The silence that followed the woman's words felt unreal.
As if even the Archives were holding their breath.
Lyra couldn't move anymore.
Her gaze remained fixed on that version of herself.
That other.
That possibility.
That truth she wasn't ready to accept.
— More than my life… she murmured.
Her voice trembled slightly.
Not from pure fear.
But from something deeper.
An anguish that came straight from her soul.
The woman of light gently tilted her head.
Her features were calm, almost soothing… but her eyes carried an ancient weariness. A silent pain that even time had not erased.
— Life is a simple thing to give, she said softly. It always ends up being taken back.
A shiver ran through Lyra.
— Then what…?
The woman took a step toward her.
The luminous threads around her vibrated softly, as if they recognized her presence.
— What the Thread truly demands… is a choice.
Kael, silent until now, clenched his fists slightly.
— Speak clearly.
His tone wasn't aggressive.
But it was tense.
Ready.
The woman looked at him.
And for a second, something passed between them.
Like a distant recognition.
As if she already knew how he would react.
— The Original Thread doesn't only bind souls, she said. It balances the world. Every strong bond, every love, every promise… holds something in place.
Eryan observed the threads around them.
— And when it is broken…
— The world begins to fall out of tune, the woman finished.
Lyra felt her heart tighten.
— And me… I'm at the center of that.
— Yes.
No hesitation.
No detour.
Just the truth.
Lyra briefly closed her eyes.
Then she took a breath.
— Then tell me the price.
Kael immediately turned his head toward her.
— Lyra—
— No.
She opened her eyes again.
This time, her gaze was steadier.
More determined.
— If we came all this way, it's not to turn back from the truth.
Silence settled in.
Then the woman nodded slightly.
— Very well.
She gently raised her hand.
And a thread appeared between her fingers.
Not like the others.
This one was unstable.
Cracked.
Broken… then repaired… then broken again.
— This is what you have become.
Lyra stared at the thread.
Her heart beat faster.
— A bond that refuses to die, but cannot fully exist.
Kael looked at the thread without saying a word.
— To restore the Original Thread, the woman continued, the initial balance must be recreated.
Eryan frowned.
— And what does that mean, concretely?
The woman slowly lowered her hand.
Then she looked Lyra straight in the eyes.
— You must renounce him.
The world stopped.
Completely.
Lyra felt her breath catch.
Kael didn't move.
But something in him froze.
Completely.
— No.
The word came out immediately.
Instinctively.
— Impossible.
The woman didn't look away.
— It's the only way.
Kael stepped forward.
— Find another solution.
His voice was low.
Dangerous.
But it trembled slightly.
Almost imperceptibly.
— There isn't one.
The silence exploded.
Lyra felt her heart pounding against her chest as if it wanted to escape.
— Renounce… she whispered.
Her fingers slowly tightened.
— You mean… leave him?
The woman gently shook her head.
— Not just leave him.
A beat.
— Erase the bond.
This time, even the air seemed to disappear.
Lyra stepped back.
— Erase…?
Eryan paled slightly.
— You mean erasing their soul connection?
The woman nodded.
— Yes.
Kael remained still.
Too still.
Like a storm holding itself back just before it explodes.
— No.
His voice was colder now.
Sharper.
— You're asking the impossible.
— I'm asking what the Thread demands.
Lyra shook her head.
— If we do this… then—
Her voice broke slightly.
— Then we'll never find each other again?
The woman didn't answer immediately.
And that silence…
was worse than anything.
— Not as you are today.
Lyra's heart broke softly.
Not violently.
Not all at once.
But slowly.
Like a crack spreading.
— And if I refuse?
The woman looked at her.
With sadness.
— Then the Thread will continue to deteriorate.
Eryan clenched his teeth.
— And the world with it.
Lyra closed her eyes.
Everything was becoming too heavy.
Too fast.
Too unfair.
She felt a presence behind her.
Steady.
Silent.
Kael.
She didn't even need to turn around.
She knew.
He was there.
Always.
So why did this idea hurt so much?
— Why me? she whispered.
The woman stepped closer again.
— Because you are the one who broke the cycle.
Lyra opened her eyes again.
— And now… it's up to you to decide whether it deserves to be repaired.
A silence.
Then Kael spoke.
Finally.
— And if we both refuse?
The woman looked at him.
For a long time.
— Then you will continue.
A beat.
— To find each other.
Another.
— To lose each other.
Again.
Again.
Again.
Lyra's heart trembled.
Because she knew it was true.
They had already lived it.
Several times.
In different forms.
Different lives.
Different endings.
Always the same pain.
Kael lowered his eyes slightly.
Then he said, more calmly:
— And if we accept…
His voice was low.
Controlled.
— We save the world.
The woman nodded.
— Yes.
— But we lose each other.
— Yes.
Silence fell again.
Lyra felt something run down her cheek.
She didn't even realize she was crying.
— It's cruel…
The woman smiled faintly.
— It's balance.
Kael closed his eyes for a second.
Then he breathed in slowly.
When he opened them again, his gaze was different.
Not broken.
Not yet.
But changed.
— How much time do we have?
Eryan suddenly turned his head toward him.
— Kael—
— How much time?
The woman answered:
— Until the Red Moon.
Three days.
Again.
Always.
Lyra felt her heart tighten violently.
Three days to decide.
Three days to choose between:
the world…
or them.
Kael slowly turned his head toward her.
Their gazes met.
And in his eyes…
there was no anger.
No fear.
Just a brutal truth.
whatever happens… he would follow her.
Lyra felt her heart break a little more.
— We need to see everything there is here, she said softly.
Eryan nodded.
— Yes. There must be more information in the Archives.
The woman stepped back slightly.
Her light began to fade.
— You now have the truth.
She looked at Lyra one last time.
— The rest depends on you.
Then she disappeared.
The threads became still again.
Silence fell.
But it wasn't the same anymore.
Now, it was heavy.
Filled with something they couldn't ignore.
Lyra remained still.
A few seconds.
Maybe more.
Then she whispered:
— Kael…
He answered immediately.
— Yes.
His voice was soft.
Calm.
Too calm.
She slowly turned around.
Looked at him.
And all she managed to say was:
— I'm sorry.
Kael frowned slightly.
— For what?
His voice was sincere.
Truly.
— For dragging you into this.
A silence.
Then he shook his head slightly.
— You never dragged me anywhere.
He took a step toward her.
— I followed you.
Another.
— And I would do it again.
Lyra's heart wavered.
— Even if it destroys us?
Kael stopped right in front of her.
Their gazes locked.
— Especially if it destroys us.
The silence softly shattered between them.
Eryan looked away.
Respecting the moment.
Lyra took a slow breath.
Then nodded.
— Then we don't decide now.
Kael agreed.
— No.
— We find all the answers first.
— Yes.
An agreement.
Silent.
Fragile.
But real.
Then, together, they moved deeper into the Archives.
Toward other threads.
Other truths.
Other wounds.
And above them—
far within the ruins—
a shadow was still watching.
Patient.
Motionless.
Waiting for the moment the choice would be made.
Because it already knew one thing:
no matter their decision…
the price would be paid.