Prison

Sakura's voice was as cool as her blade; even when introducing herself, it was as if she were discussing a stranger. But Mei didn't find this odd. She was already used to the varied personalities of the Flame-Chasers in the Elysian Realm; even someone like Kalpas didn't faze her.

What Mei was concerned about was why a Flame-Chaser had suddenly appeared here. After all, less than ten minutes had passed since her communication with Elysia cut off, and she'd been suddenly attacked by mechs. For a Flame-Chaser to abruptly enter the training ground under such dangerous circumstances felt far too coincidental.

"Thank you for saving me. But, Miss Sakura, why are you here?"

"No, that's a question I should be asking you."

"?" Mei paused. Isn't this the training ground?

Noticing Mei's expression didn't seem feigned, Sakura sighed, shook her head, and explained, "This isn't the training ground you're familiar with. It's a Fire Moth prison."

"Prison?"

Mei's confusion deepened. The Elysian Realm was fundamentally a vast database commemorating the Thirteen Flame-Chasers, and those residing within were their memory simulations. Even if some members had committed crimes in the real world, it seemed unlikely a dedicated prison would be built here.

'No.' She quickly realized her assumption might be wrong. Since both Elysia and Su had mentioned that things within the Elysian Realm are generated by cognition, was it possible this prison wasn't part of the original design, but instead manifested based on someone's perception?

"Miss Sakura, do you know who is imprisoned here?" Mei asked, subtly turning her gaze towards the Flame-Chaser and watching her expression closely.

To have detected the mech tide so quickly and delivered such a precise strike, Sakura had to be familiar with this place. If Mei wasn't mistaken, this prison clearly had intricate ties to her.

But Sakura simply shook her head, her expression tinged with regret. "I don't know. Or rather... I might know, but I've forgotten."

"Forgotten?" Mei didn't readily accept this, yet there was no trace of deception in Sakura's demeanor. Resigned, Mei changed the subject. "Then, Miss Sakura, why do you stay here?"

"I don't know."

"Huh?"

For a moment, Mei felt her blood pressure spike. Elysia was like this, Eden was like this, and now this new Flame-Chaser was the same. It felt less like entering the Elysian Realm and more like stumbling into a convention of enigmas.

"My apologies, Miss Mei. It's not that I'm unwilling to tell you, but I truly don't remember the identity of the prisoner." Sakura looked genuinely sorry, her gaze drifting unconsciously towards the rows of metal-cast cells. A flicker of memory crossed her eyes, but no matter how hard she tried to grasp it, only a hollow ache remained.

"Over the past tens of thousands of years, I've often been trapped in a strange dream. In it, I'm right here in this prison, silently watching the person locked inside. I don't know who it was... I only remember her crying, begging, desperately reaching out her hand, trying to grasp me outside the bars. Yet, the me in the dream could do nothing but watch helplessly as she sank into darkness... and slowly faded away."

As she spoke, Sakura walked closer to the cells. She reached out, her fingers brushing against the cold iron bars, as if trying to grasp the phantom sensations of the dream.

"I've tried to hold onto the details... but whenever I awaken, those memories are wiped clean, like writing erased from paper. I can't tell if it's truly a dream or a fragmented memory... but the agonizing pain it leaves behind never fades. Only when I come here, alone in this prison, does that pain ease, even just a little."

Mei listened silently, sensing the profound anguish beneath Sakura's calm exterior. She finally understood the source of the contradictions and complexities in her demeanor.

"Brief relief often just makes the next wave of pain sharper. Have you ever considered asking the other Flame-Chasers about this?"

Sakura merely shook her head, her gaze unconsciously drifting to her weapon. "The block on my memories is... the result of a Discipline itself. They avoid the subject entirely. How can I possibly seek answers from them?"

Her tone remained level, yet Mei distinctly felt a bone-chilling cold emanate from her as her hand hovered near her weapon.

Can even Flame-Chasers hold such killing intent towards one another?

A chill ran down Mei's spine; her assessment of the Elysian Realm's dangers notched up another level. Sensing Sakura teetering on the edge, Mei instinctively tightened her grip on her own sword, preparing for a potential attack.

However, the icy aura vanished as swiftly as it had appeared. Sakura returned to her usual cool, composed state.

"Apologies. I didn't intend for you to witness that. When I dwell on these memories... I sometimes lose control. It's why I usually prefer to be alone."

"I understand." With the tension easing, Mei smoothly shifted the topic. "By the way, Miss Sakura, it seems we both favor the same type of weapon. Could you tell me... how did you execute that slash earlier?"

"It's nothing special," Sakura replied. "Just speed. When a strike reaches the absolute limit of speed, even space itself can be severed. That is the essence of Setsuna—the Instant."

"Speed..." Mei murmured. As the Herrscher of Thunder, her own strikes moved with the speed of lightning, yet they couldn't approach the level of warping space itself. This stark contrast hammered home just how terrifying Sakura's speed truly was. Just as Mei was about to inquire further, Sakura seemed disinclined to continue the conversation.

"This is the exit for this space. Please leave now, Miss Mei. This place holds no significance for you. The areas beyond the twelfth floor are currently beyond your ability. To advance further, you must obtain more Signets. However, I cannot grant you the Signet of Setsuna just yet. If you manage to clear the first deep exploration area, I will await you in the main hall. Also... be wary of certain other Flame-Chasers. They are dangerous."

...

Mei departed, leaving Sakura alone once more within the prison. The dark crimson bars seemed to radiate a bone-deep chill, confining her fragmented memories.

"No matter how fast my blade... it seems it cannot sever the malice in the human heart..." Sakura murmured softly to herself. With her thumb, she nudged the tsuba of her katana, exposing an inch of its razor edge. Reflected in the polished steel was a pair of dull, gray eyes.

"I can help you retrieve your sealed memories."

Just as Sakura prepared to settle in for another long vigil, as she often did, a boy's voice suddenly echoed through the desolate prison.

Shing!

In an instant, her blade was drawn, slicing through the air to stop mere millimeters from the intruder's throat.

"Who are you?!"

"Let's make a deal," the boy said, utterly unfazed by the blade practically touching his skin. His gaze burned intently into Sakura's. "I help you break free from the chains of the Discipline, and in return, you do something for me. What do you say?"

"A deal... What are you referring to?" Sakura asked, suspicion lacing her voice.

"For instance..." the boy continued, a knowing look in his eyes, "...what you desperately want to know. About the girl in that cell. Your sister—Rin."