The ropes dug into Lucian's wrists as he hung in the dim chamber. The commander stepped closer, eyes cold, and the girl beside him tilted her head, almost curious.
"Tell us about Guinevere," the commander said. "Her personality, her habits, and everything you know. We need to catch her."
Lucian's voice was flat. "Guinevere is cautious, loyal to those she trusts, and determined to survive. She does not act recklessly. She values strategy over speed."
"And her weaknesses?" the girl asked softly, her tone light, almost playful.
Lucian blinked slowly. "She relies on careful planning. She may hesitate if uncertain. Emotional attachments can influence her decisions. She prioritizes others over herself."
The commander nodded. "Good. You will meet her and lead her into our trap. With you guiding her, we can end this chase."
Lucian's head stayed still. "Acknowledged."
The girl smiled, leaning slightly closer. "There's more than just your senses guiding her. Something beyond the physical world that she cannot see. That is why she escapes us easily."
Lucian's eyes narrowed slightly. He knew what she was doing. The girl's voice, her gestures, even the faint shimmer around her hands—illusion.
They were using some kind of magic to manipulate his perception.
As they talked about the ravine, Lucian's body forced to move, he spoke loudly. "I will end you."
The illusion shattered. The girl's smile faltered. The commander's eyes widened. "What—how did you—?"
Lucian's voice hardened. "One day, I will end you. And I will give Guinevere the life she deserves."
The commander's lips curled, cold fury flashing. "You are a failure, Eiden!"
Lucian corrected him sharply. "Lucian."
The commander raised his blade. There was no hesitation. The sword pierced through him.
Pain and darkness swallowed him.
Then, the void spoke again.
[Death Count: 4]
[You have 1 death remaining before permanent erasure.]
Lucian's mind flared with clarity even in the dark. He had seen their control, predicted their traps, and broken their illusions.
One life left…
I cannot fail again.
The sound of the commander's laughter echoed faintly as Lucian drifted into the void, a promise forming in his chest. Next time… I will not die. Next time… she will live.
Lucian's eyes snapped open. The night was cold. The forest loomed around him, shadows stretching between twisted trunks.
His chest heaved. He sat up slowly, scanning the darkness.
Guinevere was beside him, kneeling, fingers brushing through her white hair. She hummed softly, almost to herself, fixing the strands that had fallen across her face.
How… how did we get here? Lucian thought. The Death Loop System only sent me back in time. But this… this is different.
He frowned, pressing his hands against his temples. His mind raced, trying to piece it together. Was this after the last death? Or before? Or somewhere entirely new?
Guinevere looked up at him. "Lucian… when should we move?" Her voice was soft but carried a hint of impatience.
He stayed silent, chewing his lip. I need to understand this first… I can't make a mistake.
"Lucian?" she pressed, tilting her head. "Are you thinking? Or… are you going to stay here all night?"
He shook his head slightly, still quiet. "I… I'm trying to figure something out. Something strange happened."
"What's strange?" she asked, her hands folding in her lap as she stared at him.
He opened his mouth, then closed it again. Words felt inadequate. How do I explain loops, deaths, manipulations… and now… random jumps?
Finally, she leaned closer, eyes locking onto his. "Lucian, we can't stay here. Tell me what you're thinking, or we won't have a choice but to move anyway."
He exhaled slowly. "Alright… we move now."
Her eyebrows rose. "Finally. But why?"
He didn't answer with words. He only closed his eyes for a fraction of a second, locking in his focus, letting the system and his instincts guide him.
She tilted her head, studying him. "Lucian… are you sure?"
He gave a curt nod, voice calm but firm. "Yes. We move. Trust me."
Guinevere stood and adjusted her cloak. "Then let's go. Lead the way."
Lucian watched her for a moment, noting her calm despite everything. No mistakes this time. He stepped forward, the shadows of the forest stretching ahead like a challenge.
Wherever this is in time… I will survive. I will protect her. And I will understand it all.
They began moving westward, the night thick around them. Every sense was alert, every calculation running in his mind.
