Chapter 117: Even Darkness Lies

Dillan stared at the man standing across from him.

His face.

His voice.

His eyes.

Everything was his.

Yet something about him was completely wrong.

Older.

Colder.

Empty.

Dillan’s fingers curled into fists.

"You’re not me."

The other Dillan smiled.

"That’s the first lie you told yourself."

Evelyn stepped backward.

For the first time since appearing inside the Core...

she looked afraid.

Dillan noticed.

"You know him."

Evelyn didn’t answer.

"Evelyn."

Her eyes lowered.

"I know what he became."

The older Dillan chuckled.

"And she knows why."

Dillan looked at him.

"What did I become?"

The older version tilted his head.

"You became someone who stopped asking whether a choice was right."

A pause.

"You only cared whether it worked."

The Other Path

The Preservation Core changed.

The oak tree disappeared.

The children disappeared.

A massive corridor appeared around them.

Hundreds of doors lined its walls.

Each door contained a memory.

Dillan recognized some.

His childhood.

His first encounter with Sasha.

His first meeting with Aurelia.

Alina beneath the oak.

Sasha’s sacrifice.

But there were others.

Memories he’d never experienced.

Dillan approached one.

Inside it...

he saw himself standing beneath the oak.

Evelyn was crying.

Alina was unconscious.

Sasha was screaming.

Young Dillan held the black crystal.

But this time...

he didn’t hesitate.

He turned toward Evelyn.

"I’m sorry."

Evelyn’s eyes widened.

Then Dillan placed his hand against her chest.

The memory changed.

Evelyn disappeared.

Alina survived.

Sasha survived.

Aurelia survived.

And Dillan...

smiled.

Dillan stepped away from the door.

"No."

The older version watched him.

"That was one possibility."

"You killed her."

"I saved the others."

"You sacrificed her."

"Yes."

Dillan’s breathing became heavier.

"You expect me to accept that?"

"No."

The older Dillan smiled.

"I expect you to understand it."

The Choice That Wasn’t Made

Another door opened.

This time...

Dillan saw himself refusing.

He grabbed Evelyn.

"I’ll save her first!"

The Preservation Core collapsed.

Alina disappeared.

Sasha disappeared.

Aurelia disappeared.

Dillan remained alone beneath the oak tree.

The older Dillan spoke quietly.

"And that was the other possibility."

Dillan stared at the scene.

He understood.

There had never been a perfect choice.

Only consequences.

"You wanted me to choose."

"No."

The older version walked closer.

"I wanted you to create something that could eliminate the need to choose."

Dillan’s eyes widened.

"The Preservation Core."

"Exactly."

The Real Purpose

The older Dillan raised his hand.

The black crystal appeared.

But now it looked different.

It wasn’t black.

It contained countless colors.

Red.

White.

Blue.

Gold.

Every memory Dillan had ever preserved seemed trapped inside it.

"You created the Core because you hated choices."

Dillan stared at the crystal.

"You didn’t want to decide who deserved to live."

The older version smiled.

"So you created a system that would preserve everyone."

Evelyn whispered:

"But it couldn’t."

The older Dillan looked at her.

"No."

His smile disappeared.

"Because existence has a price."

The Core trembled.

The System appeared.

[ORIGINAL SYSTEM MEMORY RESTORED.]

[FOUNDATIONAL RULE: PRESERVATION.]

[LIMITATION DISCOVERED.]

[SIMULTANEOUS PRESERVATION OF MULTIPLE EXISTENCES: IMPOSSIBLE.]

Dillan stared.

"So the Core failed."

The older version shook his head.

"No."

He pointed at Dillan.

"You failed."

Silence.

Dillan’s expression hardened.

"What did I do?"

The older version smiled.

"You cheated."

The Third Choice

The corridor disappeared.

Dillan stood beneath the oak tree again.

But this time...

he wasn’t seven.

He was older.

Much older.

Standing alone.

The black crystal floated before him.

Five threads of light surrounded it.

Sasha.

Aurelia.

Alina.

Dana.

Lyra.

Dillan stared.

"The five girls..."

The older version nodded.

"Your anchors."

"Why them?"

"Because you needed emotional connections strong enough to stabilize the Core."

Dillan’s eyes narrowed.

"And Sasha?"

The older version smiled.

"Sasha was the strongest."

Dillan felt a chill.

"That’s why the Oneiric Malformation chose her."

"Partly."

"Partly?"

The older Dillan stepped closer.

"The Core didn’t create her obsession."

He pointed toward Sasha’s thread.

"It amplified what was already there."

Dillan looked away.

He remembered Sasha’s eyes.

Her possessiveness.

Her fear.

Her love.

Everything suddenly felt heavier.

Then the older version whispered:

"But you made one final mistake."

Dillan looked at him.

"What?"

The older version smiled.

"You added yourself as the sixth anchor."

Dillan froze.

The System immediately flashed.

[SIXTH CONNECTION IDENTIFIED.]

[SUBJECT: EVELYN.]

[STATUS: ORIGINAL ANCHOR.]

