Silence.
But not the kind that brings peace.
This was a silence so suffocating… even breathing felt like a crime.
Cindros stood ahead — no rage in his eyes.
Only the still lava of a soul that had burned… long ago.
---
Cindros (softly):
"You speak the truth, Aren.
You have courage.
But now… let's see if you can protect it."
---
Tomo (suddenly alert):
"BRO!! Spiral Flux spike incoming —
Hostile Spiral signature detected —
RUN!!"
---
But I didn't move.
Cindros simply raised a finger…
And drew a glowing red Spiral symbol in the air.
From its center, a single word echoed:
> "Ash Chrono Loop."
---
The ground trembled.
The sky cracked.
And I—
I was back in that city.
The same one Nero had shown me before.
Built from ash.
Mute.
Trapped in itself.
---
But this time…
Something was different.
---
Clock:
2:59
2:58
2:57
---
BOOM.
A massive explosion erupted.
Buildings caught fire.
People screamed.
The roads of sand caught flame.
I ran.
---
Clock reset.
2:59
2:58
---
Same blast.
Same screams.
Same flames.
Same hell.
---
Me (shouting):
"What is this?! A Spiral illusion?!"
---
Tomo (echoing from Spiral Rod):
"BRO THIS IS A REAL-TIME MEMORY BURN!
You're not in a loop…
You're trapped."
---
I kept running.
But every three minutes…
I returned to the same spot.
My body blistered.
The Spiral mark on my hand darkened —
from crimson to pitch black.
---
Cindros (voice echoing from above):
"I'm not trying to kill you, Aren.
I'm trying to show you…
what it feels like to save no one."
---
Another loop.
This time, I saw—
Tomo disintegrated in an explosion.
Aika fell from a balcony — her eyes blank.
Eira dissolved into burning Spiral flame.
---
Me (screaming):
"STOP IT!!"
Nothing stopped.
Nothing listened.
---
I dropped to my knees.
My hands burned.
The Spiral Rod's handle began to melt.
---
Me (whispering to myself):
"…Will I really never be able to save them…?"
---
Tomo (faint, fading whisper):
"Bro… remember… what's real…
Spiral can take everything…
But not your true memory…"
---
Then— a flicker.
A memory.
Small.
Faint.
I was at the edge of a cliff—
Falling—
And a hand grabbed mine.
I couldn't see the face—
Aika? Mother?
I didn't know.
But I could feel it.
Warmth.
---
Me (eyes lifting):
"I'll break this loop.
Not with your fire, Cindros…
But with the light of my memories."
---
The Spiral Rod began to glow —
from red…
to molten gold.
The Spiral mark on my hand ignited.
And inside the loop—
a tear opened.
A rift.
---
Me:
"If you want to burn me down again and again…
Then look me in the eyes, Cindros—
Because this time…
I'm ready to burn.
But I'm taking you with me."
---
To be continued…