"AGAIN!" Prince Nereus's voice echoed through the frozen dome.
Hope coughed up the water in his lungs and spat it onto the icy floor. Every inch of his body burned. A deep gash marked his left shoulder, and his ribs were cracked. But the place that hurt the most was not his body. It was his pride.
The ten copies standing before him watched without moving a single hair. They were all Hope. But they were the versions he wanted to become: flawless, emotionless, pure logic.
Hope picked up his scythe from the ground. His hands trembled. "Analysis…" he whispered breathlessly. "Movement patterns… third copy attacking from the left flank… seventh providing aerial support…"
"You're still analyzing," the Prince said tiredly from the upper platform. "You're still thinking, Hope. Water does not think. Water flows. You stand like a stone, trying to calculate the waves."
"If I don't calculate, I die!" Hope shouted, his green eyes blazing with fury. "The only way to defeat a system is to crack its code! To find its margin of error!"
He lunged forward. [SPIRIT OF THE FLAME TYRANT: OVERLOAD] Green flames erupted from his body. This time there was no strategy, only raw power. He swung his scythe. "DIE!"
All ten copies moved at once. They evaded his attack like a perfectly choreographed dance. One ducked. Another leapt. A third stepped on the shaft of his scythe. And the fourth delivered a kick to Hope's face, hardened by the force of water.
THUD.
Hope was thrown backward. His back slammed against the frozen wall. His vision darkened. The System interface flashed red warnings. [CRITICAL DAMAGE. MANA LEVEL: 5%]
"Enough," the Prince said. "That's enough for today. The Architect needs rest. Otherwise I'll be left with a dead Architect."
The water level receded. The copies dissolved into puddles and vanished. Hope collapsed where he stood. On the cold ice, his warm blood spread like a map. He was losing consciousness.
Infirmary – One Hour Later
When he opened his eyes, a familiar scent greeted him. Not ocean salt. Not seaweed. Lavender and clean linen. And warmth.
He lifted his head slightly. Lypin was sitting at the edge of his bed. Her hands rested on his chest. A soft golden light radiated from her palms, mending his broken ribs. There was deep sorrow and worry on her face. Dark circles shadowed her eyes.
"Lypin…" Hope whispered hoarsely.
She flinched, pulled her hand away instinctively, then placed it back again. "Don't move," Lypin said, her voice trembling. "You're in terrible condition. You had internal bleeding. You were almost… almost dying, Hope."
Hope gave a bitter smile and looked at the ceiling. "I didn't die. I just… miscalculated."
"Idiot," Lypin said softly as a tear slipped down her cheek. "How much longer can you endure this? Every day you go in there and get beaten half to death. The Prince is going to kill you."
Hope clenched his teeth. His fist tightened. "I don't know, Lypin. But… I need to get stronger. I have to." He looked at her. The green flames in his eyes had faded, leaving behind only the helpless gaze of a boy. "I lost to Bianca. I couldn't defeat Obsidian Alpha alone. Eraser… you saw that thing. It killed Yaat. I can't handle something like that. I'm too weak. If I don't grow stronger… I won't be able to protect you."
Lypin lowered her head. "Bianca is training too. Deniz and Kai are working hard as well. Why do you have to carry all the burden yourself?" She fell silent for a moment. Then, almost afraid to ask, she whispered: "For me… why are you enduring all of this, Hope? We haven't known each other that long. I've done nothing but be a burden to you. Why?"
Hope hesitated. He stared at the ceiling and tried to shut down the [SYSTEM] interface in his mind. He pushed away data, logic, statistics. "I don't know," he said honestly. "The day you came to the dungeon… when we were inside that guild… when we were crossing those traps… I felt something strange. Like I had found a missing piece of myself."
He placed his hand over hers. "When you stood before the Flame Tyrant, I had to save you. I felt like I was supposed to. I've never felt that way about anyone else. I saw hundreds of people die there… but you were different."
Lypin's face flushed like a red coral blooming at the bottom of the sea. Her heart raced. "Is that…" she stammered. "Is that… love? Are you… in love with me?"
