Ymir composed herself, sitting quietly on the cottage steps as she absorbed the tranquil beauty of the lake before her. She walked toward the water's edge, gazing into its crystalline surface, where countless starlights drifted like celestial fragments upon an unseen current.
Alex had imparted knowledge to her, this was no ordinary lake. It was a cosmic conduit, a sacred space where the souls of the departed resided in the form of luminous starlight.
These ethereal remnants would eventually be drawn toward the great tree "The Tree of Reincarnation" at the lake's center, merging into its branches and manifesting as new leaves, a symbol of reincarnation and the continuous cycle of existence.
As she peered deeper into the water, an instinctual yearning guided her to search for two particular souls. The lake, as though responding to her unspoken plea, revealed two familiar faces, her mother and father.
Their expressions were vacant, their eyes hollow with sorrow. A deep ache welled up in Ymir's chest, but she did not hesitate. Reaching out, she grasped at the glowing surface and, with an act of sheer will, pulled them forth from the shimmering depths.
Their spectral forms floated before her, unresponsive at first. Then, as they met her tear-filled gaze, something within them stirred. Light flickered back into their eyes, and recognition dawned upon them. Emotion flooded their ghostly visages, and soon, silent tears traced down their translucent cheeks.
"Ymir..." her mother whispered, her voice fragile yet unmistakable.
"Ymir? Is that really you?" her father asked in disbelief before embracing her tightly.
Ymir nodded fervently, tears spilling as she clung to them. Though their forms were insubstantial, a familiar warmth radiated from them, filling her with a profound sense of solace. They remained locked in their embrace, reluctant to part, until the weight of reality finally settled upon them.
Her father glanced around in confusion. "Where is this? Are we in heaven?"
"Yes, Father," Ymir answered softly. "This is heaven."
Her mother frowned, worry clouding her expression. "Why are you here, Ymir? Did they kill you too?"
"No, Mom." Ymir shook her head. "A kind person helped me and brought me here."
Her father exchanged a glance with her mother before asking, "Did God save you? Was He the one who brought us here?"
Ymir hesitated briefly before replying, "No. I brought you both here. It's complicated, but I'll explain everything later. First, there's something I must do."
She stepped back and lifted her hands. Closing her eyes, she remembered her parents as they had been in life: strong, healthy, and full of warmth. Channeling the immense energy she felt within herself, she willed their original body back into existence.
A radiant light enveloped them, pulsating with brilliance. As the glow subsided, Ymir opened her eyes and gasped. Before her, stood her parents, not a mere spiritual entity but fully restored beings of flesh and blood.
They were perfect, more so than they had ever been before. Overcome with joy, she rushed into their arms once more, laughing through her tears.
She led them to the cottage steps, where they sat together as she explained the nature of their resurrection and the new reality they now inhabited. Her parents listened in awe, gradually coming to terms with the miraculous events surrounding them.
From a concealed vantage point, Alex and Arwen observed in silence. They had not yet departed, choosing instead to watch over Ymir a while longer. Seeing that the first action she had taken with her newfound power was to restore her parents, they felt reassured. She had chosen love and family over vengeance or destruction.
With her parents by her side, she would not stray into crooked path. Sharing a knowing glance, Alex and Arwen silently vanished into a portal, leaving Ymir to embark upon her new life.
In his primary universe, light snow drifted gently outside while the fireplace crackled warmly, casting flickering shadows along the richly adorned walls. Seated in a grand leisure room of his newly constructed castle, Alex faced his clone.
Without hesitation, he extended his hand and extracted the fragment of his soul from the clone, absorbing it back into himself. The clone's body dissolved into radiant motes of light and vanished.
The castle, now fully functional yet lacking in design, was ready for its massive remodeling. Its architecture bore a striking resemblance to Neuschwanstein Castle, with approximately fifty percent similarity.
Towering spires reached toward the heavens, two of which stood accessible, one featuring glass-paneled walls that provided an unparalleled panoramic view of the surrounding terrain.
The structure housed five deluxe bedrooms, seven lavish bathrooms, an expansive grand hall, and four elegantly furnished living rooms. Two professional-grade kitchens, temperature-regulated storage rooms, a vast underground vault, dual garages, and a helipad completed its magnificent blueprint.
Perched atop a hill, within a fifty-acre property overlooking a valley with a breathtaking expanse of nature framed by majestic peaks in the distance. The snow-capped summits of Haystack and Prater Mountain dominated the skyline, while countless other ridges stretched toward the horizon.
Alex leaned into his seat and extended his will, infusing the castle and its surroundings with his immense power. A transformation swept through the structure, reshaping reality itself.
The original concrete bricks forming its walls morphed into natural solid granite, while the grand hall's pillars and the flooring of the entire castle became flawless marble, adorned with intricate gold embellishments and designs. The castle's doors, now reforged from light mithril alloys, gleamed with elegant colored crystal and gold inlays.
Simple chandeliers became radiant masterpieces of silver mithril and crystalline prisms, casting prismatic light throughout the corridors. The wall sconces, once unremarkable, now shone with solid gold craftsmanship.
The castle's copper roofing was entirely replaced with black adamantium sheets, rendering it impervious to time and damage. Windows, now composed of seamless transparent crystal panes, offered unparalleled clarity and brilliance.
Wooden furnishings, from ceilings to railings, were masterfully reconstructed in high-quality exotic wood with an elven-inspired aesthetic, their intricate carvings reminiscent of those found in The Lord of the Rings.
The outer ramparts encircling the castle were reforged from basalt rocks, and the old steel gate into a grand adamantine gate, its ornate design exuding both regality and strength.
Within the castle walls, a flourishing ecosystem of rare and mystical flora took root, thriving under the influence of Alex's origin energy.
Roads leading to the castle were repaved with stone slabs. Three hundred meters from the back of the castle, the ground sank, and freshwater gushed out, forming a semicircular three-acre lake. Freshwater fish, including carp, sturgeon, bass, trout, bluegill, and more, popped into existence.
Fowls and birds soon followed, ducks and elegant black-and-white swans glided across the water's surface, while songbirds filled the air with their melodies from the canopy of ancient trees.
In the surrounding forest, majestic deer and elks roamed, their presence lending an air of tranquility to the land. Snowshoe hares darted through the grassy meadows, their nimble forms blending seamlessly into the flourishing environment.
Sustained by Alex's energy, the land exuded an irresistible allure, drawing more creatures from the wild. In time, it would become a true sanctuary for all manner of life.
To maintain balance, Alex established a powerful warding barrier around his domain, preventing the entry of carnivorous predators such as bears, wolves, coyotes, and foxes, as well as pests like rodents and raccoons.
Around the lake, a carefully paved stone path wound its way along the shore, lined with wooden benches for quiet contemplation. Towering pines filled the air with their fragrance, while vibrant flowers bloomed in a myriad of colors. A wooden gazebo stood gracefully by the dock, overlooking the water's serene expanse.
Reality itself had bent to his design, reflecting the construct in his imagination. It may be major but all happened in the blink of an eye and any who had previously beheld the castle and its grounds would now remember only its present, perfected form. Even historical records, photos, and memories of its former state had been seamlessly rewritten.
Alex embraced Arwen atop the high watchtower of the castle as they admired his masterpiece.
"Did I overdo it?" Alex asked.
"Not really. It's beautiful. It's our home," Arwen replied.
"Yes, it is... It will be for a long time," Alex said, his gaze softening as he gently stroked Arwen's belly, where a faint pulse of new life was beginning to develop.