Chapter 72 – A Promise She Couldn't Remember
"Evetyl..."
The child's small hand trembled as it held hers.
"You promised you wouldn't leave me again."
The words echoed across the endless field of white flowers.
Evetyl stood frozen.
Her heart was pounding.
"I... I don't understand."
She gently knelt in front of the child.
"I've never met you before."
The child looked down at the flowers.
"I know."
Evetyl blinked.
"You know?"
The child nodded slowly.
"You don't remember me anymore."
There was no anger in the child's voice.
Only sadness.
The kind of sadness that had been carried for a very, very long time.
---
Far away, Kai's voice echoed once again.
"Evetyl!"
The doorway of white light flickered.
She looked toward it.
Then back at the child.
"I have friends waiting for me."
"I know."
"They're worried."
"I know."
"Then... why won't you let me go?"
The child was quiet for a long moment.
Finally, it whispered,
"Because every time someone leaves..."
"...they forget me."
---
Outside the Memory Field...
Kai took another step forward.
"Evetyl!"
She still didn't move.
Her eyes remained completely white.
The mysterious stranger placed a hand on Kai's shoulder.
"Calling her won't be enough."
Kai looked at him.
"Then tell me what will."
The stranger stayed silent.
"The Memory Field doesn't obey strength."
"It responds to feelings."
Kai frowned.
"What does that even mean?"
"It means..."
The stranger looked at Evetyl.
"...she has to make the choice herself."
Kai clenched his fists.
"I hate answers like that."
Cr-Hook nodded.
"So do I."
---
The First Thought slowly closed its book.
"I've found something."
Everyone looked toward it.
"There are only a few records about the Last Memory."
"What do they say?"
The First Thought's voice became quiet.
"It wasn't sealed because it was evil."
The Forgotten One lowered its head.
"I know."
"It was sealed..."
"...because it loved too much."
Silence filled the plaza.
No one expected that answer.
---
The former Outer King frowned.
"What does that mean?"
The Forgotten One looked toward the crack beneath the city.
"When the first worlds were created..."
"The Last Memory remembered every single one."
"When a world disappeared..."
"It mourned."
"When someone died..."
"It cried."
"When civilizations vanished..."
"It remembered all of them."
Its voice became heavy.
"It carried everyone's pain."
Kai's expression softened.
"So it never forgot anyone."
The Forgotten One nodded.
"Never."
---
Back inside the Memory Field...
Evetyl slowly sat beside the child.
The white flowers swayed gently around them.
"What should I call you?"
The child smiled sadly.
"I don't know anymore."
"You really forgot your own name?"
The child nodded.
"I remembered everyone else."
"I remembered every smile."
"Every promise."
"Every goodbye."
"But after so long..."
"I forgot the only person I never wanted to forget."
"Myself."
Evetyl felt a lump form in her throat.
She couldn't imagine carrying memories for longer than time itself.
She couldn't imagine being alone for that long.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
The child looked at her in surprise.
"Why are you apologizing?"
"Because..."
Evetyl looked around the endless field.
"...no one deserves to be alone like this."
The child smiled.
It was a small smile.
But for the first time...
It looked genuine.
---
Outside...
The white light around Evetyl became softer.
The stranger noticed immediately.
"She's talking to it."
Kai looked hopeful.
"Is that good?"
"Very."
"But..."
Kai sighed.
"There's always a 'but.'"
The stranger gave a small smile.
"She's beginning to remember."
Kai frowned.
"Remember what?"
The stranger didn't answer.
Because he didn't know.
---
The Eye suddenly floated higher into the sky.
"I see movement."
Everyone looked up.
Above Crosshaven, tiny cracks had begun appearing in the air.
Not large enough to threaten the city.
Just enough for strange lights to leak through.
The Curator's face became serious.
"The barriers between worlds are weakening."
Noah looked around.
"If this keeps happening..."
"Crosshaven won't stay stable."
The Warden tightened its grip on its chains.
"Then we reinforce the city."
The former Outer King nodded.
"I'll help."
Without another word, the ancient beings spread throughout Crosshaven, protecting the city while Kai refused to leave Evetyl's side.
---
Inside the Memory Field...
The child suddenly stood up.
"Come with me."
Evetyl followed.
They walked through the sea of white flowers until they reached the lonely tree.
It was enormous.
Its branches stretched farther than she could see.
Thousands of glowing leaves gently swayed in the wind.
"What is this?"
The child placed a hand on its trunk.
"This is where memories grow."
Evetyl looked confused.
"Memories... grow?"
The child nodded.
"When someone creates a happy memory..."
"A new leaf appears."
Evetyl looked up.
Millions of glowing leaves covered the tree.
"It's beautiful."
The child's smile slowly faded.
"It used to be bigger."
Evetyl looked again.
Now she noticed it.
Several branches were completely empty.
No leaves.
Only broken limbs.
"What happened?"
The child gently touched one of the broken branches.
"People forgot."
Those two words carried more sadness than any tears could.
"When memories disappear..."
"The tree loses its leaves."
Evetyl reached out and touched the bark.
It felt warm.
Almost alive.
Then...
She noticed something carved into the trunk.
Two names.
One had completely faded away.
The other was still clear.
Evetyl.
Her breathing stopped.
"What..."
She stared at the carving.
"My name..."
The child quietly nodded.
"You carved it."
"I did?"
"A long time ago."
Evetyl slowly stepped back.
"That's impossible."
"I've never been here."
The child looked into her eyes.
"Not yet."
The familiar words sent chills through her body.
Not yet.
The same words the hooded woman had spoken to Kai.
The same strange feeling.
As if the future and the past were quietly holding hands.
The child smiled gently.
"I think..."
"...we're meeting for the first time."
It paused.
"...Again."
Before Evetyl could ask another question...
A single glowing leaf fell from the great tree.
It landed softly in her hands.
The moment she touched it...
A forgotten memory flashed before her eyes.
She saw herself.
Older.
Standing beneath this very tree.
Smiling through tears.
And saying five simple words to the child.
"I'll come back for you."
The vision disappeared.
Evetyl's eyes widened.
"...That was me."
The child nodded with tears in its eyes.
"I've been waiting..."
"...for you to keep your promise."
To Be Continued...