Smooth water ripples trailed behind the rowboat as it left the docks, sailing into a forest of wet stones over the massive underground ocean.
All the bumpy ripples disturbed the starry, magical pattern of the liquid, as if urging the pool to simmer down.
To the left in the cavern lay smaller rocks; to the right, slightly taller ones reached for the ceiling. Water dripped from cracks and tree roots above, weaving down uneven stone walls lined with vines and moss, while stagnant air clung to the colossal underground lake.
It took Aletha a couple of minutes to get used to the rowing movements.
Soon, Aletha rowed like a natural.
As they glided across the water, Aletha bent down to watch her shimmering reflection. The stunned look on her face, mixed with the odd noise, made her want to comment on the land's beauty.
"This place is gorgeous!" She said with sparkling eyes. " Wow, I can't believe all of this is underground. How is this place not buried yet? I…Is that actually glowing gemstones underneath the water?"
The blue-haired man nodded at Aletha, then leaned over the edge of the boat, his eyes scanning the shimmering water as he prepared to respond in a calm but gravelly tone.
"Yes." A light, knowing smile emerged from his face, noticeably acting differently than in the docks. "Say, are you curious about how they got here? I can tell you if you want. Ya, see I know a lot about the history of Clearstar and this huge cavern, yeah? I know a lot from the birth of its formation to the reasoning behind those roots you see below."
"Really?" Aletha said, gasping.
"Yeah, just place your paddle down." The man replied, releasing a light chuckle. "If we continue at the pace we are going, then, heh heh… we might not even have enough time to talk."
"Okay!"
Excited, Aletha placed the paddle down, her face glowing with anticipation.
The boat paused in open water, surrounded by glowing blue gemstones and roots curling along cold walls. Aletha fidgeted, unable to settle, caught up in the beauty of it all.
As dazzling fish swam underwater through the seaweed, she watched the man as he grabbed a toolbox from beneath the rowboat seat, and a thought emerged in her mind.
(I'm concerned for Rinnea, but come on—this place looks stunning! Maybe I shouldn't be so worried about 'The Necklace.' As long as Drimi's soul is still alive, I know she's safe!)
Aletha looked back into the water, her thoughts continuing.
"These mortals that I met throughout the time being the present… are so… different from the ones I met in the past. They are not like the lesser Rulers I met in the nations of Gwenneg, Azazel, and Cleira, nor the humans within those cities in the mountains and valleys of that dream paradise. I…" She gulped. "I realized… that those mortals from the past incarnation of Gincad didn't treat me like they did their friends or any other mortal, but as if I were an outsider, a higher-supreme being. Were they shy because of my appearance? Were they scared of me? Or worse, were they scared of my family?" Upon her last sentence, a trembling, stressed, and high-pitched voice came out from her mouth.
"Was that what the souls of the dead felt when they tried to contact the living? Were they sad they couldn't reach their loved ones?" Curious, the blue-haired man bent over and looked around. He mumbled as Aletha's heartbeat slowed, and remorse chilled her still body.
"Souls of the Dead?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. "Just how much do you know, stranger?"
Reflecting on the past by staring into the reminiscent pool of pure, crystal sapphire-blue water, Aletha answered with a serious tone.
"Oh, wait a minute… y…you want to know more?" Aletha said, squinting suspiciously. "Well, I guess I can tell you, but in exchange, could you tell me what this place is about? I'm eager to learn more about the area and feel like I want to spend more time here."
As the man looked back at his shoulder, brushing off the dust on his clothes, he gave a thumbs-up to Aletha and accepted.
"Of course, I'll do that. It's my duty. Goodness, I never expected your mood to shift so suddenly."
Aletha let her hand dangle over the rail, her response gentler than before.
Oh, please. My mood is all over the place right now. It's just that, for some reason, the moment we entered this area in the cavern, I felt like my emotions had completely changed.
A glittering look came from the man's eyes. He nodded mutely, speaking with frosty calmness.
