friends, you cannot go inside."
"I am not her friend. I only come here to confirm something."
"Are you her relative?"
"She is an Elf. I am merely a human."
"Sir, what are you implying? I suggest that you drop your pursuit before you taint her reputation."
"I have my faith in Lady Fate."
"The rules against romantic pleasure is set by her. Priestesses and Priests could only devote their loves to their Gods and Goddesses."
"As long as she wishes for such, I will respect her choice," the man said. His gaze wandered past the entrance and landed on the gate of the residence.
A series of footsteps echoed from the inside. The gate creaked open as a group of Elves donned in pure white walked out. The golden lines on their garments glittered from the light radiated from the lanterns hanging around the residence, filling the atmosphere with mysticism.
They descended the staircase and walked towards the Elven guards. Their shoes knocked against the stone pavement, producing a rhythm similar to the ticking of the clock. The Elven Maiden remained at the centre of the group, yet her flawless appearance overshone them.
"What ruckus did you cause?" she said. Her eyes glided through the air and arrived at the strangely familiar Human in front of the entrance. His hopeful eyes reminded her of an unimportant yet unforgettable memory she treasured.
"Cardinal, we seek your forgiveness. This one has sinned, for he has disturbed your rest," the Elven guard said and pulled his friend's head down, bending it down to show respect.
"No need to worry, I forgive you," the Elven Maiden said and turned to her followers. "Now, could you allow that man and me some private time?"
"But your safety—" The follower's words got interrupted by a stunning smile from the Elven Maiden. They looked at the others and sighed before leaving the scene.
As they left, the Elven guards glanced at the Human whose gaze couldn't leave the Elven Maiden. Standing together, they resembled a pair of the whole, destinated to come together and fulfil the void inside the other.
The world faded to silence, though the sky was still bright with sunlight warming the clear weather. A breeze picked up the fragrance of the roses and brought them to the Elven Maiden, filling her body with a softness, which invited the Human to touch.
He averted his gaze and smiled to himself. His hand brushed across his hair as he attempted to compose himself. The redness on his cheeks revealed his nervousness. It took him three minutes to shake his sentiment off and raised his head, but a single smile from her reignited his boiling emotions.
"Sir, may I know your name?" the Elven Maiden said and took his hand.
"Madam, my name is Primach. I've travelled from the Human Empire to this city to confirm something. Could you please fulfil my dream?"
"Primach, do you know what you're doing?" The Elven Maiden clenched his hand and pulled him in. She gazed into his eyes. Their pupils dilated as soon as their sight connected. Without words, their budding feeling evolved and took flight.
For the believers of the Churches, the Elven Maiden must never lose herself in the temptation of pleasure, for her body and soul were ever-present before the Gods. She was pure, innocent, and capable, yet her heart, once calm like a vast ocean, rippled as she reconnected with the memory of her youthhood.
She drew back her hands and shifted her posture, taking a step backwards. Her snowy face brimmed with pink as passion circulated her body, inducing her love to blossom. Losing her bearing, the Elven Maiden tripped and fell. She tensed her body and closed her eyes in embarrassment.
Primach rushed forwards and seized his lover's waist. His face came close to her as his eyes stared at her fluttered expression. His lips turned dry with desires clouding his mind. He leant forwards for an instant before pulling back. Her innocence caused him endless shame for his fleeting infatuation.
"I'm sorry if I sound like a mad man, but please listen to me," he said, shielding his heart. He supported the Elven Maiden up and kept a respectable distance from her. "It might sound like a fairy tale, but during the ceremonial festival in my hometown, I accidentally see—"
"Stop, please. There is no need for me to hear it," the Elven Maiden said. Though she kept her expression straight, the tears in her eyes slowly manifested. "I'm a Cardinal of the Church of Fate. It means that I must devote myself to Lady Fate. The romantic relationship is not possible, and not once in my life have I failed to resist the temptation."
"Madam . . . I understand." Primach looked down to avoid her gaze. "Thank you for—"
"Please, Primach, don't call me Madam. Call me by my name, Valerin." Valerin took a deep breath and stepped forwards. Her hair flew with the wind and touched Primach while she engrossed herself in his scent. "You don't need to tell me anything. I've been waiting for you all this while."
