I had lost control.
The moment that strange aura erupted from me, everything went dark. I shattered the castle windows and tore through the room with pure destructive force. Tables flipped. Chandeliers came crashing down. I could see people shouting—maybe even Elarion yelling something—but it was like I was underwater. Muffled. Faint. Then suddenly—
Blackness.
When I opened my eyes, I was lying in bed, groggy and lightheaded. Around my neck was a strange necklace, humming with a subtle green glow. I raised a hand to touch it.
"You're awake," a voice said calmly.
Elarion stood beside me, arms crossed, eyes serious.
"That necklace you're wearing is a containment seal. It suppresses the strange power that exploded from you earlier."
I looked at him, confused, still weak from whatever happened. Before I could speak, he asked:
"Are you… a mixed breed? Demon and Crimson?"
The question hit me like a punch to the chest. "What? No… I-I don't think so. Both of my parents were human."
Elarion narrowed his eyes. "Then either they lied to you… or they're not your real parents."
His words echoed in my mind like a haunting drumbeat.
"Not your real parents… lied to you… demon and crimson aura…"
My breath grew shallow. My body trembled.
Then I threw up.
Elarion called for a nurse, his expression softening. "Rest. We'll talk more tomorrow. There's someone I want you to meet—someone who might be able to show you the truth about your past. About your real parents."
He turned to leave but paused at the doorway.
"Thank you," I said faintly, unsure if he even heard it.
The nurse came in shortly after, a kind young elf woman with gentle hands and a warm voice. She changed the bed sheets and helped me lie back down.
"Sleep well, sir," she said, bowing slightly.
"…Thanks," I whispered, my voice barely audible.
She left, and I was alone again—alone with the storm of questions spinning in my mind.
Who am I? What am I? Why didn't they tell me the truth…?
I stared at the ceiling until sleep finally took me.
The Next Morning
Sunlight streamed through the tall window when I heard a knock at the door.
Elarion stepped in, holding a folded set of clothes. "Good. You're up."
He tossed the outfit onto the bed.
"Put that on. We're going to see the person I mentioned last night."
I picked up the clothes. A formal elf tunic, lined with silver thread, deep green pants, and a long cloak.
"…Isn't this a little much?" I muttered, eyeing the embroidery.
Elarion chuckled. "This is nothing compared to what you deserve after saving my granddaughter."
He turned and headed for the door. "Hurry and change. I'll be waiting outside."
I put on the outfit. It fit well, but I couldn't help staring at myself in the mirror.
"…This is definitely too much," I mumbled.
I headed up the spiral stairs, meeting Elarion near the castle entrance. Without another word, we stepped into an elegant carriage pulled by two luminous elk beasts with silver antlers.
The ride was quiet. I stared out the window, lost in thought. Elarion didn't speak, and I could tell he was deep in thought too.
Thirty minutes later, we arrived at a quaint home nestled between the tall glowing trees of the elf forest. Ivy crept along its white stone walls, and a gentle breeze carried the scent of lavender.
Elarion stepped out of the carriage and approached the wooden door.
Knock knock.
A moment passed. Then the door opened.
And there she was.
A breathtaking elf woman with long silver hair that shimmered like starlight, eyes glowing with deep amethyst light. She wore a flowing robe made of moonweave, and an aura of ancient power lingered around her.
Her presence was both comforting and mysterious.
Elarion smiled softly. "It's been a long time, Lady Elivyne."
The woman's gaze shifted to me. She studied me for a long moment before stepping aside and saying:
"Come in, child. Your past awaits."
Elivyne guided me to a seat near the center of the quiet, dimly lit room. A faint scent of lavender and ancient scrolls lingered in the air. She disappeared into a back chamber and returned moments later, carrying a large crystal basin filled with shimmering, translucent water that seemed to glow with swirling colors of aura.
"Place your hands in the water," she said softly. "Close your eyes. Let your spirit remember."
I obeyed, lowering my hands into the glowing water. It felt cool—unnaturally cool, like liquid starlight. Elivyne pressed a single finger gently to my forehead, and in that moment, everything shifted.
Boom.
It felt like my soul had been ripped from my body.
Utter darkness swallowed me.
The same void I had experienced the first time I met Lyra.
Only this time, there was no system notification. No voice. No Lyra. Just the emptiness—and that cold realization pulsing through me: Did something happen to Lyra when she awakened my powers?
Before I could think further, my spirit suddenly dropped—fast, plummeting through the darkness. My eyes flashed gold as I tumbled through time, then—
Screams.
A baby in a womb echoed around me.
I was looking through the eyes of an infant—my eyes. Then from the stomach I was in I saw her: my mother. Her face was tired, beautiful, glowing with love. I could feel the warmth of her arms. Tears welled in my spirit's eyes. Relief filled me.
So… they were my parents.
At least, that's what I thought—until he appeared.
A tall man with gray skin, long white hair, and rainbow-colored eyes walked into the room. He wasn't the man I remembered as my father. And yet, he gazed down at my mother stomach and smiled, saying:
"Our son… he's gonna be beautiful."
I froze in horror. Son? What did he mean our son?
Where was the father I had known my whole life?
Before I could make sense of it, the scene melted away, darkness pulling me deeper. Another vision surfaced—an argument. My mother, standing with her back turned, furious. The strange man, no longer smiling, slapped her across the face.
Her hair suddenly turned violet. Fangs burst from her mouth. Horns curled from her skull.
She was a demon.
A boy—maybe five years older than me—ran into the room, shouting, "MOM!"
My mother, voice trembling with fury, screamed at the man:
"Why did you put a prophecy on my little Mydeimos!?"
I gasped.
That name again. Mydeimos.
The man's face darkened. Hair veiling his eyes, he slapped her again and crouched near her. He placed his hand on my mother stomach.
"I'll raise a son who will surpass those emperor," he muttered coldly.
Suddenly, a sharp crack. A purple crystal spear shot through his stomach. He choked on blood, staggering back. My mother got a blanket to protect her stomach, and leapt through the shattered window, and ran. Her breathing was ragged. Desperate.
And then, another figure. A man—the one I thought was my father—stood in front of her as she pleaded:
"Please… help me…"
Before I could see more, the vision shattered like glass.
Darkness fell.
And then—I woke up.
Screaming.
"WHAT HAPPENED!? SEND ME BACK! I NEED TO SEE THE REST!"
Elivyne stood calmly nearby, her eyes full of quiet sorrow.
"That's all ou're allow to see," she said. "The rest… is what you already know. Memories beyond that are sealed—or lost."
My heart ached. My mind spiraled.
They lied to me... or father was not my actual father...
I clutched my chest, thinking about every memory I had of the man I called "Dad." The one who raised me, loved me. The one who died for me.
But now… I didn't even know who I truly was.
And that name...
Mydeimos.
It kept echoing like a curse in the back of my mind.
I looked up slowly, eyes heavy with confusion, pain, and a growing fury. I turned to Elarion, who had watched the entire thing from the doorway.
"…Tell me," I said, my voice cold and serious."Who are the Crimsons?"