"See, I feel the same. This lake carries a lot of burdens that I can't begin to describe. This area needs to be fixed compared to the other segments of Clearstar City. As if this place tainted my sadness and reminiscence." He said with a shake of his head. "Do not worry, stranger, I know this feeling would NOT last. Actually…" He sat eyeing her with his flint-blue eyes.
"This is why I usually stop the boat here in this spot. The same happened to the other outsiders who sailed with me on the boat. I remember that each of them shared their incredibly sorrowful and remorseful stories. Some more horrifying than the last."
As the conversation continued, Aletha was fully absorbed in the moment. The man spoke on.
"Yeah, I remember now. Like this one blonde-haired boy who told me that he was trying to fulfill his deceased parents' wish by completing a map of the entire world they had made. I just couldn't forget that smile on his face after showing me every single corner of Clearstar. He was pleased by my actions, and he gave me his toolbox. I remember I sailed to places I never thought possible."
Aletha's eyes widened in shock, retracing the man's words.
"Wait, you're saying that boy did this, too?"
"Yes… Yes." The man replied. "I honestly can't remember much because of how many people wanted to sail with me."
Then, as the boat slowly steered through the rocks even without paddling, the man continued, recapturing his memories.
"Then, a pink-eyed woman with long blue hair sought comfort by journeying to Linuxinia. Here at this lake, as with you, the truthful aura made her reveal her real purpose: to find her brother. Nearing the dock, we saw her brother's spirit telling her, 'Don't cry. Let go of the past. Worry for your future, not mine.' She wept a river of tears after that."
He lowered his eyebrows, scratched his head thoughtfully, and continued speaking.
"That's why I looked at you like that, because there's some sort of aura around you that gives off something special, as if you know a lot. I'll break it down. I also have a problem of mine."
He ignored his own words and played with pebbles as Aletha met his gaze, intrigued.
"I'm curious about what you mean by The Souls of the Dead because… not long ago…." He tried not to strike a tear. "...I lost a lover of mine. She was… a beautiful woman with long blonde hair and amber eyes, an appearance worthy of my love. But I lost her to a strange metal mountain buried deep in the depths."
"Strange metal mountain?" Aletha stuttered as she remembered the large structures she had interacted with before. "W…Wait, could he mean those metal arms and wires in that place I saw before?"
The man couldn't hear Aletha with his hard hearing, so… he continued, despite the comment.
"The days after I lost her, every time I woke up at the dawn of a new day, I was greeted by sobbing and cries of what sounded like a woman." He paused and turned his head down. "But when I awakened from my bed, her soul disappeared. She was sad that she couldn't speak to me."
Cutting his reflections, he balled his fists and suppressed a tear. He then asked Aletha with a desperate tone.
"Please… if you tell me and explain what was going on, I will tell you everything about Clearstar and maybe serve you as a guide once we reach the main plaza."
After a moment of silence, Aletha agreed to the man's terms.
"I am sincerely sorry for your loss." She said, keeping her eyes down at the water. "I wish I knew your full story, but I never saw it… so I am unsure."
Her gaze swept to glowing crystals deep under the water, and Aletha continued.
"Years ago, I heard from allies of mine that there were rumors of a place called The Paradise, where the souls of the dead are transported to paradise."
The man lifted his feet off the water and sighed.
"Really?" He said. "So, are you telling me my lover is still out there? Is her soul still watching me?"
Aletha shook her head in doubt.
"No, I don't think so," she sighed. "It's only a rumor. But I do have a belief about the afterlife. Hundreds of years ago, I discussed this with a man."
* * * * *
"Father, what are those strange white stone thingies on the ground?" A girl asked as a memory came into view.
Before them, a cozy fireplace stood in a comfortable room with a large sofa, tables, and books. Although the memory contained places, it had not shown faces. Instead, only voices accompanied the empty.
One was a deep, soothing, and masculine voice, while the other was high-pitched, child-like, and playful.
"White stone thingies?" The deep resonated voice said. " Dear, just what are you speaking about?"
"I'm talking about those crosses in the garden outside!" The girl replied. "They're everywhere, and they even have names of my friends that disappeared. Father, do you think they are safe? What are they doing there?"
