Chapter 37: The Mother Beneath the Moon

For a few seconds, Rin forgot how to breathe.

His mother’s arms were around him.

Warm. Real. Not a memory. Not a dream.

Not another fragment stolen from a life he could no longer remember.

Real.

Rin closed his eyes. A strange ache filled his chest.

He had imagined this moment so many times without realizing it.

Sometimes he imagined running toward her. Sometimes he imagined asking why she had left. Sometimes he imagined being angry.

But now that she was actually standing in front of him, all those words disappeared.

He was just Rin. Her son. The woman holding him trembled.

"You’re really here."

Her voice broke.

Rin tightened his arms around her.

"Yeah."

She pulled back slightly and touched his face. Her fingers traced his cheek as though she was afraid he might disappear.

"You’re older."

Rin laughed weakly.

"That’s usually what happens."

She smiled through her tears. For a moment, neither of them said anything.

Then her eyes moved past Rin.

She saw Noctis. Then Kaelith. Then Sol.

Her expression changed. Not fear. Recognition.

She looked directly at Noctis.

"You survived."

Noctis went completely still. Rin looked between them.

"You know each other?"

Noctis didn’t answer.

His silver eyes remained fixed on her. Finally, he bowed his head.

"Lady Seraphine."

Rin froze.

Lady Seraphine.

His mother’s name. He had heard it before.

Fragments. Whispers. Old records. But hearing Noctis say it made everything suddenly real.

His mother looked at him.

"You still remember."

Noctis raised his eyes.

"I remember everything."

Rin’s stomach tightened.

Everything. That word again. The same word connected to the curse.

To Noctis. To the million lives. His mother noticed his expression.

She sighed.

"Rin..."

"Don’t."

Her eyes softened.

"You deserve answers."

"Yes."

Rin looked at her.

"That’s why I came."

Seraphine nodded.

"I know."

Kaelith stepped forward.

"Before we continue, we should leave this area."

Seraphine looked at him.

"General Kaelith."

Kaelith’s expression changed slightly.

"You know me too."

"I know who you were."

Noctis glanced at Kaelith. Seraphine continued.

"You weren’t always the General."

Kaelith said nothing. Rin looked at him.

"What does that mean?"

Kaelith shook his head.

"Not now."

Rin frowned.

"Why does everyone know things about each other except me?"

Sol raised his hand.

"I also know very little."

Rin looked at him.

"You’re supposed to be my System."

"I know."

"That sounds like a problem."

"It is."

Seraphine almost smiled.

"He’s still the same."

Rin looked at her.

"Who?"

"You."

She touched his hair.

"You always complained when everyone knew something you didn’t."

Rin stared.

"I did?"

"Constantly."

Noctis smiled faintly.

"That part hasn’t changed."

Rin looked at him.

"How many things do you remember about me?"

Noctis’s smile disappeared.

"Too many."

Rin didn’t know how to respond to that. Seraphine turned toward the forest.

"We shouldn’t stay here."

"Why?"

"The Moon Forest isn’t as empty as it looks."

A low sound echoed between the trees. Kaelith immediately drew his sword. Noctis summoned dark energy. Rin stepped back.

"What was that?"

Seraphine shook her head.

"Not an enemy."

The sound came again. This time, Rin recognized it. A growl.

But there was something strange about it. It wasn’t angry. It was afraid. Seraphine raised one hand.

"Lower your weapons."

Kaelith hesitated. Then slowly lowered his sword. Noctis did the same.

A creature emerged from between the trees.

It looked like a wolf.

But much larger. Its fur was silver-white, and its eyes glowed pale blue.

It looked at Rin. Then lowered its head. Rin blinked.

"Is that...?"

"A Moon Wolf."

Seraphine smiled.

"They guard this forest."

The wolf approached Rin.

Rin hesitated.

"Can I touch it?"

Seraphine nodded.

Rin slowly reached out. The wolf pressed its head against his palm. Warmth spread through his hand.

Then—

Rin saw something.

A flash. A young version of himself running through the forest. The same wolf beside him.

His mother laughing behind them. Rin pulled his hand away. The vision vanished. His heart raced.

"I remember."

Seraphine closed her eyes.

"Yes."

"You brought me here."

"Many times."

"Why?"

"Because it was one of the few places the God couldn’t see you."

Rin looked around.

"The God can’t see inside the forest?"

"Not directly."

"Why?"

Seraphine looked toward the silver trees.

"Because Eryon created the boundary."

