Donggun followed Addaya outside the room only to find him vanish, returning to the real world. He took a deep breath and began to walk; he arrived at the cold sand and sat on it. Staring out at the sea, alone with his thoughts. He didn’t know how to react to what he had just witnessed.

He had no idea Meritamun had such a dark past. He nervously ran his fingers through his hair; he wanted to tell Meritamun everything but couldn’t bring himself to ruin her life like that. Donggun was watching the raging waves when he remembered something Meritamun told him months ago.

Meritamun and Donggun were lying on the sand, gazing at the stars, and talking about their lives before Donggun went back in time. He told her how difficult his life had been and how he had never fallen in love before.

Donggun was known for his cold heart, but the moment his eyes met Meritamun’s beautiful smile, his heart was filled with emotions he never thought he would feel. They talked for hours about a variety of subjects, including their families.

“My father was also a swordsman and the head of the royal guards of the palace; all men in my family served the royal palace for generations,” Donggun explained as he buried his toes into the cold smooth sand.

“And your mother?” Meritamun said. She was lying prone on her elbows, looking at him, who was on his back.

“My mother was Jejo sanggung; she was in charge of property management and served the king,” Donggun explained. “How about yours?”

Meritamun smiled and closed her eyes briefly. “I don’t have parents,” she said, opening her eyes to see Donggun staring at her. “Nebuaui told me that I was abandoned at the temple’s door with no knowledge of my parents... growing up, I often felt lonely, seeing children run to their mothers and hug them or play with their fathers made me realize how different I was,” she explained.

“Do you still feel lonely?” Meritamun grabbed Donggun’s arm from beneath his head and spread his arm, then laid on her back, glued to his body, and rested her head on his arm, gazing at the sky. Donggun felt like all the air had been sucked out of his lungs, but he didn’t flinch.

“No, I don’t feel like that anymore; I am surrounded by great love; Nebuaui treats me as if I am his real daughter; he is very generous and kind, and Addaya is my heart,” Meritamun said, placing her hand over her heart and looking at Donggun, who couldn’t hide his disappointment. “As well as you.”

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“Me?” Donggun stated unexpectedly.

“Letting you stay with us was the best decision we ever made; now I can’t believe I didn’t have you in my life before,” Meritamun remarked as she turned to her left side and held Donggun tightly.

Meritamun was a hugger; she was always leaving Donggun with small touches that made him weak in the knees, but this hug was different; it was pure and honest. Donggun smiled and hugged her even more tightly.

Their memories always brought him joy. “Donggun!” he was on cloud nine when Addaya called. “We need to talk.” He noticed a change in Addaya’s eyes; they were darker and scarier.

“We made a disastrous mistake, and we must correct it immediately!” Donggun frowned. “We demolished the future, and everything and everyone will be destroyed,” Addaya said, looking Donggun in the eyes. “In eight years, Meritamun will destroy everything.”

“The pectoral we discovered did indeed hold Kiya’s soul, but a dangerous part of her soul; the Bennu,” Addaya said, returning his gaze to Donggun, who appeared completely lost. “Kiya possessed a legendary power that is extremely rare to find; the secret of the Bennu is that it reacts differently to each owner; Kiya’s power was self-healing.”

“What does Meritamun have to do with any of that?”

“Remember the last time we saw Kiya when my father cast a spell on her and Meritamun,” Addaya said, crossing his arms across his chest. Donggun gave a nod. “the spell divided the Bennu into two parts; the healing part was transmitted to Meritamun, and the other part that held Kiya’s emotions and memories was sorted inside the pectoral when we discovered and revealed its memories; we set the Bennu free to merge with its other part.”

“Meritamun,” Donggun said, finishing Addaya’s sentence.

“Exactly, when the Bennu merged, her mother’s soul, which was inside the pectoral, gave her all the memories and emotions,” Addaya explained, taking a deep breath. “She knows everything, the Bennu will evolve, and it will give her the chaotic powers she will use to avenge her mother and take the throne.”

“Meritamun would never cause harm to anyone!”

“I thought that before I saw the future with my own eyes.”

“I’m not convinced!” Addaya quickly took Donggun’s left hand in his left hand and began casting the time travel spell.

Donggun didn’t have much time to react; he just frowned and looked up at Addaya’s face, closing his eyes and casting the spell with complete concentration.

The area around them gradually darkened, and a brilliant flash flickered and died, blanketing everything at once. The ground shook violently, followed by rumbling thunder, and one bolt of white lightning pierced the total darkness. The darkness gradually faded, and Donggun took in his surroundings: the pharaoh’s palace.

The place felt haunted, with tormented souls screaming for deliverance. Heads separated from their dead bodies scattered across the ground, and everything moving in slow motion. Bright golden human figures fought and slaughtered anyone who got in their way.

Donggun was stunned and watching quietly, his eyes wide open. Addaya led the way to the pharaoh’s chair, which was in another room. They entered and saw the pharaoh’s body on the ground in the middle of the vast room, covered in his fresh blood, with a hole in his chest and a horrified expression in his eyes.