Chapter 129: Sasha Doesn’t Forget

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

Something moved inside Sasha.

Dillan held her upright.

"Sasha."

Her body was trembling.

"I can hear it."

The voice came again.

Not through the chamber.

Through her.

"Let me out."

Sasha clutched her chest.

"I don’t want to."

The girl standing beyond the shattered mirror smiled.

"You never did."

Celia stepped forward.

"Dillan, move away from her."

He looked at her.

"Why?"

"Because that thing was never meant to exist outside the Core."

Sasha suddenly gasped.

A crimson mark appeared beneath her collarbone.

Then another.

Then another.

They formed a circular symbol.

The same symbol as the stitched eye.

[RESTRICTED MEMORY: FORCED OPENING.]

[SECOND CHOICE: 100%.]

[ADDITIONAL CHOICE DETECTED.]

[DESIGNATION: THE CHOICE AFTER THE CHOICE.]

Dillan stared at the notification.

"Additional choice?"

Celia closed her eyes.

"I was afraid you’d find that."

Sasha looked at her.

"You knew?"

Celia didn’t answer.

Sasha’s expression changed.

"You knew."

"I knew there was another decision."

"Whose?"

Celia looked at Dillan.

"Yours."

Silence.

Dillan felt the chamber grow colder.

"My choice?"

Celia nodded.

"After Sasha entered the Core, you found her."

The memory began unfolding around them.

White light.

A broken Core.

Sasha lying motionless inside it.

Dillan standing outside the barrier.

He was older.

But younger than he was now.

His hands were covered in blood.

"Sasha!"

No response.

He slammed his fist against the barrier.

"Open!"

The Core refused.

Then the System appeared.

[SUBJECT SASHA RUREN: PRESERVATION SUCCESSFUL.]

[HOST DILLAN RUREN: STABILIZATION COMPLETE.]

[SUBJECT CANNOT RETURN WITHOUT MEMORY EXCHANGE.]

Dillan stared at the words.

"What does that mean?"

[ONE MEMORY MUST BE REMOVED.]

He looked at Sasha.

"What memory?"

The System answered.

[THE MEMORY OF WHY YOU LOVE HER.]

Dillan went still.

"No."

[WITHOUT REMOVAL, SUBJECT SASHA WILL REMAIN BOUND TO THE CORE.]

His breathing became ragged.

"So if I forget..."

[SASHA MAY RETURN.]

Dillan looked at her through the barrier.

She was barely conscious.

He placed his palm against the glass.

"I’ll forget."

The memory shifted.

The System warned him.

[CONFIRMATION REQUIRED.]

[YOU WILL REMEMBER HER.]

[YOU WILL REMEMBER HER NAME.]

[YOU WILL REMEMBER HER FACE.]

[YOU WILL REMEMBER WHAT SHE DID.]

[YOU WILL NOT REMEMBER WHY SHE MATTERED.]

Dillan’s younger self closed his eyes.

"Do it."

The memory shattered.

Dillan stumbled backward.

His hand flew to his chest.

"No..."

Sasha stared at him.

"You chose to forget."

"I chose to save you."

"No."

Her voice cracked.

"You chose to forget why you loved me."

Dillan looked at her.

"Yes."

The girl beyond the broken mirror stepped forward.

"And that’s where I was born."

Sasha turned toward her.

The girl’s eyes were filled with tears.

"When the memory was removed, the love remained."

She touched her chest.

"But without its reason, it became fear."

The crimson mark on Sasha’s chest pulsed.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

Sasha screamed.

Her shadow stretched across the floor.

The girl whispered:

"I became the part of your love that didn’t understand why it existed."

Sasha dropped to her knees.

"I don’t want you."

"I know."

"I don’t need you."

"I know."

"I can choose him without you."

The girl smiled.

"That is why I’m afraid."

The System flickered.

[SECONDARY RESONANCE IDENTIFIED.]

[DESIGNATION: UNRESOLVED LOVE.]

[CURRENT HOST: SASHA RUREN.]

[STATUS: SEPARATION POSSIBLE.]

Dillan looked at Sasha.

"Can it be removed?"

The System answered.

[YES.]

