Chương 135: Chapter 133: THE LAST QUESTION

Ten years had passed. The world had changed. The old kingdoms still existed, but the age of absolute rulers was gone. The Dharma Accord connected them. The Academy of Dharma had become the greatest institution in the Human Realm. And every year... Thousands of young Astra wielders entered its gates. But one thing had never changed. The story of Rayan Ashvar. Children learned his name before they learned the history of the First Age. The weakest prince. The Dharma Heir. The man who defeated the Dreamers.

The one who gave away the strongest Astra in existence. Statues of him stood across the continent. Songs were written about him. Books described his battles. Yet the man himself hated every version of the legend. Rayan stood inside his classroom, staring at a massive painting of himself. He frowned.

"Who painted that?" A student raised her hand.

"Master Rayan, everyone says it's your greatest portrait." Rayan pointed at the painting.

"Why do I look so serious?" The students laughed. One boy answered:"Because you're supposed to look legendary." Rayan sighed.

"I was eighteen." The classroom erupted in laughter. Outside the academy... Siena watched from the courtyard. She was no longer simply known as the Lotus Saint. She had become the Grand Commander of the Dharma Accord. Her white lotus Astra had evolved. But unlike the old era... She didn't measure herself by rank. Neither did Rayan. They had both learned the same lesson. Power was a responsibility. Not an identity. The academy bell rang. Students rushed outside. Rayan walked through the courtyard.

A young girl approached him.

"Master!" He stopped. She looked nervous.

"My Astra hasn't awakened." Rayan crouched beside her.

"How old are you?"

"Sixteen."

"Are you afraid?" She nodded.

"Everyone else has one." Rayan smiled.

"I didn't awaken mine until I was eighteen." The girl looked surprised.

"But you're Rayan Ashvar."

"Unfortunately." She laughed. Rayan placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Listen carefully."

"An Astra doesn't decide whether you're special."

"Your choices do." The girl smiled.

"Thank you." She ran away. Rayan watched her leave. Siena approached.

"You've said that speech a thousand times."

"Then I'll say it another thousand." She smiled. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

"Still stubborn."

"Still?"

"You've always been stubborn." Rayan paused.

"Do I remember that?"

"No."

"Then how do you know?" Siena looked at him.

"Because I was there." That evening... Rayan returned to the old palace of Ayanor. The palace had been converted into a museum. The throne room remained untouched. He walked through the ancient halls. His childhood memories were incomplete. But some places still felt familiar. He stopped before the throne. Once... He had dreamed of sitting there. Now... He couldn't imagine wanting it. Siena stood beside him.

"Do you ever regret giving up the Dharma Astra?" Rayan thought carefully.

"No."

"Not even once?" He shook his head.

"Sometimes I miss remembering everything." He looked at his hands.

"But I don't regret the choice." Siena smiled.

"Good." Suddenly... A deep pulse traveled through the palace. Rayan's expression changed. The old Astra symbols carved into the walls began glowing. Siena immediately summoned her lotus.

"What is that?" Rayan walked toward the throne. A golden symbol appeared above it. The symbol of Dharma. But something was different. It wasn't calling to Rayan. It was calling to someone else. The palace doors opened. A young boy entered. He was perhaps twelve years old. His clothes were simple. His eyes were bright gold. And floating above his shoulder... Was a tiny golden flame. Rayan stared. The boy looked at him.

"Are you Master Rayan?" Rayan nodded.

"Yes." The boy smiled.

"My name is..." He stopped. The golden flame suddenly transformed. A symbol appeared in the air. Rayan's eyes widened. It was a symbol he had not seen in ten years. The symbol of the original Dharma Astra. Siena stepped forward.

"Rayan..."

"I see it." The boy looked confused.

"Why are you both staring at me?" Rayan slowly approached him. For the first time in a decade... Something inside his soul awakened. Not power. Not memory. A recognition. A voice whispered inside his mind.

"The Dharma has chosen again." Rayan froze. He had believed the Dharma Astra was no longer singular. He had believed its story was finished. But now... A new heir stood before him. The boy looked at Rayan.

"Master..."

"Will you teach me?" Rayan smiled. He looked toward Siena. She smiled back. Rayan turned toward the boy.

"Yes." Then he noticed something carved into the boy's golden flame. A symbol from beyond the World Tree. A symbol that shouldn't exist. Rayan's smile disappeared. He whispered:"Where did you get that?" The boy looked confused.

"I was born with it." Rayan stared at the symbol. It was the mark of the Outer Void. And for the first time in ten peaceful years... Rayan realized the story had not truly ended. Perhaps... It had only changed hands. The golden flame hovered silently above the boy's hand. Rayan couldn't look away from it. The symbol inside the flame was unmistakable. The mark of the Outer Void. But there was something else. A second symbol had appeared beneath it. The symbol of Dharma.

