Returning half-an-hour prior to the tragic event in Horizon.


    Olivia pondered on a way to save the sea monster that appeared near Noctelagia, suffering from corruption taking over its body, and killing it at a fast pace.


    After walking in a circle for a long time, Olivia began to create a new branch of magic that no one ever thought of.


    "This... can my body even withstand it?"


    Frowning at the reality concerning her abilities, she looked at the city, standing far away.


    "..."


    Then, she turned back to the creature, who was staring at her with half-opened eyelids.


    "I''m sorry. While I was thinking, your condition kept declining."


    "You have no need for an apology. I have already made peace with my death."


    Olivia clenched her fists in disapproval, and walked forward.


    "Don''t you have wishes? You''ve said that you wanted to explore more of the world. Don''t lose hope yet!"


    "I haven''t. At least, not until you, little land creature, gives up."


    "Olivia... Call me Olivia. That''s my name."


    A loud and hot steam jet escaped his nostrils.


    "I will remember it, Olivia."


    With the creature learning her name, Olivia nodded.


    ''I shouldn''t hesitate. Orion would try it, even if it were to cause him damage.''


    Olivia decided to follow Orion''s exemple, and try anyway.


    "Whatever happens, happens."


    At that moment, the air surrounding her shifted drastically.


    A magical aura with no element linked to it covered her body from head to toe, forcing her to wince at the unfamiliar feeling.


    "Kh! This is harder than I thought!"


    She arched her back forward, feeling her magical circuit burn from the unusual magic flow.


    Before long, her entire circuit was purged with neutral energy. At that point, Olivia began to act.


    "That''s a gamble... I will never take ever again!"


    With a crooked smile, she stretched her arms to the sides, and straightened.


    "If everything I planned is correct, then..."


    Her eyes focused on a single point in front of her. She opened her left hand, and aimed it in front of her.


    "First, I construct the body with dense water."


    Water magic rushed through her circuit, and traveled to her left arm, where it remained locked in by the neutral energy. By doing so, she discovered for the first time a power no one managed to.


    An ability that caused the death of many humans before her.


    As water flowed from her left hand, as if it had a mind of its own, traveled on the creature''s skin in front of her, before forming a humanoid shape.


    The amount of water used was so incredibly dense, it turned opaque. Not even light managed to light it up, as if this water had been taken straight out of the abyss.


    "Haaa~"


    Focusing her mind on the humanoid shape, it began to take a more detailed shape. Bones, muscles, organs, flesh, hair, fingers... She constructed an entire body made of water.


    In normal circumstances, this would have no impact on the world. It was a simple dummy body, which would be best used as a practice target or a decoy.


    Yet, this was only the start.


    "Then... I use dark magic."


    As the dark magic traveled through her circuit, it settled in her right hand.


    Olivia, at this very moment, became the first being to use dual magic. It was an impossible task, overheating the magic circuit of those who tried, ultimately leading to self-destruction.


    She wasn''t feeling fine, as her circuit was burning, yet, she was still standing strong. Her right hand moved toward the humanoid replica, before Olivia unleashed a wave of dark magic toward it.


    The replica absorbed the magic, which seeped into every nook and cranny of the humanoid.


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    "This... will create a perfect... illusion."


    Her right hand moved to her face, as she closed her eyes. Placing her hand over her right eye, she reminded still for a moment.


    Through the opening between her third finger and her index finger, she opened her right eye only, which gleamed a dark light that replaced the color of her iris.


    "Now, awaken!"


    A dark spiral of dark energy erupted from the dummy''s feet, enveloping its entirety.


    ''Amelia wouldn''t let me hear the end of it if I forgot to name this ability.''


    With a faint smile, Olivia thought of her friend, and opened her mouth.


    "Mirroring Phantasm!"


    *Cough*


    As she uttered the name of her creation, blood pooled inside her mouth, forcing her to cough it out.


    Not only that, but her right eye began to bleed alongside it.


    "I knew it, there''s little time remaining before this power devours me."


    Feeling the pressure of failure swirl inside her, what she understood was that it was too late to back down.


    The spiral engulfing the replica suddenly vanished, revealing a person she knew very well emerge from it.


    "That''s... a success."


    With a smirk, she stared at the person she had created. As it looked at his hands, he turned to Olivia.


    "What..."


    "There''s not much time. If you ask questions now, I''ll die."


    "Please... Orion."


    Two white wings stretched magnificently behind him, just as she remembered him. His face, expression, mind, body shape, every single detail about him was recreated perfectly.


    Orion''s replica frowned. With a single glance, he gathered everything he needed to support Olivia.


    "I''m not the real Orion... I have no memories of how I came here. For all I know, I am in Horizon trying to save Layla."


    His words shocked her. Olivia suddenly felt a weakness in her knees, making her fall forward.


    "Oops."


    Jumping forward, Orion caught her in her fall, and supported her steadily.


    "Leave it to me. Even if I''m not the original, I''ll do what I can."


    Holding Olivia''s waist with his right arm, he lifted his left hand above his head.


    "If it''s removing the corruption from this creature you want, who am I to refuse you?"


