"Morione, may I ask you something?" I called out to her cautiously, a sense of unfamiliar tension creeping in, perhaps in pursuit of some unknown truth.
"Uh-huh? What is it?" she asked, tilting her head curiously, her expression shifting from trust to one that now demanded caution.
As I clutched the crystal orb I received from Miru, strange memories began to surface. How did she know about Miru? Although I didn't understand why these memories were emerging...
"Could you tell me about my past?" The forgotten memories were seeping back into my consciousness, bringing with them a surreal sense of reality.
I couldn't remember specific events or people, but one thing was clear - I had been living a different life. Trying to recall more, my mind became cluttered with noise, frustratingly blocking clear memories.
"Your past?" Her expression changed drastically upon hearing my question.
"Why do you ask all of a sudden?" Her eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"Just curious... It’s been quite some time since we met, right? I thought it might be nice to reminisce," I replied, subtly disguising my real intention - 'I want to probe into your intentions' - under a veil of casual curiosity.
"Curious, all of a sudden? Hmm..." Her response seemed normal, considering the unexpected turn of the conversation.
"A bit surprising, but there's no harm in telling you," she said, thankfully stopping at just a hint of suspicion.
"So, you want to know about your past?" Morione looked into the distance with a faint smile, as if recalling pleasant memories.
Could this provide me a clue to what I just experienced? Swallowing nervously with anticipation, I was unprepared for what happened next.
"There's no reason to refuse." As Morione spoke, chains materialized out of thin air, binding me unexpectedly.
"?! What the...?" I couldn't react in time as the chains restrained me, forcing me to my knees.
"Morione?!" My call, filled with disbelief, was met with her dark, settled gaze.
"I foresaw this too, the possibility of you regaining your memories, though not completely..."
"....?!" It dawned on me that Morione had known all along about the object I possessed. Her narrowed eyes when I first lied to her weren't out of simple suspicion, but a scrutinizing gaze at someone trying to distort the truth.
"Such a close call. I thought I might lose you," she said, as her cold demeanor intensified.
"Ah?!" Suddenly, she sprinkled an unknown white powder over me. Inhaling its strange scent, drowsiness overwhelmed me.
As my vision blurred, Morione's sinister smile was the last thing I saw. "I won't let you escape... Those faint memories, I'll erase them completely."
A chill ran down my spine as the futility of my situation set in. My attempts to resist were met with the clanking of chains.
"Useless. These chains are too strong for you to break," Morione taunted as sleepiness enveloped me.
"I can't... let this happen..." My resistance was futile; even my mind couldn't withstand the encroaching darkness.
"See you later, my subject. Once I've purged these unnecessary memories, you'll be exactly as I desire...♡" Her last words to me, tinged with an ambiguous allure, echoed as I plunged into an abyss of unconsciousness... "Almost caused a real disaster..." Morione murmured, clearly troubled, as the chains that bound him were released upon his fainting. She gently cradled his limp body, her voice laced with worry.
"Lucky I foresaw every possibility. If not, and if he had retained even a fragment of his memory, I could have lost him forever." She deeply inhaled, her face buried in his chest, her resolve strengthening.
"I won't let him slip away... He'll always smile for me."
She contemplated whether to extract his memories again. Effortlessly lifting Harold, whose true memories were still hidden within him, she mused, "As if nothing happened... Let's return."
Though she said that, she placed him carefully at the center of the stairs, a determined expression on her face.
"And once I eliminate those girls..."
Suddenly, the massive temple doors were forcibly opened with a loud crash.
"Sigh... I knew you'd come grandly. I know why you're here." Morione's gaze fell upon several girls standing there.
A red-haired adventurer, an ancient deity with partial power, a princess, top students and the principal from the academy, and a girl with a dark aura — six girls, each radiating a distinct aura of determination, all directed at Morione.
"But I won't go down easily. I too seek my own survival... and love," she declared.
With that, a massive and sacred-looking axe materialized in her hand.
Despite her delicate appearance, she held the giant weapon, which seemed capable of beheading even the mightiest. The axe's blade glistened, reflecting the faces of her adversaries.
"Prepare yourself, goddess."
"Even if my powers aren't full, I won't be bested by today's weakened gods."
