The twin stars, entwined and spinning, grew ever brighter, casting halos of blue and purple, and then a crescent of the crystal moon slowly took shape.
The once-illusory surface of the water turned into frozen ice crystals, as the ethereal condensation from the far shore of time became tangible.
More and more ice crystals formed, until at last, a full moon carrying the sands of time rose gradually from the water. It was transparent and flawless, faintly glowing with blue and purple lights, and within, one blue, one purple, two girls lay sleeping back to back.
They were never apart; they were each other's two sides of the same coin, like the ancient mythological 'God of Two Faces,' Janus.
Janus, one of the oldest and most revered deities in Roman mythology, looked to the past with one face and to the future with another. He was the 'God of Gates' and the 'Guardian of Keys,' guarding all passages. He protected those within the gates as well as those outside, with two names signifying opposite meanings: Janus the Opener and Janus the Closer. Armies would march under the arches symbolizing his presence, which were also the precursor to the triumphal arches of nations.
At dawn, the gates were opened to let sunshine illuminate the land, and at dusk, they were closed to let night descend upon the world.
He was the god of all beginnings, the god of all endings, the god of perfect comings and goings. Generations of executive officers would pray for his blessings upon their inauguration, and prayers were offered to him at the birth of new life. His festivals were on the first and last day of the year, as well as on the first day of the first month.
Time and space, like inseparable two sides of the same coin, solidified upon them, eventually constructing this resplendent and eternal moon crown.
The silver crown rose gently, the ripples of time and space it raised spread across the entire Sea of Void, reflecting with the blazing sun. As the crown's light grew brighter, the two figures in the crystal gradually concealed themselves from view, melting into the dazzling brilliance of the bright moon.
They had no physical form, existing in the past and future. When a predetermined moment arrived, they would awaken and appear.
In the depths of her mind's world, the girl stood quietly on the water's surface, her consciousness gradually awakening. Her vibrant blue eyes scanned her surroundings before finally resting on her own reflection below.
In the water was another girl who looked exactly like her, but with a subtle difference in their eyes—one held a tranquil blue, the other a bewitching purple.
So, this is the source of my Talent...
The girl looked at her palm. Her fingertips gently traced through the air, as if sensing an invisible thread that didn't exist, the traces and threads of time.
The girl in the water also extended her hand, with delicate points of light and threads emanating from her palm, different from the girl's, a different existence fleeting across her fingertips.
As if the world had turned upside down, Tilan looked around again, gazing into the water. The girl's eyes in the water turned blue, and as if understanding something, the girl gently covered her own eyes, reflecting a faint purple.
I, Temisia, Hexia, Tilan...
The girl slowly closed her eyes, then reopened them, returning to the real world once more.
It was still that pool, still the underground practice room. As if time had stood still, the girl rose from the water, returning to the bank. She shook her head, casting off numerous droplets. Lifting her palm, a blue and a purple light shimmered in her eyes, reflecting the crystal in her hand.
Or perhaps she had finally unraveled the knot in her heart. A faint glow emerged from her, Withering Sequence 4—Purple-Blue Flame Heart, achieved.
The crystal dissipated, turning into specks of blue and purple flames, twining around the girl's side. The flames were not hot but rather cool and icy, oddly enchanting and beautiful.