    A sphere of light formed in the palm of his hand. It grew to the size of a large ball, before Orion clenched his fist.


    With a fast and powerful punch, he hit the ball of light, sending it high into the air.


    After traveling a hundred-meter above them, the ball exploded like fireworks, releasing snow-like particles of light that fell into the sea.


    At the same time, he healed Olivia''s overheating magical circuit, and the wounds forming inside her body.


    The two looked at the gargantuan sea monster, watching the millions of particles fall upon his skin.


    Seeping deep into its massive body, the dark rashes on his skin were restored as if they never developed to begin with.


    "Hmm~"


    Orion closed his eyes, and through his feet, felt the being''s internal structure. With a quick scan, he watched as the corruption inside its body crumbled into nothingness, leaving a small sludge-like structure in its core, branching apart similar to a starfish.


    Sending a wave of light energy through his feet, he bathed the last patch of corruption in light magic, eradicating all traces of it ever from the beast.


    "I don''t know what you are, and I certainly have no time to ask, but if Olivia want this far to save you, then so be it."


    He looked at Olivia with a smile.


    "You better explain everything to me later."


    His body suddenly crumbled into a puddle of water, releasing the dark magic that created him into the air.


    Suddenly released from his grasp, Olivia fell backward. Falling on her behind, she looked at the puddle of water.


    "I will."


    -


    Orion opened his mouth in disbelief.


    "What you''ve done..."


    "Was it bad? Have I done something I shouldn''t have?"


    He shook his head. Amelia, Henrietta, and himself were all looking with the most stupefied expression ever.


    "I get it now... That''s why I managed to recover Layla''s soul..."


    His gaze turned to Henrietta. Thinking the same thing, she nodded.


    "Being in two places at the same time... Isn''t that against Nature''s rules?"


    Olivia shook her head.


    "It wasn''t Orion. What I''ve created was an illusion of him."


    "But from what you''ve said, it was Orion."


    Emphasizing the word, Amelia pointed out that something wasn''t clear in this matter.


    "It''s complicated."


    Walking back toward the center of the room, Orion took over.


    "I believe no repercussions apart from the danger of using it would necessarily be enforced by Nature."


    "In the end, we are talking about magic. She did not create a new being, nor did she play the role of a Remnant."


    "She simply used her memories to create what would help her in this specific situation, in this case, me."


    Henrietta confirmed his thoughts.


    "There shouldn''t be any problem, even if both were to meet each other. It''s not like the copy transferred its memories to the original, either. This being was him, without being him."


    Confused, Amelia tilted her head.


    "This is complicated indeed."


    Orion walked toward the bed, and placed his hand on top of her head.


    "Think of it as a mirror."


    "Oh!"


    The idea suddenly became clear to her.


    "Thanks."


    "No problem."


    Orion caressed her head for a brief instant, before moving toward Olivia.


    Feeling slightly ashamed of what she''s done as she failed to notify him beforehand, she recoiled slightly.


    Seeing his approach rapidly, she closed her eyes.


    "I''m relieved my mirrored self kept the same care as I do. You''ve done an incredible job at recreating me."


    He pulled Olivia closer to his chest, and hugged her.


    "I don''t even need to check on you to see that you''re healthy."


    "It means a lot to me."


    Her hands on his chest, she clenched his clothes.


    "W-Why?"


    "The trust you have in me, and in my personality. Someone unable to understand me cannot recreate me. You''ve understood the love I have for you, and the care I pour into your wellbeing."


    Yet, Orion turned to Henrietta.


    "There''s only one thing I don''t understand. Why was my mirrored self had the memories of my current self? It shouldn''t have known that I was healing Layla."


    Pondering, Henrietta fell silent.


    "Nothing-... without-... souls-..."


    A faint voice echoed in the room, surprising both Henrietta and Orion.


    "Who?!"


    Olivia suddenly broke away from Orion, switching to her demon form. Amelia jumped out of bed, and changed form using Leima.


    "Stop right there, you two."


    Henrietta glared at them both with an intense aura.


    "Do not do anything rash."


    Orion agreed with her. At his words, they returned to normal, but still on high alert.


    "Enri-... take-..."


    "Fine, just this once."


    Henrietta closed her eyes. Her breathing suddenly stopped, before the aura she had changed entirely.


    A barely visible crest appeared behind her back, as her eyes opened, revealing a radiance impossible to see in living beings.


    "I haven''t manifested myself since the beginning of time."


    Orion dropped his face slightly, ready to act in case anything were to happen.


    "Drop your guard, World Hero."


    The words coming out of Henrietta''s mouth made him freeze, before his body entirely relaxed.


    "Precautions."


    "I understand. I know what happened. More than a shame, it saddens me greatly."


    Henrietta''s expression was genuinely mournful.


    "Can you confirm with me what you are?"


    Her gaze stared into Orion''s very soul.


    "It is fine."


    The two nodded.


    "I am Nature itself. / Nature."


    Everyone in the room opened their mouth and eyes wide, finally realizing that they were blessed by the appearance of the creator of this world.