"Doran..."
His name, spoken in that voice, sent a shiver down his spine. He took a step forward, then another, until he stood at the very edge of his sanctuary, the void stretching endlessly before
him. The glimmer pulsed again, stronger this time, and the whisper came once more.
"Find me."
The words were clear now, undeniable. Doran's breath came in ragged gasps as emotions he had buried for centuries surged to the surface. Grief, guilt, love—all intertwined in a storm that
threatened to consume him.
"Xiaoqi," he murmured, his voice breaking. "I'm coming."
But as the words left his lips, a realization struck him like a thunderclap. How could he find her in the vast, infinite expanse of the cosmos? How could he ensure that their paths would cross, even if he searched for eternity? The answer came to him in a flash of inspiration, as clear and undeniable as Xiaoqi's voice.
He turned away from the void, his mind racing. The bet with Radua, the book he was supposed to write—it all seemed trivial now. But perhaps it could serve a greater purpose. If he couldn't
create a story from nothing, why not record the story that was already unfolding? A story of love, loss, and redemption that spanned lifetimes.
With a wave of his hand, Doran summoned the essence of his immortal power. The air around him shimmered as he began to forge an Immortal Treasure—a book unlike any other. Its pages
would be bound by the threads of fate, its ink the very essence of reality. It would record everything that had happened, everything that was happening, and everything that would
happen. A chronicle of existence itself.
As the book took shape, Doran poured his soul into it, imbuing it with a fragment of his immortal essence. It would reincarnate with him, a silent companion on his journey. Even if he and Xiaoqi lost their memories upon reincarnation, the book would remain, a guide and a witness to their story.
"This will be my anchor," Doran said, his voice steady now. "My compass in the chaos of rebirth. And when the time comes, it will lead me back to her."
With the book complete, Doran turned his gaze to the void once more. The glimmer was still there, faint but unwavering. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for what lay ahead.
Reincarnation would strip him of his memories, his power, even his identity. But it was a price he was willing to pay.
"I'll find you, Xiaoqi," he vowed, his voice echoing through the cosmos. "No matter how long it takes, no matter how many lifetimes I must endure. I'll find you."
And with that, Doran stepped into the void, the book clutched tightly in his hands. The glimmer pulsed one last time, as if in farewell, before the darkness swallowed him whole.