The Sanctum was the world of Celestials and the only place where the creator's Law didn’t take effect. It shimmered with countless starlights as if the Milky Way itself had been woven into its form and resembled a massive tree laid flat upon the ground.

The roots of the tree extended into pathways connecting to various places on Earth. This allowed Awakeners, who had received Stigmas, to travel freely to and from the Sanctum. The wide road of the trunk led directly to the Celestials’ temples.

Following the Milky Way’s path up, it eventually reached a fork in the road with three branching paths. Each led to a temple belonging to a North Star Celestial.

Following one of these paths revealed a grand temple covered in silver light. It wasn’t ornate nor intricately carved in a way that would make one gasp in admiration, yet anyone who stood before that radiant silver temple couldn’t help but feel a suffocating awe.

This silver temple was none other than Vega’s, the Celestials of Lyra, also known as the Weaver.

Approaching the temple, Kwon Oh-Jin slowly opened its doors.

He called out to the owner of this temple and the Celestial who had bestowed him his Stigma, “Vega.”

No response came.

Song Ha-Eun sighed deeply and shook her head. “Haaa... See? I told you there was no point coming here.” 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

During the month Kwon Oh-Jin had locked himself away, Song Ha-Eun had visited Vega’s temple multiple times to check on her.

“She’s been like this since the first time I came.”

She looked up at Vega, who was bound in chains of light with her eyes closed as if asleep.

Having defied the Law’s restrictions by deploying her Sacred Ground on Earth, Vega had been bound in these chains as punishment and sealed within her temple.

“You said most of the Celestials are bound by these chains, right?”

“Yeah, except the Celestials that didn’t participate in the war.”

The weakening Law had fortunately spared them from totally vanishing from this world. However, the Celestials who had used their Sacred Grounds to protect the Awakeners against the Black Star Celestials were now sealed within their temples.

This has happened before.

Back then, he had used Open Heaven to forcibly sever the chains of light binding Vega. Now, with his battle against the Heavenly Demon looming tomorrow, he couldn’t risk recklessly using it again.

Even if I used Open Heaven to break the chains, she probably wouldn’t be in any condition to manifest right away.

Even knowing all this, he had still come to see the result of the Heavenly Demon toying with him and the result of a coward too afraid to take a single step forward.

“I’m sorry, Vega.”

If only he hadn’t hesitated to use Open Heaven, could he have spared Vega and the other Celestials from deploying their Sacred Grounds in the first place? If he did, could he have avoided all this?

He drowned again in the regret that he had dreaded over for a month.

A soft voice echoed. “Why... are you apologizing?"

Kwon Oh-Jin’s eyes widened as he turned his head. “Vega...?”

Vega, still bound in chains of light, gazed at him with her eyes weakly open.

“W-What? Her seal is broken?” Song Ha-Eun stepped toward Vega in shock, but a spark burst from the chains and hurled her back. “Ahhh!”

“Stay... back... It is dangerous.”

Song Ha-Eun winced, fanning her stinging hand. “Ow, damn it. That hurt.”

“What’s going on?” Kwon Oh-Jin asked.

Vega smiled faintly. “Haa, haa. I heard... your voice.”

Song Ha-Eun puffed her cheeks. “You never answered when I called.”

“You... don’t need to apologize... It was my choice... to deploy the Sacred Ground.”

Kwon Oh-Jin could only remain silent.

“I’m... sorry... I could not... protect you until the end... Kugh!”

Kwon Oh-Jin already understood what she was trying to say. “If it hurts to talk, don’t push yourself.”

He slowly stepped closer to her, but the chains sparked violently to repel him.

Crackle! Crackle!

“I’m going to meet the Heavenly Demon tomorrow.”

Ignoring the pain shooting through his arm, he gently brushed his hand against Vega’s cheek.

“W-What... do you mean?”

“It’s time to finally end this cursed relationship.”

The Kwon Oh-Jin of the past life and the Kwon Oh-Jin of the present... It was time to put an end to the story of the two Kwon Oh-Jins divided by fate.

“I came to say my last goodbye before I go.”

The goddess’s eyes trembled with unease. “Last... goodbye? What do you mean by that?”

Kwon Oh-Jin faintly smiled and shook his head. “Don’t look at me like that. I’m not saying I’m going off to die.”

“But...”

Kwon Oh-Jin glanced at the radiant chains binding Vega and shrugged. “When it’s all over, I’ll come back and break those chains for you. Just hold on a little longer.”

“Will you really come back?”

“Of course.”

“Can you promise?”

“As many times as you want.”

“And this time... It’s not a lie?”

