As soon as Miraculas revealed the truth, an eerie silence engulfed the room. The weight of his words sent shockwaves through the air, leaving even the most formidable beings speechless. For the first time, the Supreme of Balance stood not as a divine force but as a father, and in this moment, nothing else mattered. Not Damsel. Not Ambrose. Not the world itself. His daughter's safety was the only thing he cared about.
Miraculas stood in the dimly lit chamber, his gaze fixed upon Pearl's unconscious form. His expression was unreadable, but the storm raging within him was evident. The silence was shattered when a voice, deep and knowing, echoed through the room.
"Are you sure, O Supreme, of what you are about to do?" The voice carried an authority that demanded attention. "The balance has already begun to collapse. The effects of this energy disarray have reached the human world. Slowly, everything is unraveling—Damsel included. Have you forgotten that it was you who ordered the creation of this realm after the fall of Bolungeai and Mosgaiaro? It was meant to preserve harmony between the forces. And now, when destruction looms over everything, the very Supreme of Balance chooses to walk away?"
Miraculas exhaled, his breath heavy with conflict. His voice, though measured, trembled with raw emotion. "In the pursuit of saving this world, I am losing my daughter." His hands clenched into fists as his gaze darkened. "I lost her once before… because of her unwavering belief that harmony should come above all. But where did that belief lead her? Look at what it has done to her! Look at what it has cost her!" His voice cracked slightly, but he steadied himself. "Right now, she is my only concern. Not balance. Not Damsel. Not anything else."
This wasn't Miraculas, the Supreme of Balance, speaking.
This was a father.
On the other side of the room, Pearl stirred, consciousness slowly returning. The echoes of their conversation drifted to her, but the words felt distant, foreign. Her mind was a haze of confusion, and yet… something about the shadow Miraculas spoke to felt familiar. It tugged at a forgotten part of her soul, a connection lost in the abyss of time.
As she struggled to piece together her scattered memories, an image flickered in her mind—blurry, fleeting. A voice, soft yet resolute, whispered in the depths of her thoughts.
Father, I want harmony and peace everywhere, and for that, I need to do this.
Pain flared through her chest, snapping her back to reality. A muffled gasp escaped her lips. Miraculas turned in an instant, his ever-composed face now laced with worry. The Supreme of Balance—an entity feared and revered by all—was shaken. Without hesitation, he lifted his hands, beginning to chant an incantation to ease her pain.
But mid-air, Pearl raised a trembling hand and stopped him.
"If you're thinking of taking me away, it's not happening, my Supreme father," she whispered, her voice laced with newfound strength. "I need harmony and peace everywhere. I hope you remember."
Miraculas froze. His expression was unreadable, his mind racing.
"You… remember everything?" His voice was barely above a breath, laced with disbelief and something deeper—something dangerously close to hope.
Before he could speak further, Pearl's locket pulsed, radiating an ethereal glow. The pink light engulfed her, swirling like a celestial storm. And then, from within the radiant cocoon, emerged a vision of breathtaking divinity.
Pearl was no longer just a mortal entangled in fate's web.
She was the Owner of Balance.
Her large, luminous lilac wings unfurled with celestial grace, shimmering like woven stardust. Emerald eyes gleamed with wisdom and power, framed by cascading black hair that flowed like the midnight sky. Her presence was spellbinding—otherworldly. A beauty so rare, so unparalleled, that even time itself seemed to pause in reverence.
A single tear slipped from Miraculas' eye, a rare and unspoken acknowledgment of pride and sorrow entwined.
Pearl smiled gently, stepping toward him. "No, Father," she whispered, cupping his face with feather-light hands. "I am strong now. I will not repeat the same mistakes. Have faith in me."
A heartbeat of silence. Then she turned, determination flickering in her gaze. "But before anything…" she exhaled, her heart guiding her words. "I need to see Ambrose."
At the mention of his name, Miraculas tensed. He tried to stop her, knowing the chaos that awaited, but Pearl's unwavering assurance eased his concern. Without another word, she extended her wings and soared through the air, following the pull of Ambrose's energy.
She found him by the riverside, lost in thought, his aura dark with turmoil.
He felt her before he saw her.
The moment Pearl's presence touched him, Ambrose's breath hitched. He turned sharply, eyes locking onto the ethereal being before him. The glow surrounding her, the warmth of her energy—he had no doubt.
It was her.
For a fleeting moment, he was mesmerized. But then, as quickly as the spell took hold, he recoiled, stepping back. His jaw tightened, his gaze hardening with forced resolve.
"You should stay away from me," he muttered, his voice laced with an edge of pain. "I will only hurt you again."
Pearl blinked, momentarily stunned. Then, with a soft, knowing smile, she closed the distance between them, wrapping her arms securely around his neck. A feather-light kiss brushed against his lips—a silent assurance, a promise unspoken.
But Ambrose did not melt. His expression remained unreadable, his hands clenched at his sides.
"You have suffered from the beginning because of me," he whispered, his voice barely holding together. "Now my father has been blinded by rage, and I… I finally understand why Miraculas kept you away from me." His hands trembled. "I respect his decision now. You should go with him… and never come back."
A crack formed in Pearl's heart. But she did not break.
Instead, she took a step back, meeting his tormented gaze with a knowing look. A rush of energy erupted from within her, wild and untamed. She didn't try to control it—she let it flow. But before it could spiral, Ambrose instinctively countered it. In a split second, everything stilled, balance restored.
Pearl's lips parted into a soft smile. "You complete me," she whispered. "And you want me to leave?"
She had done it on purpose—to show him the undeniable truth. They weren't just connected. They were meant to be together. To bring harmony, to mend the balance that only they could restore.
Without hesitation, she pressed her lips against his.
This was no ordinary kiss.
It was a vow. A silent declaration of love, of unity, of defying fate itself.
At first, Ambrose stiffened, the ghosts of past mistakes haunting him. But slowly, he surrendered, arms encircling her as though she was the most fragile thing in existence. As though she was precious beyond measure.
Pearl smiled against his lips, sensing the shift, feeling the warmth of his surrender. And then, in a moment of absolute transcendence, Ambrose's eyes glowed.
No, not just his eyes.
All of Damsel glowed.
Balance and power, finally united.