Chapter 108: After the Dream
Morning arrived quietly.
Too quietly.
Dillan Ruren opened his eyes.
For several seconds, he didn’t move.
He stared at the ceiling.
White.
Plain.
Ordinary.
Yet his mind was anything but ordinary.
He remembered the oak tree.
The girl whose face his mind refused to reveal.
The black entity kneeling before him.
The words.
I chose to make sure I’d never be alone.
Dillan slowly sat up.
His hand moved to his chest.
His heartbeat was normal.
No pain.
No strange energy.
No crimson eyes.
Nothing.
He looked toward the window.
Sunlight spilled across the room.
"...So it was real."
A familiar notification appeared.
[GOOD MORNING, HOST.]
[PSYCHOLOGICAL INTEGRITY: 94%.]
[ONEIRIC MALFORMATION: DORMANT.]
[SIXTH LOCK: COMPLETED.]
[PRIMARY MEMORY: PARTIALLY RESTORED.]
Dillan stared at the System.
"...Partially?"
The notification changed.
[CORRECT.]
"How much?"
[18.7%.]
Dillan’s eyebrow twitched.
"You couldn’t round that?"
[NO.]
"...You’re becoming annoying."
[STATEMENT ACKNOWLEDGED.]
Dillan sighed.
At least the System hadn’t changed completely.
Or so he thought.
A new notification appeared.
[NEW FUNCTION UNLOCKED.]
[MEMORY TRACE.]
[DESCRIPTION: ALLOWS THE HOST TO IDENTIFY DISTORTIONS BETWEEN AUTHENTIC MEMORY AND MANUFACTURED MEMORY.]
Dillan’s expression disappeared.
"...Manufactured?"
The System remained silent.
"Dillan?"
He turned.
Aurelia stood in the doorway.
She was holding two cups.
"You’ve been talking to yourself again."
Dillan looked at the System.
Then back at her.
"...Maybe."
Aurelia handed him one of the cups.
"Coffee."
He took it.
"Thanks."
She sat beside the window.
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Aurelia asked quietly:
"Do you remember?"
Dillan’s fingers tightened around the cup.
"Some."
"How much?"
"Not enough."
Aurelia looked down.
"...That’s probably safer."
Dillan immediately looked at her.
"Why?"
She didn’t answer.
"Aurelia."
She finally raised her eyes.
"Because some memories aren’t meant to be remembered."
Dillan stared at her.
"That’s exactly what someone says when they know something."
Aurelia smiled faintly.
"You’ve become suspicious."
"I’ve always been suspicious."
"No."
She shook her head.
"Before, you were suspicious of everyone."
Her smile disappeared.
"Now you’re suspicious of your own memories."
Dillan went silent.
That was true.
And he hated it.
Breakfast
The kitchen was unusually crowded.
Dana was arguing with Lyra about coffee.
"You’ve already had three cups."
"I’m aware."
"Then stop."
"No."
Dana stared at her.
"...You really are impossible."
Sasha’s chair was empty.
Dillan noticed immediately.
His eyes remained on it for several seconds.
Dana noticed.
"You looking for someone?"
Dillan looked away.
"No."
Aurelia quietly placed a plate in front of him.
"Eat."
Dillan nodded.
But his eyes returned to the empty chair.
Sasha was gone.
No explanation.
No message.
Nothing.
And somehow...
that bothered him more than the dreams.
Lyra placed her cup down.
"Dillan."
He looked at her.
"Don’t."
"Don’t what?"
"Go looking for Sasha."
Silence.
Dana stopped eating.
Aurelia looked toward Lyra.
Dillan’s expression hardened.
"Why?"
Lyra’s eyes didn’t move.
"Because you don’t know what you’ll find."
Dillan stared at her.
"...That’s not an answer."
"No."
Lyra took another sip.
"It’s a warning."
The System appeared.
Only Dillan could see it.
[RELATIONAL ANOMALY DETECTED.]
[SUBJECT: SASHA.]
[STATUS: UNAVAILABLE.]
[LOCATION: UNKNOWN.]
[CAUTION.]
[DO NOT ASSUME ABSENCE EQUALS SAFETY.]
Dillan nearly dropped his fork.
"...What?"
Dana looked at him.
"What?"
"Nothing."
He stared at the System.
"Why would you say that?"
