Ermis stared at the necklace in his hand, the weight of it familiar, yet the memories tied to it remained elusive. His fingers traced the edges of the pendant, the cool metal grounding him, but it did nothing to ease the growing frustration within him. There was something about this necklace, something important he should remember—but the details slipped through his mind like sand through fingers.
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He closed his eyes, leaning back against the pillow, the weight of the day finally starting to pull at him. His thoughts drifted, though the questions remained. Who was the owner of this necklace? The shadow had taunted him with answers, but those answers only seemed to lead to more questions.
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A faint breeze stirred through the open window, and the soft scent of the evening air filled the room. He didn’t move, his gaze still fixed on the necklace. The necklace that had been with him for as long as he could remember—always close, always there—but never fully understood.
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A knock on the door broke the silence, and Ermis’s muscles tensed instinctively. He didn’t answer immediately, waiting to see if it was just another passing interruption. The knock came again, more insistent this time.
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“Ermis,” a voice called from the other side, familiar but distant. It was lix, his second-in-command.
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“Enter,” Ermis replied, his voice steady, though the unrest lingered beneath it.
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The door creaked open, and Aren stepped in, pausing for a moment as his eyes landed on Ermis, still half-dressed and lost in thought. Aren’s expression was unreadable, though there was a faint flicker of concern in his eyes.
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“You’ve been quiet since the festival,” lix remarked, his voice low and careful. "Is everything alright?"
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Ermis exhaled slowly, running a hand through his damp hair. “I’m fine, lix. Just... thinking.”
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Lix stepped forward, taking a seat at the edge of the bed, his gaze flicking briefly to the necklace Ermis still held. “It’s the necklace, isn’t it? The one you've worn for years. Something about it’s been bothering you.”
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Ermis didn’t reply immediately. Instead, he continued to hold the necklace, the cool metal pressing into his palm as though it might reveal the truth if he concentrated hard enough.
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“I don’t know why,” Ermis muttered, almost to himself. “I feel like there’s something important tied to it. Something I’m supposed to remember. But every time I try, it’s just out of reach. A shadow in my mind.”
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Lix's gaze softened, but he didn’t push. “Maybe it’s time to stop searching and let it come to you, Ermis. Some things take time. And maybe... maybe this necklace will reveal itself when the time is right.”
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Ermis didn’t respond, his gaze now distant, lost in the depths of his thoughts. The night had fallen quiet once more, the only sound the soft rustle of the wind outside the window and the steady tick of the clock in the corner of the room. But within Ermis, the unease remained—an unanswered question that gnawed at him.
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As lix left the room, closing the door softly behind him, Ermis couldn’t help but feel that the shadow of the past was growing closer, its secrets waiting to be uncovered. And whether he was ready or not, those answers were coming.
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Ermis lay still, his gaze fixed on the ceiling, desperately trying to recall the memories that eluded him. His eyes fluttered closed as his fingers tightened around the pendant, a familiar yet distant weight in his palm. The silence of the room pressed in around him, leaving him alone with his thoughts, but no answers came.
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Outside the mansion, the night air was cool, and the garden lay bathed in moonlight. Lix stood beside the large tree, his posture tense as he gazed out at the vast expanse of the estate. His eyes narrowed, lost in thought.
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“Do you really have to remove it?” Lix’s voice broke the stillness, barely above a whisper.
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The shadow that loomed beside him shifted, its form barely distinguishable from the darkness of the night. “Trust me, it’s for his own good,” the shadow replied, its tone calm but unwavering.
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Lix’s gaze flicked toward the mansion, a frown creasing his brow. “What if he remembers?” he asked, the doubt in his voice unmistakable.
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The shadow paused, as if weighing the question. “Time will tell,” it said, its voice lower now, carrying a note of finality. “Trust me. This is the best for him.”
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____
End
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