[ANCHOR ORDER: FIRST.]

[WARNING.]

[CURRENT ANCHOR STRUCTURE IS INCOMPLETE.]

Dillan slowly turned toward Evelyn.

She was crying.

"I wasn’t supposed to be forgotten."

Dillan’s heart sank.

"No..."

Evelyn nodded.

"You made me the first anchor."

"Then why can’t I remember you?"

The older Dillan answered.

"Because I removed you."

Dillan’s head snapped toward him.

"Why?"

The older version’s expression finally changed.

For the first time...

there was something resembling regret.

"Because you were the only person capable of undoing everything."

Dillan stared.

"Undoing what?"

The older version stepped backward.

The entire Preservation Core began collapsing around them.

The System screamed.

[CRITICAL WARNING.]

[ORIGINAL CREATOR AUTHORITY DETECTED.]

[AUTHORITY CONFLICT.]

[TWO CREATOR SIGNATURES PRESENT.]

[DILLAN RUREN: CURRENT.]

[DILLAN RUREN: ORIGINAL.]

[RESOLUTION REQUIRED.]

Dillan’s eyes widened.

"Two..."

The older version smiled.

"Now you understand."

He raised his hand.

The Core began splitting into two worlds.

One filled with memories.

The other filled with darkness.

"There are two versions of the First Choice."

Dillan stared.

"And only one of them is real."

The older version’s smile widened.

"Exactly."

Evelyn suddenly grabbed Dillan’s hand.

Her voice trembled.

"Dillan..."

He looked at her.

She whispered:

"Don’t let him make you choose again."

The System appeared one final time.

[NEW OBJECTIVE UNLOCKED.]

[DETERMINE WHICH DILLAN MADE THE FIRST CHOICE.]

[FAILURE CONDITION: UNKNOWN.]

[REWARD: ORIGINAL MEMORY.]

[WARNING.]

[ONE OF THE TWO DILLANS IS LYING.]

The older Dillan laughed.

And the Core went completely dark.

Darkness.

Dillan couldn’t see his hands.

Couldn’t see Evelyn.

Couldn’t see the other version of himself.

Only one thing remained.

The System.

[NEW OBJECTIVE: DETERMINE WHICH DILLAN MADE THE FIRST CHOICE.]

[CURRENT ENVIRONMENT: PRESERVATION CORE.]

[CORE STABILITY: 17%.]

[MEMORY STRUCTURE: COLLAPSING.]

Dillan breathed slowly.

"System."

No response.

"System, identify the original creator."

Silence.

Then:

[REQUEST DENIED.]

Dillan frowned.

"Why?"

[CREATOR IDENTIFICATION REQUIRES MEMORY.]

"Then restore it."

[MEMORY CONFLICT DETECTED.]

"Between me and him?"

[AFFIRMATIVE.]

Dillan closed his eyes.

Two versions of himself.

One current.

One original.

One had supposedly created the Preservation Core.

The other claimed to be the person who actually made the First Choice.

But something bothered Dillan.

Something small.

Something he couldn’t explain.

He remembered the older version saying:

"You cheated."

But he remembered something else.

A phrase.

One he’d heard before.

Nobody leaves.

Dillan opened his eyes.

"Evelyn?"

No answer.

"Evelyn!"

A small hand suddenly grabbed his.

"I’m here."

Dillan nearly collapsed from relief.

"Where were you?"

"Right beside you."

"I couldn’t see you."

"You weren’t supposed to."

Dillan looked at her.

"What does that mean?"

Evelyn stared into the darkness.

"The Core doesn’t want you to see everything."

"Why?"

She hesitated.

"Because then you’ll remember who actually made the choice."

The Test

A door appeared.

White.

Simple.

No markings.

The System reacted.

[MEMORY TRIAL INITIATED.]

[ONE MEMORY WILL BE SHOWN.]

[THE HOST MUST IDENTIFY THE FALSE MEMORY.]

Dillan stared at the door.

"Which one of us is going inside?"

A voice answered from behind him.

"Both."

The older Dillan stepped from the darkness.

He looked completely calm.

Dillan glared at him.

"You said one of us is lying."

"I did."

"Then let’s find out."

The older version smiled.

"That’s what I was hoping you’d say."

The door opened.

Memory One

Dillan saw himself beneath the oak tree.

Young Dillan stood between Sasha and Alina.

Evelyn was behind them.

The mysterious man stood across from the children.

"Choose."

Young Dillan trembled.

"Nobody leaves."

The black crystal appeared.

Light erupted.

Alina survived.

Evelyn disappeared.

Dillan watched silently.

The older version spoke.

"That’s the First Choice."

Dillan frowned.

Something was wrong.

"What?"

"What?"

"That memory."

The older version looked at him.

Dillan pointed.

"Evelyn."

She was standing behind young Dillan.

But...

she wasn’t looking at him.

She was looking at the mysterious man.

Dillan’s eyes narrowed.

"Why?"

The memory froze.

Evelyn whispered:

"I wasn’t afraid of him."

