Location: Timeline Cathedral – Core Interface Field
Yanis floated within a sphere of living code.
The Prism had expanded into a translucent dome, where time flowed backward and forward at once.
Her body flickered between ages — child, teenager, warrior, queen.
She wasn't one Yanis anymore.
She was all of them.
Behind her stood Kael and Aeyra, watching the Prism shudder.
> "It's starting," Aeyra said.
> "Final Failsafe Protocol."
> [REWRITING THE SEED REQUIRES CONSENT]
[TOTAL VOICES: 1,481,662,032]
[INTERFACE: VOTE CAST ACROSS ALL EXISTING, FRACTURED, AND FORGOTTEN TIMELINES]
[PROMPT: REMEMBER or FORGET]
---
Location: Earth-9 (Restored)
A child dreams.
In his dream, a silver window opens — and he's asked a question he doesn't understand.
> "Do you want to remember… or forget?"
He answers without knowing why.
> "I want to remember mom."
His vote is cast.
---
Location: Dead World — Coreline-27
A fractured AI fragment flickers back to life. It once served a dying civilization.
It hears a whisper:
> "Do you want to remember them?"
It replies:
> "They were my purpose. Yes."
---
Location: The Void of Lost Kaels
Thousands of versions of Kael drift through the remnants of erased timelines. Some bitter. Some broken.
They all hear the voice.
Even the ones who chose power.
And slowly… most of them whisper:
> "Let me remember why I hurt."
---
Back in the Cathedral – Final Count Incoming
Yanis watched the vote cascade across her vision.
Her breath caught.
She could feel them.
Children. Warriors. Ancients. AI. Forgotten lives. Abandoned selves.
They all voted.
Not as perfect beings.
But as ones who had lived.
> [VOTE COMPLETE]
[REMEMBER: 1,234,881,297 Votes]
[FORGET: 246,780,735 Votes]
> [RESULT: REWRITE APPROVED]
[SEED STABILIZATION: INITIATED]
Yanis wept.
Aeyra collapsed to her knees.
Kael closed his eyes and whispered:
> "They chose to carry the weight."
---
But Then… the Final Cost
A new prompt flashed across the Cathedral.
> [Seed Rewrite Requires Equilibrium]
[Rule: One of the Trinity Must Be Erased]
[Candidate Must Be: Never Remembered Again]
> CHOOSE:
1. Yanis Drae
2. Kael Darion
3. Aeyra
The system would accept only their votes — and they could not vote for themselves.
Silence.
Until Aeyra stood up.
> "I vote Kael."
Yanis flinched.
> "Why?"
> "Because he's the one thing I never stopped remembering," she said.
"And I think… maybe that's why this all happened."
Kael turned to Yanis.
> "Your turn."
---
Final Scene – The Queen's Vote
Yanis took a deep breath.
She looked at Aeyra.
Then at Kael.
And finally — at the Prism that now held every soul who ever lived.
She whispered:
> "I vote for…"
To be continued in Chapter 48...
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