Gigantic tentacles tore the prince's chamber in half, splitting the building and leaving a gaping hole.
They were on the upper floor. Below were the servants' quarters. Maids, cooks, and footmen, not knowing what was happening, scattered in panic.
The mysterious woman floated in midair. She pointed her staff at Ayame and Shion.
"You are the dream I dream. And he–,"she pointed at Haru "– my nightmare."
Ayame stepped forward.
"They have nothing to do with you!" she shouted as loud as she could. "You know very well Haru is innocent. If you must take someone, take me."
Shion drew the blade of the allied god, then revealed his eyes, locking them straight on the mysterious woman.
For a moment she pretended to be dead, as if her corpse was suspended in the air. She even managed to pull off a convincing expression of shock. But then she snapped back, laughing loudly.
"Oh, foolish prince, do you really think you can kill me with the very thing I gifted you? I'll forgive you, since you're doing it to protect your Key."
"Who are you… or rather, what are you?" Shion replied, shocked.
"You know me, and yet you don't. But that won't help you much," she said, then sighed. "Ayame killed two gods, and I devoured their memories and their dreams. "Since then I've followed Ayame, but I felt the breath of the Key upon me. I knew I had to erase his light at its root."
Haru motioned for Gari to set him down.
"I never did anything to you!" he replied in confusion and anger. "I don't even… know who you are!"
"I was born on the day only you and Ayame remember. Every time you soothe Shion's pain, it causes me suffering."
"Then you must be… the manifestation of the curse. It's afraid of being erased, isn't it?" Ayame wondered.
"Don't make me laugh. Why would I be afraid of anything? I am neither your enemy nor your ally. When our meeting ends, everything will return to normal."
"Am I the only one who feels this is making less and less sense?" Gari asked.
"You cannot comprehend my existence, half-beast," the woman answered with disdain. "I am here to reaper the tear in reality, between what truly happened and what was only a dream." She stretched out her hand toward Haru and Ayame.
An invisible force lifted them from the ground and pulled them closer. Haru and Ayame screamed in pain, as though crushed by unseen limbs.
"Haru!" Shion called, his heart aching as he drew his blade. He almost leapt at her, but stopped at the last moment. He couldn't simply jump from the second floor onto the stone courtyard.
"Don't be afraid, prince. I'm not what you think I am. And now…" She fixed her gaze on the two of them.
"Damn it, boss of boss, what do we do?!" Gari shouted, panicked.
"Forget that day. Forget it. It never existed. I never existed," the woman said, her eyes glowing burgundy.
Haru fell under her spell, hypnotized. But Ayame avoided her gaze.
No, you'll still remember, won't you? she heard the voice in her head.
That is your curse, your blessing and your punishment.
You will remember. Maybe it will help you free your brother from his curse. Or maybe it will drive you mad.
Look into my soul, Ayame. What do you see?
*
Haru awoke in a completely different place, one that was…
…a black void. His body glowed with a golden aura.
Am I… dead? he thought with sorrow.
And then, in the middle of nothingness, the same woman appeared before him.
"At last, the tear in reality will be sealed."
Fear shadowed Haru's face, but for some reason he also felt relief.
A strange, terrifying kind of relief.
Haru clenched his teeth.
"Am I dead?" he asked. Just the thought of losing his future with Shion made his lips tremble and tears stream down his cheeks.
"No, Haru. Between the two of us, it is I who must die by your hand, that is the order of things. I've come to heal the breach Ayame created. One day you will learn more about my being."
"Then where the hell am I?!"
"In a dream. Yours or mine, I don't even know. You'll be back in your own world soon. I took away your memory of your true first kiss with Shion, on the day that should never have existed. But in return, I will give you something too."
"I don't want anything from a weird creature like you!" Haru shouted, fists tightening.
"Do you really think I'm nothing more than that? I was born from one of the four primal fires, so I carry not only evil, but also good. Because Shion suffers, he was able to meet you. He can marry someone he truly loves, not just someone chosen for him."
Her words touched Haru deep down. He didn't answer. He sniffled, then wiped his tears with his sleeve.
"W-what do you want to give me in return?" he asked after a moment.
"I devoured many dreams and wishes, and I constantly hunger for them. But I'll give you one wish. Use it well."
"So I just say what I want?"
"No. If you speak it aloud, it will never come true. You'll use your wish at the moment your heart desires something most - caught between two conditions, just like our conversation, which both exists and doesn't exist."
"None of this makes sense. And how am I supposed to know you're not lying?"
"Time will tell," she replied with a smile. "And now, forgive me. I must speak with Ayame."
"Wait, weren't you… hunting her?" Haru asked nervously.
"Just as you're hunting me, Haru, without knowing it. I am her curse, because Ayame can see into the future and manipulate dreams. I am Shion's curse, because he inherited a throne blessed only for gods, though he had no choice in it. And you, Haru, you are my curse, simply because I exist. Farewell, Haru. I'm glad it will be your hand that ends me."
"W-wait! My head's spinning, I don't even know what any of this–"
He couldn't finish, feeling consciousness slip away.
*
The next day…
Haru sat up. His head ached as if from a heavy hangover. A soft breeze drifted through the room.
He remembered nothing of yesterday right after going to town with Gari and Maldie.
Then, there was a knock at the door.
"Come in," he said.
Gari entered, holding her face.
"Damn, Haru, we drank way too much yesterday. I don't remember a thing and my head's about to explode," she groaned miserably.
"Yeah… me too," Haru muttered with a grimace.
Even though the day seemed ordinary, Haru felt something was… off.
Something tugged at him from inside, though faintly for now.
Maldie suddenly barged in. A subtle unease made Haru glance at her right hand. The maid's hands were both whole and healthy. For some reason Haru breathed a sigh of relief.
Maldie was holding a wedding dress, the one they had bought yesterday at the prince's expense.
"Haru, what the hell?! Don't tell me I just woke up!" she yelled at him with slight irritation.
"H-huh?!" Haru stammered, confused.
"I understand that we drank wild during your bride's night out party yesterday, but it's time to get yourself together. Get into the bath right now. You need to be cleaner and smell better than ever, do you hear me?!"
"B-but w-why the rush?" Haru asked, even more confused and slightly frightened by Maldie's commanding tone.
"'Why the rush?' Hold me back, or I'll explode! Haru, do you seriously want to be late to your own wedding as the prince's bride?"
"Wait. Its t-today?!" Haru exclaimed in shock.
His cheeks flushed in surprise.