A mother's promise

Scene: Sophie's Pendant — A Mother's Echo

Night had fallen gently over Airoma.

Luci was resting inside, still recovering. Kazuya paced silently. Megum was reinforcing the shields around their home. Isaka was charging near the forge.

But Marine... Marine stood alone near the old Aether tree, clutching something in her palm.

Her mother's pendant.

It had always been warm — faintly pulsing, like a sleeping heartbeat. But tonight, it began to glow.

Brighter.

And brighter.

Marine (whispers):

"What's happening…?"

The wind stilled. Leaves floated mid-air. Time slowed.

The pendant cracked open — not broken, but released — and from within it, a figure of glowing light rose. A beautiful woman, her hair like flowing silver flame, eyes soft but endless.

Marine gasped.

"…M-Mom?"

The woman smiled.

> "Hello… my star."

It was Sophie.

She looked exactly like in Marine's dreams — beautiful, powerful, but with a sadness behind her smile that only a mother who made the ultimate sacrifice could wear.

Marine's lips trembled.

Marine:

"Is it really you? How… are you here?"

Sophie didn't step forward. Her feet didn't touch the ground. She was a soul imprint, a memory preserved in light — part of a forgotten spell she cast before sending Marine away.

Her voice echoed — calm, but filled with warmth.

> "You are never alone, Marine."

> "And you can never truly break."

Marine's eyes filled with tears.

Marine:

"But I don't know what I'm doing… Everyone's dying around me. Kai is destroying Cores. Hokori is hunting me. I'm not strong enough."

Sophie's expression softened.

> "Strength doesn't come from winning, little one. It comes from standing again… when even hope has fallen."

Marine fell to her knees, overwhelmed.

> "What if I fail? What if I lose them too?"

Sophie slowly reached out her glowing hand — not touching, but blessing — and whispered something Marine couldn't fully hear.

> "You won't fall… because 'she' is with you."

Marine:

"'She'…? Who is she? Who's with me?"

Sophie didn't answer.

Instead, her entire form began glowing brighter — golden strands wrapping around Marine, like threads of divine silk.

The glow surrounded Marine's body — forming a protective shield of shimmering light, like a soft armor made of love and legacy.

Marine (in awe):

"This… this is Aether?"

Sophie smiled one last time.

> "This is me."

And then — she vanished.

Not shattered. Not faded. Just… gone.

The pendant fell softly into Marine's hand, now completely dark.

---

Scene: Marine, Transformed

A silent glow remained around Marine's body — not overwhelming, but subtle, like a halo only the soul could see.

Isaka (rushing to her):

"Marine?! What just happened — I felt a massive energy shift—"

Marine stood tall.

Her tears had stopped.

Her fists closed calmly.

Marine (softly):

"She was here… my mother."

Isaka (stunned):

"Sophie…? How? That's not possible."

Marine:

"She left something behind. Something… no one else can see.

And someone is with me. I don't know who… but I felt her."

---

Scene: Kazuya Watches

Kazuya stood from a distance, listening.

He didn't speak. But his hands tightened around his blade.

Kazuya (in his thoughts):

Sophie… you always knew how to reach across time.

But who… who is 'she'? The one Sophie mentioned?