“Haha, I told you before...” With a smile, Kwon Oh-Jin gently caressed the trembling goddess’s cheek. “I won’t lie anymore.”

His warmth and calmness wrapped around the anxious goddess like a blanket.

Her trembling eyes slowly regained their stillness. “Then, I shall believe you and wait.”

He nodded and began to turn away. “Good. I’ll be back soon.”

“Ah, w-wait.”

“Hm? What is it?”

“T-That’s...” Vega glanced shyly toward Song Ha-Eun and hesitated. After a moment, she shut her eyes tightly and blurted out, “K-Kiss me... before you go.”

Her cheeks flushed a soft pink.

Kwon Oh-Jin froze and awkwardly glanced at Song Ha-Eun.

Song Ha-Eun sighed deeply. “Alright, alright. I’ll disappear so you two can smooch in peace.”

“S-Smooch...?! That’s not what I meant!”

“Yeah, yeah. Make out in peace.”

“Y-You...”

“Seriously, you’re the boldest one, yet you act so innocent and proper.”

“T-That’s rude!”

Song Ha-Eun burst into laughter at Vega’s bright red face. “I’ll wait outside. You two lovebirds take your time.”

She patted Kwon Oh-Jin’s shoulder and stepped out of the temple. As soon as she left, an awkward silence filled the space.

Maybe realizing her own childishness, Vega turned her eyes away. “I-I apologize...”

“No need to apologize.”

He did say he would come back. Deep down, she probably sensed the possibility of that promise not being kept.

Kwon Oh-Jin wasn’t confident that he could defeat the Heavenly Demon. He had ideas, but no guarantee that any of them would work. Even if they did work, he wasn’t sure if he could make it out alive.

But...

Kwon Oh-Jin would no longer hesitate or run. He had sworn to himself countless times in his dark room.

Let’s put an end to this.

It was time to stop this suffocating fate and relationship.

“I’ll be back, Vega.”

Crackle! Crackle!

Ignoring the violent sparks from the chains, Kwon Oh-Jin stepped closer. A soft warmth brushed against his lips. Through that touch, Vega’s fears, hopes, worries, and regrets... Everything tangled together and transferred to him.

The fragile, trembling mass of emotion from her felt like he was looking into a mirror.

Their lips parted.

The goddess folded her hands in prayer and closed her eyes. “My child... No matter how dark the clouds that cover the sky, never forget that my starlight will always be with you.”

Kwon Oh-Jin silently nodded and left the temple.

“All done talking?” Song Ha-Eun asked.

“Yeah.”

Song Ha-Eun pouted and pinched his side. “Unbelievable. You didn’t even kiss me a single time once you got out of your room, but you kissed her? Rude.”

“Should I kiss you now then?”

“No thanks. Hmph.” Song Ha-Eun snorted and turned her head away. “When it’s all over... then you can.”

Her voice trembled faintly.

Kwon Oh-Jin nodded quietly and started walking.

“But you’re not seriously planning to go alone tomorrow, right? Because if you are, I’m really going to get mad.”

“Don’t worry. There’s something I want to ask you to do.”

Song Ha-Eun cocked her head, eyes wide in curiosity.

“Something you want to ask me?” With a short gasp, she snapped her fingers. “Oh, right. You said something about lying before, didn’t you?”

He had locked himself away for a month while preparing a plan to face the Heavenly Demon.

“So, what do you want me to do?”

“Nothing.”

“What?”

“You don’t need to do anything.”

At his firm answer, her expression hardened sharply.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Song Ha-Eun wasn’t as strong as him. Even so, she was powerful enough to burn down a Celestial’s Sacred Ground. Now he was telling her to do nothing?

“You’re saying I’m no help at all?”

“No, that’s not what I mean.”

There were barely any Awakeners as powerful as Song Ha-Eun. She could undoubtedly play a major role in the battle against the Heavenly Demon.

“You have a more important role than fighting.”

She frowned, clearly confused.

“Well, I’ll explain it slowly when we get back home today.”

“Fine.”

She knew he wasn’t the type to say something like that without a reason.

“Anyway, do you know where you have to go tomorrow? The note said something weird like the place where your fates diverged.”

“I know.”

How could he not know?

“I’ll be waiting at the place where our fates diverged.”

The place where the two Kwon Oh-Jin’s destinies had split apart. The place where the Heavenly Demon lost everything, and where Kwon Oh-Jin himself had been forced to carry too much.

“He’ll be waiting for me at the place where I first met Lee Shin-Hyuk.”

“That one-star rift?”

“Yeah.”

It was there, on that day, that their fates had diverged.