The temple pulsed with golden light.
Rania stood frozen, staring at the glowing platform ahead—where another version of her was forming from particles of memory. Her twin. Her source. Her… original?
Kai stood beside her, equally stunned. "Okay, I've seen a lot of weird things lately—talking soup, bouncing emotional orbs, jellyfish libraries—but two of you? That's dangerous. For my heart."
Rania smacked his arm, blushing. "Shut up."
Then, the second Rania—R1, maybe?—opened her eyes.
"I've been dreaming of this moment," she said softly. "The moment we merge."
"Whoa, whoa, *merge*?" Kai stepped between them. "Look, no offense, shiny clone lady, but can we get a user manual before anyone gets spiritually downloaded?"
But before R1 could speak, the ground trembled.
All three turned.
At the far edge of the memory-dimension, a crack opened in space—**and pink mist leaked out.**
"...Is the moon bleeding perfume?" Kai asked.
Rania sniffed. "Smells like… roses and heartbreak?"
Melvin suddenly screamed from their earpieces. "WARNING! UNKNOWN ENTITY DETECTED! It's romantic. It's chaotic. It's… sparkly??"
A gust of glitter-filled wind blasted the room. The mist swirled upward, forming the shape of a tall figure in robes woven from constellations. A wide-brimmed hat floated into place.
And then: the eyes. Glowing with power. And eyeliner so sharp it could slice space-time.
She floated above them and spoke in a voice that echoed across dimensions:
> "BEHOLD. I AM ZALAYA. FIRST WITCH OF CELESTIAL AFFECTIONS."
Kai blinked. "...Did she just say she's a *witch of love*?"
Rania whispered, "An alien... love witch."
Zalaya extended her hand, summoning a staff shaped like a heart pierced by starlight. Her eyes landed on Rania.
"You," she said, "are the Fragment of Passion. And you…" she turned to Kai, "…are the Spark of Devotion."
Kai scratched his head. "Cool titles. Do we get matching jackets?"
Zalaya ignored him. "The integration must be delayed. The Heart Convergence is near."
Rania took a step forward. "What does that mean?"
Zalaya's eyes glowed brighter. "You were not just made to remember. You were made to *love*. But if that love is not true… the multiverse fractures."
Behind her, visions flashed—countless versions of Earth, each unraveling like torn fabric. Exploding stars. Frozen time. Screaming moons.
Kai grabbed Rania's hand.
"I don't care if you're a fragment, a protocol, or a potato with eyes. You're Rania. And I'm staying. No matter what."
Zalaya smiled faintly. "Then prove it."
With a flick of her staff, she blasted them with glittering energy—and vanished into pink stardust.
The temple shook.
Above them, the sigil changed.
From **Awakening** to one word:
> **"Test."**
Melvin whispered, terrified: "Oh no. It's starting. The Trial of Love. The most dangerous protocol of all."
Rania turned to Kai, heart pounding. "Are you ready for this?"
Kai took a deep breath.
"No," he said. "But I'm stupid enough to try anyway."Want to know how the witch alien scene appears follow the story and wait for the next chapter which is very exciting. SKUYYYY !!