"Oh…" It sounded like the man tried his best to hide the truth about it, trying to explain it as friendly as possible. "Aletha, dear, those are… just imprints of the people you met. They are fine, somewhere up in the clouds. Once you're strong enough and your time is ready, you'll reunite with them soon."
Despite most of his face not being visible and being blurry, the father had softened his frown into a quivering smile, struggling to explain, whispering to himself as Aletha jumped up into his lap with an excited look.
"I can't lie to her anymore." He muttered. "I suppose… My daughter is old enough to know now."
As the father patted young Aletha's head, he sighed deeply and whispered to her as she sat on his lap.
"You know, dear, your mother always told me you were intensely curious about everything." The father said with a light chuckle. "Even when you were as little as a toddler, you always tried to crawl into spaces without us knowing. And, now that I see you're old enough, I can tell you the truth.
Young Aletha raised an eyebrow.
"Truth…?"
"Yes, truth." The father said. "The truth about the fate of your… friends."
At that moment, the warm smile on little Aletha's face slowly dropped down to a disbelieving frown, hearing the wise words from her father's deep but soft voice.
"You see, unlike us… mortals and Rulers below our ranks don't have much time to live like your mother, me, you, and your brother." He said with wise words. "Life for mortals is to be cherished every second and not wasted unless they are happy wasting time."
The father continued, and young Aletha's round, gray eyes widened in awe.
"Life for mortals is about forming beautiful memories and helping others like them to create more memories with them so that their lives will move on." He said proudly. "Because sometimes, memories build the foundation of the future and what carries their existence, even after their passing."
"Father, you're speaking big words again!" Young Aletha exclaimed as she pinched her father's cheek.
Before the warmth of the calm moment faded, Aletha's father shut his eyes and delivered a harsh reality to Aletha.
"But like the universe, sometimes all good things must come to an end." He looked up to the light streaming through the curved window of the castle, carrying young Aletha's entire body as if she were some sort of ball.
Despite being remarkably brawny, the father's voice sounded as angelic and beautiful as a glorious dove, treating Aletha and the rest of his family with respect. That was most of what Present Aletha could remember about her father.
Other than that, because of the awakening in that ocean near Pladtioa all that time ago, and the encounter with the Lesser Ruler in the void, most of her memories about him remained a mystery.
As young Aletha was carried by her father, walking along the room, her father continued.
"You see, beloved daughter, in this world, when mortals or anyone of that matter, even Rulers, pass away, their souls would be transported to a separate realm called The Paradise."
Young Aletha's eyes widened in shock, staring at the prosperous civilization behind the white balcony at the bottom of the cloud-piercing mountain. She mumbled as she scratched her bottom.
"The Paradise?" Young Aletha mumbled. "What's that?"
Her father slowly but gently placed young Aletha on a small chair while he stood near the balcony railings, his hair flowing with the wind.
"The Paradise is a beautiful realm composed of every memory, desire, and hate from souls; an endless plain of hopes and dreams of countless beings."
"Please, Dad, stop speaking with such big words!" Aletha complained with a tight cross in her arms. "I can barely understand them!"
A light chuckle came from him.
"Okay, okay… for you, daughter, I'll speak as simply as possible." He took a deep breath and explained while sitting next to Aletha. "Each soul has a memory and desire they manifest. The Paradise finds ways to reward or punish the souls for what they did. The punishments are not as brutal and harsh as what people say they are." The father said as he pressed his index finger against Aletha's soft forehead. "The harshest punishment given to one is something one would not respect. Individuals who are corrupt and refuse to divert themselves from sinning would be given their realm called loneliness."
"Loneliness?" Aletha said with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, loneliness." The father nodded, continuing. "Mortals are forgiven if they sin. Only by taking the life of another would they be punished. The punishment of loneliness is only given if one refuses to change from sinning. On the other hand, mortals that persist in changing themselves would be given a greater gift."
Young Aletha sighed and tried to comprehend the words, scratching her head and acting like any other child would.
