A delicate tension filled the air—
Kalm's heartbeat quickened,
his mind teetering on the edge, desperate to grasp even a sliver of understanding
of what was happening to him.
He clenched his fingers into a faint, shaky fist.
Out of the corner of his eye, he glanced at the beautiful sword resting at his hip,
and the elegant cloak draped over him—
then slowly raised his gaze toward the gentle woman standing before him.
His look was long and silent,
and held only one question.
There was a radiant smile on her face,
but in her eyes shimmered something deeper—
a sorrow, ancient and quiet.
A weight,
as though she had waited a long time for this moment—
as though a burden long carried was finally slipping off her shoulders… and her heart.
Kalm tried to steady his thoughts,
to gather them long enough to ask, clearly:
**"Kalystra… can you please tell me what's really happening?"**
The queen stepped back slightly and exhaled deeply.
**"I know you've started to doubt things,"** she said softly.
**"Truth is, I was the one who planted that doubt in the first place."**
Her eyes drifted to the sword and cloak.
**"The two weapons are real… but they aren't 'weapons' in the literal sense.
They're something far greater.
And… there was one major obstacle standing in the way of you claiming them."**
His eyes lit up with focus,
his silence urging her to complete the puzzle of words she had started.
She met his gaze briefly,
then turned her attention to the crimson stones in the distance.
**"The truth is… what we've been doing here wasn't of much real value—
aside from showing you the cruelty of monsters,
the brutality of the world,
and the madness it's descended into.
Beyond that,
we were merely buying time."**
Kalm furrowed his brow,
the last part of her words confusing him.
**"Kalystra, I really am grateful for your protection…
and for helping me understand the dangers of this world.
But—
could you tell me what we were buying time for… exactly?"**
A dark veil briefly shadowed her face,
but she quickly returned to a more composed expression.
**"Simply put—
we were waiting for the end.
For the death of every last human in this illusory world…
for their lives and souls to fade.
That was one of the requirements
for you to pass through the gate that conceals the future…
your future…
and the future of your world.
And… there was another condition: a battle with a creature specialized in manipulating souls."**
Kalm's hands trembled.
His mind froze.
Darkness seeped into his thoughts,
his blood feeling like it had turned to ice.
He remembered…
the bat-creature that had once taken control of him…
and the vile insect he had fought.
*What… does that even mean?*
he thought, stunned—
his gaze trembling as it remained fixed on Kalystra.
But Kalystra showed no signs of giving him the full truth—
perhaps because of the monstrous power tied to that truth…
or perhaps because he simply wasn't meant to know…
not yet.
Still—
what kind of logic required the death of every human in a world…
just to fulfill one condition?
What kind of weapons were those?
What kind of power did they hold?
What kind of danger did they carry?
And what kind of future awaited him… after claiming them?
Half the questions in Kalm's mind now had answers—
but those answers had opened the door to a hundred more.
If *that* kind of sacrifice was needed just for one requirement…
who would ever be capable of doing it?
Who could claim those cursed weapons?
Who would even dare enter the cave to begin with?
Kalm scratched the back of his head, still overwhelmed.
A bitter silence lingered between them…
At that moment,
Kalystra's delicate face softened,
and she extended her right hand toward him.
**"Let's go, little Kalm.
Let's finish your trial,
so you can return to your world."**
Kalm hesitated for a moment.
He tried to suppress the questions boiling in his mind like a raging storm.
There was a bitter, sour feeling in his chest he couldn't name…
so he forced it down
and took a deep breath to steady himself.
He had to focus on survival—on getting back.
Answers wouldn't save his life.
With hesitation, he raised his right hand…
and took hers.
Would this be the moment his questions were answered?
Or would he remain lost in the dark,
stumbling through the waves of fate?
It was terrifying—
this thought of remaining ignorant
in the midst of so much chaos and madness.
He'd be lying if he claimed he didn't care.
After all, fate had thrown him into the heart of everything,
without ever giving him the choice to refuse.
Unaware of the storm raging inside him—
or perhaps simply choosing to ignore it—
Kalystra stepped forward, pulling Kalm with her into the shadows.
A few seconds later,
they emerged somewhere else…
somewhere that stole the breath from his lungs.
Kalm froze.
His eyes widened.
It was… beautiful.
And yet, it sent a chill crawling down his spine.
The walls stretched endlessly in all directions,
a deep crimson hue—like dried blood.
Not far from where they stood,
a strange river flowed,
its surface glimmering in a mix of sky-blue, jet black, and pale grey.
The colors blended together in a haunting, mesmerizing swirl—
like a painting that was both wondrous… and deeply wrong.
*That's water… and it's terrifying.*
Kalm swallowed hard, forcing himself to focus.
Thick white vapor rose from the river like fog,
and a deep, gurgling sound echoed from its depths—
like a slumbering monster waiting to be disturbed.
