Chapter 155: Ascension’s Edge
Location: Gaia HQ – Sanctum of Harmonious ResonanceTwo days had passed since Eun-Ha Synthesis 15 emerged from the Resonance Chamber—no longer simply a Knight, but the awakened bearer of Solmaria's full essence.Her newfound Divinity hadn't made her louder. If anything, she became quieter—but not with fragility. With clarity. With serenity.
A Council Convenes
Within the Grand Assembly Hall, the Gaia Council gathered. All 31 Integral Knights stood at attention, but it was Eun-Ha who commanded the room. Clad in her new regalia—a flowing, moonlit robe veined with glowing script—she stood beside Leonardo Serfort Granhart XI, eyes closed, listening.
"Knight Synthesis 15," Leonardo began, voice calm but grave, "you've achieved a resonance not recorded since the first generation. Your next step… must be of your choosing."
Eun-Ha opened her eyes.
"Then I choose to face what Solmaria once feared."
The council murmured.
"The Abyss Gate," she said. "The one buried beneath the ruins of Seraphyl Cradle."
Shock rippled through the room. Even seasoned veterans like Astron and Julius exchanged glances.
"That place is cursed," muttered Thea. "No one returns from there."
"Then it's time someone does," Eun-Ha replied.
A Soft Moment – The Garden of Quiet Winds
Before the mission, Eun-Ha visited the floating gardens atop Gaia HQ—an isolated haven of wind chimes, lavender petals, and slow sunset.
Cyg awaited her.
He looked up from the koi pond, sensing her approach before she spoke.
"You're leaving," he said simply.
She nodded.
"And you already knew."
"You always walk toward the light, even if it's painful," he said. "That's the most beautiful part of you."
She sat beside him, silent for a long time. Wind blew strands of her pale hair into her face, and Cyg gently tucked them behind her ear.
"When I return…" she began, voice softer than wind, "...would you still be here?"
He smiled faintly.
"I'll wait, even if it takes forever."
Their hands touched—no kiss, no fireworks—just fingers brushing like feathers. But it was enough. A promise unspoken. A bond sealed not with words, but with stillness.
Mission: Seraphyl Cradle – Beneath the Abyss Gate
The descent was endless. The ruins of Seraphyl Cradle were layered with death—collapsed temples, scorched altars, glyphs half-eaten by time.
Eun-Ha stood alone at the edge of the precipice: the Abyss Gate—a swirling vortex of abyssal energy, sealed by divine chains inscribed with Solmaria's tears.
And yet… one link had broken.
A figure emerged.
Clad in silver and obsidian, its form a twisted imitation of holy robes.
Its face?
Her own.
"Who are you?" she demanded, staff glowing.
"I am the fear you buried. The doubt Saint Solmaria never vanquished. I am the Echo of Heaven's Fall."
The Final Trial – Light vs. Reflection
It attacked with echoes—holy light corrupted into shadow spears. It struck not her body but her soul, each blow whispering cruel truths:
"You believe you are loved?""You walk in silence because you fear being seen.""You bear Solmaria, but her pain will consume you."
Eun-Ha dropped to one knee, breath shattered, light dimming.
But then——she heard it.
A quiet pulse.
A memory.
Cyg's voice.
"You always walk toward the light…"
Sylvia's laughter.Hikari's gentle teasing.Charlotte's honest words.Harriet's fire.Elaine's & Mia's joy.
Her Octagon.
Her family.
Her voice.
She rose.
"No echo shall define me," she said. "I am not your failure. I am my own Divinity."
She invoked Divine Assimilation: Solmaria – Saint of the New Dawn.
Wings of spectral feathers unfolded behind her. Her Cross Staff glowed with the purest ether. With one incantation, she dissolved the shadow self—not with violence, but with acceptance.
"You may rest," she whispered.
Back at Gaia HQ
Hours later, Eun-Ha stood before the rising sun. Her mission completed. The Abyss Gate sealed. And her soul intact.
Cyg appeared beside her without a word. He held out a small, glowing feather.
"I found this after you vanished. Thought you'd want it back."
"It's not mine," she said. "It's ours."
She placed it in his palm. They stood side by side, watching the morning break.
"You know," she said, "I never liked mornings."
"Then we'll face them together," he replied.