When Eirian came back to his senses, his eyes flared with raw determination. The wind grazed his face gently, tousling his hair like a whisper from the past. He placed a trembling hand over his chest, trying to calm the thunder in his ribcage. His breaths came slowly—deliberately. But no matter how much air he drew in, the ache in his heart didn't ease.
He felt hollow. "Why do I feel like I'm breaking apart… even when I'm still alive?"
Images of his sister's smile haunted his thoughts. That moment by the waterfall—the laughter, the warmth—it all felt so far away now. Like a dream he could never return to.
And in that moment… he couldn't take it anymore.
Without thinking, he leapt. Straight into the pool beneath the waterfall. The surface was still like a Glass.
But the depths swallowed him whole. He didn't struggle, he didn't swim, he just sank.
"Maybe if I had been stronger... you wouldn't have needed to sacrifice yourself, Selia... Maybe it should have been me."
His eyes remained open, but he didn't see the water. He only saw memories.
His arms floated aimlessly, his legs limp. The silence around him grew heavier. No pain. No panic. Just... calm. A deceptive calm that only masked the sorrow clenching his soul. "So this is what peace feels like... when there's nothing left to fight for."
He forgot that humans couldn't breathe underwater. The idea never even crossed his mind.
Because he didn't care. And yet, within the stillness of the deep, something ancient stirred.
His Soulbrand—so often unresponsive, even in the face of death—pulsed faintly. Like a heartbeat in an egg, fragile and new. It wrapped around him, encasing him in a gentle glow that whispered not of death… but of protection.
It was this glow that made the deep feel so peaceful… so comforting… as if the world's cruelty couldn't reach him here.
Then, as time lost meaning—Eirian's eyes opened, but the world was no longer water.
It was black. Pure, suffocating black. The kind that devours sound, light, and hope.
He stood on something solid beneath his feet, but he couldn't see it. It was as if existence itself had collapsed into a void. "Where am I? What… is this place?""
His voice echoed into the nothingness. He received no response, just silence, not even a sound.
He clenched his fists instinctively, grounding himself with sensation. "I jumped into the water… but now… Am I dead? Or is this something worse?"
Still no answer.
Just an overwhelming sense of being watched.
He began to walk. One step. Then another.
He spoke softly to himself—not out of habit, but survival. The quiet murmur of his voice was the only thing reminding him he was still real. "If I can still hear myself… then I must still be me... right?"
But time didn't exist here. After walking endlessly, nothing changed. No wall. No curve. No edge. Just… infinite black.
A gnawing dread clawed its way up from his chest. "Why do I feel like I'm walking in circles? No, not circles—but trapped in a loop?"
His heart grew cold. A creeping panic edged into his thoughts.
Flame… can you hear me? he called out mentally.
Silence—Not even a flicker of warmth from within.
Little flame… don't do this now. Talk to me. Please.This isn't funny…!! He called out again, but still nothing.
His jaw clenched. His eyes sharpened. "The Soulless Flame wasn't so mischievous like this before. It never went silent unless something was truly wrong."
Did I lose connection with it?
No... it's this place. This cursed space is severing the link.
Powerless. Blind. Alone. He felt… like a normal human again. Just like a scared, broken boy lost in the dark.
Then—a voice came.
Feminine. Soft. But unsettling.
"Eirian… you look like a fool. Still afraid of little things, are we? Hehehe~"
His body went still, he didn't flinch.
But his mind? His heart? They screamed!
"That voice… It knows me. It knows my name?" He thought. But he didn't speak right away. He simply turned his head, trying to pinpoint the source. But the voice had come from everywhere.
"Not speaking? Not even going to yell or curse? How disappointing. You've gotten boring, Eirian."
"...Just who are you..?" His voice was cold but steady. "Show yourself."
"Tsk-tsk… always so serious. You used to laugh. You used to cry. But now? You just… wander. Empty. Lost."
Eirian gritted his teeth. The words pierced deeper than they should have, Whoever this is... they're not just mocking me. They know what I've lost.
Then—A ripple. Like water disturbed by a whisper.
Before him, the darkness parted.
A mirror appeared—glimmering in the void. And in its reflection… himself.
But not truly. This version of him had wild, feral eyes. Dark crimson markings crept along his arms. His skin cracked with faint red lines glowing like magma. His Soulbrand was alight, burning furiously at his forehead.
And behind him loomed a towering figure—shackled, horned, draped in shadow and smoke.
The reflection grinned. "You think strength comes from sacrifice?"
"You think mourning makes you worthy?"
"No. Real power is born from rage. From loss. From the ashes of your failures."
Eirian's breath caught, A thought appreared in his mind, Is this... me? No... it can't be. I'm not that… thing.
The air grew heavier, pressing against his chest like a boulder.
"You wanted to save her? Then burn. Let everything else fall. Let the fire consume the boy… and forge the monster."
The mirror began to crack.
"You are me. And I… am what you're destined to become."
"I'm not you," Eirian whispered.
Then run, little spark. Because if you don't choose me, then I'll choose you."
CRACK!
The mirror shattered. Blinding light erupted from the shards, and the world collapsed once more into darkness.
"Stop playing tricks," he said loudly, after he had came back into his senses, his voice echoing into the emptiness. "That reflection… it wasn't real. I'm not going to become some heartless monster!"
But even as the words left his mouth, a part of him recoiled. A cold, whispering voice inside murmured—But what if I was stronger?