The room fell silent. The air grew heavy with tension. Hope was mentally searching his internal database for the definition of "love" when the door burst open.
"COMPLETELY WRONG!"
They both jumped. A girl stood in the doorway, arms crossed, looking down at them. Her short snow-white hair fell to her shoulders. Her skin was so pale it was nearly translucent. Her eyes were an unsettling deep ocean blue. She wore a fitted royal-crest crop top and a white skirt with open sides that revealed her legs. She was stunningly beautiful, and her gaze alone could freeze someone in place.
She walked in with her chin lifted. "Sorry to interrupt your 'romantic' moment," she said, pronouncing the word as if it disgusted her. "But what he's talking about isn't love at all. It's entirely because of that cursed thing inside you."
Lypin frowned, irritated that the moment had been shattered. "Who are you? And what are you talking about?"
The girl walked toward the bed. She gave Hope a dismissive glance, then turned to Lypin. "I'm Princess Elara," she said as if that alone explained everything. She leaned close to Lypin's face. "The only thing you know about what's inside you is the name 'Starfallen,' right?"
Lypin stood up in shock. "How… how do you know that?"
Princess Elara stepped back with a mocking smile and began pacing the room. "Hope is an Architect," she said, pointing at him. "And inside you… there is a Starfallen." She laughed softly. "You don't even know what those titles mean, do you? Are you really both that ignorant?"
Hope tried to sit up. "What do you mean? Architect and Starfallen… are they connected?"
Elara did not answer. She walked toward the door. "Maybe," she said with a shrug. "Maybe it's fate. Maybe you're soulmates or something." She paused at the doorway and gave them one last look. "I've planted the seed of curiosity. I'm leaving now. Have fun, lovebirds."
And just like that, she stormed out. Hope and Lypin stared after her. The romantic atmosphere had evaporated, replaced by a confusing mystery.
Dining Hall – Evening
Training was over, but Hope's suffering was not. When he entered the dining hall, he could barely walk. Every step was torture. The whole team was gathered at the table. Deniz was chewing on a massive fish leg, Kai was playing with his knife, and Bianca was sipping her wine.
When Mira saw Hope, she squealed and leapt across the table. Her color shifted into bright pink. She wrapped herself around his leg. Hope smiled. At least someone loved him exactly as he was.
"Ooo! The champion has arrived!" Kai shouted. He stood and slapped Hope on the back in his usual rough manner. "So, how was today's beating session? Wow, you look absolutely wrecked, man!"
"AAAH! MY BACK!" Hope groaned in agony. He had hit the exact spot where one of the copies had kicked him that morning.
Kai quickly pulled his hand back, looking guilty. "Oh… sorry. That sounded like a bone. It's not broken, right? Hopefully?"
Hope collapsed into his chair. He didn't even have the energy to touch the food in front of him. "I failed," he muttered, staring at the table. "Again. No matter how many times I try… I can't defeat myself. They know my moves before I make them."
Bianca took a sip of her wine. "I've been telling you this since the day we met, kid," she said. "You're not a machine. But you're trying to fight like one. Stop analyzing. Let yourself flow."
At that moment, Lypin pulled her chair closer and sat beside Hope. Under the table, she took his hands in hers. Hope flinched and looked down. Her hands were soft and radiated gentle healing warmth. "As always…" Hope said with a faint smile, "…your hands are warm."
Lypin blushed again despite herself. She cleared her throat. "Bianca is right," she said, looking directly into his eyes. "You're failing because you believe you're failing. But you're not, Hope. You've already achieved so much. You've changed. You're not the boy from Greenhollow anymore. You're not that gladiator in the arena. You're not even the Hope I found in that dungeon."
Hope opened his mouth to protest. "But—"
"Shh," Lypin said gently. "You're constantly growing. But for the wrong reason. I love that you care about me so much. Really… it's sweet." Her voice trembled. "But it's hurting you. You're suffering for me during that training, and I don't want to see you like that. Forget about me, Hope. You can't sacrifice yourself for me. I… I want the Hope who has found himself. Not my protector."
