Chapter 113: The Fourth Child

BANG!

The bedroom door shook in its frame.

Dillan stared at it.

Celia stood completely still.

Her earlier confidence had vanished.

From the other side came Sasha’s voice again.

"Dillan..."

He took a step toward the door.

Celia grabbed his wrist.

"Don’t."

Dillan looked at her.

"Why?"

"Because she’s trying to separate you from me."

A pause.

Then Sasha spoke again.

"She’s lying."

Dillan’s eyes narrowed.

"Both of you can’t be telling the truth."

Celia’s grip tightened.

"Exactly."

Dillan pulled his arm free.

"Then I’ll decide."

He reached for the door.

Celia whispered:

"Dillan..."

He opened it.

Sasha

She stood in the hallway.

Alone.

Her hair was slightly messy.

Her eyes were tired.

She looked nothing like the terrifying version Dillan had seen inside his memories.

She looked...

human.

"Dillan."

He stared at her.

"You disappeared."

"I know."

"Why?"

Sasha looked toward Celia.

"Because of her."

Celia stepped forward.

"Don’t blame me for what you became."

Sasha’s expression immediately hardened.

"I don’t blame you."

She looked at Dillan.

"I blame the person who came after you."

Dillan’s eyes narrowed.

"The second teacher."

Sasha nodded.

Celia’s expression changed.

"She told you about that?"

"Not enough."

Sasha looked at Dillan.

"You shouldn’t be here."

Dillan almost laughed.

"That’s the third time someone has told me that."

"I’m serious."

"So am I."

He stepped closer.

"I want the truth."

Sasha looked down.

"You aren’t ready."

Dillan’s expression hardened.

"Stop saying that."

Sasha flinched.

He immediately regretted his tone.

"...Sorry."

She shook her head.

"No."

She looked up.

"You have every right to be angry."

The Second Lesson

Dillan crossed his arms.

"Tell me."

Sasha took a slow breath.

"Celia taught me how to understand you."

Dillan looked toward Celia.

"And the other person?"

Sasha nodded.

"She taught me how to keep you."

Silence.

Dillan’s eyes darkened.

"Who was she?"

"I don’t know."

Celia interrupted.

"She’s telling the truth."

Sasha glanced at her.

"You don’t get to speak for me."

Celia smiled faintly.

"Fair."

Dillan looked back at Sasha.

"What did she teach you?"

Sasha’s fingers trembled.

"She taught me that if someone is afraid of being alone..."

She swallowed.

"...you can become the reason they never leave."

Dillan went quiet.

"And you believed her."

"Yes."

"Why?"

Sasha’s eyes filled with tears.

"Because I was a child."

Her voice cracked.

"And because I loved you."

Dillan couldn’t respond.

Sasha wiped her eyes.

"I didn’t understand what love was."

She looked at him.

"I only understood that losing you hurt."

Celia’s Warning

Celia suddenly spoke.

"That’s why you need to understand something."

Dillan looked at her.

"What?"

"Sasha’s feelings weren’t manufactured."

Sasha looked away.

"They were hers."

Celia continued.

"The second teacher didn’t create her love."

She pointed toward Sasha.

"She gave Sasha a language for it."

Dillan frowned.

"A language?"

"A way to express something she already felt."

Sasha whispered:

"Possession."

Dillan looked at her.

She nodded.

"I wanted you close."

Her eyes trembled.

"I wanted you to need me."

A pause.

"And sometimes..."

She struggled to continue.

"...I wanted everyone else to disappear."

Dillan’s expression became serious.

Sasha immediately added:

"But I never wanted to hurt you."

Celia looked at her.

"Not consciously."

Sasha glared.

"Don’t."

Dillan stepped between them.

"Enough."

Both went silent.

The System Intervenes

A notification suddenly appeared.

[RELATIONAL MEMORY ANALYSIS AVAILABLE.]

[SUBJECT: SASHA.]

[EMOTIONAL FOUNDATION: AUTHENTIC.]

[EXTERNAL INFLUENCE: CONFIRMED.]

[ONEIRIC MALFORMATION INFLUENCE: CONFIRMED.]

[CONCLUSION:]

[SASHA’S LOVE WAS NOT CREATED BY THE MALFORMATION.]

Dillan stared at the final message.

Sasha lowered her head.

"So you know now."

Dillan looked at her.

"Know what?"

"That I’m not innocent."

She looked directly at him.

"But I’m not a monster either."

Dillan didn’t answer.

Because he wasn’t sure anymore.

The Fourth Child

Dillan turned toward Celia.

"Now tell me about the fourth child."

Celia’s expression became serious.

Sasha immediately looked away.

Dillan noticed.

"You both know."

Neither answered.

