My body was burning in a hellish fire. The explosion from the Soul Fracture was so violent I felt as though my essence had been shattered into a million jagged pieces. I was plummeting into the abyss of unconsciousness, the agony reaching a breaking point... and then, it happened.
A voice.
"Do not worry... I am with you."
It was a voice so beautiful, so serene, that the roaring chaos in my mind ceased instantly. It felt as if someone had gathered my drifting, broken soul into a warm embrace.
"I will always look after you... always..." she whispered, repeating it like a sacred lullaby. The voice wasn't a stranger's; it carried a familiarity so deep it felt like a bond forged across lifetimes. With a single word, she calmed the storm within my soul, making it feel as if nothing had ever been wrong. My eyes grew heavy, and the darkness swallowed me whole.
The Mirage of Home
When my eyes opened, I wasn't in the forest. I was back in my old home. My mother was setting the dining table with a gentle smile, and my father was sitting right beside me. Everything was so normal, so peaceful.
"Hurry up and eat dinner, Reyansh. Only then can you play your games," Mom said, her voice warm and melodic.
I ate dinner and played video games with Dad for hours. Every time I started to win, he'd laugh and say, "Wait, I'll get you this time!" I wanted to stay there forever. I wanted that peace. Mom sat by me, pulled me into a hug, and I fell asleep with my head in her lap. If only... if only this were real.The Awakening
Slowly, consciousness returned. I opened my eyes to find myself inside the carriage. My head was still heavy, but it wasn't my mother's lap—it was Yumi's shoulder. On my other side, Hina was fast asleep. The two maids sat opposite us, and beside them, the General—the Lady Knight, Seraphina—was staring at me.
I couldn't tell if there was fear or curiosity in her eyes. I didn't care. I closed my eyes again, the unnatural drowsiness dragging me back down.
When I woke again, everyone was alert. Yumi and Hina were holding my hands with such a desperate grip, as if they feared I might vanish if they let go.
"Night-ji, we have covered half the journey," Seraphina said softly.
Half the journey? I didn't even have time to process the words. There was a strange silence in my mind, as if someone had 'muted' my anger and fear. I leaned my head back onto Yumi's shoulder and drifted off again.
"Night-ji... wake up. It's time to eat," Hina whispered, shaking me gently.
I realized I hadn't eaten in two days. Hunger was gnawing at me, but more than that, I felt a profound, overwhelming lethargy. I stepped down from the carriage, feeling strangely detached from reality.
"There is a river nearby, Night-ji. You should wash your face," Seraphina advised. Her eyes were brimming with a thousand questions, but she kept her lips sealed.
I walked to the riverbank and splashed cold water onto my face. That dream... my mother... that voice... who was she? Night (Kiran) had claimed there were only the 7 Heroes, yet that girl knew me.
I roared internally, "Hey, Night! Are you listening? Get out here! Tell me what happened to me!"
Night's voice responded, sounding genuinely bewildered. "That is exactly what I want to ask you, Reyansh. Your soul energy exploded, and in the next heartbeat, you became perfectly normal. Your energy is so calm now... it's as if the fracture never happened. What did you do?"
"Don't ask me, you idiot! Did you see that girl? Did you hear her voice?"
"I heard nothing, and I saw nothing," Night replied firmly.
My mind was silent—so quiet that even thinking felt like a chore. At dinner, they served us, the three Heroes, first.Why aren't you eating?" I asked.
"Please, eat first, Heroes," the soldiers and maids replied in unison.
I ate the food, my mind still numb. I returned to the carriage, and Yumi and Hina immediately took their places beside me. My head grew heavy once more... and that blissful, terrifying sleep claimed me again.