Rin went silent. Of course. Everything seemed to return to Eryon. But this time, something felt different.

He wasn’t just some mysterious ancient being. He had been part of Rin’s childhood. Part of his mother’s plans.

Perhaps even part of the reason Rin had survived at all. Rin looked at his mother.

"Where is he?"

Seraphine’s expression changed.

"Eryon?"

"Yes."

"He left."

"When?"

"Before you arrived."

Rin frowned.

"Why?"

"He knew you would come."

Rin looked toward the forest.

"He knew?"

"Yes."

"How?"

Seraphine smiled sadly.

"He always knows when a boundary is about to be crossed."

Sol suddenly spoke.

"That explains something."

Everyone looked at him.

"What?"

Sol’s expression was thoughtful.

"Eryon’s power isn’t prediction."

Rin frowned.

"What is it?"

"He doesn’t see the future."

Sol looked toward the trees.

"He sees possibilities before they become reality."

Noctis nodded slowly.

"That’s why the God can’t predict him."

"Exactly."

Rin looked at his mother.

"Then why does Eryon need me?"

Seraphine hesitated.

"He doesn’t."

Rin blinked.

"What?"

"Eryon doesn’t need you."

She looked directly at him.

"He needs you to make a choice."

Rin’s expression became serious.

"What choice?"

"Whether you want to know everything."

Rin stared.

"That’s ridiculous."

"Why?"

"Because of course I want to know."

"No."

Her voice was gentle.

"Not like that."

She stepped closer.

"If I tell you everything now, you’ll stop making your own choices."

Rin didn’t answer. Seraphine continued.

"You will start living according to what happened before."

"The timelines."

"Yes."

"The curse."

"Yes."

"The God."

"Yes."

"My death."

Her eyes lowered.

"Yes."

Rin’s voice became quieter.

"How many times?"

Seraphine didn’t answer. Rin already knew.

"More than a million."

She closed her eyes.

"Yes."

The number hit differently coming from her. Noctis looked away.

Kaelith remained silent. Sol’s expression became unreadable.

Rin swallowed.

"Did you watch?"

Seraphine’s eyes filled with tears.

"Not all of them."

"How many?"

"Enough."

Rin’s chest tightened.

"Did you try to stop it?"

"Every time I could."

"And?"

"I failed."

Rin looked down. For several seconds, there was only the sound of the forest.

Then he asked:

"Was there ever a life where I didn’t die?"

Seraphine’s lips trembled.

"Yes."

Rin looked up.

"What?"

"There was one."

Noctis’s expression changed. Seraphine looked at him.

"One timeline."

Rin’s heart raced.

"What happened?"

"You lived."

Rin almost smiled.

"Then why did it end?"

Seraphine looked toward Noctis. Rin followed her gaze.

Noctis’s face had gone pale.

"What?"

Seraphine whispered:

"Because you remembered."

Rin stared at Noctis. Noctis didn’t move.

"You remembered everything."

Rin’s voice became quiet.

"And then?"

Noctis closed his eyes.

"You died."

Rin felt cold.

"How?"

Noctis opened his eyes.

"Because I tried to stop it."

"What did you do?"

"I attacked Heaven."

Kaelith’s expression tightened.

"Alone?"

"No."

Noctis looked at him.

"You were there."

Kaelith said nothing. Rin stared at both of them.

"You fought Heaven together?"

Seraphine nodded.

"That was the first time the God realized the curse could fail."

Rin looked at Noctis.

"And that’s why you remember?"

Noctis’s voice was barely audible.

"The God cursed me with memory."

Rin’s stomach twisted.

"So every time I fall in love with someone else..."

Noctis didn’t answer. Rin understood.

"You remember."

"Yes."

"And I don’t."

"No."

Rin looked away.

He didn’t know what he was supposed to feel. Noctis had lived through something unimaginable.

But Rin didn’t love him. Not now. Not yet. Maybe he never would.

And that was something he couldn’t force. Noctis seemed to understand. He took one step back.

"I don’t expect anything from you."

Rin looked at him. Noctis smiled faintly.

"I never did."

Rin nodded.

"Good."

It wasn’t cruel. It was honest.

And somehow, Noctis seemed relieved. Kaelith looked at Rin.

"You don’t have to decide anything."

Rin nodded.

"I know."

Kaelith’s voice remained calm.

"Whatever happened before doesn’t control what happens now."

Rin looked at him.

"Thank you."

Kaelith nodded.

