Whispers from the Void

“Elara, come forward!” Father Eldric calls, his voice carrying the weight of authority mixed with gentle encouragement.

His words ripple through the vast church, sinking into the high-vaulted ceiling, where echoes linger like whispers of the divine.

Elara springs up from Mother’s lap, her small feet barely making a sound against the polished stone floor as she hurries forward. A burst of excitement lights up her face, her bright eyes shimmering like sunlight on water. She moves with an eagerness that is purely Elara—completely unafraid, completely certain.

The light from the stained glass dances over her, casting her in a cascade of sapphire and emerald hues.

I shift slightly, but before I can even process the absence of her warmth beside me, Mother gently lifts me into her lap.

The scent of her cloak, faintly like lavender and aged parchment, surrounds me as she cradles me against her. Her embrace is steady, protective, though I can sense the faintest tension in her grip as she watches Elara.

Pride and worry flicker across her face in equal measure.

“Kneel before the Goddess’s hand and pray for what you desire,” Father Eldric instructs, his voice measured, his hand outstretched toward the statue of Goddess Uranas towering behind him.

The marble figure gleams in the flickering candlelight, her presence almost tangible in the sacred space.

The goddess stands in quiet majesty, one hand extended outward as if in eternal benediction, the other resting over her heart, the silent guardian of all who kneel before her. Ivy weaves around her base, its green tendrils a stark contrast against the smooth, pale stone.

Elara obeys, lowering herself onto the cool floor with the kind of unshaken reverence that only a child can have. She clasps her small hands together, fingers interlocked, eyes pressed shut.

Even from here, I can see her lips moving, forming hushed words only the goddess can hear. The candlelight flickers over her bowed head, casting faint shadows over her delicate features.

“Oh, great Goddess Uranas,” she whispers, her voice barely audible, yet somehow filling the space between us.

“I wish for the power to bring joy to everyone around me. I want to help our village and protect those I love. Please grant me your blessing!”

Her words settle into the stillness of the church, absorbed by the thick stone walls. A hush falls over the space, heavy and expectant.

Father Eldric watches her, his expression unreadable, though his eyes gleam with quiet approval.

Then, in a seamless motion, he lifts his hands and begins to chant. His voice flows through the church like a river—low, melodic, ancient. The weight of his words presses into my chest, each syllable a thread in a greater tapestry, weaving something unseen into the air around us.

“Oh, Goddess Uranas, Mother of Earth, hear this child’s plea!” he intones, his voice reverberating in the cavernous space, each word rolling off his tongue like an invocation older than time itself.

He extends a hand toward Elara, palm open, fingers slightly curled as if cradling invisible power.

“Bless her with your divine light, that she may walk the path of kindness and strength! Let her heart be filled with the waters of compassion, that she may nurture the world around her!”

A shiver runs down my spine, a strange sensation curling in my chest. The air feels… different. Alive. It hums with something I can’t name, something just beyond my understanding. The distant scent of incense grows stronger, laced with something earthy, something electric.

Elara’s eyes remain closed, her small shoulders trembling slightly, but she does not waver. There’s something almost unnatural in her stillness, as if she is caught between two worlds—one here, one somewhere far beyond my reach.

Father Eldric’s voice rises, his hands now lifted toward the grand statue behind him. The candle flames along the altar flicker violently, their light stretching and twisting as if reacting to his words.

The air shifts again. A soft wind stirs inside the church, a gentle, circling breeze that brushes against my skin, though the doors remain firmly shut.

“Let her spirit be as boundless as the sky,” Father Eldric continues, his voice weaving through the very bones of the church. “May she find courage in the face of adversity and strength in times of weakness!”

My breath catches as a faint glow—subtle, almost imperceptible—forms around Elara. It could be a trick of the light, the way the stained-glass hues shift as the sun moves, but deep down, I know better. Something is happening. Something real.

“Goddess Uranas, bestow upon her your blessing!” Father Eldric calls, his voice a final, resounding command, filled with reverence, urgency, and something deeper.

The words echo into the silence that follows, ringing in my ears like a bell long after the sound has faded.

Suddenly, a shimmering light spills from Elara’s small frame, unfurling around her like mist touched by dawn. The glow isn’t harsh or blinding—it moves like liquid moonlight, wrapping her in a gentle, ethereal embrace. The very air thickens, charged with something unseen but deeply felt, like the hush before a storm or the breath of the ocean before a wave crashes.

