That's when the scene materialized.
Not a projection, not an illusion—actual captured memory, preserved in crystallized time and displayed with perfect clarity. Nyxavere found herself watching her father, Maya, and Zhang Ruoyun in what looked like their private study, voices hushed but carrying clearly across dimensions.
"We can't let Nyxavere discover what we chose," Maya was saying, her expression heavy with guilt that seemed to age her features. "If she learns that we had to pick between Chione and—"
"She can never know," her father interrupted, his voice carrying pain that made Nyxavere's chest tighten. "The decision we made, the price we paid... if she found out we let Chione die..."
"That would destroy her," Zhang Ruoyun added, phoenix fire dimming with sorrow. "And the anger would destroy everything else."
No. No, this has to be fake. This has to be—