Above them, the ceiling hung like jagged crimson fangs,
primed to devour anything beneath.
Kalm gasped.
A wave of dread crawled across his spine.
Kalystra released his hand.
With a snap of her fingers,
the shadows around them swirled,
gathering like a flock—
then reformed into a small boat, just large enough for two.
Kalm tore his eyes from the cursed walls
and focused on the boat of shadows.
In a low voice, he asked,
**"Kalystra… will that boat really float on water?"**
She stared at it for a brief moment,
then turned to him with a brilliant smile.
**"Of course it will.
I shaped the shadows like wood…
and don't boats have shadows, too?"**
*Ah… shadows really are something else,*
he thought, sighing wryly as he followed her.
Their footsteps echoed lightly on the empty stone floor.
Kalystra stepped onto the boat with calm certainty.
A second later,
Kalm followed—taking a seat at the rear.
They sat across from each other,
their eyes meeting in silence,
both searching the other for something deeper still.
With a subtle ripple from the shadows, the boat glided along the river's current, its gentle prow slicing through the water with a soft, melodic sound. They drifted farther and farther down the stream, swallowed by the dim current.
Kalystra leaned back slightly, lifting her gaze toward the jagged ceiling. A serene smile curled on her lips, adorning her already beautiful face.
"The end is near, Kalm," she said quietly. "You seem anxious… and afraid."
Kalm forced a crooked smile, his voice little more than a whisper.
"I… I just don't understand so many things. Normally, I wouldn't even care. But now… now I find myself wanting answers. Truly.
But of course—if you don't want to talk about it, I understand. You're the last of your kind in this world, after all..."
Kalystra gave him a long look, her eyes shimmering faintly before turning back toward the flowing river.
"Answers, then... Truthfully, it's not as overwhelming as you think. But it *is* a little complicated."
Kalm raised an eyebrow, surprised at the simplicity of her words.
"Let me offer you a glimpse of the truth, my dear Kalm. First, to cast aside any doubt—you, without question, carry the blood of the Lost One. You *will become* the Lost One."
She smiled softly, raising two fingers.
"Second, as I mentioned earlier—we never really needed to fight through all those beasts. We only needed *time*. Time for this illusionary world to fade, and then… to reach the destined place."
Kalm interrupted, his voice suddenly sharp with urgency.
"Why? I mean… why wait for everyone to die? I don't mean *why must they* die—but why is *that* the condition?"
Kalystra sighed, brushing a hand through her hair.
"There are several reasons... complex ones. But the main reason is the sacrifice. The blood and souls of the fallen—miserable as it is—are required to activate the Curse of the Lost One… and grant you his traits."
Kalm's lips trembled.
"Sacrifice…?"
She nodded solemnly.
"Yes. That's why this cave is kept secret, forbidden to speak of. Simply because no one ever returns to tell the tale... There are things you will see at the end that will make this clear.
The truth is, anyone who reaches the end of this river is scanned, tested. And if they are not the chosen one—they simply die."
Kalm rubbed his temple, his mind reeling, struggling to piece his thoughts together. Kalystra continued in a steady tone:
"Kalm, the higher the goal, the greater the sacrifice required. That is the law of existence in all worlds. To rise to a certain place, you must give up something of equal value.
Those who reach the peak do so by forsaking the privileges of the common and the weak. And for this most crucial condition to be fulfilled… the price was this entire world.
That was the cost."
Kalm understood her words—he had lived a life shaped by sacrifice.
And yet, a chill of curiosity and unease stirred within him. The cost of *every* life in this world for one purpose…
Wasn't that too much? Too cruel?
Who even set such a merciless condition?
Was it the Lost One himself…?
Or something else entirely?
In that moment, Kalystra stretched her hand out toward the river, letting her fingers trail across its surface. Gentle lines formed in the water, tracing behind her touch.
A calm expression settled on her face.
Moments later, she raised her hand, droplets of river water falling from her fingertips. She looked at him.
"Kalm, this isn't just any cave. It's something vast—something the Lost One built himself. Every life that perishes here… its blood drips into this place, and its soul becomes a key.
If you're wondering—no, this isn't a real world. Such a sacrifice wouldn't be possible otherwise."
Kalm's eyes widened slightly.
"Kalystra… you mentioned the sacrifice is to activate the curse and unlock certain traits. But why *that* specific kind of sacrifice? Was there truly no other way?"
Though his question sounded childish—almost naive—he truly needed to ask. He *wanted* to know.
A shadow flickered through Kalystra's gentle features as she responded:
"There is a reason. A very real one. I'm sure you'll understand once you reach what lies ahead.
As for other ways... I don't know.
None of us did—back then."
She fell silent for a while, as though weighing her next words carefully.
"I never reached the strength or clarity to see an alternative…
So I didn't take one."