Sasha looked up.

"But?"

The System paused.

Then:

[REMOVAL WILL ALSO ERASE THE EMOTIONAL MEMORY CONNECTED TO IT.]

Sasha’s eyes widened.

Dillan understood immediately.

"If we remove it..."

She would lose another part of herself.

The girl laughed softly.

"Exactly."

She walked toward Sasha.

"Remove me..."

She touched Sasha’s forehead.

"...and you may lose the part of yourself that still loves him."

Sasha closed her eyes.

Dillan reached toward her.

"Sasha, don’t listen."

She opened her eyes.

"No."

Her voice was surprisingly steady.

"I need to answer this myself."

She looked at the girl.

"If you’re part of my love..."

The girl smiled.

"Then I don’t want you destroyed."

Dillan froze.

Sasha continued.

"But I don’t want you controlling me either."

The crimson symbol on her chest began to crack.

"I don’t need to erase you."

The girl stepped backward.

"I can remember you."

The cracks spread.

"And still choose who I become."

The chamber erupted with light.

[CHOICE DETECTED.]

[SUBJECT SASHA RUREN HAS REJECTED ERASURE.]

[SECONDARY RESONANCE: ACKNOWLEDGED.]

[OWNERSHIP: NONE.]

[AGENCY: SELF-DIRECTED.]

The girl stared at Sasha.

For the first time, she looked peaceful.

Then she began dissolving.

Sasha reached toward her.

"Wait."

The girl smiled.

"I won’t disappear."

Her body became crimson light.

"I’ll become something you remember."

The light entered Sasha’s chest.

The knocking stopped.

Silence.

Sasha remained kneeling.

Dillan approached carefully.

"Are you okay?"

She looked at him.

A faint smile appeared.

"I think so."

Then she touched her chest.

"But I remember something now."

"What?"

Sasha looked toward the broken mirror.

"The reason I was afraid."

Dillan waited.

Sasha whispered:

"I wasn’t afraid you’d stop loving me."

Her eyes lifted toward his.

"I was afraid I’d stop being worth loving."

Dillan’s expression softened.

"You never had to earn that."

A tear slipped down her cheek.

"I know."

Behind them, the System suddenly flashed.

[WARNING.]

The chamber shook.

Dillan turned.

The seven doors were closing.

One by one.

But the first door remained open.

Beyond it stood the little girl beneath the oak tree.

The One Who Stays.

Evelyn.

She was holding the forgotten piece of chalk.

And for the first time, she wasn’t looking at Dillan.

She was looking at Sasha.

Then she said:

"Now ask her what she remembers about me."

The question remained hanging in the chamber.

"Now ask her what she remembers about me."

Dillan looked at Sasha.

Sasha looked at the little girl beneath the oak tree.

Neither spoke.

Then Sasha slowly stood.

"I remember you."

The little girl smiled.

"What do you remember?"

Sasha’s eyes narrowed.

"You were always there."

The girl tilted her head.

"That’s not an answer."

"You watched us."

"Yes."

"You listened to us."

"Yes."

"You knew Dillan before I did."

The smile disappeared.

"Yes."

Sasha’s expression hardened.

"Then why don’t I remember you?"

The chamber became silent.

The System flickered.

[MEMORY CONFLICT DETECTED.]

[SUBJECT: SASHA RUREN.]

[MEMORY OF THE ONE WHO STAYS: PARTIALLY SUPPRESSED.]

[SUPPRESSION SOURCE: SASHA RUREN.]

Dillan turned toward Sasha.

"You suppressed it?"

Sasha looked confused.

"I did?"

The little girl answered for her.

"You did."

Sasha shook her head.

"No. I would remember doing that."

"You wouldn’t."

The girl’s voice became softer.

"You made the choice before you understood what choosing meant."

Dillan stepped toward the doorway.

"What happened?"

The girl raised the chalk.

The chamber changed.

The oak tree appeared again.

But this time, Sasha was there.

Young Sasha stood behind young Dillan.

The One Who Stays sat beneath the tree.

Dillan was drawing something in the dirt.

A crude house.

Four walls.

A door.

A window.

"That’s where I’ll live," the little girl said.

