The morning sun rose over Berbeign, its golden light reflecting off the rooftops and academy towers in the distance.
The city was waking up vendors opening stalls, students heading to morning lessons
but one figure walked unseen through the narrow alleys, cloaked in shadows.
It was Fogotto.
His steps were silent, his expression unreadable beneath his dark hood. Though his body appeared flesh and blood, faint wisps of black mist leaked from his hands and neck remnants of his true, hidden nature.
Fogotto (quietly): "This energy… it's strong here. Milly must've been close."
He stopped near the ruined outskirts of the city, where strange burn marks and shattered stones marked the aftermath of something catastrophic.
He crouched down, running a clawed hand across the scorched ground.
Fogotto: "She's losing control faster than we thought…"
He straightened up, eyes narrowing toward the distant academy tower.
Fogotto (grimly): "Commander, I hope you're ready for this…"
And with that, he turned, walking toward the heart of the city toward Milly.
(Scene Milly's Room, Berbeign)
Inside a small villa by the beach, Milly sat on her bed, the purple fragment resting in her palm.
Its glow had grown stronger since she brought it home.
Every few seconds, it pulsed like a heartbeat, and each time, Milly's head throbbed faintly in response.
Milly (softly): "Why does it feel… alive?"
She turned it in her hand, studying the swirling light inside.
Her instincts screamed to stop but her curiosity refused.
Milly (thinking): "Maybe… it's a sealed magic core? Or… a memory crystal?"
Her fingers brushed against its surface.
The crystal flashed.
A wave of warmth spread through her hand, up her arm, then into her head
and suddenly, everything around her changed.
(Scene Memory Realm)
The white walls of her room dissolved into a battlefield.
Thunder roared in the distance.
Flames. Screams.
She stood in armor she didn't recognize wielding weapons she never owned
and before her eyes, countless soldiers fell, one by one.
Unknown Soldier (dying voice): "L–Lady Milly… it was an honor…"
Her golden eyes widened in horror as she caught the soldier's body in her arms.
Milly (shaking): "No… this isn't real… I've never… I've never been here!"
Another explosion tore through the ground nearby, sending shockwaves of heat through her.
A massive shadow loomed overhead a dragon, black as night, crashing down from the sky.
And through the chaos, voices called out
names she didn't recognize, yet felt carved into her soul.
Deep Voice (echoing): "Basei! Noir! Hold the line
-!"
Another voice: "Mil- watch out!"
Then came silence.
She looked down to see her hands covered in blood hands not her own, armor burned, torn-
and the world began to fade.
Milly (screaming): "STOP! STOP IT!! I DON'T WANT TO SEE THIS!!"
The images tore away from her mind, collapsing into light.
And in the waking world-
(Scene Reality)
A loud, piercing scream shattered the quiet morning air.
It echoed across the entire academy grounds so powerful that windows rattled and birds fled the trees.
Teachers and students froze mid-motion.
Student: "W-What was that!?"
Another: "It sounded like… Miss Mila!"
Moments later, in her villa, Milly collapsed to the floor, the crystal rolling from her hand, still glowing faintly.
Her body trembled for a second, then went completely still.
Outside, the academy alarms flared to life magic wards flickering across the skyline.
And on a nearby rooftop, Fogotto stood watching, his expression grim.
Fogotto (quietly): "She's remembering…*sigh*"
He turned away as the wind blew past, carrying the faint echo of her scream across Berbeign.