"I asked a question."

Sasha whispered:

"Her name..."

She stopped.

Dillan waited.

"...was never supposed to be remembered."

"Why?"

"Because remembering her..."

Sasha looked at him.

"...would make you remember what happened afterward."

Dillan frowned.

"What happened?"

Sasha’s eyes filled with fear.

"The night she disappeared."

The lights suddenly flickered.

Once.

Twice.

Then the System appeared.

[MEMORY TRACE DETECTED.]

[FOURTH CHILD: IDENTITY DATA PARTIALLY RESTORED.]

[NAME: A—]

The notification immediately corrupted.

[ERROR.]

[MEMORY PROTECTION ACTIVE.]

[UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS.]

Dillan stared.

"A..."

He looked at Sasha.

"You almost said her name."

Sasha shook her head.

"No."

"You did."

"I can’t."

"Why?"

Sasha’s voice became barely audible.

"Because she asked me not to."

Dillan froze.

"...She’s alive?"

Sasha didn’t answer.

That was enough.

A Sound From Upstairs

A floorboard creaked.

Everyone looked up.

Creak.

Dillan’s expression changed.

"Someone’s upstairs."

Celia immediately drew back.

Sasha stepped closer to Dillan.

"Don’t go."

Dillan looked at her.

"You know who it is?"

"No."

Another sound.

Step.

Then another.

Step.

Someone was walking down the stairs.

Aurelia appeared first.

She stopped when she saw Sasha.

Her eyes widened.

"...You’re back."

Sasha nodded.

"Yes."

Aurelia looked at Dillan.

Then Celia.

Then the stairs.

Her expression suddenly became terrified.

"Dillan."

"What?"

"Where’s the bracelet?"

He looked at his hand.

It was gone.

His face changed.

"What?"

The bracelet had disappeared.

Aurelia whispered:

"...She took it."

Dillan looked upstairs.

"Who?"

Aurelia’s voice shook.

"The Fourth Child."

Silence.

Then a girl’s voice came from the darkness above them.

Soft.

Familiar.

And impossibly close.

"You finally remembered my name."

Dillan’s heart stopped.

A figure appeared at the top of the stairs.

Long hair.

Pale skin.

A small smile.

And in her hand...

the old bracelet.

Dillan stared upward.

The System erupted.

[IDENTITY RESTORATION: 41.7%.]

[FOURTH CHILD DETECTED.]

[STATUS: ALIVE.]

[CURRENT LOCATION: HOST PROXIMITY.]

Then the final notification appeared.

[WARNING.]

[DO NOT LET HER TOUCH DILLAN.]

The girl smiled.

"Too late."

The house fell silent.

Dillan stared at the girl standing at the top of the stairs.

The old bracelet hung from her fingers.

His bracelet.

Her bracelet.

Their bracelet.

The System warning remained in front of him.

[WARNING.]

[DO NOT LET HER TOUCH DILLAN.]

Dillan’s eyes narrowed.

"...Why?"

The girl smiled.

"You still listen to that thing?"

She lifted the bracelet.

"It didn’t help you remember me."

Dillan took one step forward.

"What’s your name?"

The girl tilted her head.

"You already know."

"No."

"You’ve known since you were a child."

Dillan’s jaw tightened.

"Then say it."

She smiled.

"Alina."

The name echoed through the house.

Dillan froze.

Something inside his mind cracked.

Alina.

A little girl laughing beneath the oak.

Alina running through the rain.

Alina sitting beside him.

Alina crying.

Alina...

disappearing.

His hand went to his head.

"Alina..."

Sasha suddenly grabbed his shoulder.

"Dillan!"

Aurelia’s eyes widened.

"...He remembered."

Celia whispered:

"No."

Everyone looked at her.

Celia’s face was pale.

"Not completely."

The Missing Memory

Dillan looked at Alina.

"You’re the fourth child."

She nodded.

"Yes."

"You disappeared."

"Yes."

"You were supposed to be dead."

Alina smiled sadly.

"Yes."

Dillan stared.

"Then how are you alive?"

Alina looked at the bracelet.

"Because you wouldn’t let me die."

Dillan’s expression changed.

"The First Choice."

She nodded.

"You created something to save me."

Dillan remembered the black entity beneath the tree.

"But I don’t remember saving you."

"You weren’t supposed to."

"Why?"

"Because..."

Alina looked toward Sasha.

"...someone made sure you forgot."

Sasha immediately stepped forward.

"Alina."

Alina’s expression hardened.

"Don’t."

Sasha stopped.

"You promised."

Alina’s eyes narrowed.

"And you broke your promise first."

Dillan looked between them.

"What promise?"

Neither answered.

Dillan’s voice became colder.

"What promise?"

