Dream

Myles stared at Kaelen blankly—shocked and confused—as memories not his own surged through his mind. Fragmented flashes, foreign yet vivid. He stuttered, "Ph… Phase 2? That… that means this is a different planet?"

Kaelen smiled. "Not quite. This is a parallel Earth."

She waited for him to absorb the truth before gracefully sitting beside him. Lia, standing nearby, bristled protectively. Kaelen met her gaze and gave a subtle gesture—relax. Then she turned back to Myles.

"You see, long ago—well, by human timelines—there existed a civilization, one that mastered interdimensional living. They were peaceful. Their origins?" She paused, casting a glance at Lia, who frowned as if anticipating tragedy. "They were the offspring of what they called… fallen angels."

Myles blinked. "So, demons?"

Kaelen smiled wistfully. "Yes. Exactly that… but they were anything but what you'd expect. They wanted only peace—nothing more. They sought redemption and hoped their children wouldn't suffer for their sins."

She looked away, her voice lowering. "So, they tried to help. Across the stars, there are beings who still remember. They call that era The Great Concurrence."

She folded her hands, fidgeting with her fingers as if steadying herself.

"It was a time of great cultural exchange… and answers to the burdens of mortality."

"But," her voice sharpened, trembling with rising anger, "some didn't see it that way. They saw the angels and their children as a threat. So they hunted them. Like animals."

Her fists clenched until her fingers bled. "The worst part? They used the very technology gifted to them—turned it into weapons. The angels... they never fought back."

Tears slid down her cheeks. Lia moved as if to stop her, but Kaelen shook her head.

"They accepted their fate. And they were massacred."

Myles didn't know how to respond. But his body did—he reached out and held her bleeding hand, silently offering support. Kaelen smiled at the gesture, even through her tears. Her eyes briefly met Lia's, who returned a tense, forced smile.

"You're so cute, lil sis," Kaelen chuckled softly, still holding Myles' gaze. He blinked, not catching her meaning, and remained confused.

She gently removed his hand and continued, "Their children could've fought. But we chose to run. We fled… and settled here. But we brought our parents' legacy with us."

Myles looked down, a soft, sad smile forming on his lips—as if something in him understood.

Kaelen reached out and lifted his chin. "Not all hope was lost. I can tell… you've figured out your race played a part in this. That guilt? That means you care. That matters."

She stood and walked toward the gaping hole in the wall.

"We vowed to finish what our parents started. But we were divided. Some wanted to keep the peace… others wanted revenge."

She looked back over her shoulder, her voice calm but cold. "And so the Dark Core was born. Embracing the demon stigma—dedicating their existence to removing mortals like you from the universe."

She placed her hand over her heart. "But we couldn't just watch you die. That would make us no different than what you once called us."

With her eyes closed, a soft smile crept onto her lips. "So we built a system of interdimensional gates to protect ourselves and our enemies. And for those we deemed worthy… we taught them how to use the energy called Criole."

She raised her hand. Flames burst from her palm, encircled by icy spikes. Then she vanished—only to reappear beside Myles.

"You, my friend," she said, smiling, "possess Criole without even knowing it."

Myles recoiled instinctively. Lia pulled him close in the same moment.

"I… I can't do any of that," he protested.

Kaelen stood, hands behind her back, and walked away playfully, her tone mischievous. "Then tell me—how do you think you survived? How did you even get here? You've seen those monsters in your memories."

She gestured toward a faint scar on Lia's upper chest, just below her collarbone.

"You mean… they're a threat to you, too?" Myles asked, wide-eyed.

Kaelen laughed. Lia silently healed the mark.

"Hardly. But if they can scar us... imagine what they'd do to a normal mortal."

Myles squinted. "Normal mortal? Wait—if you can die, doesn't that still make you mortal?"

Kaelen floated into the air, crossing her legs midair. She smirked back at him. "Do you think they stopped at killing our parents? Our birth gave us life… but not the condition of death. You can destroy our bodies—but not what we truly are."

She hovered closer, eyes gleaming. "There's only one who can destroy us. And he's chosen not to."

She floated so close that her face was inches from his. Lia shoved her aside, flustered.

Kaelen giggled, spinning in the air. "You're something else, Myles. Maybe you can die, but it'd take a lot. I doubt even decapitation would do it!"

Laughing wildly, she vanished through the hole in the wall.

Myles sat frozen, overwhelmed. This all felt unreal—like a hallucination… or a coma dream. But it felt real.

His thoughts were broken by a gentle pressure on his chest.

A pair of soft, elegant arms wrapped around him. Lia. A black ring shimmered on her finger—her ring finger. And… he had one too.

He tried to move, but she held him fast—too strong for him to break free.

Looking up, he saw her smiling. But not kindly.

"So, darling…" she said sweetly, her voice laced with venom, "did you enjoy flirting with my older sister?"

Myles blinked. Then, a memory from two months ago surfaced—vague, blurry… but real. They were in a relationship.

He gave her a pleading smile.

She smiled back—but her smile was tight. Dangerous.

Myles sighed and closed his eyes. There was no escaping this.

Lia began to speak.

Despite her powerful, statuesque build, her voice was soft—warm like sunlight. It calmed him immediately.

"My sister loves to tease. You should know that." She paused, the pout clear in her tone. "You really don't remember…?"

Myles opened his eyes.

He was staring into a pair of violet gems—Lia's eyes, glassy and glowing, like twin amethysts. They pulled him in.

Mesmerized, he blurted the first thing that came to mind:

"She was right… you are way out of my league."

Flushed with embarrassment, he looked away—only he couldn't. He was completely entranced.

Strangers… yet something deeper still bound them.

Whatever they had before was gone—but something new was blooming.

They just sat there, gazing into each other.

And in that moment… nothing else existed.

"Truly… this could only be a dream." Myles thought.