Darkness.
Not an empty darkness, but one that felt like it had a pulse. As if the whole world was holding its breath while waiting for one person's decision: Hana.
The light that had exploded earlier faded slowly, leaving trails of particles like stardust falling gently in the air.
And from the center of that glowing haze Hana stood.
Not collapsing. Not disappearing. Not fully transformed.
Which was exactly the problem.
Because Hana stood with two shadows. One followed her body. The other… lagged half a second behind, as if her two existences hadn't fully agreed on who should move first.
The Grand Ancestor immediately stepped back two paces.
"Hana…" his voice cracked. "…what did you do?"
Hana looked at him.
And that gaze wasn't human. There were two depths inside it: one filled with fear, the other… as if analyzing the architecture of the cosmos itself.
"Big Bro…" Hana's voice trembled, but inside it was another echo older.
"I didn't go with him."
The Grand Ancestor frowned.
"Your integration reached 71%. You should have been pulled in."
Hana took a long breath, then stared at her own palm.
A small light flickered. Then died. Then changed shape. Then died again.
"I… chose to stay."
The crack of light in the air shrank, trembling as if refusing to believe that choice.
Then the entity that had almost taken Hana home
stopped at the edge of the crack, looking at her like a parent who'd just been rejected by their own child.
"You refuse your calling?"
Its tone wasn't angry.
It was… disappointed.
Hana swallowed hard.
"I'm not ready to be… whatever that is. I'm still Hana."
The entity moved half a step closer. The room's temperature dropped again.
The Grand Ancestor immediately braced himself.
"Being human will only hurt you," the entity said. "That body is not big enough for two memories."
Hana answered quickly like two voices were pushing from behind her but she picked her own path anyway.
"Yeah. But if I have to choose between disappearing… or staying myself…
I choose to stay me first."
At that moment, the crack of light tightened. Pulsed once. Twice. Then closed slowly.
Before vanishing completely, the entity said:
"You will seek me again.
All First Lights always return home."
And tuk the crack disappeared. Silence fell instantly.
The Grand Ancestor collapsed, breath shattering.
"You…" he shook his head slowly, shock and relief tangled together. "…you refused the Ensaria-Prime. No First Light of the previous generations has ever"
Suddenly the system interrupted:
[HOST CHOICE DETECTED]
[NEW PROTOCOL UNLOCKED]
[PROTOCOL NAME: FREE-WILL ANOMALY]
[STATUS: MONITORING]
Hana jolted.
"Big Bro… what was that?"
The Grand Ancestor looked at the system panel that appeared.
"…It means you are no longer just a host.
The System is beginning to acknowledge your own choices."
Hana held her chest.
"So… I'm still Hana?"
The Grand Ancestor gave a small smile tired but proud.
"You are Hana.
And you are the First Light.
You are both.
But now… for the first time… both sides bow to your decisions."
But before Hana could breathe in relief
the system displayed another message:
[ENTITY: ENSARIA-PRIME]
[STATUS: FULLY ACTIVE]
[RESONANCE INITIATED]
[TIME UNTIL FULL CONNECTION: 72 HOURS]
The Grand Ancestor shot up.
"…No.
No.
This is too soon."
Hana paled.
"Big Bro… what does 72 hours mean?"
The Grand Ancestor looked at Hana with a heaviness rarely seen
a look that only appeared when something beyond his control had already begun.
"In 72 hours…"
He swallowed hard.
"…Ensaria-Prime will come himself."
Hana froze.
"…Here?"
The Grand Ancestor nodded slowly.
"To this world.
To fetch you.
By force."
Hana stared at her trembling, glowing hands.
"…I just refused him, Big Bro."
"Yes," the Grand Ancestor said, his voice dropping to a whisper.
"And because of that… he will come."
The room felt smaller. Colder. Quieter.
The system displayed a massive timer:
[72:00:00]
[COUNTDOWN STARTED]
Hana stepped back.
"Big Bro… what do we do?"
The Grand Ancestor took a deep breath, his face hardening.
"We endure, Hana."
"And for that… there's something you must know."
Hana held her breath.
The Grand Ancestor looked at her with eyes carrying too much history:
"Ensaria-Prime is not just an entity.
He is…
"the First Light before you."
Hana went still.
The Grand Ancestor added softly:
"He… is your brother."