Misaki opens her eyes, blinking slowly as her eyes get adjusted to the light coming from the window. She looks at the ceiling. Unfamiliar. Painted with constellations. After a moment, she realizes that the constellation didn't belong to the skies of Iravan. It was from Earth's sky. She and Misumi were born under this constellation.
"Are you feeling better?"
She turns her head toward her father. He is sitting on the chair beside her bed. Though his appearance is neat, the fatigue is clear in his eyes.
"What happened to me, Father?" Misaki asks with a weak voice.
"The face of the Chaos that was inside you died." Adira tells her with a straightforward voice, "Chaos is also dead."
How is that possible? Misaki widens her eyes. "Gods can't die."
"I guess." Adira leans forward and takes her hand. "Your mother erased her avatar's name. She has gone back to a dormant form. It will take a long time for her to return."
"Mother did that?" It happened because of her. Her lips tremble as tears fill her eyes. Chaos is gone.
"Yes." Adira takes a deep breath, closing his eyes. "Your mother had to face the repercussion of killing a god. She had also lost her true name. At the moment, her body is sleeping in the world she created."
He doesn't continue further. It's been two weeks since Ari died. Misumi doesn't know yet. He found out that Cina returned to the world. Noras is still gone.
Not many people from this world know.
Misaki's body has taken a huge blow after the face disappeared from her body.
"I am sorry." Misaki bursts into tears. "Father, it's my fault."
Adira knits his brows. Ari said that Misaki had some misunderstandings. "Why do you think that it's your fault?"
"Father." Misaki sniffles, looking at him. "I brought bad luck to people who love me because I was the face of Chaos. After I was born, Mother became a forsaken one. When she met me again, she died. I was the cause."
What had Chaos taught his daughter? Bad luck? His daughter can never be bad luck to anyone. Adira pulls her in his embrace. "Idiot. It wasn't your fault."
"But, Father," Misaki quivers, crying louder, unable to say anything more. She knows that it's her fault. Her mother died because of her.
"It was my fault for forgetting her," Adira says to him, trying to soothe her. "If I had not made mistakes back then, she wouldn't have left Iravan. Your mother wanted you to know that you are loved by me and her. We didn't abandon you. We would never do that. Noras was looking for you and I went to look for your mother. I wish that I could…"
She hears him take deep breaths. It sounds like he's trying not to cry. Misaki stays still, thinking. Mother and Chaos… both of them are gone. If she turns back time…
"Father, help me." She looks up at her father. "I want to turn back time and save Mother. Tell me where I should go in time."
He raises his brows, creasing his forehead. "Playing with time is…"
"Father, can you live without Mother?" Misaki wipes her cheeks and then, she looks at him with determination in her eyes. "I don't want to be in this present. I want to change the past. Even if you tell me not to do it, I will go back and change it. But if you help me, I will be able to do it safely."
"It's not safe." Adira shakes his head. "You might get hurt."
"I have gone back in time many times." Misaki pats her chest. "Father, do you know that immortals don't forget when the past is changed somewhat? I have tried it with Chaos. She didn't forget about the things that I changed especially if it involved her. So, if I change the past, you wouldn't forget how it originally was. You can fix everything. I only have to change one small thing."
The idea is tempting. He does want to change the past. He wants to prevent Ari from becoming a forsaken one. His major regret is forgetting her name. If he takes responsibility for turning back the time, it should be fine.
"Then…" Adira stares at his daughter's face, hoping that Ari would understand his decision. "Go back to the time after I went into Qeshaya."
"Before the war?" Misaki furrows her brows. "That's too far back."
"No, if you change that, your mother might not appear in this world." And Misaki won't appear either. That will cause a paradox. It must be avoided at any cost. It had to be after Ari got pregnant with his daughters. "I went to Qeshaya for the second time when Kresi and Cina fought. Go to that time and stop me. If you tell me everything, I will remember."