So strong that I could've ruled over existence itself… would anyone have dared to harm Selia? Would she have needed to sacrifice herself?
Laughter echoed from the dark—soft, melodic, but with a strange chill behind it.
"Ahh… Dear Eirian," the voice said, amused. "You haven't changed at all, even after all this time~"
Eirian's eyes narrowed. His pulse quickened. As he asked, "You're not trying to harm me…?"
The voice chuckled again. "No, little spark. You're not in danger. You're inside your subconscious. I merely brought your consciousness here for a little… conversation."
Eirian blinked in confusion. That voice… It sounded so familiar. It stirred something deep within his memories.
"Who are you?" he asked slowly. "Why do I feel like I've heard your voice before…?"
The voice seemed to smile through its words. "I've always been inside you, Eirian. I am your Soulbrand."
His breath caught. Shock rippled through him like thunder. He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Only silence.
Finally, after several seconds, he managed to whisper—"Y-You... You're my Soulbrand?" His voice trembled. Lips quivered. He was still frozen in disbelief.
But a memory flickered in his mind. Selia—his sister. Her final act. As flames devoured her, she had cast him into the unknown with the last of her strength.
Eyes filled with longing, Eirian asked, "Then... is it you, Selia? When she burned herself... she poured her energy into my Soulbrand. Are you… is that you?"
The voice suddenly grew serious. "No. I'm not your sister, Selia," the Soulbrand said solemnly. "I remember when she burned her body to save you. Most of her power was spent sending you into another dimension— coincidentally into the Dust Realm."
Eirian's face fell. "But… her soul?" he asked hesitantly, his voice filled with desperate hope.
The Soulbrand continued, "Her body and bones… they turned to ashes. But her soul? Maybe—just maybe—it survived. Somewhere. Scattered across the cosmos."
After a pause she continued, "And during that time," the Soulbrand went on, "when she transferred her energy into me, I couldn't absorb it all. I was too weak back then—like a newborn. When you arrived in the Dust Realm, you felt my presence stir, didn't you?"
Eirian nodded slowly. That strange warmth. That subtle pulse..."Yes… I remember."
"I reacted instinctively," the Soulbrand admitted. "But after that... I went into deep sleep. Her power damaged me heavily. Then, while your body drifted through space, I used the last of my strength to shield you from harm."
Its voice began to fade slightly—like a candle burning low.
Eirian stood there, frozen. A thousand thoughts flooded his mind.
But only one remained: Is there truly a way to bring Selia back?
He gritted his teeth. Not now. Not yet. I'm not strong enough..!
He was so deep in thought, he didn't even notice it at first—A figure had appeared in front of him. It was faint. Like a dream half-formed. But undeniably beautiful—a young girl's silhouette, ethereal and serene.
She looked at him with curiosity before speaking in a calm, slightly amused voice. "No thanks? Not even a little gratitude for saving your life?"
Eirian blinked, startled. "You… You're really my Soulbrand?" he asked again cautiously. "I thought Soulbrands were... emotions or artifacts. Not living beings. How did you—how are you conscious?"
The girl chuckled lightly, clearly entertained by his confusion. "I've always existed inside you. As emotion, yes," she said, her tone soft. "But when your sister infused her essence into me… something happened. A phenomenon beyond my understanding. Her power… gave me form."
She tilted her head with a gentle smile. "Though… I don't know why I ended up looking like a girl, either."
Eirian stared at her, stunned. He felt a sudden warmth in his chest—a pulse from his heart, stronger now. More alive.
What exactly… Am I becoming? A guide? A guardian? Or something else entirely...?
As if sensing his unease, the girl's smile faded.
"I've answered some of your questions," she said, growing more serious. "But let me be blunt—you're not strong enough to change anything yet. Especially not if you want to find your sister."
Eirian's fists clenched again. "I know…"
She nodded. "Then grow stronger. Faster. Smarter. Or you'll never even touch the edge of her trail."
She turned, her figure beginning to fade. "I'm going back to sleep. Don't bother me unless it's truly urgent—I'm still recovering, after all~"
Then her voice came again, more teasing. "Oh—and that little Soulless Flame of yours? It's really annoying~ Always screaming when I was trying to rest."
She gave him one final wink. "And hey—when you reach a higher realm of cultivation… maybe you can help me form a real body. I don't want to be trapped here forever. I want to live, too~"
And with that, her figure vanished into the swirling darkness—deep into the core of his subconscious.
Eirian exhaled, long and slow.
He looked up, shaking his head in disbelief. "…First the Soulless Flame, now my Soulbrand also has a personality and demands."
He laughed bitterly. "Gods, are you this bored that you decided to turn my life into chaos?"
He sighed in frustration. "That damn flame talks too much and thinks I'm its servant. And now my Soulbrand wants a body? What's next, my shadow asking for a crown?" He rubbed his temple. "Great. Just perfect."
He paused—But despite the complaints after knowing some hidden secrets… something had changed him.
His connection to the Soulbrand was stronger. His soul no longer felt like a silent void. It felt alive.
Then—his vision blurred. The world trembled.
And when he opened his eyes again… he was back.
Lying on the grass near the waterfall, half-soaked, leaning against the trunk of a tree.
The world was silent. The wind cool. The mist returning.
He placed a hand over his chest, breathing slowly.
"…I'm back."
But something was different now, He could feel it. A spark. A presence. And a purpose.
Selia… I'll find you. Whatever it takes.
No matter what I become along the way.