The Source of Lies

The Memory Guardian said nothing.

Harmonic Leaptone continued, "But I'm not anymore. Three hundred seventy million civilizations remember my melody. They remember who I am. Even if I forget again, they'll remember for me." She raised her head, her eyes clear. "That is proof of my existence. It isn't that I won't forget. It's that someone will remember for me."

The Memory Guardian remained silent for a long time. Then it stepped aside. A crack appeared in the boundary formed from contradictory memories.

Harmonic Leaptone looked at Lin Ye. Lin Ye nodded. She was the first to cross the boundary, heading toward the region where memories had become "lies."

Behind her, the Memory Guardian watched her retreating figure and softly said, "You passed. Not because your answer was correct, but because you were willing to admit that you had once been wrong."

It looked at Lin Ye. "Your turn, Lord of Ashes."

Lin Ye stood before the Memory Guardian.

The Guardian's form began to change—it was no longer the ruins from Harmonic Leaptone's memories, but an absolute darkness. Lin Ye recognized that darkness—it was the Void Sea before the Ruins of Return had been born.

The Guardian's voice changed. It was no longer a neutral, emotionless question, but a voice Lin Ye had never heard before and yet found inexplicably familiar. "Do you know who I am?"

Lin Ye fell silent for three seconds. "You are the memory of the Ruins of Return."

The darkness began to churn. Countless scenes emerged from within it—

The first scene: deep within the Void Sea, a "tear" was taking shape. Not a tear of sorrow, but a tear of "longing." The Void Sea longed to become "something," longed to be seen, longed to be remembered. This tear was the Ruins of Return.