"Release him now, and we assure your safety."
"Goddess of Fate, please let Harold go..."
"He deserves a true life."
"Morione... deceiving my brother and everyone... I won't forgive you."
Each girl voiced their intent, ready to face death itself to achieve their goal. They revealed their courage and determination to win back the man they all desired. "As they come to destroy my paradise..." Morione declared, her voice echoing powerfully as her gigantic axe thudded heavily on the ground. The menacing sound would have intimidated others, but to these determined women, it seemed to have no effect.
A brief silence ensued, like the calm before a storm, soon to be shattered by the onset of battle.
With a short battle cry, the women initiated the attack. The grand temple was transformed into a battlefield.
The first to strike Morione was the red-haired adventurer, Erina, whose sword clashed with the divine axe, creating sparks and metallic clinks that resonated throughout the temple.
"Quite strong, Erina... Is this the might of a hero?" Morione grunted, managing to parry Erina's attack.
"Light Breaker!" Luslia, utilizing Harold's magic, supported Erina with a powerful ancient spell. Though not at her peak power, the spell was still formidable.
"Great Ice Shower!" Arsia also joined in, casting a spell that transformed the temple into a frigid wasteland, unleashing a torrent of sharp ice upon Morione.
Caught off guard, Morione had to forcefully repel Erina and use her axe to deflect the incoming magic. Despite her efforts, the strain was clear on her face.
"This isn't over yet!" Erina lunged again, this time her sword grazing Morione.
Gritting her teeth in pain, Morione swiftly counterattacked, her axe raised high with divine strength, aiming to overpower Erina.
However, Marika and Aris quickly erected protective barriers around Erina. "Golden Barrier!" Marika invoked. "Green Barrier!" Aris added, their combined magic shielding Erina from harm.
This intense battle, with each participant fighting with all their might, showcased the depth of their resolve and the lengths they were willing to go to protect what they cherished. With a resounding clang, Erina managed to break through Morione's defenses, albeit briefly. The sound of the collapsing temple floor was alarming, but Erina barely dodged the brunt of the impact.
"Ine, I'll help you!" Miru, the young dragonkin, leapt to assist Erina, engulfed in a blinding flash of light and unleashing a powerful white laser towards Morione. Caught off guard, as one hand was occupied with her axe, Morione was forced to block with her bare hand.
"Temporal offspring...!!" Morione grunted, using her remaining hand to shield herself. A searing noise followed, and her fingertips began to blacken.
With a fierce cry, Morione unleashed a powerful gust, sending Miru and Erina flying backward.
"Ah!" "Ugh!" The two girls, pushed back by the force, struggled to get back on their feet.
"Panting heavily, Morione stood, indicating the difficulty of the battle. "It's not easy... This is quite disadvantageous."
"Give up, goddess. We must reclaim his memories," Luslia firmly demanded, speaking for the group. Surprisingly, Morione seemed to accept the reality of her situation.
"Yes, if things continue this way, I'll be defeated... I've seen the vivid end of my life through multiple fates," she admitted.
But then she added, "However... I am the goddess of destiny, able to see through everything."
With a thud, she planted her axe into the ground, creating another strong gust that forced everyone to shield their eyes.
"I wield the power to look into fate and be certain of the future," Morione proclaimed. When the group opened their eyes again, they were met with a drastically different scenario. Amidst the unfolding chaos, Morione's eyes glistened with a clear, infinite gaze, resembling one who sees all things. Her wings, woven from every spell, and her axe of destiny underwent a transformation, radiating repeated bursts of light, becoming more threatening and holy in appearance.
"Your attacks are now meaningless... I shall annihilate you without even giving a chance to strike!" Morione's voice boomed with an oppressive and divine fury, as if she was delivering a judgment filled with heavenly resentment.
"Light Ring -" Despite the intimidation, Arsia began to cast a spell with her hands neatly gathered. But before she could complete it...
"Light Ring Burst..." Morione, as if foreseeing the future, spoke the name of the spell Arsia was about to cast and vanished from her position.
And then...
Crack!
"Ahh?!" Arsia's sudden scream echoed, and...
"Arsia?!" Morione had crushed her, shattering Arsia's body under her immense power.