Two forces that should never have existed together. Siena noticed it too.

"Rayan..."

"I know." The boy looked between them.

"Is something wrong?" Rayan crouched before him.

"What is your name?" The boy smiled.

"Eshan." Rayan repeated the name.

"Eshan." The strange feeling returned. A memory. Not his own. A golden tree. A white eye. A voice whispering:"Begin again." Rayan stood abruptly.

"Eshan, where were you born?" The boy pointed toward the northern mountains.

"A small village."

"Who are your parents?"

"My mother raised me."

"Your father?" Eshan lowered his head.

"I don't know him." Rayan and Siena exchanged a glance.

"How did you awaken your Astra?" Eshan looked at his hand.

"It happened three nights ago."

"The sky turned black."

"Then this appeared." The golden flame flickered.

"And I heard someone calling me." Rayan's expression became serious.

"What did the voice say?" Eshan looked directly at him.

"It said..." He paused.

"Find Rayan Ashvar." Silence. Rayan stepped away. That was impossible. The Outer Void had never spoken directly to him. It had watched. It had questioned. It had eventually chosen hope. But this... This felt different. Siena asked:"Did it say anything else?" Eshan nodded.

"It said the world was entering its second cycle." Rayan's eyes narrowed.

"Second cycle?" Eshan nodded.

"It said..." He swallowed.

"The first cycle belonged to Dharma."

"The second belongs to the Void." The palace shook. The golden flame suddenly expanded. A massive symbol appeared above the city. People across Ayanor stopped moving. Every Astra user felt it. A second pulse. Then another. The World Tree responded. Its branches stretched toward the northern sky. Sophia suddenly appeared. Her face was pale.

"Rayan." He turned.

"What happened?" She looked at Eshan. Then at the symbol.

"I thought this was impossible."

"What?" Sophia pointed toward the flame.

"The Outer Void has created an Astra." Everyone froze. Rayan stared at Eshan.

"Created?" Sophia nodded.

"The Void was never capable of creating."

"It could erase."

"It could observe."

"It could imitate."

"But never create." Rayan looked at the boy.

"Then what is he?" Sophia's eyes widened.

"I don't know." A sound came from the sky. Not thunder. A heartbeat. The entire universe pulsed. The World Tree responded. The Origin Core responded. And the golden flame above Eshan suddenly changed color. Gold became white. White became black. Then both colors merged. A new Astra symbol appeared. DHARMA: NULL Rayan's expression changed.

"Null?" Sophia whispered:"An Astra capable of creating and erasing possibilities." Siena immediately moved closer to Eshan.

"Is he dangerous?" Sophia didn't answer. That silence was enough. Eshan looked frightened.

"I don't want to hurt anyone." Rayan walked toward him.

"You won't."

"How do you know?"

"Because you were afraid of hurting people." Rayan placed a hand on his shoulder.

"That's where strength begins." Eshan looked at him.

"Will you teach me?" Rayan smiled.

"Yes."

"But..." He looked toward the dark sky.

"... you'll have to learn something different from what I learned."

"What?" Rayan looked at Siena. Then Sophia. Then the World Tree.

"You won't become the next Dharma Heir." Eshan looked confused.

"Then what will I become?" Rayan smiled.

"Yourself." Suddenly... The palace windows shattered. A wave of black energy swept through the city. Siena summoned her lotus.

"Incoming!" Kael landed on the balcony.

"Something's happening in the northern sky!" Caelum followed.

"The World Tree is opening a new branch." Aster's crimson threads spread across the heavens.

"I can see something beyond it." Rayan looked upward. A massive black door was forming between the stars. The same symbol appeared upon it. Dharma: Null. Eshan's golden flame reacted. The door opened slightly. A voice emerged. Not the Outer Void. Not the Dreamers. Something new.

"The cycle begins." Rayan raised his head.

"Who are you?" The voice answered:"The first child of the Void." The door opened wider. Behind it stood a figure. A young man. Black hair. Golden eyes. A familiar face. Rayan's face. Siena stepped backward.

"Rayan..." Rayan stared. The figure smiled.

"You sacrificed your Dharma."

"I inherited your Void." The sky exploded. Rayan looked at Eshan. Then at his own reflection standing beyond the gate. He finally understood. The Outer Void hadn't created an enemy. It had created an answer to Dharma. And the new age... Had found its first true conflict. Rayan smiled. Not with fear. With determination. He reached for the sword at his side. Then remembered. He no longer carried one. Siena handed him Shadowbreaker. Rayan stared at the weapon. A faint memory returned. A forest. A young prince.

A promise. He closed his hand around the hilt.

"I guess..."

"... some things never truly disappear." The figure beyond the gate smiled.

"Come, Rayan Ashvar."

"Let us see which future deserves to exist." The gate opened completely. And the new saga began. To be continue....