Louskas lost consciousness from the sheer pressure crushing his mind. He may have survived that brutal fight, but he had stared death in the eyes—and that wasn't something the soul could forget. Not to mention the strain from overusing his teleportation.
He felt a gentle warmth spreading through his body. The scent of damp wood mixed with the aroma of warm food tickled his senses. Slowly, he opened his dark eyes. Crimson light streamed softly through a nearby window, casting long, tranquil shadows across the room.
"You're awake, sir?"
The voice was soft, feminine.
He turned toward it, finding a relatively short woman with long black hair cascading smoothly down her back. She wore a white robe, open at the sleeves, revealing pale skin that looked like fine porcelain.
He tried to sit up, but his body was still heavy.
"How long was I out?" he asked, voice hoarse and tired.
"A full week. You should eat—your body is still weak."
She smiled gently and gestured toward the small wooden table between them.
Louskas noticed the house was simple, barely fit for one person. That struck him as odd, but he didn't comment. He finally sat up, hesitating before reaching for the food.
"We should wait until your companions arrive, lady."
Despite his hunger, he refused to start eating alone. It was an old habit… and a chance to gather information.
The woman smiled, though something in her eyes shimmered with sadness.
"My mother can't come here anymore."
He raised an eyebrow in surprise but didn't ask further.
"Call me Irissa," she said softly. "No need for formalities. Eat first. I'll explain everything afterward."
He looked at her for a moment, then nodded in silence. He didn't need convincing—his hunger was unbearable. He began to eat, and every now and then, he caught himself glancing at her.
She barely touched her food, sipping wine slowly, letting out a quiet laugh every time he nearly choked on something.
———
Once he was finally full, Louskas pushed his plate aside and let out a deep breath. Irissa still held her wine glass, gazing into it as if her mind had drifted far away.
"Alright," she began, setting the glass down and meeting his eyes. "Let me introduce myself first."
"My name is Irissa, and my mother is Silvara. We used to live together in this small house… I'll try to explain what you need to understand. But remember—if you want to grow, you must learn to understand the world yourself. Don't rely on others to feed it to you."
Louskas straightened his posture and gave her his full attention.
"In the old days, during the onset of the Great War, my father was the original owner of this shard—[___]. When death neared him, he cast my mother into this world. This place… is the shard's world. Every shard, if it accepts you, grants you access to its inner realm. And if you're chosen… you can control it."
She paused, collecting her thoughts. Her eyes shimmered with pain, and that faint smile began to fade.
"My father intended to follow her… but he never made it. There was no escape left for him. My mother was already nine months pregnant with me. And when he lost control of the shard's world, he couldn't help her escape."
Her eyes fell to her glass again as she took another slow sip.
"She was alone… she fought, she survived, even as agony tore her apart from within. She spent two extra years in this place while still carrying me inside her. She endured everything… for my sake."
Louskas didn't need to hear more to understand. What her mother endured wasn't something most could even imagine.
"She always used to tell me," Irissa added with a faint, bittersweet chuckle,
"If you ever die… I don't know what I'll do after."
But that laugh… wasn't born of joy.