Mother stiffens beneath me, her arms instinctively pulling me closer. I feel the rapid thud of her heartbeat, hear the faint hitch in her breath. Her fingers tremble slightly against my back, not with fear, but with something close to reverence.

When I glance up, her eyes are wide, shining with something unspoken—hope, awe, maybe even longing.

“Elara, rise, and accept the gift bestowed upon you!” Father Eldric’s voice carries through the church, strong yet laced with something tender.

His expression, usually measured and calm, now holds something else—pride, perhaps, or the weight of witnessing a moment greater than himself.

Elara’s lashes flutter as she opens her eyes, her breath catching as she looks around, taking in the faint glow still clinging to her like the last remnants of a dream.

Slowly, the light begins to fade, retreating like waves pulling back to the sea, leaving behind only the quiet hum of something irrevocably changed.

Then, suddenly, she grins—a radiant, breathless smile breaking across her face, as if she can’t quite believe what just happened. Her hands press to her chest, feeling the lingering warmth there, the energy still tingling at her fingertips.

“I did it!” she cries, her voice a burst of joy against the stillness. “I really did it!”

Before I can react, she’s already bouncing toward us, her excitement spilling over like an overflowing cup. Her eyes alight with something new, something alive.

Despite myself, I feel a small smile tug at the corners of my lips. There’s something infectious about her happiness, something that seeps into the air around us and refuses to be ignored.

Father Eldric watches her with a knowing look, then turns to the altar, his movements slow and deliberate. From its center, he lifts a round crystal orb—smooth, polished, and shimmering with an otherworldly glow. It pulses faintly, as if it carries the heartbeat of the divine itself. The light within shifts like water in constant motion, never truly still.

“Place your hand here, dear,” he instructs, extending the orb toward Elara. His voice is calm but reverent, as if this moment holds weight beyond what any of us can see.

Elara, still practically vibrating with excitement, nods eagerly. She reaches out, placing her small palm against the cool surface of the orb. The instant her skin meets it, the crystal responds.

A soft light pulses from within—first gentle, then stronger, growing in intensity until the entire church seems to bathe in a brilliant blue hue. It is the color of deep oceans and endless skies, of rivers that carve through stone and waves that kiss the shore. It is unmistakable.

The blessing of the Goddess of Water.

Gasps ripple through the room, a mixture of astonishment and quiet reverence. The stained glass windows tremble ever so slightly, as if the very air is shifting around us, bending to something greater than ourselves.

Father Eldric’s voice rises with quiet excitement. “Look! It’s the blessing of the Goddess of Water!” He steps closer, his eyes reflecting the same glow that emanates from the orb.

“Her spirit embraces you, Elara. This blessing will grant you the ability to manipulate water, to draw strength from its depths, and to connect with the essence of life itself.”

Elara’s fingers twitch against the orb, her eyes widening as she stares into its depths. “What does that mean, Father?” she breathes, her voice barely more than a whisper.

It carries the weight of a child standing at the edge of something vast and unknown, peering over the precipice with both fear and wonder.

Father Eldric kneels before her, lowering himself to her level so that their gazes meet. “It means you are bound to the water, little one,” he explains, his voice gentle but firm.

“You will have the power to create, control, and communicate with it. Water is a source of life, but it can also be fierce and protective. You must learn to respect it and use your gifts wisely.”

Elara nods quickly, her hands clenching into tiny fists, her whole body thrumming with determination. “I promise to be careful, Father! I’ll learn to use my magic for good!”

A warm chuckle escapes him, his gaze filled with something fond. “That’s the spirit, dear.” His expression turns more serious.

“Remember, the blessing comes with responsibility. Embrace it, and you will grow stronger, not just as a mage but as a person.”

I watch as Elara beams, her whole being radiating pride, wonder, and the unshaken belief that she will do exactly what she has promised. The light from the orb lingers around her, reflecting in her eyes, filling the sacred space with a quiet, lingering energy.

For a moment, it feels as if time itself has paused, holding its breath in recognition of something far greater than any of us.

Mother releases a slow, trembling breath, one I hadn’t even realized she was holding. Her grip on me loosens just slightly, her fingers brushing absently against my hair. When I glance up, I see her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

She reaches out, cupping Elara’s face in her hands, smoothing a stray curl away from her forehead. Her voice is barely above a whisper, raw with emotion.

“I’m so proud of you, my little star.”

