Chapter 5 – Snow, Sand, and the End of Illusions

"Do you come here often?" he joked, taking a seat beside Rubia at the counter.

She let out a small smile.

"Only when the weather's nice," she replied, shrugging before taking another sip of her coffee.

He always made a face whenever she drank that "bitter stuff," as he liked to call it.

They were so different.

But Rubia knew the difference that would hurt the most… was time.

She didn't remember everything, but one thing she was sure of: she would live for many, many years.

And Haniel… Haniel would only live in her memory.

So she cherished every second with him like it was the last — because it very well could be. Compared to how long she had left to live, their time together was painfully short.

She wanted to keep every moment into her memory and make them eternal.

"It's snowing," he said, his voice full of wonder.

Rubia smiled as she saw the flakes falling beyond the glass, but her smile faded quickly as reality returned.

"It's snowing," she repeated, this time serious. He looked at her, confused.

"Time is moving again. And we're still here."

Their eyes met once more — just like the last time at the great gate.

Fear.

What came next?

Would they still remember each other?

Would they meet again?

And again… everything vanished. Their questions left unanswered.

***

How many attempts had it been?

Too many.

Too many times trying to escape the soldiers. At first, they tried sneaking out at night — but the freezing cold and scorching heat defeated them. The desert dragged their bodies back through the sand.

They tried fleeing in the morning, but exhaustion and thirst won.

Now, by some miracle, they'd managed to steal a car — speeding toward the border, desperate to cross before being shot.

No more mercy. The soldiers weren't dragging them back this time. They were shooting to kill.

It happened fast. One moment, they were celebrating, thinking they'd lost their pursuers. The next, the car flipped violently through the sand.

When the wreck stopped, Rubia scrambled out and ran toward Haniel's body.

He was outside, bleeding.

A bullet had torn through his stomach. Blood wouldn't stop pouring out.

For the first time, Rubia felt something wet sliding down her face.

Tears.

She hadn't known they could sting so much.

"No…" she whispered, rage building in her eyes. "I can do this. I'm going to save you," she said, pressing down on the wound, trying to stop the bleeding.

Just a few steps more and they would cross the border.

But then what?

More desert? More time trapped in nothing?

She couldn't think about that. She had to try — no matter how slim the chance.

She couldn't lose him.

"G-go, Rubia…" he whispered, weakly trying to push her hands away.

But she held onto him with all her strength and dragged his body toward the border. The soldiers had caught up, and now bullets rained down on them.

Several tore through Rubia's body. Blood streamed from her wounds, and she collapsed to the ground. But that didn't stop her.

She locked her arms around him, clung to him with everything she had, dragging his lifeless body along with hers.

Deep down, she knew he was already gone. But she couldn't accept it. Not yet.

Everything would be fine. She just had to reach the border.

And she did.

The moment she crossed it—everything disappeared again.

But this time, when she opened her eyes, she was home.

In her real world.

Her memories hit her like a flood, as if they'd always been there.

It was just as dark as she remembered, lit only by the warm flicker of candles. But unlike before, she wasn't alone.

He was there.

She saw his golden curls through the shadows.

"Ravi," she murmured, feeling her blood boil.

"What have you done?"