Seraphine watched them silently. A faint smile appeared on her face.

"You have changed."

Rin raised an eyebrow.

"How?"

"You don’t run from difficult truths anymore."

Rin laughed.

"I absolutely do."

"No."

She shook her head.

"You complain."

Rin pointed at her.

"That’s different."

Seraphine laughed. The sound was warm. Familiar.

Rin realized he had missed it. Even if he couldn’t remember it.

Especially because he couldn’t remember it. They continued deeper into the forest.

The path eventually led to a small house hidden between the trees.

It wasn’t a palace. It wasn’t a temple. It was simply a home.

Rin stopped.

"You lived here?"

"For a while."

He looked around.

"With us?"

"Yes."

Rin stepped inside. The house was simple. A small kitchen. A fireplace.

Two bedrooms. A wooden table. And on the wall...

A painting.

Rin walked toward it. A woman stood beside a young boy. He recognized himself immediately.

But there was another figure in the painting. A tall man with silver eyes.

Eryon. Rin stared.

"He was here."

"Yes."

"Why?"

Seraphine sighed.

"Because when you were born, he made a promise."

"What promise?"

"That no one would take you before you were old enough to choose your own path."

Rin looked at the painting.

"What happened?"

"The God came."

Rin’s eyes darkened.

"He wanted me?"

"He wanted what you could become."

"What can I become?"

Seraphine looked at him.

"That’s the question everyone has been fighting over."

Rin turned.

"Even you?"

"No."

"Then what do you want?"

Seraphine smiled.

"I want you to decide."

A soft chime sounded. Rin froze. The System appeared.

[NEW INFORMATION DETECTED.]

[HOST MEMORY COMPATIBILITY INCREASING.]

Rin frowned.

"What does that mean?"

Sol stared at the screen.

"I don’t know."

The message changed.

[WARNING.]

[GOD’S OBSERVATION DETECTED.]

Seraphine’s face changed.

"He’s found us."

The room suddenly became colder. The windows cracked.

Golden light appeared outside. Rin’s heart dropped.

"Already?"

Seraphine grabbed his hand.

"Stay behind me."

Rin shook his head.

"No."

She looked at him.

"I’m not a child anymore."

For a moment, Seraphine stared at him. Then she smiled.

"I know."

She released his hand. Outside, the sky turned gold. A voice echoed through the forest.

"Seraphine."

She looked toward the window. The God.

"You cannot hide him forever."

Seraphine stepped outside. Rin followed.

Noctis and Kaelith immediately joined him. The God appeared above the trees.

"Give him to me."

Seraphine shook her head.

"No."

"He belongs to Heaven."

"No."

"You know what he is."

"I know what he could become."

The God looked toward Rin.

"Then you know why he cannot be allowed to choose."

Rin stepped forward.

"Why?"

The God stared at him.

"Because your choice will destroy the order of this world."

Rin frowned.

"What choice?"

The God didn’t answer. Seraphine did.

"Love."

Rin froze. The God looked at her with hatred.

"You still believe that."

"I know it."

Rin looked between them.

"What does love have to do with any of this?"

The God raised his hand. Golden light filled the sky. Seraphine stepped forward.

But before the attack could fall—

Everything stopped.

The snow. The wind. The light. Even the God. A silver voice echoed through the forest.

"Enough."

Eryon appeared beneath the ancient Moon Tree.

His expression was calm. But his eyes...

They were not human anymore.

The God stared at him.

"You again."

Eryon looked toward Rin. Then toward Seraphine.

"I gave you one warning."

The God clenched his fist.

"You cannot protect them forever."

Eryon smiled.

"I don’t intend to."

He turned toward Rin.

"This time, he will protect himself."

Then Eryon looked at the God.

"And you..."

The forest trembled.

"...will finally learn what it means to fear something stronger than yourself."

The God disappeared. The golden sky returned to normal.

Rin stared at Eryon. Eryon looked at him.

"Your mother has told you enough for today."

Rin frowned.

"Enough?"

"Yes."

"I have more questions."

"I know."

"Then answer them."

Eryon smiled.

"No."

Rin groaned.

"You’re impossible."

"I’ve been told."

He turned away.

"But there is one thing you should know."

Rin waited.

Eryon looked toward the distant mountains.

"The curse was never designed to kill you."

Rin froze.

"It was designed to make you forget why you were born."

Then Eryon disappeared into the silver light. Rin stood completely still.

And behind him...

His mother began to cry.