“It’s your turn now, Orion,” Father Eldric says, a kind smile on his lips. I glance at Elara, who beams at me with encouragement, her enthusiasm infectious.

I swallow hard, the weight of expectation pressing down on me like an iron mantle. The church is silent, yet the air hums with something unseen—something alive, electric, as if the very walls are listening, waiting. The golden light of flickering candles casts long shadows, stretching across the polished stone floor, their tiny flames swaying as though whispering secrets to the gods.

Dust particles dance lazily in the beams filtering through the stained-glass windows, painting the space in hues of crimson, sapphire, and emerald.

I take a deep breath, steadying myself against the unseen force tightening around my chest. I can feel Mother’s gaze on me, a mix of pride and worry, her hands gripping the fabric of her dress as though she might hold me back if she could. But this moment isn’t hers to control. It isn’t anyone’s.

“I’m ready,” I say, my voice steadier than I feel. The words come out firm, but my hands betray me, trembling slightly as I step forward.

I lower myself onto my knees before the altar, the cold stone seeping through the thin fabric of my clothing. The scent of incense lingers in the air—earthy, heavy, cloying. My pulse thunders in my ears as I bow my head, fingers interlocking tightly in prayer.

Then, suddenly—

A shift.

The very air ripples like the surface of disturbed water. My breath catches as an unseen force latches onto me, and before I can cry out, the world shatters.

Everything vanishes.

The church, the altar, the flickering candles—all of it ripped away in an instant, leaving nothing but an infinite abyss.

My body jerks violently, yet I feel no ground beneath me, no walls around me—only a vast emptiness stretching in all directions. I try to scream, but sound does not exist here. My lungs burn as if the very concept of air has been stolen away.

Darkness. Thick, suffocating, absolute.

I reach out instinctively, fingers clawing at nothing. My pulse pounds in my temples, the beat erratic and wild. There is no light, no scent, no warmth—only an oppressive weight pressing down on me, smothering every inch of my existence.

Is this death?

A whisper slithers through the void, distant and yet terrifyingly close, curling around my consciousness like a predator waiting to pounce. It is neither a voice nor an echo, but something far worse—something primordial, something knowing.

I am not alone here.

Then, she appears.

A form materializes from the swirling darkness—vast, shifting, and terrible. She isn’t bound by a single shape, her essence shifting like a storm barely contained within a humanoid silhouette.

Her eyes glow with an eerie, cold amusement, and her lips curve into a smile so knowing, so cruel, it sends ice through my veins.

“Welcome back, Winter.”

The name slams into me like a hammer. I feel it resonate deep within my soul, a name I no longer use, yet one she wields like a blade against me.

I clench my fists, forcing myself to meet her gaze. “I don’t go by that name anymore.”

She laughs, a slow, silky sound dripping with condescension. “Oh? And yet, here you are, standing before me once again. You thought you had slipped through my grasp, reborn into this fragile shell.”

A sickening realization dawns—I didn’t just come to seek a blessing. I walked straight into her domain.

“What do you want?” My voice is sharp, steady, but beneath it, my rage churns like an untamed storm.

“What do I want?” she muses, tilting her head as though the question itself amuses her. “That’s the wrong question. The right question is—what do you have that interests me?”

She steps closer, the air warping with her presence.

“I felt your soul slip away once before. A shame, really. You were quite entertaining back then, clawing your way through suffering, breaking yourself apart only to rebuild again and again.” Her voice lowers to a whisper, curling around me like a serpent.

“And yet, even in death, you defied me. You survived.”

I set my jaw. “If you’re here to kill me, get it over with.”

She lets out a delighted laugh. “Kill you? Oh no, no, Orion. That would be far too dull. You were my greatest amusement once, and now that I have you again, I can’t just throw you away. What kind of goddess would I be if I let my favorite toy slip away so easily?”

A sickening, twisted feeling coils in my gut.

I force a smirk. “And what happens when your playthings stop amusing you?”

“Oh, but you never cease to amuse me, Winter.”

The way she says my old name makes my blood boil. She’s doing it on purpose. She knows I hate it.

“Even now, I see that delicious defiance in your eyes. You really think you’ll escape my grasp? That you’ll one day stand against me?” She leans down, so close I feel her breath—if such a being even breathes.

“You are nothing but a soul adrift in my game, a flickering ember waiting to be snuffed out.”

The air crackles with my fury. “You should have snuffed me out when you had the chance.”