[QUERY INVALID.]
"You literally warned me about Sasha."
[QUERY INVALID.]
"Then tell me what ’relational anomaly’ means."
Silence.
"...System?"
Nothing.
Dillan’s eyes narrowed.
For the first time...
the System had deliberately refused to answer.
Later
Dillan walked through the city alone.
People moved around him.
Cars passed.
Stores opened.
Children laughed.
Everything was normal.
That was the problem.
After everything he’d experienced...
normality felt suspicious.
He stopped at a pedestrian crossing.
A little girl ran past him.
She suddenly stopped.
Turned.
And stared directly at him.
Dillan froze.
She pointed toward him.
"You’re the boy from the tree."
His heart stopped.
"...What?"
Her mother immediately grabbed her hand.
"Sorry."
The woman pulled her away.
Dillan stood motionless.
The traffic light changed.
People crossed around him.
He didn’t move.
The System appeared.
[MEMORY TRACE ACTIVATED.]
[EXTERNAL MEMORY ECHO DETECTED.]
[SOURCE: UNKNOWN.]
Dillan slowly turned toward the girl.
She was already gone.
"...The boy from the tree."
His hand curled into a fist.
Then he heard something.
A whisper.
Not from the System.
Not from his surroundings.
From inside his own mind.
"You haven’t remembered the important part yet."
Dillan’s blood ran cold.
He closed his eyes.
And suddenly...
he saw the oak tree.
Four children.
Not three.
Not two.
Four.
Dillan.
Sasha.
Aurelia.
And...
someone else.
A girl stood between them.
Her face remained blurred.
But this time...
Dillan heard her voice.
"If you make that choice, Dillan..."
The memory distorted.
"...you’ll never be able to take it back."
Dillan opened his eyes.
He was back on the street.
His breathing was heavy.
The System appeared again.
[PRIMARY MEMORY RESTORATION: 19.1%.]
[NEW MEMORY FRAGMENT ACQUIRED.]
[THE FIRST CHOICE WAS NOT MADE ALONE.]
Dillan stared.
"...What?"
A final notification appeared.
[WARNING.]
[ONE PERSON IN YOUR CURRENT LIFE REMEMBERS THE ENTIRE EVENT.]
Dillan’s pupils contracted.
"...Who?"
The System disappeared.
No answer.
For the first time since the Sixth Lock opened...
Dillan smiled.
Not because he was happy.
Because he finally had a direction.
He turned toward home.
"...Fine."
His eyes hardened.
"If someone remembers everything..."
He clenched his fist.
"...I’ll find them."
Far away...
behind a window...
a woman watched him walking through the street.
She smiled.
And whispered:
"You finally started looking."
Dillan returned home before sunset.
He said nothing about what had happened.
Not to Dana.
Not to Aurelia.
Not to Lyra.
Especially not to Lyra.
He walked through the front door and immediately noticed something.
The house was quiet.
Too quiet.
Dillan looked around.
"...Where is everyone?"
Dana’s voice came from the kitchen.
"Finally."
She appeared holding a grocery bag.
"You disappeared for hours."
"I was walking."
"Walking?"
"Yeah."
Dana stared at him.
"You’ve been acting weird since waking up."
Dillan shrugged.
"Maybe I’m just tired."
Dana narrowed her eyes.
"You’re a terrible liar."
"...Thanks."
"Wasn’t a compliment."
Dillan almost smiled.
For a moment...
everything felt normal.
No Locks.
No dreams.
No mysterious voices.
Just ordinary conversation.
He almost wished it could stay that way.
Then Dana’s expression changed.
"Dillan."
"Hm?"
"Did you see Sasha?"
His smile disappeared.
"No."
Dana looked down.
"She’s been gone since yesterday."
"I know."
"You don’t seem surprised."
"I’m not."
Dana frowned.
"Why?"
Dillan didn’t answer.
Because the System’s warning was still inside his head.
DO NOT ASSUME ABSENCE EQUALS SAFETY.
Dinner
Everyone eventually gathered around the table.
Except Sasha.
Dillan barely touched his food.
Aurelia noticed.
"You should eat."
"I’m not hungry."
"You haven’t eaten properly all day."
"I’m fine."
Lyra placed her fork down.
"You’re investigating her."
Dillan looked at her.
"...Who?"
Lyra stared directly at him.