Sasha lowered her head.

"I promised you I’d never tell you."

"Tell me what?"

Alina answered.

"That you were the one who asked me to stay."

Dillan froze.

The First Choice

The memory returned.

Not as a fragment.

Not as a dream.

As reality.

Young Dillan stood beneath the oak.

Alina was in front of him.

The black entity surrounded her.

Sasha was crying.

Aurelia was screaming.

The mysterious man stood behind the tree.

And young Dillan heard Sasha’s voice.

"Choose me."

Then Alina spoke.

"No."

Young Dillan turned.

Alina looked at him.

"Choose yourself."

Dillan’s younger self stared at her.

"What?"

"If you choose me, you’ll lose yourself."

Young Dillan shook his head.

"I don’t care."

Alina cried.

"I do."

The black entity began consuming the space around her.

Young Dillan screamed.

"I won’t let you disappear!"

Sasha grabbed him.

"Dillan!"

He pushed her away.

"I won’t!"

The mysterious man beneath the tree whispered:

"Then create."

Young Dillan raised both hands.

Energy erupted.

Black.

White.

Crimson.

The entity took shape.

But instead of attacking Alina...

it wrapped itself around her.

Protecting her.

Dillan stared.

The man smiled.

"Successful."

Then Alina screamed.

The entity absorbed her.

Young Dillan’s face became horrified.

"NO!"

He tried to reach her.

The man stopped him.

"Your choice has been made."

Young Dillan struggled.

"LET HER GO!"

"You wanted her to survive."

The entity disappeared.

So did Alina.

Young Dillan fell to his knees.

Sasha stood behind him.

Crying.

And then...

she whispered:

"You chose her."

Young Dillan looked at her.

"I saved her."

Sasha’s tears continued falling.

"You chose her."

The memory broke.

Present

Dillan gasped.

His knees nearly buckled.

Sasha caught him.

"I’m sorry."

He looked at her.

"You were jealous."

Sasha’s eyes filled with tears.

"Yes."

"You were angry because I chose Alina."

"Yes."

"And that’s why..."

Dillan’s voice trembled.

"...you helped erase the memory."

Sasha shook her head.

"No."

Dillan froze.

"I didn’t erase it."

"Then who did?"

Sasha looked toward Celia.

Celia shook her head.

"Not me."

Dillan turned toward Alina.

Alina’s expression was sorrowful.

"I did."

Silence.

Dillan stared.

"You?"

"I asked the System to erase it."

"Why?"

"Because you were dying."

Dillan’s eyes widened.

Alina continued.

"The moment you created me..."

She looked down.

"...the First Choice began consuming you."

Dillan whispered:

"Consuming me?"

"Your memories."

She looked directly at him.

"Your emotions."

Then:

"Your identity."

Dillan’s expression hardened.

"So you erased yourself from my mind to save me."

Alina nodded.

"Yes."

The Truth About the Malformation

Dillan looked at the black entity’s memory.

"Then what was that thing?"

Alina didn’t answer.

Celia did.

"A container."

Dillan looked at her.

"For what?"

Celia’s eyes became serious.

"For Alina’s existence."

Dillan’s breathing stopped.

"The Malformation..."

"Wasn’t originally a monster."

Dillan stared.

"It was a preservation mechanism."

Sasha whispered:

"Something designed to keep Alina alive."

Dillan’s eyes widened.

"Then why did it become the Oneiric Malformation?"

Nobody answered.

The System appeared.

[PRIMARY MEMORY RESTORATION: 47.2%.]

[FIRST CHOICE: 68%.]

[FOURTH CHILD: IDENTITY CONFIRMED.]

[ALINA.]

[ORIGINAL CREATION PURPOSE: PRESERVATION.]

[CURRENT FUNCTION: UNKNOWN.]

Dillan stared.

"Current function?"

Alina slowly smiled.

"That’s the part you haven’t remembered."

Dillan looked at her.

"What changed?"

Alina’s smile disappeared.

"You did."

The lights suddenly went out.

Every person in the house froze.

A voice came from somewhere in the darkness.

Not Celia.

Not Sasha.

Not Alina.

Not Aurelia.

A voice Dillan had never heard before.

"Enough memories."

The System immediately appeared.

[UNKNOWN AUTHORITY DETECTED.]

[FORCING MEMORY SEAL.]

[HOST RESISTANCE: FAILED.]

Dillan’s vision began fading.

He heard Sasha scream:

"DILLAN!"

Alina shouted:

"Don’t let him sleep!"

Celia yelled:

"He’s coming!"

Dillan struggled to remain conscious.

"Who...?"

The unknown voice whispered directly into his ear.

"The person who made your first choice possible."

Darkness swallowed him.