I exhaled as the battle in Rin's mind came to an end, the storm of black mana finally subsiding. Her mental figure rested limply in my arms, the fierce, untamed energy that had consumed her now reduced to silence.
'What a stubborn girl,' I thought, shaking my head. Even when I entered her mind, her purpose had been singular and absolute: to die. Not out of selfishness, but a grim resolve to protect the world from the destruction she feared she would bring. She'd even gone so far as to redirect my efforts, trying to force me into killing her in a way that would render her brain dead while sparing the world outside.
But she had underestimated me. I wasn't here to destroy her. I was here to save her.
'I still have enough mana,' I thought, relief washing over me. The strength I had expended in the battle existed only in this mental world, sparing my physical body from the toll. That was good—because I was going to need every ounce of power I had left for what came next.
Closing my eyes, I called upon my third Gift.
Mythweaver.
The moment it ignited, I felt it thrumming within me, a spark of infinite possibility. Mythweaver didn't just rewrite stories—it rewrote truths. It could take the fabric of reality, stretch it, shape it, and stitch it back together in ways no mortal hand could ever achieve.
And now, it would rewrite Rin.
I glanced down at her, her face still contorted with traces of the torment that had ruled her existence. I needed to fix her—not just subdue her black mana, but restore her rationality and balance. Her Gift of Duality, the power that had consumed her, wasn't inherently evil. It was powerful, yes, but unstable, a volatile fusion of mana and black mana that no human was ever meant to wield.
So, I began.
In the mental space of her mind, I reached out with Mythweaver. The Gift of Duality shimmered in her core, a chaotic swirl of light and shadow. It pulsed erratically, like a heart beating out of rhythm. Gently, I touched it, and the threads of its existence began to unravel.
I worked carefully, pulling apart the tangled energies that made up the Gift. Bit by bit, I separated the light from the dark, the mana from the black mana. They resisted at first, fighting to remain intertwined, but Mythweaver's power was absolute. Slowly, Duality unraveled into two distinct Gifts: one of pure mana, radiant and steady, and one of black mana, dark and controlled.
When it was done, Rin's mental figure stirred in my arms. The tension in her expression softened, the lines of pain and fury fading as her face relaxed into something peaceful. I smiled faintly, the exhaustion creeping into my limbs even here.
"It's done," I whispered to her, though I wasn't sure she could hear me. "You're free now."
I opened my eyes in the real world, blinking against the sudden brightness. My body felt heavy, my muscles protesting even the slightest movement. Beside me, Rin stirred. Her breathing, once erratic and shallow, was calm now. Her eyes fluttered open, and for a moment, she just stared at me, her dark gaze filled with something unfamiliar—clarity.
"Rin?" I said softly.
She didn't answer right away. Instead, she sat up slowly, her movements tentative, as though testing her own body for the first time. Then, without warning, she turned toward me and threw her arms around me.
"Thank you," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Thank you… my hero."
I froze, caught off guard by the raw emotion in her words. She pulled back just enough to look at me, her eyes shimmering with tears. "You didn't give up on me," she said, her voice breaking. "Even when I… even when I gave up on myself."
I smiled weakly, raising a hand to ruffle her hair. "Told you I'd save you."
Rin's family approached, their expressions a mix of disbelief and overwhelming relief. Valen, the once-imposing King of the West, looked utterly undone. His hands trembled as he reached out, hesitating for a moment before pulling Rin into a tight embrace. Camila joined them, tears streaming down her face as she clung to her daughter.
Valen turned to me, his voice hoarse. "What… what did you do?" he asked, his tone laced with both gratitude and confusion.
I leaned back against the wall, exhaustion weighing me down like a lead cloak. "Her Gift… Duality…" I began, my words slow and labored. "It was too much for one person to bear. So I… split it."
Valen's eyes widened. "Split it?"
I nodded faintly. "Two Gifts now. One for mana… one for black mana. They're stable. Balanced." A faint smile tugged at my lips. "She's free now."
