In a week, the train transported Minerva and her friends to the ruins underneath the mountains surrounding Nova City. All came to worry by the hour about Godfrey whose condition only worsened. His body had turned into a mess of fleshy tendrils and hanging organs with the only reminder of his humanity being his blue scale clad humanoid head.

Eventually, after another three days of marching, they made it to the northern border of Nova City. When they arrived much has changed. The city had grown. Buildings stood where once there was dirt and material. Where once there were trenches and easily built shacks now exists concrete bunkers all encased in a huge star fort.

They approached the gate and met with the guards. Alice Authenticated her ID and that of Illuminura's and Godfrey's. They were and oddity to say the least. Between the mess that had become of Godfrey, Illuminura's poor state and the stranger that was Minerva it was no surprise.

General Maxim was never too far from the front and found them almost instantly. He approached them as they entered through the northern gate. Alice halted and so did the others with Illuminura lowering Godfrey before her.

Alice saluted him as a member of the UF with widened eyes of shock he looked at the abomination that was Godfrey. He looked at the others and found himself lost in disbelief.

"Lieutenant... Care to explain all this?" He demanded.

"Of course sir. I am Second Lieutenant Alice Cromwell..." She Gestured to the others "...This is Knight Illuminura, Hauptmann Godfrey and Minerva. The Siege of Loknar opened up some portal that scattered all matter within a radius throughout the world. We all gathered in the mountains miles north of here and it took forty-one days march through enemy territory to get back."

"I see. What happened to him?"

"Omega radiation exposure sir. Minerva insists she is doing all she can to help him recover."

"Recover? I've seen casualties in better condition than this! How is he even alive?"

Alice gestured to Minerva who then stepped forward.

"At this point, he has absorbed so much radiation that without the immunity that Celestials and Terrans possess upon the moment his will was broken his existence became fluid. All he needs now is to remember who he is."

In the depths of Godfrey's mind, he felt like he was falling into a deep abyss. The charm of the Siren's song had done its work and he was lost. Yet he found himself on a beach under the Venusian sky.

There he carried about his days building himself a life in the warm tropical sun. The decadence of tasteful foods was always within reach. The warm climate was always balanced with a gentle cool breeze or relaxing swim. The pleasures of a lonesome life were his.

Yet for all that he felt empty. Like he was forgetting who or what he was. It felt like the essence of what he actually was seeped away as his will was subdued by luxury. This troubled the man with the sense that he was once something more or at least part of it.

His memory faded and what was once familiar became alien and strange. Slowly all around him, the world warped and changed as he forgot what they were supposed to be. Sand was green, water was purple and the sky was black yet he lived on.

One day he stared into a mirror but did not recognise his reflection.

"What are you?" He asked.

With no response, he fixated upon it.

"What are you?" He asked again.

"Who are you?" The Reflection asked back.

"I am... I am... Ugh, I should know."

To Godfrey's horror, The Reflection stepped out of the mirror and faced him.

"Do you not know who you are?"

Uncertainty hit him like a hammer blow to the heart. He found himself unable to answer. The question plagued his mind relentlessly. He looked around as everything blurred and swirled around him. Soon the world reflected his state of mind.

He found himself lost in space and time. Nothing was certain even his own body became like fluid. Growing feathers one moment then growing scales the next. He shut his eyes focusing on reaching out to anything hoping to obtain even the hope of certainty.

He became irrational. Logic lost its place in his mind. Even the simplest concepts like the matter of who he was became incomprehensively complex and irritable. Soon he had even forgotten his name.

Living in a paradise formed by his very mind for him did serve him well when even he had forgotten what that was. Soon everything was a blur of indecipherable sensation. No action lead to anything and no thought remained for long.

Soon he resigned to simply linger. Without surety, there was no reason. Without reason, there was no purpose. All that Godfrey had left was the endless cycle of loss and wonder. All the while he lost himself ever more so to oblivion.

Exhausted, void of even his base nature he simply awaited the end. He knew he suffered, but did not know why or how. He knew that there was something out there in the infinite emptiness of space. He submitted himself to this fate. What dreams or nightmares he had were gone.

One would call it peace but they were wrong it was degradation in its purest form. It was the sheer maddening deterioration of one's self it its entirety. There was no darkness, no light, just an inconceivable nothingness that embraced Godfrey.

Then there was light. There was warmth. Stimulated by its radiance he reached out with all that was left of him. A hand then took hold of him and through it, powerful energies permeated through his body.

Warmth returned, light returned and hope returned. He was reminded of what was fantasy and what was real. With this newfound knowledge he recollected his life. He remembered Luke, Maxim, Alice, Illuminura, Minerva and so many others. Most of all, he remembered who he was.

