The pond was nothing like the others. It wasn't transparent, wasn't calm—it was completely black, like liquid ink that swallowed everything beneath it. Just looking at it felt wrong, like staring into something that wasn't meant to be seen. Lyra's heartbeat suddenly grew faster, a strange mix of fear and pull tightening inside her chest. It wasn't just fear… something from within that darkness was drawing her closer, as if it recognized her presence.
She focused her mind and steadied herself. Her soul body felt so light that she had to actively hold herself in place using her will, otherwise it felt like she would drift away. The closer she got, the more unstable her aura became, faint and flickering, as if the darkness of the pond was slowly erasing her presence. Weakness here wasn't physical—it was the fading of existence itself.
Slowly, she moved forward and dropped to her knees at the edge of the pond. Leaning closer, she looked into the black surface—and what she saw beneath it made her freeze. There was a garden… but not a living one. It was withered, lifeless. Flowers had turned black, their petals collapsing as if something had drained the life out of them. Leaves were shriveled, the ground dry and silent. It didn't feel like a memory—it felt like something that had been abandoned… or sealed.
Lyra noticed something else. Unlike the other ponds, there was no "rain" of consciousness falling here. No new memories forming. No movement. Everything was stuck, frozen in decay. That could only mean one thing—this place wasn't just forgotten… it was being suppressed.
A thought crossed her mind.
Did someone… leave this pond? Like I did?
She looked around instinctively, scanning the empty space as if expecting to find someone else… some trace… some presence. But there was nothing. Just silence. Heavy, suffocating silence.
Then, beneath the black surface of the water, she noticed something… a faint, blurry figure slowly becoming visible. It was a boy, his head hanging down helplessly, as if he had completely given up. His body wasn't made of flesh, but of a dim blue light (Soul Light), fragile and unstable, tightly bound by those sharp, black chains that had wrapped around him mercilessly.
Those chains weren't just holding him—they were embedded deep into Lucian's soul itself. Wherever they touched, the blue light of his existence slowly turned dark, fading into black and dissolving into the air like it was being erased piece by piece. It wasn't just pain… it was destruction from within.
There were no tears in Lyra's eyes. She was trying to stop herself from becoming weak, holding everything inside, but she knew she wouldn't be able to hold it for long. As she looked closely, she realized the truth—
that figure… was Lucian. Her brother, trapped under the hatred of the Evil Spirit, crushed beneath those chains, buried under the remains of his own broken existence.
Slowly, almost unconsciously, Lyra raised her hand toward the surface of that black water. The moment her fingers touched it, a sharp, freezing and bitter sensation rushed through her. It wasn't water… it was something else entirely—condensed sorrow… darkness… something that carried pain within it.
"Brother… Lucian!" she called out.
Her voice didn't come out as normal words. Instead, it turned into a wave of energy (Energy Wave) that spread across the pond, reaching deep inside toward him, like a desperate attempt to reach what was left of him.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then—
The figure trapped inside slowly began to lift its head. The chains moved along with it, scraping against each other, creating a sharp, piercing sound that echoed through the silent world around them. It felt unnatural… like even that small movement came with unbearable weight.
And then—
he opened his eyes.
Lyra froze.
There was no light left in them.
They weren't eyes anymore… just two empty, black voids—completely hollow, completely consumed by darkness.
Lyra felt a surge of emotions rise inside her, so overwhelming that it completely blurred her sense of logic. She had forgotten that she was on a dangerous mission. In that 'Soul Body,' no physical tears fell from her eyes, yet her aura trembled violently, like a star on the verge of collapsing. She could feel the bitter, icy nature of that black water… but the longing to reach her brother was far stronger than that pain.
Without thinking any further, Lyra slowly extended her hand… and let herself sink into the depths of that black pond.
The moment the black water pulled her soul inside, her existence began to fade little by little. The fear of the outside world, the dragon's sacrifice, and the terror of the Evil Spirit—all of it vanished in an instant, as if it had never existed. Her consciousness was gently submerged into a calm, golden warmth… something familiar, something comforting.
Lyra didn't want to open her eyes. She didn't know why she was here anymore—she didn't even try to remember. All she wanted was to hold onto this peaceful moment forever, to stay within that warmth that felt so safe and real.
Then—
a soft, gentle voice reached her ears, warm enough to touch her heart.
"Lyra… come on, we should go now. Mom has been waiting for us for so long… we shouldn't make her worry anymore."
Lyra's eyes slowly opened.
That voice…
It was Lucian.
Right in front of her stood the face she loved the most in this world—the Lucian she remembered. Innocent, warm, smiling… the one who had always protected her, the one who had never let her feel alone.
