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Today, Celes stood before his father’s grave, a simple stone marked with a few painted words. A bright smile touched his lips.

This graveyard had once been an arid patch of land ignored by the city, which maintained its own official burial ground for nobles. But everything had changed. Now it was a beautiful communal resting place covered in lush green grass, vibrant flowers, and young trees. A large artificial oasis sparkled nearby, filling the area with life and gentle spiritual energy.

"Yeah, I’m getting married today, Father."

Celes placed a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of wine beside the grave.

"A lot of time has passed since I last saw you. I met the love of my life and so many amazing people. I even traveled through other worlds."

He smiled softly, without shedding another tear.

"I sometimes wonder what comes next, but I will leave that for tomorrow. For now, I will live every moment as if it were my last."

With a quiet nod, he stood up and walked away.

"Thank you, Dad... for everything you did to keep me alive."

Celes left the graveyard carrying a mix of sorrow and happiness. In the distance, joyful commotion rose from Sapphire Temple’s castle. Songs, music, and the cheerful voices of gathered people filled the air. A grand wedding ceremony was underway, and his beloved bride-to-be was waiting for him.

"Hey, big bro! Time to go!"

Celeste, his little sister and daughter of his mother and Maria, waved at him from afar. She stood as tall and imposing as ever, yet her bright smile never faded.

"Celeste, thank you for coming to pick me up."

Celes pulled his sister into a warm hug. She giggled and hugged him back tightly.

"Aw, that’s the least I could do, big bro! So, are you done talking with Dad?"

"Yeah. I believe he gave me his blessings in his own way."

"Heheh, that’s nice! Let’s go then. Your beautiful bride is waiting for you~!"

"I know. Let’s go... but not by flying. Let’s walk."

"Huh? Why?"

"I have one last place I want to visit..."

Celeste tilted her head in confusion, but she smiled and followed her big brother anyway.

On the way, Celes spoke to her about life here, the place of her roots that she had rarely visited before. 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢

"Life here was really harsh. We always wished we could go somewhere else," Celes said as they walked through the now colorful streets of Sapphire Temple. "But after your mother, Maria, arrived, things changed for the better."

"I’ve heard about it a few times," Celeste nodded. "Still, it’s admirable. Life was so difficult, yet you persevered anyway, big bro. That’s really amazing..."

"Haha, you think so?" Celes chuckled. "Despite everything, I’m glad you were raised with luxuries and all the happiness you could ever want. What we went through with Mom is not something I would wish on anyone."

"Hm..." Celeste nodded, a touch of sadness in her eyes. "But if you still remember this place fondly, there must have been things you liked, right?"

"Yeah," Celes replied. He led her toward a small, now-abandoned house surrounded by flowers, offerings, statues, and paintings.

"Hm? What is this place? A shrine?" Celeste asked.

"This is my original home," Celes said. "Where Mom and Dad raised me."

"Oh!" Celeste’s eyes widened. "Can we go inside? Wait, why is it covered with so many things?"

"People worship Mom and me as gods now," Celes explained. "They also know I am the reincarnation of the Oasis Spirit, so they worship me as such. That is why our old house has become something like a shrine for believers."

"I see...!" Celeste nodded and stepped inside with her brother. "Woah..."

The interior was small and modest, very humble. A few old clothes hung here and there, a large bed made of leather and wood stood against the wall, and simple furniture crafted from mud completed the sparse space.

"Huh... It’s really interesting..." Celeste said softly. "Sometimes I wonder what it would have been like if I had been born back then with you. Maybe you wouldn’t have felt so lonely."

"Hahaha! Maybe," Celes laughed. "Ah, it is still here..."

He walked to a corner and picked up a small object. Celeste watched in quiet confusion.

It was a childish drawing he had made long ago, showing him standing between his two parents. The scribble had been painted using colorful juices extracted from herbs and mushrooms.

"My dad would sometimes bring inedible herbs and mushrooms," Celes explained. "When crushed, they released bright, colorful juice. He always brought them to me so I could paint on stone tablets."

"Wow...!" Celeste gazed at the many tablets. "These are all your paintings from when you were a little boy?"

"Yeah, haha. They are kind of embarrassing now, but Mom and Dad always treasured them," Celes laughed. "Anyway, I want to bring this one..."

Among the many drawings, one stood out. It was a detailed portrait of his father, painted by his mother.

"Mom and Dad were artists, you know?" he said. "They could never make a living from it in this harsh town, but it was the little hobby that connected them. Mom was amazing at realistic portraits, while Dad loved painting colorful, surreal scenes."

"M-Mom is an artist?! I had no idea! She has never painted before! What?!" Celeste stared in shock at the incredible painting. "She drew this with her own hands?!"

"Yeah," Celes nodded. "That’s my dad."

The portrait showed an older man with a short black beard, tired green eyes, and a white turban wrapped around his head, revealing strands of messy black hair. Despite his weary appearance, he wore a calm, gentle smile.

"Despite the difficulties, you can still see how my dad could smile..." Celes said with a soft laugh.

"Yeah, you’re right..." Celeste nodded. "What are you going to do with that painting?"

"I’ll bring it along," Celes replied. "Let’s go."

"Yeah, let’s hurry! You shouldn’t make the bride wait too long!" Celeste urged.

The two walked quickly through the town until they reached a large crowd gathered near the palace hall. The governor of Sapphire Temple had graciously offered his palace for the wedding, feeling deeply honored to host such a beautiful and meaningful event.

"I heard from Akhenaton that the people from the desert are descendants of those from Thebes. Is that true, big brother?" Celeste asked curiously.

"I guess it is?" Celes replied. "They are technically humans, the same as those from other worlds we have visited. I do not know if they share the same origin as the humans from Earth or Olympus, though... Perhaps humans are a race that can appear in many worlds. It is not entirely clear."

"Huh..." Celeste nodded. "I’ve heard that humans from Thebes can harness some sort of Golden Sand Essence. I talked with a few who joined Mom."

"Yeah, it helps power their technology... but I am not sure what else it can do," Celes said. "Anyway, none of that matters now. Whatever our origins, what truly counts is the family we have right now. Let’s not torment ourselves with what our ancestors did. Let’s just live the life we want to live."

"You’re right!" Celeste smiled brightly. "Oh, look!"

As Celes approached the temple hall amid the cheers of countless people, the wedding ceremony had already begun. Everyone was waiting for him.

There, he saw his mother and Maria standing with the rest of the family. He handed his mother the portrait of his father.

"C-Celes?! Wait, this portrait... It is the one I painted..." Nia murmured, eyes wide with emotion. "So it was still at our old home?"

"Yeah, it was," Celes said. "Can you hold it, Mother? I want Dad to... in some way... watch the wedding."

"Ah... of course," she replied with a warm smile. "Let’s go."

Nia accompanied her son toward the terrace where the ceremony was taking place. An Oasis Spirit Priest waited there. Nyx stood dressed in a beautiful Golden Sands Wedding Dress made of colorful layered fabrics. A semi-transparent veil covered her face, giving her an air of both beauty and mystery.

Celes noticed how perfectly the long dress suited her. Her long, cascading silvery-white hair swayed gently in the wind as she waited for him.

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