Haah… what a truly beautiful symphony, one of the most wonderful I've ever heard...'
Kalm's lips lifted into a calm, serene smile of contentment, a warm and peaceful expression settling over his face… as he listened to the sweet, gentle melody around him.
Droplets fell quietly from the ceiling, as if they were the strings of an instrument from the heavens. The melody came from every direction, never stopping for even a moment. It was as if… as if Kalm had been granted the best musician in the world, playing the strings of their instrument without pause, just for him, for his solitude, for his peace...
That wondrous, sublime feeling rose in his chest like the waves of a river, pushing away the fear and dread that had nested in his heart when he first entered the cursed test. In its place, it filled him with a beautiful and gentle peace...
Despite being in a dark cave beneath the earth, Kalm felt as though he were in a green garden, filled with the scent of flowers, warm sunlight touching his skin and his heart… a place far removed from death, danger, blood, and madness...
And the deeper he walked into the cave, the stronger and more overwhelming that feeling became—as though it reached beyond his body, touching his soul and his very being...
And as if to preserve that beauty, no foul creatures appeared to ruin his enjoyment of the melody. No abominations tried to ambush them, no monsters used mental attacks on their prey…
To confirm this, all Kalm had to do was look at the gentle woman walking ahead of him—she was smiling in comfort, as though she were on a stroll…
There was no mistake. On the contrary, it was a welcome relief. There was no need to fight or suffer to obtain the strange weapons…
For once, the world had treated him kindly—allowed him to receive something freely, instead of crushing him and then tossing the scraps his way…
Kalm raised his hand and placed it on his chest, breathing in deeply. His eyes were calm, and without realizing it, he lowered his guard entirely. He dropped every defense...
Because he no longer needed to stay alert…
The cave had become safe with every step. Peaceful, even warm. It pushed away all threats and instead wrapped him in serenity...
A sense of duty toward the beautiful black cave began to grow in Kalm's heart. He wanted to stay with it a little longer, comfort its loneliness, enjoy its sweet melody… and also protect it, so it could continue playing its tune for him forever…
Wasn't… wasn't that a noble and beautiful purpose to live for?
Why should he care about obtaining weapons for a mysterious being called the Lost? Surely suffering awaited him even after he obtained them—suffering, pain, and detestable madness mixed with blood...
Why should he give up the peace and warmth offered by the cave… to seek suffering? Only a madman would do such a thing…
Kalm felt his heart, which had already made its choice and insisted upon it firmly...
He looked at the Queen who, strangely, didn't seem to care about the beauty of the place or the melody's charm, and asked:
**"Kalyistra… can we stay here for a little while?"**
She looked at him over her shoulder. Her eyes—deep and garnet-like—glowed faintly with black light. After a moment, she smiled and said:
**"Oh… I see. It's almost completed its task…"**
Kalm raised an eyebrow, surprised by her tone, and asked in confusion, trying to focus once again on the enchanting melody:
**"What do you mean by that? No, never mind—can't we stop for just a bit, please…?"**
The Queen turned her gaze forward again, then up to the cave's ceiling, her right hand resting on the hilt of her sword… as if she were cautious of something.
She spoke with a soft smile:
**"No, unfortunately we can't, my dear Kalm. We might be attacked at any moment. There are many monsters, and some are intelligent. There's also the possibility of a gate appearing here underground—it could pull us into a world of danger and death… so we must hurry and leave."**
Kalm frowned, his brows furrowing in frustration. The word *"leave"* made him a little angry, as if it were ignoring the cave's plea for companionship and someone to listen to its music…
But since she was far stronger than he was, he tried to keep his tone as polite as possible...
Kalm cleared his throat:
**"But Kalyistra, there are no monsters here. None have appeared for a while, and maybe they won't… Look, isn't the cave warm and beautiful? Let's just sit for one day..."**
He looked into her garnet eyes, trying to win her sympathy. Despite her overwhelming presence and unimaginable power, the Queen was kind by nature—maybe, just maybe, she would agree with a little pleading and a few kind words. That was what Kalm hoped for in his heart…
The gentle woman stared at him for a second, then let out a soft laugh that echoed through the space. She covered her face with her hand, trying to contain herself...
She said, still fighting back her laughter:
**"Really? This place is warm and beautiful…? That's so unexpected… No one has ever said that before—not even me."**
After calming down a bit, she stepped closer to him, placed her right hand on his shoulder, and pointed with the tip of her finger at the small water puddles formed by the dripping droplets…
"You are the destined one... the bearer of the Lost Lineage. But even so, you're still just an ordinary child in the end—no talent, no power, not even experience or wisdom. I brought you here for a reason... There's a creature in this place, one that uses sound frequencies to affect the mind. It's the reason this cave sounds so calm, so gentle… so warm and peaceful."
Kalm's eyes widened with fear. A shiver ran down his spine, making every hair on his body stand on end. He was about to say something, but the hum returned, echoing in his ears and seeping softly into his soul like a mother's tender embrace to her child.
It was beautiful—so beautiful, it made him forget everything the woman in front of him had just said.
He opened his mouth and spoke quietly, politely.
"So, Kalyistra… there's no danger then? Why don't we just stop here?"
Kalyistra turned her gaze, sweeping it across the cavern, from the ceiling to the deep shadows in its walls. Then she smiled at him.
"No… we must keep going. You still need to return to your world, remember?"
Kalm tilted his head slightly, his eyes lingering on the woman in front of him.
A storm of thoughts clashed inside his mind—an overwhelming symphony that seemed to open hidden truths he hadn't noticed before.
The first: Why didn't this woman react to the sound? Why did she ignore the warmth, the serenity it offered? Any human would have been moved by such beauty… unless they weren't human. Perhaps… a monster in disguise?
Yes… that must be it. She wasn't drawn to the melody because she didn't crave peace—she craved blood. And monsters don't love music… they only love destruction.
Then there was the second strange thing: she claimed he would inherit her power. But how? And when? She never explained. That meant something was missing from her plan.
Was she going to use him to obtain the two weapons… then kill him afterward?
Yes… that's what it was all along.
Her words, from the very beginning, were cloaked in riddles and secrets—always keeping him in the dark.
And now that Kalm had uncovered the truth behind the monster in front of him, he knew he had to act… to survive… and to protect the cave—the only place where the melody played for him alone.
But how? She was strong. No—beyond strong.
He lowered his gaze to the warm black garments that covered him… garments made of shadow—crafted by her own hands.
She had tied the noose around his neck from the very start.
Even escape might be impossible now.
That left him only one option: to strike her from behind… or to obtain the two weapons and kill her somehow.
But doing so meant leaving the musician behind.
And Kalm's heart was already bound to that music… he couldn't bear to live without it.
'What should I do…? Ughh… help me, musician…'
He didn't dare say a word—afraid she'd realize he had seen through her scheme, that he knew she planned to kill him and steal the weapons.
He had to keep acting. Keep playing his part. Until he found a way to end her… and free himself…
So he could listen to the melody… forever.
'Yes… that's what I have to do…'