Lucius stood alone in the quiet.
The others had fallen asleep around the fire.
Even Lilith. Even Zara.
Even Claire, who had tried to stay awake just to be near him.
But now?
He was finally alone with the blade.
And that's when it happened.
---
> [Memory Fragment Unlocked – 97% Synchronization Achieved]
Recovered Memory: The Day Arielle Died
Initiating Deep Recall… Standby…
---
The world faded.
And Lucius found himself in the ruins of a place that no longer existed.
The stone walls still burned.
The scent of blood still lingered.
And in the center of it all—
Arielle.
---
She wasn't on the ground yet.
She was standing.
Barely.
Covered in cuts.
Flame around her faltering.
And she wasn't looking at him.
She was looking at someone else.
---
Lucius turned.
There—hidden behind a collapsed pillar,
his eyes wide,
his face barely visible through the smoke—
another figure.
---
"You," Lucius muttered.
He stepped forward.
A shadow of a boy.
One hand bleeding.
The other… holding something wrapped in cloth.
He wasn't a god.
He wasn't a soldier.
He was Arielle's brother.
---
Lucius froze as the memory rushed in like a blade to the chest.
The reason she died?
She wasn't protecting him.
She was protecting the boy behind him.
---
> [True Bond Conflict Detected – Guilt Level Rising]
Emotional Overload: Stable
Fragment Recovered: Arielle's final words were not to Lucius.
---
The memory twisted.
Arielle fell.
Lucius ran to her.
But he was too late.
She whispered something—
not to him.
To the boy.
"Live. Even if he forgets me… you don't."
---
Lucius gasped.
Back in the present.
Hands shaking.
Eyes wide.
He turned, staring at the fire.
And whispered:
"She didn't die for me."
---
Claire stirred from sleep.
He didn't move.
Velda opened her eyes but said nothing.
Zara watched from across the fire, but didn't interrupt.
Only Lilith, now awake and behind him, stepped closer.
And asked:
"Then why are you still carrying the blade?"
Lucius closed his eyes.
Because the answer was too heavy.