"Ooo, gift? So, when people pass away, they get given a gift?"
The father immediately interrupted.
"Only if they don't cease themselves or cheat their way and go through the natural route." He said with a direct shift in his voice. "Souls that have gone through nature will be given a gift, one greater than the others. If the mind believes they are good, they will be given their ideal Paradise fabricated by the combination of dreams, desires, and love."
Young Aletha retraced his words.
"Ohhh." She said with sparkling eyes. "So what you're saying is that when a mortal or anyone passes away, they will be transported into anything they could ever dream of?"
"Indeed!" The father expressed with a proud smile. "You are smarter than I thought. I am proud of you." As he led Aletha away from the balconies toward the hallways of the giant castle, he continued his explanation with a shift of tone.
"But the reward varies. If one is slothful and does little, one will be given a small piece of Paradise. When one is helpful and does more virtues, they will be given an even greater version of their Paradise."
With curiosity, as the white birds and flowers dazzled among the garden next to them, young Aletha looked up to her father and asked.
"Oh, okay." She said, "So what if a person does not sin at least once? Would they be given a greater and unbelievable paradise than the others?"
The father's eyebrows lowered as he knelt down and waved his finger, answering truthfully.
"There's no such person. Everyone, including Rulers like us, has their mistakes. They DO sin, but many-- if not most-- try to change themselves even if they fall into the corrupting nature of sin." He plucked a white flower from the garden and placed it on Aletha's palm, continuing in a gentle voice.
"No one is perfect, nothing is perfect, and the universe is not MEANT to be perfect, daughter. Life is made of mistakes. But those mistakes lead to success if followed. Perfection is an illusion, dear. It's the driving force that tries to make us the best possible. But no matter who we are, everything must have at least one mistake."
While he rubbed young Aletha's head, he whispered pleasantly.
"Someday, dear daughter, I want to see you make mistakes. I want to see your sin. But I never want you to deny change and submit yourself to sin." He said, staring at Aletha with his daggering eyes. "I want to see you learn from your problems, use those memories to transform yourself, and be as strong and powerful as possible. Because even if those mistakes happen, you can sometimes eclipse those mistakes with your successes if you have enough motivation."
Taking a deep breath, he embraced Aletha warmly.
"Remember to love yourself and embrace failure because with enough courage… you, yourself… could make your own paradise."
Before more was heard, the memory flashed back into the present, back to the boat, where Present Aletha informed the blue-haired man about everything that happened and was said at that specific moment.
* * * * *
"...you, yourself… could make your own Paradise. Those were the last words I remembered from my father." Aletha said in a reminiscent and trembling voice.
Upon hearing her recollections, the man froze in disbelief, feeling the wave of knowledge viciously pouring into his mind. Now he wondered whether he should inform her about Clearstar's history, as so much time had passed.
Wrapped in a veil of lassitude at Aletha's sudden tsunami of memories and information, he grabbed his paddle and replied with a quiet and gentle tone.
"That makes… all the more sense now that I think about it. It's… unbelievable that you know this much about The Afterlife. I think I can look at this world with a new glance with this… knowledge."
Aletha slowly nodded her head and grabbed her paddle, rowing the boat through the lake and forging their path onward to the town.
"I'm sorry about that." She said while she twiddled her thumbs. " I guess I got too carried away."
"No, no, it's fine." The man intervened. "Actually, I have an idea. Maybe you should share this information with everyone. I'm sure they would appreciate that as much as I did."
As a quietness brooded in the air, Aletha agreed and smiled faintly.
"You think so?" She asked, lowering her smile. "I mean, I only did this because I felt something was forcing me. But if you really say so, I'll try. Some day."
Now that the man thought about it, he answered.
"Y… You don't have to." He said with a disagreeable nod. "It's just a suggestion. With all that said, as you shared such a fantastic memory, our boat was moving independently. At this pace, we will approach the docks of the plaza right about..."
Before he could finish his sentence, a massive dock with fascinating proportions and buildings captured their attention.
"...now."