The divine plane shimmered faintly, its light pulsing like the slow breath of eternity.
Samy stood before the golden table of seven seats, the sigil on his hand still glowing faintly, resonating with the presence of Nymera, Siana, and Khaelos. Yet something else stirred within the hall — a softer, subtler current of energy, warm and vibrant, carrying the scent of life itself.
Then a voice rose, calm yet commanding, melodic yet absolute:
> "Enough of half-truths."
All three deities turned their gaze toward the fourth seat — until now silent, yet shimmering faintly as though it had awaited its occupant.
From a swirl of emerald and golden light, a new figure took form. Her presence did not crash through the air like thunder, nor did it blaze like a star; instead, it radiated calm power — a serenity that demanded respect.
Her hair shimmered like threads of sunlight and dew, her eyes deep and verdant, reflecting the endless cycle of growth and decay. She wore a crown woven of living vines and petals, and her robe flowed like the dawn wind through a spring forest.
> "I am Flora," she declared, her voice echoing softly yet reaching every corner of the divine chamber. "Goddess of Life, of Renewal, and of the Cycle that binds all realms."
Even Khaelos — proud and unbending — straightened slightly, his expression tempered with respect.
Flora's gaze fell upon Samy, unwavering.
> "Mortal, you are not here by whim nor accident. There is a reason for your presence in the Hall of the Gods — a reason these divine beings have avoided speaking aloud."
Her words rippled through the hall. The air itself trembled.
Nymera's radiant wings dimmed slightly. Siana lowered her eyes, while Khaelos crossed his arms, hiding a faint, amused grin.
> "It is time to abandon illusions," Flora continued, her tone firm. "You have summoned a mortal here, bound his essence to divine power… but why? What are you hiding that drives you to break the ancient laws of transcendence?"
The question hung in the air, heavy and unforgiving.
No one spoke. Even the light of the plane seemed to freeze.
Finally, Siana broke the silence, her voice low and controlled.
> "It is not yet time for him to know."
Nymera's voice followed, softer but resolute.
> "He must remember first."
Khaelos chuckled quietly, the sound dark yet strangely intrigued.
> "Or survive long enough for the truth to matter."
Flora's expression hardened, and the calm in her tone turned to command.
> "No more games. You play with a soul that cannot yet comprehend the weight you've placed upon it. You bend the cycle for your own designs, and I will not allow it to continue unseen."
A burst of green and golden light flared from her palm, striking the marble floor.
A divine sigil — her mark — unfolded beneath Samy's feet, its intricate runes glowing in harmony with the one on his hand.
The moment they resonated, pain and revelation flooded his body. Samy staggered, his vision fracturing into a kaleidoscope of memories, worlds, and voices.
> "Wh–What's happening?!"
Flora extended her hand, her expression both compassionate and grave.
> "Forgive me, but they would not have told you otherwise. Your seal carries the key to their silence… and to your own forgotten truth. But you are not ready to hear it all — not yet."
"Flora!" Nymera shouted, her wings flaring wide. "Stop! If you break the veil now, he won't survive!"
Khaelos' grin widened, though his eyes burned with sharp interest.
> "Fascinating… the mortal's seal reacts directly to her will."
Flora's voice rose, carrying a tone of divine finality.
> "Then let him see one fragment of the truth!"
Light exploded around Samy — brilliant, endless, blinding.
He felt himself ripped through existence, through memories not his own. He saw battles that spanned worlds, thrones consumed by flame, a collapsing sky, and within it all — a man who looked exactly like him, standing before the same golden door.
Then, darkness.
---
Return – The Sanctuary of Pillars
Samy gasped, lungs burning as if he'd surfaced from deep water.
He was back — in the mortal realm, the familiar chamber of his sanctuary glowing faintly with protective runes. Around him stood four figures: Laura, Selene, Mira, and Lyra, each with a mixture of panic and relief in their eyes.
Laura reached for him first, pressing a hand against his forehead.
> "Samy! You were frozen — your body, your eyes, everything! The seal was glowing like it was alive!"
Selene's analytical tone cut through the chaos, though concern edged her words.
> "That wasn't ordinary magic. You were pulled… somewhere. Beyond our reach."
Mira's voice trembled.
> "We tried to wake you! We couldn't even touch you without being pushed back!"
Lyra's gaze, calm but shaken, focused on the mark still burning on his hand.
> "Something held you — something vast. Did you… did you see anything?"
Samy's breath steadied slowly. Images flickered behind his eyes — divine faces, blinding lights, Flora's voice, and a truth left unsaid.
> "Yes," he said at last. "I saw them — the gods. And one of them tried to tell me the truth."
He looked down at his hand. The sigil still glowed faintly, pulsing in rhythm with his heartbeat — but deeper now, resonating with a hidden power he didn't yet understand.
> "But they didn't let her."
The room fell silent. His four allies exchanged uneasy glances. Something had changed — not just in Samy's aura, but in the air itself, as if the divine plane had left a mark on reality.
And deep within his mind, Samy felt it — the lingering presence of Flora's voice, faint but unyielding:
> "Seek the truth they fear to reveal. Only then will your purpose be complete."