Misaki gives him a nod. "Tell me the date and time."
***
She appears in front of the clearing of the forest. Even from afar, she senses Qeshaya's strength.
Misaki doesn't take any step in the forest. She knows that Kresi, the mortal avatar of Chaos, is in there. Even if they go to Qeshaya, the gods will open Qeshaya and release them. Her goal is to not let Father go into Qeshaya.
She sees her father materializing in front of the forest. He's dressed in a dark robe, looking exactly the same except that there's no tiredness or sadness in his eyes. Misaki yells, "Father!"
From this moment on, the past will change.
Her father turns his head toward her. He wrinkles his brows in confusion. Misaki realizes that she can't waste time. She runs toward him, screaming, "Father, you can't go to Qeshaya."
"Who are you?" Adira questions the girl running toward him. There's something about her that seems familiar to her.
"I am your daughter." Misaki grabs his hand desperately. "Father, if you go to save them, you will get into Qeshaya. Then, you will forget everything. Wait for God Noras. You can free them using the universal key. Think about Mother who is carrying me and Misumi. You can't hurt yourself."
She only needs to keep him away from Qeshaya until Cina and Kresi are gone.
Is she really his daughter? Adira touches her forehead, sensing the blocked ehr in her body. She's a wahr, but there's some magic in her. This child is his.
"Don't go, please." Misaki begs him, "If you go, Mother will get hurt. She will become a forsaken creature and then, she will die. She will never be the same again. Father, I am here because you and I don't want to be in a future where we have to live without Mother."
When he hears those words, Adira's face turns solemn. Ari turning into a forsaken creature?
"You only have to avoid going to this disaster." Misaki continues with a desperate tone, "Then, you will know what went wrong in the future. Then, everything will be fine."
"I won't go," Adira tells her. He would trust this child. "You look a lot like Ari."
Just then, Qeshaya absorbs Cina and Kresi. Adira winces in pain as the entire timeline is destroyed. The memories of another timeline charge through his mind. Misaki holds onto him as he drops on his knees. Adira gasps, "Ari."
"Please find Mother." Misaki looks straight at his face. Her figure is fading away. Since the timeline is destroyed, the 'Misaki' who was raised by Chaos no longer exists. "I am going to synchronize with Misaki who is in Mother's womb. I hope that you protect Mother this time."
Before he could reply, Misaki is gone. He looks at his hands. He is truly back. Even gods don't get the chances to turn back time. It happened because of his daughter. Adira returns to the castle right away.
He finds Ari in her room, trying to work her way on the chains that he left on Ai. She becomes still and looks at him.
"Did you save Kresi?" She asks him with deep concern in her eyes.
"You are really here." Adira walks toward her. He wraps his arms around her, pulling her up in a hug. "Ari, I am sorry. I am really sorry."
Even though she's a goddess, at the moment she's only a mortal. So, she will not remember the other timeline.
"Why didn't you save her?" Ari pushes him away. She blinks her eyes in surprise when she sees tears in his eyes. "Why are you crying?"
"Forgive me for not supporting your decisions." Adira grips her shoulders, lowering his head. "Forgive me for forgetting your name. Forgive me for not being able to protect you and our daughters."
Ari is speechless. What is going on? "Adira, you…"
"From now on, Ai is our son." Adira removes the chains on Ai's body. "I will give him a true name."
Ari gapes at him. Son?
Little Ai asks curiously, "Am I really your son now?"
"Yes, you are. You should call me Father from this moment on." Adira picks up Little Ai in his arms, patting his small body like he used to pat Misumi. "Ari, I will listen to anything you say. Don't ever leave me and our three children."
"What are you talking about?" Ari crosses her arms. Three children? Is she carrying twins? Though she doesn't know what is going on, she guesses that something must have changed Adira's mind. Anyway, it's working in her favour. If Adira is taking responsibility for Ai, it should be alright. "I will never ever leave you."