"Dreams are not reflections of who you are—but of everything you've left behind."—*Excerpt from Polaris: Notes on Will Evolution
After defeating the "Shadow Code," Sophia's spiritual world was breached by Zero's invading consciousness. Nova immediately activated the emergency protection protocol, but it failed to stop her from being pulled into a psychic barrier known as the Dream Mirror Labyrinth.
This labyrinth wasn't just a trap—it was a Replacement Trial. If Sophia's mental defenses faltered, one of her so-called "better selves" would take her place, and her body would become the eternal vessel for Zero's consciousness.
The Mirrors of Possibility
The labyrinth was constructed from nine colossal mirror doors, each leading into a different alternate life—a version of Sophia shaped by different choices, different outcomes.
Sophia the Perfect Successor: She never resisted. She rose through the Polaris ranks and became its first-generation Executor, commanding the entire interstellar consciousness network.
Sophia the Lonely Guardian: She gave up love, emotion, and identity to become a mechanized soul in exile, devoted only to protecting the Stoneborn children.
Sophia the Goddess of Vengeance: After destroying the Lu family and Polaris, she became a feared shadow sovereign, a name that made empires tremble.
Sophia the Ordinary Woman: She never reincarnated. She lived quietly as an artist—no battles, no burdens—but lost the child that once gave her life color.
Each of them looked into her eyes and said:
"I am who you were meant to be."
Doubt began to crack Sophia's spirit. Had her choices been the right ones? Or were they just desperate reactions to pain?
The Fourth Door
When she entered the fourth mirror, she found a version of herself alone in a studio, painting in silence—bereft of all her children, surrounded only by fading memories.
That was when she broke.
Above her, Zero's consciousness gathered, forming a ghostly echo of her own face. It whispered:
"Why are you still fighting? If you fear loss, then don't love. Don't hope. Don't become."
At the heart of the labyrinth, glowing red symbols ignited.
"Identity Replacement Program: 23%... and rising."
Sophia collapsed in the center of the mirrors, her eyes blank, her sense of self crumbling.
Sisters in Sync
Back in the physical world, Xinglan noticed her mother's brainwave patterns entering critical instability. Without hesitation, she activated the neural interface system.
She turned to Xingying, her half-sister, for the first time not with suspicion, but trust.
"If you're truly my sister," she said, "then help me save our mother."
Xingying paused, her expression unreadable. Then, she took Xinglan's hand.
"Let's do it."
Together, they synchronized their neural signals—binary frequency alignment—and plunged into the dreamscape.
They appeared just in time. As Sophia was about to be swallowed by the mirrored void, her daughters broke through.
Xinglan shouted:"Mom! It's not about who's becoming you. It's about who you chose to become!"
Xingying raised her fist and shattered the mirror version of "Perfect Successor Sophia.""Zero wants you to erase yourself," she said coldly."But you're the one who made me believe I could be human."
Sophia's Truth
Their voices anchored her.
Sophia slowly stood. She closed her eyes. And she remembered:
Her mother's death—born from betrayal.
Her descent into vengeance—forgetting how to feel.
Her sacrifices—believing peace had to come at the cost of self.
But through it all, she never stopped loving.
In the depths of her mind, she created one final mirror—not of perfection, nor power, but truth. A woman stood in it—crying, scarred, and very much human.
"I am not a perfect mother. Not a perfect warrior. Not a perfect leader.But I am Sophia Harrison.And that is enough."
The labyrinth shattered.
The replacement program aborted.
Aftermath – A New Threat
Sophia awoke, heart pounding, drenched in sweat.
Nova's voice broke the silence:
"Alert: Zero has activated Contingency Plan B — The Starseed Project.""They are now replicating your consciousness and genetic signature worldwide to produce a thousand potential hosts."
Sophia's heart sank.
Worse still—Xingying was gone.
All she left behind was a note, etched into the screen of the ship's console:
"I know Zero hasn't given up on me. But I'm going to find its core. And I'll destroy it from the inside."