Chapter 44: The Door That Should Never Open

The word remained inside Rin’s mind.

Run.

He didn’t understand why, he didn’t understand who had said it, but his body reacted before his thoughts could catch up.

"Everyone move!"

Kaelith didn’t hesitate.

"Inside!"

The demons in the courtyard immediately scattered. Noctis grabbed Rin’s arm and pulled him away from the center of the courtyard. Sol ran beside them.

"What is happening?"

"I don’t know!"

Rin looked toward the sky. The crack had grown, it wasn’t simply splitting the clouds anymore, it was splitting space.

Beyond it, there was no Heaven. No stars. No darkness.

Something colorless existed beyond the fractur, a place that shouldn’t have been visible, a place that seemed to look back.

Rin stopped.

"That’s not the God."

Noctis turned toward him.

"You said that before."

"I know."

"Then what is it?"

Rin swallowed.

"I don’t know."

Eryon suddenly appeared beside them, for once, there was no smile on his face.

"Everyone into the palace."

Rin stared at him.

"You know what that is."

Eryon looked at the sky.

"Yes."

"What?"

Eryon didn’t answer. Rin stepped in front of him.

"Eryon."

The ancient god finally looked at him.

"That’s the Door Between."

Rin frowned.

"The World Gate?"

"No."

Eryon’s voice became quieter.

"The World Gate connects worlds."

He looked toward the crack.

"That connects possibilities."

Rin’s blood ran cold.

"What does that mean?"

"It means that place contains things that never happened."

Sol stared at the sky.

"Timelines."

"More than timelines."

Eryon looked at Rin.

"Every choice you could have made."

Rin looked up again, he saw shapes moving beyond the fracture.

Hundreds, thousands, versions of himself.

Some human. Some divine. Some wearing armor. Some covered in blood. Some smiling. Some crying.

Some standing beside people Rin recognized. Some beside people he had never seen.

Rin’s breathing stopped.

"Those are..."

"Possibilities."

Eryon nodded.

"Not memories."

Rin watched another version of himself walk past. That Rin had black wings, another had silver eyes, another was wearing a crown, another was holding a sword.

And then—

Rin saw himself. A version dressed in white.

Standing beside Noctis. Rin froze.

Noctis noticed.

"What?"

Rin couldn’t speak. The version of himself beyond the Door reached toward Noctis.

Then the image disappeared. Rin looked away. Noctis didn’t ask. Kaelith stepped closer.

"We need to get inside."

Eryon nodded.

"Yes."

Suddenly, the sky shook. A voice echoed from beyond the Door.

"You shouldn’t have opened it."

Rin’s blood turned cold.

He knew that voice. The God. But this time... there was fear in it.

Eryon looked upward.

"So you’ve finally understood."

The golden light of the God appeared around the crack.

"You."

Eryon smiled without humor.

"Hello."

"You brought him here."

"No."

Eryon’s eyes narrowed.

"He came here himself."

The God looked toward Rin.

"Close the Door."

Rin frowned.

"Why?"

"Because you don’t understand what is beyond it."

"Then explain."

"I cannot."

Rin laughed bitterly.

"Of course."

The God seemed almost frustrated.

"If you leave it open, everything will collapse."

Eryon looked at Rin.

"He’s telling the truth."

Rin stared at him.

"You agree with him?"

"About this."

The God spoke again.

"Rin."

Rin looked upward.

"Listen to me."

"I am listening."

"You cannot let the Door remain open."

"Why?"

"Because there are things beyond it that even I cannot control."

Rin’s expression changed.

"You’re afraid."

The God went silent. Rin smiled faintly.

"For once, you’re actually afraid."

The God didn’t deny it.

"Yes."

The admission shocked everyone. Noctis looked toward the sky. Kaelith tightened his grip on his sword.

Sol whispered:

"That’s not normal."

Rin stared.

"Then what are you afraid of?"

The God looked beyond Rin. Toward the Door.

"Her."

Rin froze.

"Who?"

The God didn’t answer. Instead, the entire sky went dark. A woman’s voice whispered from beyond the Door.