"You know who."
Dana looked between them.
"Wait. You’re actually looking for Sasha?"
Dillan leaned back.
"I want answers."
Lyra’s expression remained calm.
"You won’t like them."
"That’s becoming everyone’s favorite sentence."
Aurelia looked uneasy.
"Dillan..."
He turned toward her.
"You know something too."
Aurelia froze.
"...What makes you say that?"
"Your face."
She looked away.
Dillan stood.
"I’m going to my room."
Lyra watched him leave.
Dana whispered:
"He’s definitely hiding something."
Aurelia nodded.
"Yes."
Lyra remained silent.
Then she said quietly:
"He’s remembering."
Dillan’s Room
The door closed.
Dillan locked it.
He sat on his bed.
Then opened the System.
[SYSTEM INTERFACE.]
[HOST: DILLAN RUREN.]
[PRIMARY MEMORY RESTORATION: 19.1%.]
[ONEIRIC MALFORMATION: DORMANT.]
[MEMORY TRACE: AVAILABLE.]
Dillan stared at the last option.
"Let’s see what you’re hiding."
He activated it.
[MEMORY TRACE INITIATED.]
[SELECT MEMORY TARGET.]
ChildhoodFirst LockFourth ChildSashaAureliaFirst Choice
Dillan selected First Choice.
The System immediately responded.
[ACCESS DENIED.]
Dillan frowned.
"...Why?"
[MEMORY CLASSIFICATION: RESTRICTED.]
"By whom?"
Silence.
"System."
Nothing.
"Who restricted it?"
A new message appeared.
[AUTHORITY UNKNOWN.]
Dillan’s eyes narrowed.
"So even you don’t know?"
[CORRECT.]
He leaned back.
"Then show me what you can."
Memory Fragment
Darkness.
Dillan heard children laughing.
He opened his eyes.
He was standing beneath the oak tree.
Again.
But this time...
he wasn’t alone.
Sasha stood beside him.
Aurelia was on his other side.
And the fourth child stood directly in front of him.
Dillan couldn’t see her face.
But he could see her hands.
They were covered in blood.
"Dillan..."
The girl’s voice trembled.
"Don’t do it."
Young Dillan stood before the oak.
His hands were shaking.
Behind him...
something enormous moved beneath the ground.
Sasha grabbed his arm.
"We can leave."
Aurelia nodded.
"We should."
Young Dillan looked at both of them.
Then toward the fourth child.
She was crying.
"You promised."
Young Dillan whispered:
"I know."
"Then don’t choose me."
Dillan’s heart pounded.
The memory distorted.
Young Dillan raised his hand.
The earth began opening.
And a voice emerged from beneath the tree.
"Choose."
Dillan watched helplessly.
His younger self looked at the three girls.
Then he said:
"Nobody leaves."
The memory shattered.
Dillan snapped back into reality.
He was on the floor.
His breathing was frantic.
"No..."
He stared at his hands.
"I didn’t choose someone."
His voice trembled.
"I chose..."
He couldn’t finish.
The System appeared.
[MEMORY FRAGMENT ANALYZED.]
[FIRST CHOICE INTERPRETATION UPDATED.]
[PREVIOUS INTERPRETATION: INCOMPLETE.]
[ACTUAL CHOICE: PRESERVATION.]
[COST: UNKNOWN.]
Dillan slowly stood.
"Preservation?"
The room suddenly became cold.
A whisper came from behind him.
"You saved us."
Dillan turned.
Nobody was there.
The voice continued.
"That’s why you lost yourself."
His eyes widened.
"...Who are you?"
Silence.
Then the voice whispered:
"The one who remembers."
Meanwhile
Aurelia stood outside Dillan’s door.
She had heard everything.
Her hand hovered over the handle.
She didn’t enter.
Because she knew.
Dillan wasn’t supposed to remember that memory yet.
And if he did...
then something else would wake up.
Aurelia slowly stepped backward.
Her eyes filled with fear.
"...He’s ahead of schedule."
From the darkness behind her...
someone answered.
"Yes."
Aurelia froze.
She slowly turned.
A familiar silhouette stood at the end of the hallway.
Aurelia’s face went pale.
"...You."
The figure smiled.
"You finally remembered me."
Aurelia whispered:
"But you’re dead."
The figure’s smile widened.
"I was."