They walked deeper into the palace corridors, footsteps echoing softly against sapphire-opal walls.
The light inside wasn't artificial — it felt like the stone itself was breathing color. Reflections shimmered across the floor like shallow water.
Ezra ran his hand near one of the pillars, studying its surface.
"Kelly," he said thoughtfully, "how did people live in places like this? I mean… everything is one tone. One atmosphere. Wouldn't that affect the mind?"
Kelly glanced back at him.
"It did," she said honestly. "Records from early travelers mention mood shifts. Heightened imagination. Vivid dreams. Some even reported hearing echoes that weren't there."
Ezra gave a small scoff."Sounds like myth stacking on myth."
Kelly shrugged."Locals say the builders used magic to stabilize the structure and the minds within it."
Ezra smirked lightly."Magic is always the answer when history refuses to explain itself."
Mellody's voice called from ahead.
"Ezra! Look at this!"
They walked toward her.
Through the center of the palace flowed a narrow saltwater river, gliding smoothly between carved stone channels. It reflected the sapphire walls like a ribbon of sky trapped inside architecture.
Ezra crouched slightly, studying it.
"This is insane," he murmured. "They built a river into the structure? And the surface is so reflective… it's like we're inside a mirror."
Mellody smiled softly."It feels like fantasy."
Kelly nodded.
"That's not even the best part."
She motioned them forward.
They followed her down a long corridor until suddenly—
The palace ended.
Not gradually.
Not in ruins.
Just… ended.
The floor continued for a few meters — then nothing.
Half of the palace stood proudly behind them.Ahead — a cliff.Open air.Ocean roaring below.
Ezra stepped back slightly, stunned.
"What—"
Kelly folded her arms.
"This is the twist. That's why it's also called The Half-Myth."
Mellody stared at the edge, wind lifting her hair.
"It's beautiful," she whispered."But incomplete."
"Where's the other half?" Ezra asked.
Kelly smiled faintly.
"Missing. Or somewhere else."She paused. "That part is saved for later. It's one of the surprises of this trip."
She checked her watch.
"I'll grab drinks from the nearby stall. You two take your time."
She left them alone near the cliff.
For a moment, they just stood there.
Wind. Sea. Sunlight.
Mellody turned slowly to Ezra.
"Isn't it mind-blowing?" she asked softly.
He nodded.
"It is. A mythic castle just… existing. No explanation. No foundation. Just standing."
She watched his expression carefully.
"And?"
He sighed lightly.
"And I still don't believe you have cosmic powers."
She blinked.
"You're serious?"
"Yeah." He smiled faintly. "Prove it."
She crossed her arms playfully.
"How do you want me to prove it?"
He shrugged."Do something impossible."
She stepped closer.
"You're sure?"
"Yes."
Mellody didn't dramatize it.
She simply snapped her fingers.
—
For a fraction of a second—
Sound vanished.
The cliff disappeared.
The ocean dissolved.
Ezra's stomach dropped as gravity loosened its grip.
They weren't falling.
They were floating.
Around them stretched a realm of luminous gold architecture — towering spires, intricate halls woven from light itself. Not blinding. Not overwhelming. Just vast. Radiant. Structured beyond physics.
The air shimmered like warm metal.
Ezra's eyes widened. A mix of fear and awe twisted through him — and something unstable he couldn't name. He was simply flowing with it.
"Wait—" he breathed. "What is this? I want to see more."
Mellody looked at him calmly — not glowing, not transformed — just herself.
"Not now," she said gently."You're not ready to process all of it."
The realm flickered softly around them.
"I'll show you properly one day," she continued."When it won't fracture your thoughts."
She leaned forward and kissed his cheek.
The warmth grounded him.
Then—
The cliff returned.
The wind came back.
The ocean roared below.
Ezra stumbled slightly, grabbing her hand.
His heart raced — not from fear — but from confirmation.
"That… wasn't imagination," he whispered.
"No," she replied quietly.
He stared at her for a long moment.
"You're insane."
She smiled."Maybe. And lucky to get that insane wife, Me~" and she laughs.
He exhaled, still shaken but strangely calm.
They walked back toward the cliff edge together.
The sea shimmered beneath the late afternoon sun.
For once—
Ezra didn't feel dread.
He felt small.
But safe.
And somewhere inside him, a quiet realization settled:
If the palace was half a myth…
Maybe he was too.