"Found you."

The God immediately vanished. Rin stared.

"What just happened?"

Eryon’s expression became grim.

"Now you understand why I told you to run."

The Door widened. Something stepped through.

At first, Rin couldn’t understand what he was seeing.

A woman. She looked human. Long black hair flowed around her, her eyes were completely white.

She wore a simple white dress. No visible magic.

And yet every demon in the courtyard fell to their knees. Not because they were ordered to.

Because their bodies simply couldn’t remain standing. Kaelith dropped to one knee. Noctis staggered.

Sol grabbed the wall. Rin remained standing. The woman looked at him.

Then smiled.

"My little god."

Rin froze.

Eryon stepped forward.

"Don’t call him that."

The woman laughed.

"You still protect him."

"Always."

"How touching."

She looked at Rin.

"You’ve grown."

Rin’s heart began racing.

"Who are you?"

The woman smiled.

"You don’t remember me?"

"No."

"You shouldn’t."

"Why?"

"Because I was there when you died."

Everything stopped. Rin couldn’t breathe. Eryon immediately moved between them.

"Enough."

The woman’s expression changed.

"You know what I find amusing, Eryon?"

"What?"

"You promised to protect him."

She looked around.

"And yet you couldn’t save him."

Eryon’s eyes became cold. Rin stared at him.

"You knew her?"

Eryon didn’t answer.

"Who is she?"

The woman answered for him.

"I am the Keeper."

Rin frowned.

"Keeper of what?"

"Possibility."

Sol looked up.

"That’s impossible."

The woman smiled.

"Your little brother is clever."

Sol stared.

"How do you know me?"

"I know everyone who belongs to him."

She pointed toward Rin.

"He is the center."

Rin’s expression hardened.

"Center of what?"

"Everything."

The word echoed. The Keeper continued:

"Every world where he exists. Every timeline, every possibility, every death."

Rin’s heart tightened.

"You know about the million lives."

"Of course."

"Then tell me."

The Keeper smiled.

"Tell you what?"

"Why?"

"Why you died?"

Rin froze. The Keeper’s smile disappeared.

"Not yet."

Rin’s frustration exploded.

"Everyone keeps telling me that! How long will this keep?"

The Keeper laughed.

"You really haven’t changed."

Rin stepped forward.

"I want answers!"

"And you will have them."

"When?"

"When you can survive them."

Rin stared.

"That’s what everyone says."

The Keeper looked toward Noctis.

"Not everyone."

Noctis raised his head. The Keeper smiled.

"He remembers."

Rin turned toward him.

"Noctis..."

The Keeper continued.

"He remembers the first time you died. As a human."

Noctis’s face became pale. Rin stared.

"You do?"

Noctis didn’t answer. The Keeper smiled.

"He remembers the moment you chose to save someone."

Rin froze. Eryon immediately looked at the Keeper.

"Stop."

She ignored him.

"He remembers the blood."

Noctis’s expression hardened.

"He remembers your last words."

Rin stared at Noctis.

"What did I say?"

Noctis closed his eyes.

"Don’t."

"What did I say?"

Noctis looked at him.

His eyes were filled with pain.

"You told me to live."

Rin’s heart stopped.

"Why?"

"Because you knew you were going to die."

Rin swallowed.

"Who was I saving?"

Noctis didn’t answer. The Keeper smiled.

"That is a secret for another day."

Rin clenched his fists.

"You’re cruel."

"No."

She shook her head.

"I’m patient."

She looked toward the sky.

"And I have waited longer than any god."

Suddenly, Sol cried out. Blue light exploded from his body. Rin turned.

"Sol!"

The System windows returned. But they were different. An enormous constellation appeared behind Sol.

Hundreds of stars. Thousands. Each one connected by silver lines.

Eryon’s eyes widened.

"No."

The Keeper looked at him.

"Yes."

"What did you do?"

"I did nothing."

The Keeper smiled.

"He did it himself."

Sol stared at the constellation.

"I can see them."

Rin rushed toward him.

"See what?"

"Everyone."

