Page 66 of The Last Guardian

The room shifted once more, and something strong pushed out of there and—another light. A light, warm, and golden.

Your dream.

Your wildest desire.

That was what Zaidkiel had told me to look for to find the Anchor. The peace I longed so much to have, to feel. And it was here for me to grasp.

My peace.

IT WAS GRASS gently rubbing against my skin. Grass, so green, so deep, like the majestic landscape of my homeland—Vallen. The sun was setting, my eyes adjusting to the warm light. Lifting a hand to my face to cover my eyes, I stopped in my tracks as I realized that, unlike my state in the Void, I had my body with me this time.

The Anchor lies at the heart of a being’s soul’s essence, a convergence of mind, body, and will.

The Void deprived me of flesh, leaving me bare in the deepest layer of my being, but the Anchor converged me as a whole.

Beautiful. I couldn’t think of any other word to describe this unbelievable thing that the soul could create by itself.

My eyes wandered to the striking view: the vast green hills, with a large, glimmering lake stretching between me and the mountain. The sunlight burst across the water into a kaleidoscope of greens, oranges, and blues.

Breathtaking.

Taking in every detail of this wonderful place, I turned around to face the other side of the valley, where a charming cottage waited on the peak of a hill, built of stones and wood at its back, a beautiful, lush forest, blooming with spring flowers of colors: blue, yellow, white, and red. Gray and green mountains rose high, brushing the clouds with their peaks.

Curiosity crept in as I let my feet lead me to this beautiful, small house, stopping before the massive old wood and glass door, which creaked softly when I opened it.

In front of me stood the most peaceful place I’d ever been in. The walls and floor were made of stone; the furniture, wooden. In the corner, a small fireplace crackled, with two small chairs around a small table. To the left, a stunning library, filled with books, and a small kitchen in a corner. To enjoy the beautiful view, bay windows had been crafted in the walls.

A dark wooden staircase stood in the corner of a small hallway. I climbed the stairs, the wood creaking under my feet, and came face to face with a magnificent room with a four-poster bed and a bathtub near a bay window, overlooking the lake.

Home. It felt like the kind of home I had always dreamed of: calm and peaceful, waiting for love, memories, and laughter.

“Beautiful what a mind can do, right?” a velvet voice said, startling me as I turned to face Zaidkiel, who leaned against the doorframe behind me.

Oh.

This place was too small for the two of us—too intimate.

It wasn’t just his presence or the warmth emanating from him, but I was aware of his spirit inside my own. It felt like sharing the most sacred, secret part of me. Beyond physical, it was deeper. Stronger.

“My mind did that?” I asked in awe.

Zaidkiel replied with a smile, “Yes. Your Anchor is created based on how you imagine peace in your mind. A place of restoration for both your body and soul. Each Anchor is different and unique. It is made for you, by you.”

Pushing himself from the doorframe, Zaidkiel entered the bedroom. A warmth vibrated from him, burning my skin in the process.

“Your mind will challenge you each time we fall into the Void, pushing you through a passage known as a Threshold.”

The Threshold—the pillars of the soul.

“To master the Void and not get lost in false windows as nightmares and fears, your mind challenges you through Thresholds to activate the three Pillars of your Anchor,” Zaidkiel explained. “Once it’s done, you’ll be able to navigate through your Void more easily.”

“So,” I replied, trying to understand clearly how this Rite worked, “I will not be able to recover any memory until I activate the three Thresholds?”

Zaidkiel breathed slightly, passing a hand through his dark hair. “The mind can be deceptive, and not every Initiation goes as planned. It can awaken memories buried deep in the past, even those you do not remember, before you activate the three Pillars,” Zaidkiel warned. His eyes darkened. “The essence of your mind is the foundation of your memories. You must feel its pull. Generally, unresolved memories come first, the ones that marked you deeply, and it may take longer for those you don’t remember.”

I nodded, turning the charm of my necklace with my fingers. “And where are the Pillars?”

“Somewhere in your Anchor. You are the only one who can find them.” Zaidkiel slid his hand in his pocket and added, “I will guide you through the feeling and the pull you need to follow, and I am here to assist you with the first two. The third needs to be between you and your Anchor only.”