Chapter 12 — Echo of the Past (Part 2)
The wind blew cold.
But it wasn't just the weather.
It was… the feeling.
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Laylah was the first to notice.
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— Marcos…
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Her voice came out lower than usual.
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— Something isn't right.
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The boy beside her frowned.
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— What?
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Laylah looked around.
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Forest.
Dense.
Ancient.
Too silent.
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— Remiel…
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She closed her eyes for a second.
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— He's not here.
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Silence.
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Marcos' eyes widened slightly.
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— What do you mean he's not here?
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— He was with us when we crossed the gate…
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Laylah clenched her hand slightly.
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— But now…
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She opened her eyes.
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— He's gone.
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The wind passed between the trees.
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No sign.
No presence.
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— Is this… part of the test? — Marcos asked.
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Laylah took a few seconds to answer.
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— No.
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Direct.
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— This is… different.
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Silence.
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She started walking.
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— Let's go.
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— Where?
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— To look for him.
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Simple.
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And so—
they began.
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One hour later
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The forest stretched endlessly.
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Tall trees.
Exposed roots.
Narrow rivers crossing the path.
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Sunlight barely passed through the canopy above.
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— This place…
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Marcos looked around.
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— It feels alive.
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Laylah didn't disagree.
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— Because it is.
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She lightly touched the air.
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— Even being a memory…
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Her golden eyes glowed faintly.
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— it still carries the essence of its time.
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Silence.
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— The Black Dragon Era…
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Marcos took a deep breath.
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— So all of this really existed…
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— It did.
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Laylah answered calmly.
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— And in a way…
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She looked around.
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— it still does.
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They kept walking.
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The sound of running water appeared in the distance.
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A river.
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Crystal clear.
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Reflecting the fractured sky of that era.
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Marcos stopped for a moment.
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— You know…
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Laylah looked at him.
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— I never thought I'd experience something like this.
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He let out a small laugh.
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— A test that throws you into the past…
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— fighting people who died centuries ago.
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Laylah remained silent for a moment.
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— Get used to it.
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— The Academy doesn't do anything simple.
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Marcos smiled slightly.
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— Good thing I ended up in the right group.
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Laylah didn't respond.
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But she didn't deny it either.
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And that was enough.
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Elsewhere
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Blue flames cut through the air.
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BOOM—
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An explosion echoed through the ruins.
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A boy stood at the center.
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Blue hair.
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Focused eyes.
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A sword in his hand.
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The air around him shifted between extreme cold…
and intense heat.
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— Too slow.
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He spun his body.
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A wall of ice appeared—
instantly.
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The next second—
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It exploded into fire.
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Consuming everything ahead.
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The figures around him vanished.
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Silence.
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The boy took a deep breath.
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— Still strange…
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He looked at his own hand.
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— Two Paths…
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A faint smile appeared.
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— …into one.
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A flash.
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A memory.
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A dark room.
A computer screen.
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— "Wheel of Divinity"…
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he murmured.
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— The best game ever created.
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His eyes narrowed.
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— Or at least…
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Silence.
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— that's what I thought.
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The memory faded.
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Back to the present.
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He walked slowly.
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Picking up a weapon from the ground.
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A strange blade.
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— Secondary weapons…
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He spun the sword.
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— Things the protagonist would never use.
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A clearer smile appeared.
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— Perfect.
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Back to Laylah and Marcos
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After some time—
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The forest began to open.
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An ancient stone road appeared.
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And in the distance—
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A city.
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Tall walls.
Open gates.
Movement.
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— Finally…
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Marcos exhaled.
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— Civilization.
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Laylah observed in silence.
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Something still… felt off.
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But—
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they continued.
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As they crossed the gate—
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— …?!
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The world changed.
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Instantly.
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No transition.
No warning.
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They were—
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at the top of a tower.
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The wind was stronger there.
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The city stretched below them.
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Marcos' eyes widened.
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— What—?!
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Laylah remained still.
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Her eyes analyzing everything.
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— Teleportation…
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she murmured.
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— But…
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Her eyes narrowed.
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— I didn't feel anything.
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Silence.
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— Path of Space…
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she thought.
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— It's impossible not to notice.
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Then—
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— It seems we have visitors…
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A female voice echoed.
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— from another era.
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They turned.
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A girl stood there.
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White hair.
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Long.
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A witch's hat resting on her head.
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Calm eyes.
But deep.
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— …
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Laylah stayed silent.
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Observing.
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— Who are you?
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Direct.
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The girl smiled faintly.
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— Lucy.
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Simple.
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— And you…
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She tilted her head slightly.
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— definitely don't belong to this time.
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Marcos tensed.
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— How do you know that?
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Lucy took a few steps.
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The space around her distorted slightly.
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— Strong individuals…
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she said calmly.
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— can perceive when something…
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A pause.
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— no longer belongs to the flow of life.
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Silence.
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Laylah narrowed her eyes.
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— Path of Space…
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Lucy smiled.
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— Exactly.
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— But not the same as yours.
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A faint glow appeared around her.
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— I see…
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She looked around.
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— layers.
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— Overlapping realities.
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Her eyes returned to Laylah.
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— And you…
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A pause.
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— are inside one that has already ended.
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Silence.
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— This era…
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Lucy continued.
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— happened a long time ago.
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The wind blew stronger.
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Marcos swallowed.
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— So this really is…
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— A memory.
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Lucy nodded.
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— A fragment of the past.
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Laylah remained silent.
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Processing.
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But something else still didn't make sense.
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— Then why…
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she began.
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— did Remiel disappear?
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Silence.
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Lucy didn't answer immediately.
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Her eyes moved.
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As if searching for something.
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Something… beyond that place.
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— Interesting…
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she murmured.
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— Very interesting.
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Laylah frowned.
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— What?
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Lucy smiled slightly.
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— It seems…
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A pause.
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— not everyone arrived at the same place.
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Silence.
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The wind stopped for a brief moment.
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— One of you…
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Lucy continued.
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— is not in this fragment.
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Marcos' eyes widened.
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— Then he—
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— Was pulled into another point of the memory.
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Lucy concluded.
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— Or…
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Her eyes gleamed faintly.
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— into something even deeper.
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Silence.
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Laylah clenched her hand slightly.
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— Remiel…
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Her gaze grew more serious.
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More focused.
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— Where are you…?
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Meanwhile—
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Somewhere…
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Within the same past—
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But not in the same place—
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A presence remained still.
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Watching.
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Silent.
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Untouchable.
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Remiel remained motionless.
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And time…
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around him…
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began to behave strangely.