Dillan smiled.

"No."

He drew another house beside it.

"You live here."

Sasha watched silently.

The girl pointed at the drawing.

"With you?"

"With everyone."

Sasha’s fingers tightened around the red ribbon.

The girl smiled.

"Then we’re friends."

Dillan nodded.

"Forever."

The memory froze.

Sasha stared at it.

Then she whispered:

"I remember."

The scene continued.

Night had fallen.

Dillan was asleep beneath the oak tree.

Sasha sat beside him.

The One Who Stays stood several feet away.

Sasha looked at her.

"You really like him."

The girl nodded.

"He makes me feel real."

Sasha looked down.

"He makes me feel safe."

Neither spoke for several seconds.

Then Sasha asked:

"What happens if he chooses you?"

The girl didn’t understand.

"Chooses me for what?"

Sasha’s eyes filled with tears.

"For everything."

The memory darkened.

Sasha reached toward the girl.

And touched her forehead.

[EMOTIONAL MEMORY SEAL INITIATED.]

The One Who Stays staggered.

"What are you doing?"

Sasha was crying now.

"I don’t want to forget you."

"Then don’t."

"I have to."

"Why?"

Sasha looked toward sleeping Dillan.

"Because if he remembers you..."

Her voice broke.

"He’ll remember that he loved you first."

The little girl froze.

Sasha placed her hand over her mouth.

"I can’t let him lose you."

The memory shattered.

Sasha collapsed.

Dillan caught her.

"No..."

Her hands were shaking.

"I did that."

The One Who Stays stared at her.

"You protected me."

Sasha looked up.

"Protected you?"

"You thought forgetting me would stop him from choosing me."

Sasha’s eyes widened.

"But it didn’t."

"No."

The girl smiled sadly.

"It only made him forget why he was afraid of losing me."

Dillan felt his chest tighten.

"So the First Lock..."

The System answered.

[FIRST LOCK ORIGIN CONFIRMED.]

[INITIAL SUPPRESSION: SASHA RUREN.]

[PRIMARY PURPOSE: PROTECT THE ONE WHO STAYS.]

[SECONDARY EFFECT: DISTORT DILLAN RUREN’S EMOTIONAL MEMORY.]

Dillan stared at Sasha.

"You weren’t trying to erase her."

Sasha shook her head.

"I was trying to protect her."

"And yourself."

Sasha lowered her gaze.

"Yes."

A quiet voice came from the doorway.

"There’s more."

Everyone turned.

The One Who Stays was holding the chalk.

She drew a small circle in the dirt.

Then another.

Then another.

Three circles.

"The first memory was sealed by Sasha."

She pointed to the first.

"The second was sealed by Dillan."

She pointed to the second.

"And the third..."

Her hand stopped.

Dillan stared at the final circle.

"Who sealed the third?"

The girl looked at him.

"You did."

Dillan’s stomach dropped.

"I don’t remember."

"You weren’t supposed to."

The System began flickering rapidly.

[THIRD MEMORY: LOCKED.]

[AUTHORIZATION REQUIRED.]

[AUTHORIZED USER: DILLAN RUREN.]

[WARNING: ACCESSING THIS MEMORY WILL ALTER CURRENT UNDERSTANDING OF THE FIRST CHOICE.]

Sasha immediately stood.

"Don’t open it."

Dillan looked at her.

"Why?"

"Because I remember one thing."

"What?"

Sasha’s eyes filled with fear.

"You didn’t erase that memory because you wanted to forget."

She looked toward the sealed circle.

"You erased it because you were afraid of what you would do after remembering."

The chamber fell completely silent.

Dillan stared at the final circle.

Then the System displayed one final message.

[THIRD MEMORY: AVAILABLE.]

[QUESTION REQUIRED BEFORE ACCESS.]

[WHAT DID DILLAN RUREN CHOOSE TO DO AFTER LEARNING THE TRUTH?]

The answer appeared beneath it.

Three possibilities.

[A: SAVE HER.]

[B: FORGET HER.]

C: LET HER CHOOSE.

Dillan stared at the three choices.

Then the little girl beneath the oak tree whispered:

"You already chose."