Right now, Lyra was only five years old. She sat comfortably in her brother's arms, holding onto his shoulder, completely at ease, as if that place was the safest in the world. Her tiny hands were covered in soft garden soil, traces of it still clinging to her fingers from playing among the flowers.
Just then, their mother's voice came from behind them, warm yet playfully annoyed. "Oh! So both of you have completely forgotten your mother now? It feels like you two are always lost in each other." She made a fake angry face, her tone carrying nothing but affection.
Lucian smiled and gently pulled Lyra a little closer, holding her protectively as he replied, "Hmm… maybe, Mom. We love each other the most in this world… but we love you the most too." His voice was light, natural, filled with warmth that felt effortless.
Their mother couldn't help but smile as she walked closer, her expression softening completely. "Alright, that's enough now. We should get going. And Lyra, look at your hands… they're so dirty. You've taken a little too much care of the garden today. Even your flowers are saying—go and take a bath now!"
Hearing that, little Lyra burst into laughter, her cheerful voice ringing softly in the air. "Okay, Mom!" she replied excitedly, her innocence shining through every word.
The three of them turned and began walking back toward their home. Lucian was still carrying Lyra in his arms, holding her securely as they moved along the path, the calm breeze brushing gently past them.
As they walked, Lyra turned her head slightly, using her brother's shoulder for support, wanting to take one last look at her flowers. The wind swayed them softly, making them dance under the fading light.
But then—
her gaze stopped.
Among those moving flowers, she noticed something… someone.
A strange figure sitting there, hidden between them.
His body was bound tightly in dark brown and black chains, rising directly from the ground as if the earth itself was holding him prisoner. He sat there like a criminal being punished, completely restrained. His hair was messy, falling over his face, and his head hung low, making it impossible to see his expression clearly.
Lyra became confused, her brows slightly furrowing as she looked at him. "Brother… who is that sitting in the garden? He looks like he's in pain… we should help him."
Lucian and their mother both turned back, following the direction of her finger. But all they could see were blooming flowers, swaying gently in the breeze. There was nothing else there.
Both of them suddenly burst into laughter.
"Lyra! Now you've started trying to fool your own mother and brother?" her mother said, laughing warmly. "But you're still too little to trick us like that, my child."
Lucian held her a little tighter, a teasing smile on his face as he said, "Looks like you've been listening to too many stories these days. Your imagination is running wild now… I think I should stop telling you stories from today."
Lyra immediately started squirming in his arms, shaking her head in protest. "No, brother! No, no! I want to hear magic and fairy stories!"
She kicked her little legs and moved her hands restlessly, trying to resist him. Lucian quickly steadied her, holding her gently as he spoke in a soft, reassuring tone, "Alright, alright… I'll tell you. Just don't get angry now. Come on, we're already getting late."
Even as they began walking toward the house again, Lyra's gaze didn't leave that spot. Her eyes remained fixed on that 'chained man,' who stood out like a dark stain in the middle of those golden, peaceful memories.
Her curiosity had now turned into something stronger… almost like an obsession. She couldn't accept that something so dark existed in her beautiful garden. In a sudden movement, she pulled herself free from Lucian's arms and jumped down onto the ground.
"Lyra! You really can't sit still for even a moment, can you?" Lucian called out from behind, slightly annoyed as he tried to grab her again. But Lyra wasn't going to stop. Holding her little frock, brushing the dust off as she ran, she rushed straight toward that mysterious figure.
She turned back for a second, sticking her tongue out playfully at Lucian. "Look, brother! I ran away! Now catch me if you can!" Her face was glowing with that innocent, lively smile that made the entire garden feel brighter.
She ran all the way and stopped right in front of the man bound in chains. Raising her tiny finger toward his face, she pointed it right at his nose and spoke in a fake, angry tone, "Who are you? And why are you ruining my garden flowers? Do you know I'm a princess? Tell me quickly, or my father will punish you! You'll have to wash all the clothes in our house, understand?"
The man sitting in front of her didn't respond.
The silence was so deep… so unnatural… that Lyra froze for a moment. A strange uneasiness crept into her chest, and she slowly turned her head back, her voice trembling slightly. "Brother…"
But the moment she looked behind—
everything changed.
Lucian and their mother… were fading.
Their figures were turning blurry, like mist dissolving into the air, slowly disappearing right in front of her eyes. Lyra's heart skipped in fear. She wanted to run toward them, to reach out and stop them from vanishing—
but she couldn't move.
Something was holding her.
Not physically—
but pulling her.
A strange, overwhelming pull from the 'dark man' in front of her… stronger than her connection to her own mother and brother. It felt wrong, terrifying… yet impossible to resist.
Slowly, she turned back toward him.
Her body trembled slightly, her voice barely steady now. "Y-you… who are you…?"
At that moment, the man finally moved.
