Chapter 79: 66 - Emergency
A purplish-violet sky stretched out, as if painted half-finished. Clouds hung low, dancing slowly without wind. But the air around me... was so silent, as if time had stopped. In the distance, a flock of black birds soared, then vanished just as quickly. The leaves of the black trees around them didn’t fall, only swayed gently, creating a whisper like a breath.
I stepped onto the expanse of grass—it felt soft yet surreal—moving towards a figure I had known all my life. Only, that figure felt alien. Her silver hair, usually softly undulating, now hung stiffly. Her posture was erect but rigid, like a statue.
"Selene?" my voice echoed twice, filling the empty space.
The girl had her back to me, staring at a black-rooted tree that crept into the ground. The roots pulsed as if alive. I held my breath, my heart pounding against my chest.
"Why are you here? This... isn’t our world." Her voice sounded flat, though her heartbeat was soaring.
Only then did Selene speak. Her voice was calm, but it cut through the air like a cold dagger.
"Because this is the only way."
A shiver ran down my spine. Usually, dreams came and went without consciousness. But this time, every inch of this world felt structured—built to convey a single message.
"You... you’re trying to send a message?" I hissed.
Selene nodded, slowly turning her head. Her face was the same—but her eyes... they weren’t her eyes. In the reflection of those eyeballs, Kairi caught a shadow—herself in the past: wounds, blood, a shattered last spell. That shadow groaned silently.
"I... I can’t stay here long. Our souls are intertwined, but you’re too... fragile to break through the walls of your own memory."
I swallowed, feeling a tickle in my throat.
"If this is just another way to confuse me—"
"No." Selene stepped closer. "Listen carefully, Kairi. After you wake up, they will attack your memories. All the truths I’ve held will be unleashed at once. You’ll be dizzy, in pain, and half-mad."
My heart pounded faster. I reached for Selene’s hand—it felt fragile, warm, then dimmed.
"Don’t fight it. Let all that information in. Just listen..."
"My name... you must remember."
And before I could ask further, the figure eroded into light, then vanished like the first dew of morning. I stared at where Selene had stood—only a glimmer of purple light remained, then slowly faded.
I woke with a scream that shattered the silence:
"SELENE—!"
The bed rocked as I sat up suddenly. Cold sweat trickled down my temples. The room dragged me back to reality—the ticking of the wall clock, the aroma of medicinal herbs in the corner, and two panicked figures around me: Azalea and Helena.
Azalea ran over, her face pale. Her brown hair was disheveled, her breath ragged. Helena stood beside her, eyes wide, hand reaching for my shoulder.
"Sleeping... dreaming... are you okay?" Helena asked.
I could barely answer. My brain buzzed, every second feeling like it was piercing my skull. As if thousands of voices, shadows, feelings—floated in my head.
Return-by-Memory was active. Faster and more brutal than before.
Images slammed into my mind:
The howling of monsters in an underground passage.
The thundering explosion of a shattered artifact.
Black roots creeping, crushing bones.
Selene’s scream calling my name.
The ringing sound of Mytheia crystals vibrating.
The distinct scent of burning lavender.
My body shook violently, my hands clutching my head. My broken leg ached, but I didn’t even feel it—because the mental pain drowned everything else.
"K-Kairi!" Azalea shouted, holding my shoulders, trying to quell my convulsions.
"Soul Transmission! Now!"
* * *
I stepped back, bowed my head, then spread my hands as if weaving the air. A soft spell was uttered, sounding low like the distant chime of a gong. A gentle yellowish light emanated from my palms, forming an isolation dome around Kairi.
In an instant, the world outside fell silent. Only my heartbeat and the sacred wall of soul transmission remained, protecting Kairi.
I closed my eyes, entering Kairi’s subconscious. I saw an empty space—a gray expanse with flashes of light in the distance.
Two rays of light appeared, growing brighter:
A pale blue ray, soft, pulsing slowly—Kairi’s soul core.
A dark silver ray, fierce, spinning wildly—Selene’s soul fragment, still connected.
They embraced each other, refusing to be separated. An emotional pressure burst forth—sadness, fear, relief, and grief all at once. I was surprised, staring at the two lights.
"Two souls... in one body? Impossible..." I murmured.
Suddenly the silver ray let out a soft cry, creeping towards the blue core.
"Don’t... separate us..." the voice echoed faintly, coming from no one’s tongue.
I stumbled, recoiling. My eyes widened. Helena, who had been waiting at the threshold of reality, also looked over, panicked. "Azalea? What’s wrong?"
I was silent, then let out a long breath. I bowed my head again, embracing the soul transmission dome.
"I... I will try to stabilize your souls. Please calm down..."
With a trembling voice, I uttered a faint spell—while the two lights intertwined. I balanced their frequencies, separating the dark silver from the light blue, calming them slowly.
Kairi’s body stopped shaking. Her breathing was slow but regular.
Her bright blue eyes opened—this time truly present.
Helena and I knelt, looking at her reverently. Kairi raised her hand, grasping my arm.
"Azalea..." Her voice was soft but firm.
"Selene Sis... she’s in danger."
Helena relaxed Kairi’s shoulders, tears welling up.
"What... what happened to you? Tell me everything."
I stared at Kairi repeatedly, as if to ensure this wasn’t an illusion.
"The scent of lavender and burning steel. The trees... black roots. Selene Sis said I shouldn’t resist... I should let the memories unravel. And she... called me from a dream."
Kairi gently pressed her lips together, suppressing the pain in her eyes.
"I... I feel it. Selene Sis... she’s still trapped there. I know where she is."
Helena wiped away tears, straightening up.
"Then... we don’t have time. Azalea, help me gather the medical team. I’ll take you—"
Kairi slowly shook her head.
"No. I can’t walk. But the memory of that place... is centered in the underground ruins. The Artifact Storage Room."
"Azalea, only you can save her."
I scrutinized Kairi’s face, then nodded slowly.
"As you said... you weren’t dreaming. But you know... a location we’ve never visited together."
Kairi took a long breath, firming her resolve.
"Because Selene... sent me this in her last moments. And this time... I won’t fail."
Helena gripped Kairi’s hand, comforting her.
"Alright, I’ll do it," I said firmly.