Lucian's steps slowed as he led Guinevere through the shadows. His mind churned with calculations and strategies, but suddenly, a thought struck him.
"Guinevere…" he said quietly, almost hesitating. "How… how bad was it? How bad were you tortured there, all those years?"
She stiffened at the question. For a moment, the forest noises filled the silence between them.
Then, she moved to a rock nearby and sank onto it, her hands resting on her knees.
Lucian stepped closer, unsure. "You… you don't have to—"
She lifted her legs slightly, revealing dozens of thin, deep scars running across her calves and thighs. Some were faded, old, but many still looked raw.
The moonlight caught the lines like tiny rivers carved into her skin.
She inhaled sharply. "It was… unbearable. Every day… every day I thought they would forget me, leave me to die… but they didn't. They kept me awake, starved, chained… beaten when I faltered. Every sound… every shadow… reminded me I was alone."
Her voice trembled. For the first time, Lucian saw her walls crack. Her lips quivered. Tears streaked her pale face. She pressed her palms against her legs, like holding herself together.
Lucian was frozen. Words didn't come. He had asked to gather information, to use it for a plan—but now, seeing her like this, the weight of her suffering pressed against his chest.
"I… I wanted to die so many times. But I couldn't. I couldn't let them win… and yet… the pain… it never ended."
Lucian knelt before her, searching for words.
"Guinevere… I—"
She shook her head, cutting him off. Her voice became a soft, rhythmic plea.
"I want you to feel my warmth… I want you to feel my warmth…"
He blinked, confused, but she rose suddenly, climbing into his arms and pressing herself against him.
"Feel it! Feel it! I want you to feel my warmth!"
Lucian's hands froze on her back. He was speechless, unsure. Her tears soaked his coat. Her voice trembled, repeating the same phrase, over and over:
"I want you to feel my warmth… I want you to feel my warmth… I want you to feel my warmth…"
She pressed herself fully against him, rocking slightly, holding on like the world might break apart without it.
Lucian could only hold her, letting her emotion crash over him. For the first time, strategy and calculation faded.
I feel human...
All he could do was feel the weight of her pain, the depth of her trust, the fire of the life she wanted to claim back.
Finally, she exhaled slowly, burying her face into his chest.
"I want you to feel it… my warmth… always…"
Lucian tightened his grip. His mind, which had been cold, began connecting the pieces.
He had the information he needed.
But he did not speak. He only held her, letting her release everything she had carried for years, while the forest watched silently around them.
---
Lucian walked alone through the dark trees.
His steps were slow. His breath was steady.
He had left Guinevere behind to rest, but his mind was no longer focused on the path in front of him.
He kept replaying her words, her scars, her trembling voice.
So that was it…
He finally understood the information he needed.
Her scars told him how long she had survived. The way she cried showed the damage inside her. Her repeated words—"I want you to feel my warmth"—revealed her fear of losing someone again.
She clung to whoever was near. Anyone could become her savior. Anyone could stumble into her life and try to save her.
That meant one thing.
If she died in this loop… she would die forever.
Her life did not loop with his. Only his did.
He reached the mountain's edge. Wind brushed past him, cold and sharp. He stared down at the long drop below.
If I die here without her dying… then this prophecy, this task, it can continue.
Someone else would eventually find her. Someone who would give her the life she deserved.
He closed his eyes briefly. I can't let her die here.
He exhaled.
His final plan formed.
"I'll leave this to the future saviors," he whispered.
He stepped forward.
The ground vanished beneath him. His body fell fast. Wind rushed past his ears. He didn't scream. He didn't flinch. His thoughts drifted somewhere else.
Clementine…
He remembered his sister's face. He remembered the robber. He remembered choosing death to save her.
Now he was doing it again. But this time, for someone he had barely known. A girl who had lived in torment.
A nobody to him, yet someone who carried so much weight inside.
The impact hit.
His body tumbled across the rocky ground. Bones snapped. His vision blurred.
But he still saw the moonlight above him.
Finally… I can rest.
Lucian let his eyes fall shut.
And he died.