“He is not real. He is not real,” I repeated to myself.

“My Lady, these revelations must be hard for you to accept, but I assure you, you are Lady Alba’s—”

“Enough!” I snapped, cutting him off. “I can’t be this monster’s sister!”

“You’re not Alphonso!” I exclaimed with confidence. “The senior knight I know would never disclose such precious intel so carelessly!”

“Oh? Is that so?” he replied, his tone unbothered. “You must know quite a lot about him then. Let’s see, what—”

Before he could utter another word, I clasped my hands over my ears. There definitely was something off about his questions. If I had forgotten about the Alphonso I knew, I might have fallen into this imposter’s trap.

“Just shut it, alright?” I hissed. “Get out of here this instant!”

“It’s rather bold to kick me out of my own domain, don’t you think my Lady?” he mocked.

This is all just an illusion.

The last thing I recall before waking up on this bed was… was…

Argh! Nothing. My head hurts.

How did I get here? And why am I here?

The impostor stood like a statue, watching me crumble.

My vision blurred, but I tried my best to keep my eyes open. Each blink brought him closer. On the third try, I saw Sylvara instead.

“Don’t fight it, Mia,” he said, his dark aura curling gently around me. “To preserve one’s peace of mind, I strongly advise you to take things slow. Let everything flow through you, and around you. Be nothing more than an orbiting object in this vast universe.”

“Let go of everything, Mia,” he intoned.

“Let go of… everything…” I echoed, with a barely audible voice.

What does everything even mean? I don’t know…

He tilted his head, his voice silkier than before. “Let’s see… How about a little charade?” he said, his eyes gleaming with amusement.

He paused for a moment, then stared deep into my soul with those dark green eyes.

“What casts no shadow, yet reveals them all?

What cannot be grasped, yet touches everything?

What cannot lie, yet blinds the truth?”

He leaned closer, his breath cold against my ear.

“Tell me, Mia… What am I?”

His words were clear in my mind like a bell ringing in an empty hall.

His twisted expression left no doubt —he was enjoying every second of this filthy game.

“The answer to this charade will help you in many ways, sweet Mia. Once you’ll get it right, you’ll get to the next stage. Virel Thaenor!”

Then he vanished.

“What casts no shadow, yet reveals them all? What cannot be grasped, yet touches everything? What cannot lie, yet blinds the truth?” I repeated aloud. “Agh, with this headache it would be a miracle if I got this right.”

“Let’s see… Time has no physical form which means no shadow, yet reveals the shadows of actions and consequences. Time slips through your fingers but shapes everything. But… I fail to see how it blinds the truth?”

I laid on my back, closed my eyes and dug deeper.

“The truth perhaps? It has no shadow, but exposes the hidden. The truth can be elusive and abstract, yet it’s the invisible thread running through reality. The truth never lies, but it can overwhelm and obscure clarity. But… how does this help me?”

Suddenly, the butler entered silently, and stood in front of the window. His tall figure reminded me of someone… someone I’ve met recently somewhere… Oh God, I am losing myself bit by bit!

Unlike the impostor, he had a shadow. Well, no need to be clever here—all creatures cast shadows when exposed to light, right?

“Casts no shadow but reveals them all… Cannot be grasped, yet touches everything…cannot lie, but blinds the truth… That’s it!”

“Butler, you know how to speak Velathryn, yes?” I asked.

He nodded.

“What does the word ‘Aelith’ stand for?”

He looked at me furtively then closed his eyes.

“‘Aelith’ means Ancient Light. That’s the extent of what I can tell you.”

“It’s more than enough,” I said confidently.

I stood, looked out at the rising fake moon. Its silver light was similar to the one back home, in the human realm. Its light was strong, yet different. It simply existed, cold and calculated, as if part of a fabricated scenery.

Even so, in its pale radiance, everything became clearer.

“The answer is Light!” I shouted.

“The darkness is your kingdom, the light is your salvation,” a voice sang.