His voice trembled.

"Every version."

The constellation expanded. Rin saw himself. Millions of points of light.

Each one another life. Each one another death. Sol suddenly grabbed his head.

"Too many."

Rin caught him.

"Sol!"

"I can hear them."

"Who?"

"Everyone."

Sol looked at Rin.

"They’re all calling you."

Rin’s blood ran cold.

"What are they saying?"

Sol’s eyes filled with tears.

"They’re asking why you left."

Rin couldn’t move. The Keeper looked at him.

"Because they remember."

Rin whispered:

"I don’t."

The constellation suddenly changed. One star became brighter than all the others. Rin looked at it.

"What is that?"

The Keeper’s expression became serious.

"Your first life."

Rin’s breath stopped. The star descended. It entered his chest.

And suddenly—

Rin was somewhere else. He was standing in a field.

Golden flowers stretched toward the horizon. The sky was purple. Two moons hung above the world.

Rin looked down. He wasn’t human. He was wearing white robes. Six enormous wings extended from his back.

Light flowed through his body. He looked at his hands.

"This is..."

A voice came from behind him.

"You finally came."

Rin turned. Eryon, he was young and smiling at him. But there was something else beside him.

A man. Tall. Dark hair. Silver streaks. The same face Rin had seen beyond the World Gate.

His father. Rin’s heart stopped. The man smiled.

"You’ve forgotten us."

Rin couldn’t speak. The man walked toward him.

"My son."

Rin stepped backward.

"Who are you?"

The man’s expression broke. Eryon looked away. The man whispered:

"Your father."

Rin stared.

"Why can’t I remember you?"

"Because your memories were sealed."

"By who?"

The man looked toward the sky.

"By me."

Rin froze.

"Why?"

"Because I wanted you to have a chance."

"A chance for what?"

The world around them began shaking. The flowers disappeared. The sky cracked. The man reached toward Rin.

"To live."

A golden light descended. The God. The father turned.

"Run."

Rin shook his head.

"No."

"Run!"

"I won’t leave you."

The man smiled.

"You always were stubborn."

Eryon grabbed Rin.

"Come on!"

"No!"

Rin struggled. His father looked at him one last time.

"Remember this."

Rin stopped. His father smiled.

"Love was never your weakness."

The world exploded. Rin opened his eyes. He was back in the Lost Realm. He was lying on the ground.

Kaelith was beside him. Noctis stood nearby. Sol was unconscious.

The Door was gone. The Keeper had disappeared.

Eryon was nowhere to be seen. Rin slowly sat up.

Kaelith looked relieved.

"You’re awake."

Rin looked at him.

"I saw him."

"Your father?"

Rin nodded.

"He sealed my memories."

Kaelith’s expression changed.

"Why?"

"To protect me."

Noctis stepped closer.

"What else?"

Rin looked at him.

"He told me something."

"What?"

Rin looked at his hands.

"That love was never my weakness."

Noctis went completely still. Kaelith said nothing. Rin looked toward the dark sky.

He still didn’t remember his first death, he still didn’t know why he had died, he still didn’t know who had created the curse, but now he knew one thing.

His father hadn’t abandoned him. He had hidden him. Protected him. And somewhere, beyond the reach of this world... he was still waiting.

Rin looked at Sol. His brother slowly opened his eyes.

"Rin?"

"I’m here."

Sol smiled weakly.

"Good."

Rin helped him sit up. Then the System appeared one final time.

[MEMORY RESTORATION: 0.01%]

Rin stared.

"That’s all?"

Sol looked at the number.

"Apparently."

Rin sighed.

"At least it’s something."

The System changed.

[NEW INFORMATION AVAILABLE.]

Rin waited. One sentence appeared.

[ORIGINAL NAME: AEL—]

The screen vanished. Rin stared at the empty air.

"Seriously?"

Sol laughed. For the first time, even Noctis smiled. Kaelith shook his head. And somewhere far beyond the world... Eryon smiled.

Because the first piece of Rin’s true name had finally returned.

But the rest remained hidden.

At least...for now.