He slowly lifted his head.
And when his face came into view, Lyra felt a chill run deep through her soul. His eyes had no white in them—only a deep, endless blackness, staring directly into her, as if looking beyond her existence itself.
His lips were torn, dry, barely able to move.
And yet—
from them, only a single word came out.
"Lyra…"
Lyra fell backward in terror, her body hitting the ground as her heart began to pound violently in her chest. She wanted to run, to escape from what she was seeing, but her body refused to move, as if it had turned to stone. Slowly, with trembling eyes, she looked at that face again—
it was Lucian.
But it wasn't him.
The face was twisted, terrifying, covered in dried cracks of blood, as if it had been breaking apart for a long time. And from his eyes, no clear tears fell… instead, thick black streams, like soot or darkness itself, flowed down his face.
Then suddenly—
something exploded inside Lyra's mind.
A sharp, overwhelming pain surged through her head, forcing a cry out of her as she collapsed among the flowers. It felt as if something had shattered inside her, like a barrier breaking apart all at once. And with that—
everything came rushing back.
The dragon sprite's sacrifice… the cruelty of the Evil Spirit… Elder Vyom… Finn… Messi… every memory, every truth, every piece of reality she had forgotten came crashing into her mind like lightning. Pain, hatred, fear, and desperation all mixed together, overwhelming her completely.
"Brother!" she screamed.
Without thinking, without hesitation, she pushed herself up and ran toward him like someone who had lost everything. Her voice broke as she kept repeating the only word left in her heart. "Brother… brother… brother…"
As she got closer to him, the black flames leaking from those chains reacted instantly, burning her small body the moment she stepped into their range. The heat was unbearable, sharp and cruel, but Lyra didn't stop.
She didn't even slow down.
"Lyra… run away!" Lucian's voice suddenly echoed, filled with pain and urgency. "You'll die if you stay here! Go… run!"
But Lyra didn't listen.
The fear inside her had already been replaced by something else. Her innocence, her hesitation—it was gone. What remained was a stubborn, unbreakable resolve.
She reached out and grabbed the sharp, burning chains with her small hands.
The moment her fingers touched them, a searing pain tore through her, as if her very soul was being burned apart. Deep wounds began to form instantly, her hands trembling under the unbearable heat, her entire being shaking from the agony—
yet she didn't let go.
Not even for a second.
Slowly, Lucian's voice faded into silence. He could no longer speak—he could only watch Lyra helplessly, his eyes fixed on her as if he was trapped inside his own body. As Lyra's pain intensified, something began to change. Her small, five-year-old form started to shift, her body slowly returning to its true state.
She was no longer that little child.
She had become the same Lyra who had faced death while standing on the dragon's back—the one who knew how to fight.
Gathering every bit of strength she had left, she pulled her Divine Energy into her hands. A golden light began to glow from her palms, spreading outward and clashing against those dark chains. Wherever that light touched, the chains began to weaken, their grip loosening under the pressure.
With a piercing scream, Lyra tore apart the first chain.
The entire mental world trembled violently, as if the very foundation of that place had been shaken. One after another, she began ripping the chains apart, forcing them to break with sheer will. With each chain that shattered, the Evil Spirit's hold weakened, its influence slowly losing its control over Lucian.
Then—
her eyes fell on the final chain.
It was different.
That last chain was embedded deep within Lucian's chest.
The moment Lyra grabbed it, something changed. Instead of breaking, the chain began pulling from her, draining the energy from her Soul Body itself. Her form flickered instantly, her existence starting to fade as her strength was being consumed.
Her body grew weaker.
Unstable.
But she didn't stop.
With everything she had left, gathering the last fragments of her strength, she pulled with a sudden, desperate force—
and broke it.
Lyra collapsed onto her knees beside Lucian, her body trembling as if it could disappear at any moment. She reached out, holding his face gently in her hands, her voice breaking as she spoke.
"Brother… you have to wake up now. Don't let that Evil Spirit take control of you… you have to fight back. If you don't… everything will be destroyed… the whole kingdom…"
Her voice trembled, turning desperate.
"Please, brother… please wake up…"
But Lucian didn't respond.
His eyes remained empty, lifeless, staring down like a puppet that had lost all will to move.
Something inside Lyra snapped.
Her anger rose beyond what she could hold back. Grabbing Lucian by his hair, she shook him violently, her voice breaking as she screamed at him.
"Do you even understand what's happening outside?! Everything is being destroyed—people are dying!" Her breath grew heavier, her emotions overflowing without control. "I don't know any Lucian who would become someone's puppet like this!"
Her grip tightened, her voice filled with pain and fury.
"My brother might be weak… but he knows how to fight! This—this isn't you… you're not my brother… you can't be!"