Chapter 79 – The Memory of Betrayal
Evetyl couldn't move.
The memory remained in her mind.
The woman from the future.
Blood.
A ruined place.
And her own voice saying:
"If I ever forget what you did..."
"Promise me you'll make me hate you."
It didn't make sense.
Why would Evetyl ask someone to make her hate them?
What had happened between them?
And why had Evetyl willingly chosen to forget?
"Evetyl?"
The child's voice brought her back.
She looked down.
The child was staring at her with concern.
"You look scared."
Evetyl slowly sat beneath the Memory Tree.
"I am."
"Because of her?"
"Yes."
The child sat beside her.
"Do you remember what she did?"
Evetyl shook her head.
"Only the beginning."
"Then perhaps..."
The child looked toward the tree.
"...you shouldn't force yourself."
Evetyl looked at it.
"I've spent my whole life wondering why certain things feel familiar."
"Why?"
"I thought it was just instinct."
She looked at the empty sky.
"But maybe..."
"...I've been remembering things without knowing it."
The child smiled sadly.
"That's how memories work."
"They don't always return as pictures."
"Sometimes they return as feelings."
---
Outside the Memory Field...
Kai stood before the white doorway.
Nothing had changed.
Evetyl's body remained motionless.
But the leaf in her hand had suddenly turned black.
Kai noticed.
"That wasn't there before."
The traveler looked at it.
His expression became serious.
"Something happened."
"What?"
"I don't know."
Kai stepped closer.
The traveler immediately raised his arm.
"Don't."
Kai stopped.
"You said touching her could hurt her."
"I did."
"But something is happening."
"I know."
Kai stared at Evetyl.
His voice became quieter.
"I can't just watch."
The traveler lowered his arm.
"I know."
For a moment...
The two stood silently.
Then Kai asked,
"Who is she?"
The traveler looked at him.
"The woman?"
"Yes."
"You know her."
Kai frowned.
"I've never met her."
The traveler smiled sadly.
"Not yet."
Kai sighed.
"That answer is starting to annoy me."
The traveler laughed.
"I know."
"You said that before."
"I know that too."
---
The Curator suddenly approached.
"Kai."
Kai turned.
"Yeah?"
"There is something you need to know."
The Curator held the golden key in his hand.
Its light had become weaker.
"The key is showing me a memory."
"Whose?"
The Curator looked at Evetyl.
"Hers."
Kai's expression changed.
"Can you see it?"
"Only fragments."
"What fragments?"
The Curator hesitated.
"Evetyl."
"Standing in a place I don't recognize."
"With the woman."
"They were arguing."
Kai waited.
"Then Evetyl gave her something."
"What?"
The Curator looked down at the key.
"A memory."
Kai stared.
"You can give memories away?"
"Not normally."
"Then what happened?"
The Curator's expression became grim.
"She didn't give it away."
"She sealed it."
---
Inside the Memory Field...
Evetyl stood before the Memory Tree.
The child was beside her.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Of course."
"How did you know the woman?"
Evetyl looked at the tree.
"I don't."
"But you remember her."
"Only fragments."
The child pointed toward the trunk.
"Then look."
Evetyl turned.
A new image was forming inside the bark.
At first it was blurry.
Then it became clear.
Evetyl saw herself.
Older.
Much older.
She stood in a ruined city.
The sky was red.
Buildings were collapsing around her.
The mysterious woman stood opposite her.
She was younger than the woman Evetyl had seen before.
Her hood was down.
Tears streamed down her face.
Evetyl heard her own older voice.
"You can't come with us."
The woman shook her head.
"I'm not leaving you."
"You have to."
"No."
"Evetyl..."
The older Evetyl stepped closer.
"If you stay..."
"...you'll die."
The woman grabbed her arm.
"I don't care."
Evetyl pulled away.
"You should."
The woman stared at her.
"Why?"
"Because someone has to survive."
A massive explosion appeared in the distance.
The woman looked toward it.
Then back at Evetyl.
