The Memory That Burned the World
The ground looks like molten glass.
Above, red Spiral shards swirl through the sky — as if every memory has turned into a blade.
I — Aren Kael — stand at the heart of the fracture.
Right in front of me… a small Spiral flame burns.
Inside it — a 7-year-old Aika.
Crying. Her Spiral mark glowing brightly.
Alone.
---
Tomo (softly):
"Bro… this isn't the Aika you knew.
This is the Aika… you never even got to meet."
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I step closer, eyes filled with tears…
But the flame pushes me back.
Spiral Rod (glowing faintly inside):
> "She's locked away.
Spiral sealed her with the pain she couldn't let go."
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[FLASHBACK BEGINS]
In the Spiral world…
A little girl stands screaming outside a massive temple.
Young Aika:
> "Why am I not normal?!
Why do I remember every pain?!"
"Should I just forget… to be happy?"
She's crying.
And beside her… stands a boy — Kuze.
Kuze (voice soft, caring):
> "I'm here, Aika.
Even if you forget everything…
I'll remember you."
Then — the Spiral lock activates.
Her eyes go blank.
And from that moment… Kuze is erased from her world.
---
Back to Present
I stare into the flame.
Aren (softly):
> "You wanted to forget everything…
But you remembered it all, didn't you?"
"That girl… was always you."
---
The flame flares up.
Little Aika screams inside —
> "I don't want to remember!!"
I raise the Spiral Rod.
The line on it glows:
> "Pain that's embraced… becomes truth."
---
Aren:
> "I could've tried to fix you… made you perfect."
"But I choose to love the real you — the one who broke… and survived."
"Because you're Aika.
Not some Spiral illusion."
And I walk into the flame.
---
Scene: Spiral Burn Begins
The fire wraps around me — searing hot.
Memories cracking open all around.
Tomo screams:
Tomo:
> "BROOO YOU'LL BREAK!!"
---
Aika lifts her eyes…
And across her face, written in Spiral flame, appears:
> "You forgot me once…
But I never forgot you."
---
Present Aika emerges from the Spiral — her hair flowing, Spiral mark glowing, violet eyes burning bright.
Aika (quietly):
> "I'm back, Aren.
But this time… I won't become anyone's flame."
"I'll be the fire that guards my own memories."
---
Rod Upgrade Message Appears:
> Flame of Recovery — "What breaks you… can rebuild you."
---
Scene Shift: Lunara Vale Gate
Lunara watches quietly from afar.
Lunara (inner voice):
> "Once, Spiral saved her.
Now, she saved herself.
At last… even Spiral is changing."
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Final Scene
Somewhere far… Yui touches a glowing Spiral chain.
She senses Aika through it.
Yui (softly):
> "Good.
You burned…
Now you truly belong to us."
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TO BE CONTINUED…