And then, before I could say another word, the weight of everything caught up with me. The room tilted, and darkness rushed in to claim me.
__________________________________________________________________________________
As Arthur's knees buckled, his body finally giving way, Jin moved swiftly, catching him before he collapsed completely. His arms held firm, steadying the man who had done what Jin himself had thought impossible. He looked down at Arthur with something he hadn't felt in years—gratitude.
"You never stop surprising me," Jin murmured softly. With a wave of his hand, one of his spectral summons appeared—a tall, shadowy figure that exuded both power and grace. The summon bowed its head slightly before lifting Arthur's unconscious form with surprising care and carrying him to a nearby bed.
Jin stood, turning his attention to Rin. His twin sister. The sister he hadn't spoken to, held, or even truly seen in eighteen years.
Rin stood motionless, her dark hair falling like a curtain around her face. Her eyes, no longer clouded by black mana, were wide and filled with a fragile mix of disbelief and vulnerability. She looked at Jin as though she didn't know where to begin. Her lips parted as if to speak, but no words came out.
For a moment, Jin didn't know what to say either. The years between them stretched like a chasm, filled with silence and pain. He took a step forward, and Rin flinched slightly, her body tense as though bracing for rejection.
"Rin," Jin said softly, his voice trembling despite himself. "It's really you."
Her lower lip quivered, and the tears she had been holding back began to spill over. "Jin…" she whispered, her voice breaking. "I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry."
Jin's chest tightened. "Don't," he said quickly, shaking his head. "You don't have to apologize."
"Yes, I do!" she cried, her voice raw with emotion. "I… I hurt you. I hurt Father and Mother. I… I destroyed everything. I—"
"Rin," Jin interrupted, his voice firmer this time. "You didn't destroy anything. That wasn't you. It was the black mana, the Gift. It wasn't your fault."
She sobbed, her shoulders shaking as years of guilt poured out of her. "But I should have fought harder. I should have—"
"You were a child," Jin said, stepping closer. "You were five, Rin. And after that, you were alone. For eighteen years…" His voice broke, and he exhaled shakily. "For eighteen years, I thought I'd lost you. But you're here. You're alive."
Rin looked up at him, her tears falling freely. "I thought I was lost forever," she whispered.
Jin didn't hesitate any longer. He stepped forward and pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly as though afraid she might disappear if he let go. Rin froze for a moment, then melted into the embrace, her sobs muffled against his shoulder.
"I missed you," Jin said, his voice cracking. "I missed you so much."
"I missed you too," Rin whispered, her hands clutching at his back. "Every single day."
Behind them, Valen stood silently, his normally stoic face betraying the depth of his emotions. His hands trembled at his sides, and his gaze remained fixed on his daughter. After a moment, he took a halting step forward.
"Rin," Valen said, his voice low but steady.
Rin turned, stepping back from Jin as her gaze met her father's. For a moment, neither spoke. The weight of eighteen years hung between them, heavy and unspoken.
"I…" Valen began, his voice faltering. He swallowed hard and tried again. "I was ready to kill you."
Rin's breath hitched, but she didn't look away.
"I convinced myself it was the only way," Valen continued, his tone thick with regret. "To protect the family. To protect the kingdom. But the truth is, I failed you. I didn't protect you when you needed me most. I gave up on you." He lowered his head, his hands clenching into fists. "I'm sorry."
Rin's lips trembled, and for a long moment, she said nothing. Then, to Valen's shock, she stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. He stiffened, unprepared for the gesture, but she held on tightly, her voice trembling as she spoke.
"You did what you had to," Rin said softly. "I understand. And I forgive you."
Valen's breath shuddered as he closed his eyes, his arms slowly coming up to hold her. "You're stronger than I ever was," he whispered.
Camila, who had been watching silently from the doorway, finally stepped forward. Tears streamed down her face as she joined the embrace, pulling both Rin and Valen close. "We have you back," she murmured. "That's all that matters."