“Great job, Mia. I didn’t expect less from you.” Sylvara said, emerging from the shadows with a calm smile. “But do you remember why you’re here? Your purpose?”

Again, with these questions. I’d been so focused on solving this riddle, that nothing else mattered.

My existence was fading slowly, as if I walked into a trap. I opened my mouth, but the words tangled in my throat. A name? A mission? A reason?

“I am here to… to unveil my true identity…” My voice trembled. “No, that doesn’t make sense! I am Mia Devian, daughter of …mother and father…”

But even as I said it, names slipped through my mind like sand through broken fingers.

Tears of bitterness welled in my eyes.  Each drop carried fragments of a self I could no longer define. I was dying slowly from inside, unraveling thread by thread. If this went on, I’ll be nothing more than an empty shell in a few hours… at most.

“Can I go to the bathroom?” I asked. “I… I need to wash my face.”

“Sure, take your time,” Sylvara replied gently.

I stepped into the bathroom and closed the door behind me. I turned on the tap, letting the cold refreshing water run over my fingers before splashing it across my face.

I sank to the floor, the cold tiles pressing against my skin. Pulling my knees to my chest, I buried my face between them, deliberately avoiding the piercing beam of light that streamed through a small, high window.

I don’t know how long I sat there, breathing slowly, trying to gather the pieces of myself.

When I finally stood to turn off the tap, something small slipped from the fold of my sleeve and clinked onto the floor.

A green gem.

It pulsed faintly, as though it were breathing.

“What is this?” I murmured, bending down.

I picked it up between my fingers, and the moment I touched it, it shimmered, warm against my skin. Threads of light snaked through its center like veins of living energy.

“Mia? Can you hear me?” called a familiar voice.

Was it another illusion? Or a fragment of something real?

“Mia, this Abyssith stone cannot be affected by their skims,” the voice continued. “You have to keep direct contact with it so we can communicate.”

“Who… who are you?” I whispered, still uncertain.

“It’s me Thalor!” he said, slowly and carefully, as if speaking to someone teetering on the edge. “Whatever happened to you in there, please don’t forget that you walked through danger to save us, me, Alba and that Narcis bastard!”

The names hit me like a gust of wind.

“Alba… the Narcis bastard… Thalor…” I echoed.

Yes. I knew those names. I felt them. Somewhere deep inside, behind the fog and the lies, they were real.

“Listen carefully,” Thalor’s voice sharpened, “No matter what, don’t let go of that stone. These Aeliths use light to craft illusions, to bend your thoughts and to feed you lies you’ll believe as truth. But the Abyssith stone draws power from the abyss. Even if light pierces the darkness, they still cannot reach the depths of the ocean.”

Suddenly, I heard a brief commotion outside the door.

“What do I do now?” I whispered quickly. “I don’t know who I am anymore… They’re peeling me apart, piece by piece.”

“Mia, you’re more capable than you think! Do not fret. You are going through a harsh test to save us. You’re doing this for a noble cause. I know it’s hard to believe a voice, but please we’re counting on you!”

And just like that, the glow faded. The stone cooled.

A soft knock tapped against the bathroom door.

“Lady Mia?” came Sylvara’s soft voice. “Are you alright in there?”

I shoved the Abyssith stone into my pocket and wiped my face.

“Yes,” I answered, my voice calm and clear. “I just need a moment.”

I clearly heard a commotion earlier. A scream, tables and chairs turning upside down, as if a beast had ravaged everything. But it was too brief.

Sylvara’s kind voice is nothing more than a façade to lure me out willingly.

Whatever the case, I cannot stay here forever. I have no other way out than this door.

I tightened the grip on the Abyssith stone hidden in my pocket, and opened the door in one swift motion.

A terrifying gigantic creature loomed before me. Its green phosphorescent body shone brighter than the gem earlier.

It resembled the Zephariel we had ridden on our way to Fena’s house. Its silver antlers glistened like sculpted ice, catching the dim moonlight with a deadly beauty. But its emerald eyes were hollow—empty—as if enchanted.

It lowered its head.

And charged.