Chapter 59 Besides You (3)
Rinoa sat on the threshold of the world, trapped in a state of limbo where sleep and consciousness overlapped, as time seemed to stand still. She was caught in a limbo where now and then, reality and illusion intertwined in the darkness of the night. The sound of her heartbeat pulsed softly, flowing with the morning dew that enveloped the earth hesitant to rise, as if inviting Rinoa to feel the impact of an unavoidable reality. However, among the thousands of indistinguishable steps, one step in the shadows of the Arkanum base made her chest feel heavy, like an unbearable burden.
Each heartbeat seemed to ignite, summoning a deep pain; her breath came in gasps, her neck felt stiff, as if something were binding her to memories she wished to forget. Throughout this time, the cracks in Rinoa's heart opened new, unexpected memories, bringing back shadows that had long been hidden, hinting at the profound influence of the past on her current state of mind.
And in that charged stillness, as she closed her eyes, the world around her began to fade. Shadows blurred, while colors and sounds grew muted, resonating in a mystical harmony of silence. She felt the temperature drop, her breath trembling as she saw—not a dream, but a reflection urging her to gaze into the depths of her soul, like waves perpetually crashing against cliffs, awakening a profound sense of nostalgia and longing for a past that may have been lost forever.
"Someone called her name. But it wasn't 'Rinoa.'
'Someone embraced her, saved her, shattered her, and loved her... in the wrong order.'
And at the end of that dream, she saw... herself—holding a sparkling black blade of light, her tears flooding the night as she kissed the forehead of a man sealed within a circle of magic, a symbol of sorrow and sacrifice bound by their fates. In that moment, pain intertwined with hope resurfaced, her body trembled, and her soul shivered as if trapped between the desire to move away and the need to remain close. The cracks in Rinoa's heart opened new memories, bringing forth shadows of the past that were difficult to erase, creating a wave of feelings that resonated within her spirit, as though emphasizing that separation did not always equate to complete loss.
As awareness began to break through the boundaries of the dream, Rinoa felt a profound change enveloping her. It was as if one world vanished, replacing all hope with a bitter reality. The darkness that shrouded her slowly faded, allowing painful and contradictory light to penetrate her soul, pushing her back into the harshness of reality.
The cracks in Rinoa's heart unearthed buried memories, seemingly hidden in darkness. Her entire body trembled; every pulse seemed to ignite invisible wounds beneath her skin. Yet, a deeper pain tore through her soul, marking a profound emotional impact. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end, and she felt a weight in her chest, as though the world was crushing her with all its pain and loss. This stirred an overwhelming sense of panic and longing within her.
Someone watched her from a distance, a vague figure blending with the falling rain. The sound of the rain thundered, creating a rhythm that shook her heart and added to the isolation amidst the whispers of the water.
Amidst the downpour that touched her skin, someone stood still among the shadows of the rain, leaving Rinoa feeling empty and estranged in an increasingly blurred world.
Fitran.