The scenery unfurls before you in majestic splendor, unlike anything you've ever witnessed. Though you've seen the Great Merton Lake, this transcends even its beauty, leaving you utterly breathless. Millions of white flowers surround you, each one blooming with an ethereal glow that pulses with the very heartbeat of the world. They stretch out as far as the eye can see, an endless sea of luminescent blossoms.

Above, the sky opens up in a grand celestial display. A giant moon, swollen and brilliant, casts its silvery reflection upon the water's surface, turning the lake into a mirror of the heavens. Stars twinkle like a scattered handful of diamonds, each one shimmering with its own unique light. There are not only white stars, but also red stars, blue stars, yellow stars, all of different colors. The vast tapestry of the universe is now revealed before your eyes.

Gently, the air brushes against your skin. A sense of calm flows through you, a ripple of relaxation.

"Nightingale," you whisper, your gaze held captive by her eyes, “Thank you for saving me nya. Without you, I would have been devoured nya…”

“I’m so glad that you are okay,” Nightingale replies.

Looking back, it was truly terrifying. You weren't even aware of what happened to you, of what the dark energy did to you. You thought that through Dolore, you had known it all. You thought you knew the dark, the pain, and all the suffering in the world. But that... that was something else entirely. It was not just agony; it was emptiness, isolation, an unfeeling void that had threatened to strip away everything that made you who you are. You were helpless, defenseless against it. 

And at that time, you really lost track of who you are. Your sense of self really dwindled. 

Lucky indeed that Nightingale pulled you out in time.

“I’m sorry, it was my fault…” Nightingale suddenly speaks. 

“Huh?” You are confused by the girl’s words. “No, that’s not true nya! Stop blaming yourself. It was all the dark energy nya!”

“No, it was me…” Nightingale shakes her head. Tears start falling down her cheeks. “For the longest time, I was like that. No emotion, no feelings, surrounded by darkness and isolation. It’s my biggest fear, to live like that, to go back to that. I’m sorry… that you had to experience it…”

“No…” you interrupt her, a lump in your throat as you pull Nightingale closer to you. You hug her, feeling her tiny, frail and trembling body inside your arms. “But you still saved me, didn’t you? You overcame your darkest fears, didn’t you nya? The fact that you and I are here, that you can cry, that you can love, means you've changed, right, nya? Look at your inner world, it’s beautiful, nya!”

Her eyes widen as she looks around, as if seeing it for the first time. It's true. One's internal world reflects who they really are. A person who only knows pain can only create a painful world. A person who only knows sadness can never create color, let alone a millions of flowers and a sky full of stars like this.

Yes, looking around at Nightingale's inner world, it's so vibrant, so alive, filled with light and warmth. It’s even much, much more beautiful than your world.

You tell Nightingale all of that.

And upon hearing it, her eyes widen as she looks around, as if seeing it for the first time. At that moment, the whole world seems to glow with her, growing even more and more beautiful by the seconds.

“See?” you whisper, holding her tear-streaked face in your hands. “This is who you are now, Nightingale nya. This world is you. You've learned how to feel, to love nya. And I'm here with you. We made it through together, nya.”

And with that, “Thank you…” Nightingale whispers, her head resting on your shoulder, her breath warm against your skin.

“Ah, don’t mention it, nya,” you respond, your heart dancing with delight.

As Nightingale nestles closer, your heart begins to race, each beat a symphony of happiness that fills your soul. Your ethereal form glows with a soft light, and the fragrance of her hair, sweet and comforting, envelops you. The desire to freeze this moment in time, to remain forever locked in this embrace with Nightingale, is almost overwhelming. You wish time would slow down, stand still, stretch this instant into eternity.

But you know that's not how reality works. Time waits for no one, and this moment, too, must pass.

So, what now? What does this mean for you and Nightingale? 

Nightingale waves her hand, and a wooden door magically materializes on the lake surface, right in front of you.

As if sensing your thoughts, Nightingale raises her hand, and with a graceful wave, a wooden door magically materializes on the lake's surface, right in front of you.

"Go, Felicia. That door is the path for your soul to return to your body," Nightingale explains.

“Oh, I see nya!”

You smile happily and get up. Holding Nightingale’s hand, you walk towards the door.

However…

As you turn the door knob open, you notice something.

Why does the door’s color seem to be fading away?

Why does the water color start turning gray?

And Nightingale’s hand… she’s shaking… and getting colder as well.

For a moment, you're paralyzed, confusion blanketing your thoughts.

Then…

Realization strikes

“No…” you mutter, and your heart throb. 

“Felicia…?” Nightingale’s voice is now shaking as well.

“Nightingale, you’re a liar nya…”

“No, I…”

“IT’S STILL HERE, ISN’T IT NYA!?”

And as you turn around, you confirm it. In just seconds, the sky turns dark. Black clouds come, hiding away the stars. A heavy mist fills the atmosphere, and before you know it, Nightingale’s pupils are now as red as blood! Her demonic aura once again surfaces!

"Go, Felicia!" Nightingale cries out, her voice splintering with pain and desperation. "I'll hold it off, but you... you need to escape, now!"

"No, I can't lea—"

But before you can protest, before you can tell her you won't abandon her, she thrusts you towards the door. The door flings open.

The world whirls around you, as you're being violently pulled through.