The table fell silent. Even Deniz had stopped eating. Drunk Bianca suddenly appeared behind them. She wrapped one arm around Hope's neck and the other around Lypin's, pushing their heads together. She smelled strongly of wine.
"Ooo, how dramatic!" Bianca slurred. "Tell you what, Architect… if you pass the Prince's stupid test, you earn a kiss from Lypin! I'll be the witness!"
Lypin shoved Bianca away, her face red as a tomato. "There's no such thing! Stop talking nonsense, Bianca! You're drunk!"
"Come on!" Kai laughed. "The kid needs motivation!"
Just then, a slow, rhythmic clap echoed from the entrance of the hall. CLAP. CLAP. CLAP.
Everyone turned. Princess Elara stood leaning against the doorframe. She had changed her outfit into an elegant pearl-embroidered gown made of ocean silk. It was similar in style, but far more radiant and regal.
"Bravo," Elara said. "Sorry to interrupt your dinner and this sticky romance, but…" She pointed at Hope. "…may I borrow your dear Architect?" She smiled, but her eyes commanded. "Though I am the Princess here. I don't really need permission."
Hope looked at Lypin, then at Elara. "Me? Why me?"
Elara sighed dramatically and rolled her eyes. "I'm the Princess, and I feel like it. Isn't that enough? So, Architect, would you rather come with me… or wait for my dear brother, the sadistic Prince Nereus, to drag you back into that freezer for another beating?"
Bianca slapped Hope on the back again. "Get up, Architect! Opportunity knocks. You're going on a date with a Princess. Go outside. Get some air."
Hope looked at Lypin. She gave him a small nod. Her eyes said, go and learn. Hope sighed, placed Mira gently on the table, and stood up. "Fine," he said. "I'm coming."
Streets of Atlantis
When they stepped outside the palace, Hope was mesmerized once more. The underwater city was not dark despite it being evening. On the contrary, it was even more vibrant than during the day. The corals covering the buildings glowed neon pink, purple, and turquoise. Schools of fish drifted through the streets like living lanterns.
But the most impressive sight was the sky. Or rather, the ceiling of water. At the very top of the city, a massive spherical light source floated. It shone like a sun, yet its light was gentle and soothing.
"WOAH!" Hope exclaimed, staring upward, completely forgetting his exhaustion. "WHAT IS THAT?!"
Princess Elara glanced at him sideways. "Oh, that?" she said casually. "That's our little pet. We call it the Sun Siren. It's actually a gigantic bioluminescent jellyfish species. It provides the city's light and heat."
Hope's eyes sparkled. "It's alive? The sun is alive? What's its texture like? Jelly? Plasma? Have you ever touched it? I WANT TO TOUCH IT!"
Elara giggled. "I wouldn't recommend that." She raised her pale, elegant fingers. "Our physiology is different. I'm a Siren of royal blood. Ancient leviathan blood runs in my veins. Nothing in the ocean can harm me easily. But you…" She looked him up and down. "…you're a soft, fragile human. If you touch that beautiful 'sun,' you'll turn into a boiled shrimp within seconds."
Hope shrugged, lifting his chin playfully. "But I'm special! I'm an Architect, right? Nothing will happen to me."
Elara suddenly stopped walking. And burst out laughing. Not a refined royal chuckle. A genuine, uncontrolled laugh. She laughed until tears filled her eyes. "Architect… Architect…" she said between breaths. "You truly… truly have no idea what you are, do you?"
Hope frowned. "Why are you laughing? What's so funny?"
"Alright, alright, don't get mad," Elara said, wiping her tears. Her expression slowly grew serious. The mocking mask faded, replaced by ancient wisdom and quiet sorrow.
She walked to the edge of a glowing bridge and looked down at the city. "That's why I called you here, Hope," she said. "My brother is testing you, measuring your power. But I… I know what you are." She turned around. Her ocean-blue eyes locked onto Hope's emerald ones.
"Architect and Starfallen," she whispered. "Those are not just titles, Hope. They are the key to how this world became what it is."
Elara extended her hand. "If you truly want to learn… then listen. Because what you're about to hear is far more complicated than your little love for Lypin."
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