Who Is She?

Peter woke up sitting in an armchair, facing a fireplace.

"Uwah!... Where am I?" he murmured, dazed.

As he looked around the room, a wave of familiarity washed over him. The solid-colored walls and the scattered furniture stirred up a strange nostalgia within him.

"Am I... home? Did we finally make it back?"

As the fragments of his memory came together, the boy realized—this was his own Soul Palace.

He stood up, still a bit disoriented, and made his way toward the door. His instinct told him to explore, to search for something he was “meant to face,” even if he had no idea what that might be.

But just as his hand was about to touch the door, a sudden crackling sound came from the fireplace behind him.

The fire had lit itself.

"Hm?"

There was something strange about those flames… It was as if they were calling to him—whispering his name. No, more than that… They knew him.

"...What is this?"

Without realizing it, Peter was drawn to the hearth, like a moth to a flame in the darkness.

He stood silently, staring into the fire.

Then, the bricks behind the fireplace began to crumble, vanishing into dust as if swept away by the wind. Within moments, the wall was gone—replaced by a sea of fire stretching endlessly before him.

Most people would have felt fear in the face of such a sight, but to Peter, those flames felt oddly comforting.

A path revealed itself amidst the blaze, as if parting just for him.

Peter chose to follow it, walking slowly through the fire.

The flames danced around him, taking on shapes—silhouettes—and echoing voices from his past. Voices he knew.

"Peter, be careful, my son! You shouldn’t get involved in fights like that!"

"Mom, I’m sorry! I just can’t let those mean kids get away with it!"

Peter's eyes widened. They were his and his mother's voices, recreated perfectly.

"Mom... It’s been so long..."

He steadied himself and kept walking, as the fire began to bring back more memories.

"Hey, you like that girl, don’t you?" came Edward’s teasing voice.

"Huh? How’d you know?"

"You never bother getting close to girls. And now suddenly you’re trying to talk to her. Isn’t that kinda suspicious?"

"Ah... alright, I admit it. Lana’s a really nice girl. She’s beautiful, smart, and her smile is so sweet… I guess I can’t deny I’ve fallen for her."

"I think she’s already noticed... Good luck!"

The girl Peter had fallen for...

"Lana..." he whispered, a little embarrassed.

Then her voice came next.

"What kind of dumb idea was that—bursting into my classroom with a bouquet of flowers in the middle of a lesson?!"

"I just wanted to—"

"Are you crazy?! What if the teachers tell my parents I’m causing a scene at school because of my boyfriend..."

"Huh?"

"Who’s not even my boyfriend, by the way!"

"Ah, but what if I—"

"And the trees in the schoolyard? Covered in hearts with P + L carved into them?!"

"But that was to—"

"Peter! You’re always drawing too much attention!" Her voice trembled slightly with frustration. "It’s already hard enough for me to come to school with my health problems... You can’t make it even harder!"

Peter lowered his gaze, ashamed.

"I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to cause trouble."

"Hmph!" Lana sounded exasperated. "Okay... I kind of liked what you did, but please, be more subtle. I don’t want to be the center of attention."

"Okay!"

That memory, played out by the flames, felt like a punishment.

"Of course you kept embarrassing her in public, didn’t you, Peter?!"

He dropped to his knees, punching the floor lightly, trying to let out a mix of anger and regret.

"Ahhh!!! Idiot! Idiot! Idiot! A thousand times idiot! Lana will never accept me if I keep being this stupid!"

A weak cough echoed from within the flames.

"*Cough*! *Cough*!"

"Lana! Are you okay?!" Peter cried out, alarmed.

"My... asthma..."

"I’ll go get help, hang in there! I’ll be back!"

"No... My bag."

"Ah, right! I’ll get it right now!"

"Thank you..."

Peter stood silently, frozen in the fiery path.

Then, another voice from the past.

"Hey Lana, if you don’t like him, then why don’t you just reject him already?"

"... I like his company," Lana replied with uncertainty. "He’s a good friend… It’s fun spending time with him."

"Huh? Are you sure you don’t… like him too?"

"Wha—?! What kind of question is that?! Don’t be stupid! I don’t like him… maybe just a little."

Peter smiled softly to himself.

"...Just a little, huh? I guess that’s better than nothing."

Looking ahead, he saw the flames shifting, condensing into the form of his old school.

He knew where he needed to go. Step by step, he climbed the stairs and made his way to the rooftop.

At the top of the building, a figure was waiting.

A slender girl with blonde braids and glasses.

"I’ve heard some boys build temples inside themselves for the ones they love," the girl said with a gentle smile. "But I never thought you’d take that so literally."

"Lana?" Peter’s eyes lit up. "We finally meet again!"

"No, Peter. I’m not Lana." Her expression softened. "Well... not the real Lana. I’m the Lana that lives in your memories—nothing more."

"Huh... What do you mean?"

"You haven't realized it yet? We're inside your Soul Palace."

