Chapter 3: The Burden of Luminara
Liriya had just finished dinner with her parents. The house was quiet, the kind of silence that followed a long day. She yawned, climbed the wooden staircase, and pushed open the door to her bedroom.
But the moment the door creaked open, her breath caught in her throat.
Inside, standing by the pale glow of moonlight filtering through the curtains, was a figure.
A girl.
No—something more than human. Her form glowed faintly whitish, as though she were woven from moonlight itself. Her beauty was unearthly, almost divine. Silver eyes shimmered like twin stars, and across her forehead rested a gleaming circlet that pulsed faintly with otherworldly energy.
Liriya's knees weakened. Fear wrapped around her chest like a vice.
Before she could scream, the figure lifted a delicate hand and spoke.
???: "Do not fear me… my name is Karisila. I am but a servant, sent to stand by your side."
Liriya's lips trembled.
Liriya: "S–Servant? I don't even know you! How did you get into my room?"
Karisila's voice carried both warmth and authority, the sound resonating inside Liriya's very bones.
Karisila: "What you carry within you explains everything. The wave that entered you earlier… that was no ordinary light. It was a fragment of Luminara, the divine resonance. A sound note unlike any other—most powerful among its kind. There are eight such notes scattered across the cosmos. And one now rests within you."
Liriya staggered back, her pulse racing.
Liriya: "But why me? Why did this note… choose me?"
Karisila stepped closer, her presence heavy yet soothing, like standing beneath the weight of the night sky.
Karisila: "Because it was waiting. Where you stood, in that museum, there was no exhibition at all. What you saw—walls, relics, paintings—was nothing but illusion. In truth, that place existed only as a shell. Hidden there was the divine sound itself, waiting for a vessel worthy enough to contain it. And it chose you."
Liriya's eyes widened in disbelief.
Liriya: "Then… the driver. That shortcut he insisted on taking—he wanted to lead us there. But why? Why would he do that?"
Karisila: "Because the sound itself guided him. Luminara's resonance carries foresight—it draws paths, bends coincidences, until the right vessel arrives. And you, Liriya… were the one."
Her heart pounded so loudly she could barely hear her own voice.
Liriya: "But if that's true… then why can't I see the same things as Orin? When his throat was being strangled, he swore he saw burned shadow figures. But I—" she clutched her chest, trembling— "I didn't see anything!"
Karisila's silver gaze softened.
Karisila: "Because those shadows serve you. They exist for your protection. If you were to see their true forms, your mind might break beneath the terror. So they remain hidden, striking only when danger approaches. They are your unseen guardians."
Liriya swallowed hard. Her palms grew sweaty.
Liriya: "Then why are you here? Why show yourself to me?"
Karisila tilted her head, her expression calm, almost affectionate.
Karisila: "Because I am more than a guardian. I am your servant. Whatever you need—comfort, knowledge, even power—I will provide it. That is my oath, for as long as the note of Luminara dwells within you."
Before Liriya could answer, the door creaked open again.
Her mother stood there, holding a small lamp.
Mother: "Liriya? Why are you still awake? And who are you talking to?"
Liriya's heart skipped a beat. She whipped around—Karisila was standing in plain sight.
But her mother's eyes never acknowledged her.
Mother: "Liriya?"
Liriya: (forcing a nervous laugh) "O–Oh… sorry, Mom. I was just… thinking about the museum earlier. Maybe I was muttering to myself. I'll sleep now."
Her mother narrowed her eyes slightly, then sighed.
Mother: "Don't overthink it, sweetheart. Tomorrow is school. Get some rest."
With that, she closed the door and left.
Liriya turned back—Karisila was still there, her silver eyes unwavering.
Liriya: "So… only I can see you. Not even my family?"
Karisila: "Correct. You alone."
Liriya: "But why? Why give me such… special treatment? First the divine note, and now… you."
Karisila stepped closer until her presence nearly swallowed the room. Her words were a whisper, yet they thundered inside Liriya's mind.
Karisila: "Then allow me to tell you the truth…"
As Karisila began to reveal more, Liriya's eyes grew wider and wider. Shock twisted her face, fear creeping in like cold fire. By the time Karisila finished, her hands trembled violently, her breath shallow.
---
That night, far across the town, Orin tossed and turned in restless sleep.
Then—darkness.
He found himself standing in a void. Black fog coiled around him, clinging to his bare skin. He realized in horror—he had no clothes, no defenses. The ground beneath him wasn't ground at all but endless shadow, swallowing each step.
From the mist, something moved.
A silhouette—tall, twisted, its features shrouded. The air grew heavier with every heartbeat. Orin's legs shook as the figure extended an arm.
Its hand pierced straight into his chest.
Agony ripped through his body. He gasped as something warm and wet slid out of him.
His heart.
The figure yanked it free. Blood poured across the endless dark floor. Orin fell to his knees, choking, his vision dimming as the fog swallowed him whole.
And then—
He woke.
His body lurched upright, sweat soaking his sheets. His hands clutched his chest where his heart still thudded violently.
Orin's breath came in short, sharp bursts. His eyes darted wildly across the room.
It was just a dream.
But the terror in his bones told him otherwise.