In one of Nova City Hospital's med bays, Minerva concentrated upon the bloody pile of human flesh that was Godfrey. Finding the shattered fragments of Godfrey's mind, learning them and then showing them to him.

Soon Minerva withdrew herself as the flesh curdled and collapsed in upon itself. It started glowing and spinning as it levitated in the air. Minerva backed off as the light built up and the flesh collapsed into a single point.

In a final explosion of white light, Godfrey was reborn anew. He settled down and found himself able to see reason again. He looked around and found Minerva watching him with gladness in her eyes.

In the celestial command tower, Illuminura underwent a full medical examination. There she floated weightlessly in a room surrounded by numerous scanners all operated by a physician. She had been cleaned, fed well and wore only an underdress.

As this went on Arvarius floated there at her side. He watched as the various scanners whizzed about around Illuminura's body.

"What of this Minerva girl?" He asked.

"Sire it has been a week since last we parted. I've nothing else to say of her."

"I apologise. I merely wish to review what you know."

"A Terran I believe. Her light shines brightly. A loyal friend and ally; she had repeatedly proven herself as my saviour in our time in the wider world." Illuminura answered.

"You think she could be an ally to all celestials?"

"Without my power, it is hard to tell what she thinks. Though we can rest assured in the fact that she is simply a benevolent being."

"Very well. You have my thanks. There is not a celestial here who will not welcome your return."

With that the door dematerialised and Arvarius left with it materialising behind him. Illuminura watched him as he left and the physician moved in closer to view her instruments. The celestial looked at her patient with a perplexed look.

"I needn't my power to know what you think Aura. What has happened to me?"

"I've never seen the sort before. It's as if something tore a piece of your very soul out... What manner of beasts have you combated out there?"

"The manner that cost me, my knight."

"It is possible that the ejection process was not executed properly. You may have never been fully ejected from the knight."

"Will I ever heal?"

"It appears so but I should run tests and document everything. Tis a first."

"I understand. Do what you must."

With a thought Aura released Illuminura. Illuminura watched her pale, skinny face.

"What is the matter Aura?" She asked.

"Master Arvarius. He's grown obsessed with the Minerva girl. What is she to him?"

"You think I've the answer?"

Aura stiffened up in fear. Then bowed apologetically.

"N-no milady. Many apologies for my insolence my lady."

Illuminura was lowered to the ground below and nodded her head as she waved Aura off. Outside the celestials worked hard on construction. Pieces floated all over the place while engineers worked on completing a dozen tasks at once.

What they worked on was unidentifiable. Such complex machinery was unfathomable by mortal means. She had questions, questions only Arvarius could answer. Yet as she watched them she found that she saw them in a new light.

Entering the room an odd feeling crawled up her spine. Seeing her kin fly about in a weightless world as she was forced to walk sparked something within her. Some realisation on a deeper level awoke within her

Some manner of ill-conceived sense arrogance now seeped from them all. It was as if they were unaware of it but it was there like some foul scent that flooded the air. It was a dreadful reminder of an ingrained flaw to celestials.

They flew about like angels in the heavens while Illuminura lingered on the ground. She knew not what overcame her that day. Perhaps it was jealousy she felt. As she left she reflected on all that had happened.

Arrogance in its purest form was what had revealed itself in the hearts of every Celestial here. Illuminura fell into dismay as she realised the flaw among her supposed flawless people. They believed they could make force the universe to bend a knee to their will.

Her disgust was taxing. She needed time to think and rest but all was lost with her knight. She was left with nowhere to go until suitable celestial accommodations are built. So she sought out Alice who had explored her new civilian quarters with Minerva.

Hours passed and night fell while General Maxim watched the winds of change rise up all around him. The return of the task force survivors was both a relief and a terrifying development to him.

Minerva with her mysteries and Alice with her stories revealed the complete and utter ignorance they had of this world. He sat there in the balcony his cabin just above UF Command. From where he sat he could oversee the entire military wing of Nova City.

The workers who came along to build the city now live in it. The ships that once docked here to shelter have returned to space and are expected back within the week. All the while the city was small, underpopulated but alive and maintained entirely by the celestials.

Being made redundant by the strangely eager celestials they made Nova City a place of happiness and joy. They enjoyed long days of leisure and comfort under the terran sun. The civilians grew complacent and Nova City became a place of pleasure and delight.

Those who spoke out against this were shunned as paranoid or intolerant by the indulgent masses. This left the general's hands tied. For fifty years he had fought for unity and a way to lead humanity into peace. Nova City was to be that way.

Here the energies of Venusians, Martians and Celestials would all be focused on the betterment of all. Now it was a den of decadent loafers, hijacked by the Celestials.

He smiled grimly as he sat back and poured himself some red wine. He knew more than all else that a reckoning is coming for them all. He merely took comfort in the fact that he would be able to watch it all.