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Rebecca spent hours with her father, neither of them able to get enough of one another’s company. As they talked, Rebecca saw the shape of a man approaching from far away. Seeing her puzzled look, Julius followed her gaze and smiled.

“I hope you don’t mind,” he said. “I have promised to let him see you, too.”

“Who?” she asked, but her father said nothing, merely waiting as the figure drew closer and she was able to make out his features. Rebecca felt her heart rate quicken as she realised it was Turgoth who approached. When he reached them, he waited respectfully while Julius hugged and kissed his daughter once more.

“I’ll leave you two for now,” Julius said, “but don’t worry, I shall see you again before you return to Utopia.”

As Julius and Pegasus disappeared, Rebecca and Turgoth were left staring at each other. Neither spoke for several minutes, until Rebecca broke the silence.

“You let me live, didn’t you?” she asked softly.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he said, but his eyes gave him away.

“I thought that those who have the Flame in them never lie,” she teased.

“Let’s speak no more of battles,” he said, his face remaining serious, “since more are bound to follow soon. Fiercer ones, too.”

“What? Why? Aren’t the wars over, at least for now?”

“Yes, between the Orizons and the Sharkans, but only until we see what the Gods will decide about the Flame.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“Some dark Gods have rebelled and created an army with all the evil creatures from Tartarus. They want to release the Titans and take over the Elysian Fields. Your father, Lady Danae, Field Marshal Foster and I are trying to help in the upcoming war because the Gods cannot get involved or interfere - not unless the Titans are freed.”

“Oh -”

“And that isn’t all, Rebecca, I’m afraid. Those Gods have given our secret technology to the Titans. They have managed to find a way to travel to the Land of the White Sun and attack Utopia with their army in order to steal the Flame. Then, they will be able to completely rule on Earth, too, and will destroy all worlds as we know them, changing the balance forever.”

“We will crush them!” Rebecca said, bravely.

“It won’t be so easy,” Turgoth smiled at the courage he heard in her voice. “But as I said, enough talk of wars and battles! How are you?”

“I’m much better now,” she said, blushing and quickly adding, “after seeing my father, that is.”

“Yes, yes of course. You must make sure you tell your mother about this.”

“I certainly will. What about you, King Turgoth?”

“What about me, Rebecca?”

“I mean, besides helping the Gods in their battle, how is your life here? Did you... did you find your wife?”

“Yes, I did.”

“And so you are back together and happy?”

“Oh no, she understands that I can’t be with her that way anymore. But we are good friends.”

“I don’t understand.”

“She knows that since I have finally discovered my soulmate, I could not be with anyone but her.”

“Of course... Haruma! So you’ve found her?”

“Yes, I have.”

“Is she here?”

“Yes, she is. Do you want to meet her?”

Rebecca hesitated, feeling a terrible, cold dread running through her. “Well... yes, sure... OK,” she said finally.

Turgoth took her hand and led her to a nearby crystal lake, its waters reflecting the brilliance of the sky above and the colours of the passing clouds. Waterfalls flowed upside down and she could hear beautiful musical sounds coming from the surrounding plants, flowers and trees. It was as if the whole of nature was serenading her.

“Here she is,” said Turgoth, pointing down at the mirrored surface of the water.

“I don’t think I understand...”

“Just look,” he encouraged her.

She did as he said before looking up and shaking her head. “All I can see is my refle...” she paused, aware that her heartbeat had grown even faster.

“Yes,” said the King, “that’s right.”

Rebecca understood. Turgoth reached out his hand and placed it on her head, releasing memories from another life and allowing them to flood into her mind.

“How... how can this be?” she asked in wonder.

“Reincarnation,” he explained.

“Is it possible?”

“Oh, yes!”

“But then... then why are you and my father still here? Why have you not been reincarnated? Or will it happen later?”

“No. We are already advanced, evolved souls and so are you now - that’s why you became an Orizon. The souls are immortal. All they need to do is evolve until their bodies become immortal too, and then their evolution stops and remains in that state.”

Rebecca could find no words to express the mixture of feelings and thoughts that were crowding her heart and her mind. Everything he told her now seemed obvious and true. She reached up and touched his chest on the very spot where she had stabbed him with her crystal sword.

He tenderly caressed her hair and as she looked into his eyes, she felt her whole body shivering with excitement. He leaned forward and they kissed for the first time after thousands of years. Tears of joy wet both their cheeks. She felt complete and cared no more of wars and battles.

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