Dillan looked at her.

"Then what were you afraid of?"

She didn’t answer.

The System suddenly appeared.

[MEMORY INCONSISTENCY DETECTED.]

[ANALYSIS: 4.8%.]

[MEMORY MAY BE ARTIFICIAL.]

The older Dillan’s smile disappeared.

Dillan turned toward him.

"You knew."

"I suspected."

"You lied."

"No."

The older version stepped toward the memory.

"I showed you what you expected to see."

Dillan’s eyes hardened.

"That’s the same thing."

Memory Two

The scene changed.

This time...

Evelyn stood in front of young Dillan.

She was crying.

"Please don’t choose me."

Young Dillan looked terrified.

"I won’t."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

The mysterious man appeared.

"Then choose someone else."

Young Dillan looked toward Alina.

Then Sasha.

Then Aurelia.

His hands trembled.

Finally...

he stepped forward.

"Nobody leaves."

The Core activated.

But instead of consuming Evelyn...

it consumed Dillan himself.

The scene shattered.

Dillan stumbled backward.

"No."

The older version stared at him.

"That’s not what happened."

Evelyn looked at him.

"It happened."

Dillan turned.

"What?"

She whispered:

"You didn’t sacrifice me."

Dillan’s breathing stopped.

"You sacrificed yourself."

The System flashed.

[MAJOR MEMORY CORRECTION.]

[FIRST CHOICE INTERPRETATION: INVALID.]

[PREVIOUS DATA: MANIPULATED.]

[NEW DATA PROCESSING...]

The older Dillan suddenly lunged toward the System notification.

"STOP!"

Dillan froze.

Why would he react like that?

The older version’s hand trembled.

"You don’t understand what happens if you remember."

Dillan stared at him.

"What happens?"

The older version said nothing.

Dillan stepped closer.

"What happens?"

Still nothing.

"Answer me."

The older version finally whispered:

"You die."

Silence.

Dillan’s expression changed.

"I die?"

The older version nodded.

"That’s why Sasha made the Second Choice."

Dillan’s heart tightened.

"You’ve been protecting the memory."

"Yes."

"From me."

"Yes."

"Why?"

The older version looked toward Evelyn.

"Because she was supposed to be the one who remembered everything."

Evelyn lowered her head.

Dillan stared at her.

"Evelyn..."

She looked up.

Tears were running down her cheeks.

"I’m sorry."

"For what?"

She whispered:

"For being the reason you had to forget."

The Original Memory

The Preservation Core began shaking violently.

The System screamed.

[ORIGINAL MEMORY LOCATED.]

[ACCESSING.]

[WARNING.]

[MEMORY CONTAINS CREATOR-LEVEL INFORMATION.]

[HOST PSYCHOLOGICAL DAMAGE: EXTREME.]

Dillan didn’t hesitate.

"Open it."

The older version shouted:

"NO!"

The door behind them opened.

Light flooded the Core.

And Dillan saw it.

The real First Choice.

Not the tree.

Not the sacrifice.

Not Alina.

Not Evelyn.

Not Sasha.

Himself.

Standing alone.

Years before the other children arrived.

Holding the black crystal.

And speaking to someone who had no face.

"If I create a world where nobody can disappear..."

The faceless figure answered:

"What will you give in return?"

Young Dillan smiled.

"Me."

Dillan’s eyes widened.

The memory continued.

"Take my memories."

"Take my future."

"Take whatever you need."

"Just let them stay."

The faceless figure accepted.

And the black crystal entered young Dillan’s chest.

The System appeared.

[FIRST CHOICE ACCEPTED.]

[COST: HOST MEMORY.]

[COST: HOST FUTURE.]

[PRESERVATION RULE CREATED.]

[SYSTEM CREATED.]

Dillan couldn’t breathe.

The older version looked at him.

And for the first time...

he looked genuinely afraid.

"Now you understand."

Dillan stared at him.

"You aren’t the original me."

The older version smiled sadly.

"No."

Evelyn stepped forward.

"He is what remained after your memories were taken."

Dillan’s eyes widened.

The older version slowly placed a hand over his chest.

"I’m the part of you that remembered."

The System flashed one final message.

[IDENTITY CONFIRMED.]

[CURRENT DILLAN RUREN: ORIGINAL HOST.]

[OLDER DILLAN: MEMORY RESIDUAL.]

[THREAT STATUS: NON-HOSTILE.]

[FUNCTION: PRESERVE ORIGINAL MEMORY.]

Dillan stared at the older version.

"You weren’t trying to replace me."

The residual smiled.

"No."

"What were you doing?"

He looked toward Evelyn.

"Waiting for you to become strong enough to remember why you sacrificed yourself."

The Core suddenly went silent.

Then a new notification appeared.

[FIRST CHOICE: FULLY RESTORED.]

[TRUE COST: REVEALED.]

[NEW QUESTION DETECTED.]

[WHO WAS THE FACELESS AUTHORITY?]

Dillan slowly looked toward the darkness.

Evelyn whispered:

"That’s the part even I don’t remember."