"...I know. I just wanted to believe it... that we really met again. As long as I can spend some time with you—even if you're just a memory..."

"Peter..." The memory of Lana crossed her arms. "You can't be so irresponsible. You still have something to resolve here, don't you? Think more carefully about your actions."

"I don't know what I'm supposed to find... but you're right. You're always right..." Peter sighed gently. "The way you correct me like that—it really does sound like the real Lana."

"You're on the right track. Just don’t let your impulses take over."

Peter paused before asking in a softer voice:

"Hey... Memory Lana... Do you think I still have a chance with the real Lana?"

"Idiot, idiot. Of course I'd say yes, isn’t it obvious?" She rolled her eyes with a playful laugh. "I'm still part of your consciousness. I’ll always say what you want to hear."

"Heh! That’s fine by me! At least I know there’s a version of Lana who believes in my chances!"

"...You really are an idiot."

"Yes, I am!"

"Bff... Bwahahaha!"

"Hehehehe!"

They laughed together, in a soft and honest exchange—just like the times with the real Lana.

But then, her figure fell silent. Her face grew serious, as if she had heard something from far away.

"...Peter."

"Hm? What is it?"

"It's time for you to find what you came here for."

"What? What do you mean?"

"Lana's role ends here. I won’t interfere with that woman."

"That woman?"

"You seriously don’t even know what your soul is housing? Still an idiot as always."

She smiled one last time—a sincere, heartfelt smile, overflowing with nostalgia.

"Well, I’m off. I hope we meet again... with the real me. Bye now."

"Hey! Wait! Lana! …Don’t go."

But it was too late.

The flames around the school began to roar, rising in height and fury. They spun like a tornado, devouring everything in a burning storm.

Within the blazing chaos, some flames started dancing close to Peter, slowly taking shape… Silhouettes began to emerge, followed by voices.

“What now?”

The ghostly figures ran around in panic.

“Uwahhh!!!”
“A demon! Someone help!”
“No, I don’t want to die!”

Two more silhouettes appeared—two humans fleeing from something. The flames revealed a demon catching up to them and knocking them down.

“Ghh… Get out… My territory… My prey… Go hunt some othe—!”

The demon’s silhouette suddenly twisted in agony.

“GWH!! GWAAHHH! STOP! IT HURTS!!”

“Wait—what was that? Was it her... who did that?”
“She burned him… until he died…”

More voices echoed as new silhouettes came forth.

“It’s her! That demon saved our lives! Hey! Thanks, you weirdo!”

More and more images played out—demons screaming in fire, others fleeing in terror only to be consumed. The memories portrayed a brutal massacre of demons.

Then a new memory unfolded—demons gathering together, most of them bearing humanoid forms.

“We are the Sins, the soldiers of Mendax in the war against Mors,” spoke one demon, an old man in appearance. “But you… You’ve become a threat to our forces. You are an error, a demon traitor.”

A battle broke out between the figures, leaving Peter stunned.

After the chaos, only two silhouettes remained. One of them, Peter recognized as Cydonia. And the other one…

“Psyqui… I’ve brought that bitch who’s been interfering with us. For some reason, her body didn’t disintegrate. Is this damn bitch still alive?”

“Cydonia, what we’re seeing is the power of a primordial sin... Don’t worry. Her body no longer responds. I can safely assume she’s dead.”

“Are you sure she won’t just regenerate?”

“I’m sure. That, I can guarantee. In fact, I’m thinking of using her body to improve Pandemonium’s army.”

“Great idea. Do it.”

Peter clenched his fist instinctively. “Psyqui… I remember that bastard…”

Cydonia vanished, leaving only Psyqui behind, gesturing to no one in particular.

“Her body no longer responds… but her soul remains intact.” His voice carried a twisted satisfaction. “You’ll be my test subject. With your help, I might finally create my masterpiece! HahahaHAHAHAHAHA!”

As the silhouettes dissolved into fire, a voice began to resonate—the same voice that had once echoed in Peter’s mind during his fight against corruption.

“Do you understand now, Peter Byrne… who I am, and how we ended up bound together?”

“Who are you…”

The flames outside coalesced into a towering tornado. Though unreal, the heat it radiated felt strong enough to melt steel like ice.

The inferno spiraled toward the building, and from its heart descended a final silhouette—this time, fully human in appearance.

It was a woman.

She wore a partially open suit of armor, her hair tied into twin braids adorned with golden rings. Her hands were covered in clawed iron gauntlets.

Her beauty was haunting—but Peter could only focus on her eyes: blood red, with vertical pupils, just like those of a demon.

Small spiraling flames spun across her forehead, revealing the true shape of her horns.

    Fighting against all evil brought by demons
    The balance factor for human weakness
    You are the misstep in Mendax's plan
    Burn them all… until complete Annihilation.

Reduce this stage to ashes, Kogri Demonce, Sin of Annihilation.