İlyara
Elna quickly pulled the knife she had plunged into Kortegin's throat, then released his collar. She dropped the knife in her hand to the ground as if she were seeing it for the first time. The knife hit the floor before Kortegin did, and its sound echoed through the hall.
İlyara remained still for a while.
This couldn't be real.
But it was.
She suddenly felt her cheeks grow wet. She wiped them several times with her hand, but the tears wouldn't stop. Then she ran over and crouched beside Kortegin.
"No, no..." she began to mutter deliriously.
Then she began pressing her hand against the wound on his neck.
She was a veterinarian. She had the medical knowledge.
She could save him.
Yes, he can survive...
But Kortegin wasn't even breathing.
Elna was saying something to her, but İlyara couldn't hear a word of it. The only thing she wanted to hear right now was Kortegin's heartbeat.
"Dad," İlyara whispered. "Open your eyes."
But he didn't.
As İlyara continued pressing her hand against the wound on Kortegin's neck, she noticed something fall in front of her. It looked slightly bruised. Looking more closely, she realized it was a hand. When she noticed the bond mark in its palm, she immediately looked up.
He had come…
Arın.
How long had he been here?
Something was wrong. Thick black fluid was dripping from Arın's wrist onto the floor. He, however, was staring ahead. When she followed his gaze, her body tensed and a deep fear gripped her. But that fear turned to horror when she realized the hand on the floor belonged to Arın.
"Ahh!"
Why was Arın's hand on the floor? Did Elna do this to him?
Was she after Arın now, too?
She slowly pulled her trembling hand away from the wound on Kortegin's neck. Then she picked up the bloody dinner knife from the floor and ran toward Elna.
"I won't let you take him from me too!"
Elna took her red eyes off Arın and turned them toward İlyara. But it was too late.
İlyara drove the knife in her hand into Elna's shoulder, and the two of them fell to the ground together.
"Ah!" Elna cried out in pain. "What are you doing?"
"You can't take Arın from me too!" İlyara shouted. "I won't let you."
Elna began to giggle at İlyara's words.
"Ah, my dear İlyara," she said calmly. "Arın isn't yours. He belongs to Veyra."
Then she raised her head and moved a little closer to İlyara.
"You have no one."
She quickly pulled the knife from Elna's shoulder. As Elna hissed in pain, she raised her arms to shield herself.
İlyara didn't try to suppress the anger growing inside her. Instead, she let it grow stronger. When she saw black smoke beginning to rise from her hands, she smiled.
"Shut up!" she shouted hoarsely.
Then she repeatedly tried to stab Elna with the dinner knife. But Elna just wouldn't die.
"Die."
"Die."
As İlyara continued swinging the knife at her, their eyes met for a brief moment.
Why wouldn't she die?
Pathetic thing.
No, she wasn't. She was strong.
You can't do it.
No... she could.
You're all alone.
Was she, really?
A tear slipped down İlyara's cheek. She wiped it away with her hand, only to find herself in a bed.
Where was this place?
She perked up when she heard a groaning sound. It was coming from one of the beds.
Why were there so many beds?
She slowly sat up and lowered her feet over the edge of the bed. But something was strange. Her feet couldn't reach the floor.
Because you're tiny.
No, she had grown up. She had even become a veterinarian.
She heard the groaning sound again.
She slowly climbed out of the bed and carefully made her way through the darkness, trying not to bump into the beds.
You'll bump into them.
No, she wouldn't.
When she reached the source of the sound, she saw the girl who had recently arrived at the orphanage. She was drenched in sweat, tossing and turning in her sleep.
She doesn't like you.
İlyara lowered her head.
"She doesn't like me," she said.
The girl suddenly sat up in bed and turned her pitch-black eyes toward İlyara.
"I hate you," she said.
İlyara's heart ached.
She hates you.
But why?
Because you're the Shadow.
The Shadow?
Yes.
No, she wasn't a shadow. She was right here—
When İlyara looked around, she couldn't tell where she was. Everything was dark.
You don't exist.
Did she?
İlyara sank to the floor where she stood. She pulled her knees to her chest and rested her head on them.
She was alone again.
You were always alone.
No, she hadn't always been. There had been someone, but who was it?
"İlyara!"
The moment she heard someone calling her name, she felt a pain in her throat. She brought her hand to her neck, but there was nothing there.
"İlyara!"
It was the same voice again.
Who was İlyara, anyway?
She slowly closed her eyes. She was sleepy and very tired.
"İlyara!"
She opened her eyes again the moment she heard that irritating voice.
"Who are you?" she shouted.
There was no answer.
Of course there wasn't. She was alone.
"Ah," she hissed in pain.
This time, she felt a pain in her hand. She slowly raised it. There was something strange about it. Thin brown lines stretched from the center of her palm toward her wrist. They looked like dried branches.
She felt as though she had seen them before.
No, you haven't.
İlyara slowly ran her fingers over the lines. Every time she touched them, she felt her heart beating faster.
You don't have a heart.
Did she?
Then what was this feeling?
Suddenly, a man in a black uniform appeared in her mind.
Who was he?
No one.
When the man in the uniform turned toward her, she felt as though she knew him.
You don't know him.
No, she didn't.
"İlyara!" It was the same voice again. "Hold on to our bond."
Our bond?
You don't have a bond.
"Who are you?" İlyara shouted with all her strength.
No one—
"Arın."
Arın?
This name seemed familiar to her.
You can't remember because you have no one.
But she did... didn't she?
"I'm here with you."
Was that true?
No.
"Don't listen to her, İlyara!" the same voice shouted.
"Who?"
The voice.
A sharp pain shot through İlyara's head.
"My head hurts," she groaned.
"Hold on," the voice said. "Trust our bond."
Who are you going to trust?
"The Ancient is playing with your mind!"
The Ancient. Who is that?
You are.
Me?
Wasn't she the Shadow?
Y-yes. Yes, you are the Shadow.
İlyara frowned.
"Who are you?" she asked. "Elna... is that you?"
No—
"Yes. She is Elna!" the voice shouted.
"Arın."
"Yes, it's me," the voice said.
Suddenly, the memory of İlyara arriving at Elna's palace and Kortegin being killed flooded her mind.
"Ahhh!" İlyara cried out in anger and pain. "Elna! You'll regret not killing me!"
Ah. I was hoping this wouldn't be necessary.
"Get out of my mind!"
We were going to rule Neera together.
İlyara began to laugh angrily.
"Then so be it," she said calmly. "If you won't leave my mind, then I'll enter yours."
No!