Darkness.

Not silence.

Pressure.

⸻

Ashen drifted through it.

Weightless.

Neither asleep nor awake.

Suspended somewhere between memory…

And nothing.

Fragments drifted past him like scattered pieces of another life.

A waterfall.

A field of flowers swaying beneath the morning breeze.

Virelia running through them barefoot, laughing as petals danced around her.

She turned with the same bright smile she always wore.

“Brother!”

Ashen smiled without realizing it.

He started toward her.

⸻

Then—

Everything burned.

The flowers blackened in an instant.

The sky cracked beneath roaring flames.

The waterfall hissed beneath rising smoke.

Laughter disappeared.

Screams replaced it.

Ashen’s heart clenched.

“No…”

He ran.

“Virelia!”

She reached toward him.

“So close…”

He stretched out his hand.

Just a little farther—

But she was already slipping away.

Pulled backward into an ocean of fire.

“VIRELIA!”

⸻

The world twisted.

The flames grew darker.

Hotter.

Deeper.

Then…

Something else appeared.

A shadow.

It wasn’t made of fire.

It wasn’t part of the dream.

It simply…

Stood there.

Watching.

Ashen slowly turned toward it.

“…Who are you?”

The figure didn’t answer.

It barely held a shape at all.

Like darkness trying to become something solid.

Then…

A voice.

Low.

Calm.

Close enough to feel.

“…Ashen.”

Ashen frowned.

It wasn’t spoken like a greeting.

It wasn’t threatening either.

It felt…

Familiar.

As though someone had called his name countless times before.

He took one careful step forward.

“…What?”

The shadow blurred.

Almost disappearing.

Then the voice returned.

Slightly louder.

Closer.

More urgent.

“…Ashen.”

The fire exploded around him.

Flames surged toward the sky.

The roar became deafening.

Ashen covered his ears.

“Stop!”

The entire world shook.

Then—

The voice echoed one final time.

Right beside him.

Almost inside his mind.

“…ASHEN.”

⸻

THE WAKE

Ashen’s eyes snapped open.

He shot upright with a violent gasp.

Air rushed painfully into his lungs.

His chest heaved.

His heart pounded so hard he thought it might burst.

No fire.

No smoke.

Above him stretched a canvas ceiling.

Wooden support beams.

Bundles of drying herbs hanging from rope.

The smell of medicine filled the air.

Reality.

His entire body trembled.

“…Virelia…”

The name escaped his lips before he even thought about it.

Silence answered.

His hands tightened around the blanket.

His breathing grew uneven again.

Then…

Memory returned.

Not slowly.

All at once.

The village.

The screams.

Leo.

Tanya.

Will.

Granny Ana.

The burning orphanage.

Virelia…

Being dragged away.

“…No…”

His voice cracked.

“No…”

He threw the blanket aside and stumbled toward the tent entrance.

⸻

OUTSIDE

Warm sunlight greeted him.

Birds sang overhead.

Leaves rustled gently in the breeze.

The forest stood peaceful.

Almost beautiful.

As though the world had forgotten what happened only hours before.

Ashen stared in disbelief.

“…How…”

A small campfire crackled nearby.

Beside it sat a woman.

Dark brown skin illuminated by the morning light.

Short black hair moved gently with the breeze.

A white robe trimmed with soft fur rested neatly over her shoulders.

She calmly stirred a pot hanging above the fire.

Without turning around…

She spoke.

“You’re awake.”

Ashen barely heard her.

His eyes searched the clearing.

Every corner.

Every tree.

Every shadow.

“…Virelia…”

Nothing.

He stepped forward.

His breathing quickened.

“…Where is she?!”

The woman finally looked at him.

Her expression remained calm.

“…Who?”

“My sister.”

His voice trembled.

“She was with me!”

“Where is she?!”

A long silence followed.

Then she answered honestly.

“…I didn’t see anyone else.”

Ashen froze.

His eyes widened.

Something inside him broke loose.

“You’re lying!”

He charged at her.

Not with skill.

Not with training.

Only grief.

Only desperation.

Before he reached her—

She caught his wrist.

Effortlessly.

Her feet never moved.

Ashen pulled.

Twisted.

Shoved with everything he had left.

Nothing.

She remained exactly where she stood.

Calm.

Steady.

“If I wanted you dead…”

Her voice stayed quiet.

“…you wouldn’t have woken up.”

Ashen stopped struggling.

Not because he believed her.

Because he realized she was right.

She slowly released his wrist.

“My name is Lyric.”

Ashen looked away.

“…I don’t care.”

For the first time…

A tiny expression crossed her face.

She sighed to herself.

“…Well…”

“That was rude.”

Silence settled between them once more.

Ashen’s shoulders slowly began to shake.

“…They took her…”

His voice barely existed anymore.

“…I tried to reach her…”

“…I couldn’t…”

His knees finally gave out.

He collapsed onto the forest floor.

His head lowered.

The tears came again.

Not the desperate cries from the orphanage.

Not screams.

Just quiet…

Uncontrollable grief.

Lyric didn’t interrupt him.

She simply watched.

After a long moment…

She walked over and gently placed a warm wooden bowl beside him.

“You haven’t eaten.”

Ashen never looked at it.

“…I’m not hungry.”

“I know.”

She returned to the fire without another word.

Ashen remained where he had fallen.

Staring into the endless trees.

Somewhere beyond that forest…

His sister was still alive.

He could feel it.

His breathing gradually slowed.

The tears eventually stopped.

But something inside him…

Something that could never be replaced…

Had already changed forever.