Another laugh, dripping with mirth. “Oh, I had the chance. I just didn’t take it.”

My hands tremble at my sides, not with fear—but with barely contained rage. “One day, I will kill you.”

She exhales, feigning a shiver. “Ooooh, bold. And yet, so utterly meaningless. But tell me, dear Winter, would you like to know something far more interesting?”

She pauses, savoring the moment. “Yuui.”

Everything inside me snaps taut. The void itself seems to hush at that name, as though the universe holds its breath. She sees the shift in my posture, the way my muscles tense involuntarily, and her smile spreads, slow and victorious.

“Yes, she’s still alive,” she murmurs, running a hand through the air as though sifting through invisible threads.

“You should see what’s become of her. Or perhaps, you’d rather not. The truth can be such an ugly thing.”

“What did you do to her?” My voice is low, dangerous.

Her expression is pure delight. “Me? Oh, Orion, I’ve done nothing at all. But you… you left her, didn’t you? You died and abandoned her in a world that chews up and spits out weak little heroes. She needed you, and yet—”

She leans in close, voice a breathy whisper. “You weren’t there.”

My vision blurs with anger, my body trembling with the sheer force of holding myself back. “Tell me where she is.”

“Oh, how adorable.” Her voice is mocking, her pleasure palpable. “You think you’re in a position to demand anything from me?”

The void around us seems to pulse with her amusement, a silent orchestra playing in time with my seething hatred.

I take a slow breath, forcing myself to still. “You will regret this.”

“Oh, Winter,” Uranus laughs softly, the sound rippling through the void like a whisper of silk over steel. It’s sweet, almost affectionate—if not for the underlying mockery that poisons every syllable. “Isn’t it adorable how you think you can save her?”

Her words slither into my ears, wrapping around my thoughts like chains. I clench my fists, my nails digging into my palms. The air between us hums with invisible pressure, a suffocating weight that she conjures effortlessly, as if the very world bends to her amusement.

“You’re just a child,” she continues, her lips curving into something that’s almost a smile—almost.

“A lost little soul, stumbling through a world you barely understand. Floundering. Drowning. You, of all people, should know that power comes at a price. But if you’re determined to find her… well, who am I to stop you?”

She leans forward as if sharing a secret, her eyes glinting like fractured glass. “I’d love to see you try.”

The implication is a dagger to my throat, and I can feel the cold steel of it pressing against my skin. My jaw tightens, rage crackling beneath my ribs like lightning seeking release.

“You’re playing with death, goddess,” I spit, my voice low, controlled, lethal. “Tell me where she is.”

Her laughter rings through the endless dark, curling around me like an unseen specter. It is not the laugh of a benevolent deity. It is a promise of cruelty, a game she intends to win.

“Do you really think you can threaten me?” she muses, tilting her head as if I’m some amusing little pet nipping at her heels.

“Oh, Winter. You’re not the first to swear vengeance, and you won’t be the last. But you? You’re nothing special.”

The space around me seems to shift, the void itself pulsing with something ancient and watching. Her voice softens, becoming something more dangerous—intimate, knowing.

“So much has changed since your death,” she murmurs, letting the words settle, watching for the cracks in my composure. And then, like a blade sliding between ribs, she whispers, “And as for Yuui…”

The silence that follows is suffocating.

My vision tunnels, breath sharp, body coiled so tightly I might shatter.

“I will find her,” I swear, my voice low, steady—a storm on the horizon. The weight of my own fury keeps me grounded, keeps me from lunging at a goddess I cannot yet touch. “And when I do, I’ll make you pay for whatever you’ve done to her.”

Uranus regards me with something between boredom and amusement, her presence radiating that same infuriating indifference. “Oh, my dear little toy,” she sighs, lips curling. “You’re nothing but a false god pretending to be real.”

Then, with a glint in her eye, she leans closer, her voice dipping into a whisper laced with venom. “But don’t worry… I’ll make sure to bury you.”

A cold, electric stillness spreads through me, but I do not flinch. My gaze is sharp enough to cut through the void itself as I take a step forward.

“Then you’re welcome to try,” I say, my words a dagger forged in resolve.

For the first time, something flickers in her expression—just for a second. Then she fades, dissolving into the nothingness, her laughter lingering like an echo of a storm yet to come.

And as the void settles into silence, I feel it—something dark and unshaken taking root inside me.

I will not let her games distract me.

I will rise.

I will reclaim my strength.

And one day, I will make her pay.