"What are you planning?"
Evetyl didn't answer.
She simply placed a hand against the woman's forehead.
The woman froze.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm sorry."
"No."
The woman tried to move.
Evetyl held her still.
"You'll forget."
The woman's eyes widened.
"You promised!"
"I know."
"You promised you wouldn't do this!"
Evetyl's expression broke.
"I know."
The memory ended.
Evetyl stepped backward.
"No..."
The child looked at her.
"What happened?"
Evetyl stared at her hands.
"I erased her memory."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
Then another fragment appeared.
This time...
Evetyl was standing alone.
The same ruined city.
The same red sky.
But the mysterious woman was gone.
Someone else stood before her.
A tall figure.
Its face was hidden.
Evetyl heard the voice.
"You have one choice."
"Save her..."
"...or save the worlds."
Evetyl answered immediately.
"Her."
The figure laughed.
"You know what happens if you choose her."
Evetyl looked toward the ruined city.
"I know."
"Then why?"
"Because..."
She looked down.
"...I've already lost enough."
The memory shattered.
Evetyl's eyes filled with tears.
The child quietly asked,
"What did you choose?"
Evetyl didn't answer.
Because she suddenly knew.
She had chosen the woman.
But something had gone wrong.
---
Outside...
The First Thought suddenly screamed.
"Found it!"
Everyone turned.
The ancient being held up one of its books.
"The missing timeline!"
Kai rushed over.
"Where?"
"Not where."
"What?"
"When."
The First Thought turned the book toward him.
"The timeline doesn't exist in the past."
"It doesn't exist in the future."
Kai frowned.
"Then where is it?"
The First Thought looked directly at Evetyl.
"It exists inside her."
Silence.
The Eye moved closer.
"That is impossible."
The First Thought shook its head.
"It should be."
"But it isn't."
The Curator stared at Evetyl.
"So she is carrying an entire timeline?"
"Not intentionally."
"Then how?"
The First Thought slowly closed the book.
"Someone placed it there."
Kai's face hardened.
"The woman."
The traveler suddenly spoke.
"No."
Everyone looked at him.
The traveler shook his head.
"She didn't place it there."
"Then who did?"
He looked toward the white doorway.
"The former Outer King."
The former Outer King immediately turned.
"What?"
The traveler stared at him.
"You don't remember."
The former Outer King became completely still.
"I would remember."
"No."
"You wouldn't."
The traveler pointed toward him.
"Because you were the one who erased your own memory."
The plaza fell silent.
The former Outer King's expression slowly changed.
"Why..."
"...would I do that?"
The traveler answered quietly.
"Because you were the only person who knew what Evetyl would become."
---
Inside the Memory Field...
The child suddenly looked toward the horizon.
"Evetyl."
"What?"
"We have to leave."
"Why?"
The child pointed upward.
The white sky was beginning to crack again.
But this time...
There was no darkness.
No red light.
Instead...
Thousands of glowing eyes opened across the sky.
Evetyl felt the blood drain from her face.
"Who are they?"
The child whispered,
"The memories that were never allowed to exist."
"They've found you."
A voice echoed across the field.
Not one voice.
Thousands.
All speaking together.
"Remember us."
The Memory Tree shook violently.
The child grabbed Evetyl's hand.
"Run!"
Evetyl looked toward the doorway.
Then toward the countless eyes.
She took a breath.
"No."
The child stared.
"What?"
Evetyl stepped forward.
"I'm done running from memories I don't understand."
The eyes opened wider.
The entire field trembled.
Evetyl raised her head.
"If I forgot something..."
"...I'll remember it."
"If someone erased something..."
"...I'll find out why."
And for the first time...
The Memory Tree responded to her.
Every single leaf began glowing.
The child stared in shock.
"Evetyl..."
"What?"
The child whispered:
"The tree..."
"...has chosen you."
Far above them, something enormous began descending from the cracked sky.
And this time...
It wasn't coming to erase Evetyl.
It was coming to kneel.
To Be Continued...