Sacrificing both my sleep and physical health, without forgetting my mental sanity as well, of course... I made it to The Forgotten City far sooner than any normal human could have managed. In fact, it took me just over three months. And that man declared it would be impossible in less than five. Such an amateur...

Along the way, I even fed my demon another seven hearts. It was not easy, and the dark circles under my eyes and the aching in my bones spoke volumes of the toll I had placed on my body. Besides that, after a while, it became impossible to find towns, or any human being for that matter. The Forgotten City is quite isolated, apparently, and I had exhausted my supplies quite a bit earlier than I expected getting here.

"This is... the bridge from my mother's story?" I wondered aloud as I halted my chocobo before it while the evening sun enchanted its surface; my voice was tired and hoarse, even I could barely hear myself. My chocobo was also exhausted, and just like me, it hadn't eaten anything for a few days now...

Leaving the chocobo behind, I stepped closer…

On my way here, I forced myself not to form any expectations. It was difficult; my mind kept drifting back to my mother constantly, and it even tried to wander about how this city might've looked like. Yet, despite the lack of expectation, perhaps… I should've expected it. The ancient stone bridge that greeted me was just as ruined as anyone would anticipate from something that had been forgotten; as I stepped onto it, my boots sent small bits of debris tumbling down into the Abyss below, and halfway across it, as if calling to me, I couldn't resist the urge to peek into the void. So, leaning cautiously over the edge, I gripped the rough, cold stone and peered down. The chasm stretched into a darkness that swallowed everything in its wake.

"This is... the Abyss?" I murmured to myself. "The Abyss my mother talked about?"

The sight was enough to send shivers down my entire spine. For a moment, it felt even overwhelming.

"Where everything began..." I whispered, recalling my mother's letter. "Do I... have to throw myself into it? To jump into it...?"

I shook my head, trying to push the thought away. "Wait, wait... let's not rush... My mind is not so lucid right now, I mustn't jump to conclusions..."

Where everything began... That could've also been the little park...

"Hmm-hm..."

Making up my mind, I drew back and continued forward. Not long after, I finally stepped onto the threshold of The Forgotten City, the remnants of stone walls and ancient towers welcoming me here as well.

"Just how long has it been since anyone walked here?"

The road beneath my feet was uneven and cracked by nature; tree roots had forced their way through the cobblestones, slick with moss. The silence was deep, everlasting, almost oppressive, broken only by the wind, and the occasional crunch of loose stones underfoot.

"This feels like... the main square..."

An ancient fountain stood before me, its basin dry and cracked, and the statues, once likely majestic, that adorned it were worn smooth by the passage of time, now barely recognizable.

"Huh, this is..."

Paying more attention to the fountain, a dark stain caught my eyes.

"... Blood."

Old, dried, but unmistakable. I rubbed my eyes; the stone was not the only thing blurred here, my whole vision was...

I sighed. "I am just that tired, aren't I?"

Regarding the surroundings with more attention, I noticed that scattered among the debris were: bones, skulls, and skeletons.

"What exactly happened here...?"

Paying little to no heed to the destruction and death around me, I roamed the city in search of the park from my mother's story. The amount of walking I had to do in order to reach it was not insignificant; my legs felt heavy, and I was panting. However, ultimately, I finally reached what seemed like the right spot.

"Is that... a barrier?"

Before me stood a white, towering dome, shimmering faintly in the light. It encased a large tree whose branches were swaying gently. Not so distant from the tree, a river wound its way through the landscape. It didn't look natural at all. Nonetheless, the effect it gave was uncannily real.

"Huh..."

I stepped closer to the barrier, reaching out with my hand. The surface was cool and smooth to the touch, like glass. And, as expected, I couldn't get past it...

"What now...? Oh?"

My codex...

"A new spell?"

The strong light emanating from my codex drew my attention. Retrieving it, I flipped through its pages. No new spell was written in it.

"Um... Me being complicated again? Hello? Why are you glowing...?"

I sighed, closing my eyes for a good minute, trying to clear the fog from my mind before searching for a solution. However, when I reopened them, I noticed one spell glowing brighter than the others.

"It's… reacting? Do you… want me to use you... Bianca?"

She manifested right behind me, as usual, and went straight for the barrier. Her claws struck it, hit after hit, clash after clash, again and again, each blow resonating through the air. Until, at some point, the barrier shattered, slowly dispersing as a whole like burning paper, dissolving into ashes, and into nothingness.

"Are you crying?"

As the clashes subsided, the demon stood still, emitting low groans and, at the same time, an unusual whiter light, though that might have been just my eyes playing tricks on me from exhaustion. But those groans sounded like... laments. Nothing but sorrow and pain came out from such sounds.

Alas, she vanished soon after, leaving me there. I glimpsed the base of the tree, and my eyes widened at the mere sight of what lay there. "A book?"

Approaching it, I retrieved it from the ground. Despite its location, it only had a thin layer of dust, which I promptly brushed away. It wasn't a codex, but a colorful book, surprisingly well-preserved.

I flipped it open, finding a handwriting I didn't recognize.

'Tomorrow my life will change completely. My mother told me to write a little diary so that when I'll come back, we can read together about my adventures. It's going to be just like a little journal!'

"So it's a diary..." I murmured to myself, flipping to the next page.

'Dear diary, this is my first day in this new city! Writing a diary feels a bit strange, but at the same time... I don't mind it.

Coming here I saw a lot of shadows, but the place doesn't seem too bad. Right now, I feel a bit lonely, but the men in white coats said I'm going to meet many kids my age with whom I can spend my time. I wonder how it will be...

I'm sure mom will be happy to hear about it!'

"Shadows...? Huh... next page..."

'Dear diary, the food here tastes a bit... mild. I miss mom's cuisine already. So far I haven't met anybody aside from the men in white coats, and there is not much to do in my room. It truly feels lonely.'

"This was brief... What's next?"

'I don't like this place...

The men in white coats don't answer my questions, and I had to undergo weird tests today. My arms hurt, the shadows have begun to lament, and there are purple spots where I felt the stings...

They told me that if I behave I can go out and play in the park next week. I have to endure...

I hope there are flying insects here.. I miss the ones at home...'

"Hmm..."

'They allowed me to go out and play in the park. I tried to build sandcastles, but the wind always knocked them down.

However, I met a lady around my age! She was a bit strange, but her white dress was really cute! She asked me why I had a rose above my head, and she burst out laughing at my answer.

Was what I said so funny?'

My eyes softened at that, and my lips couldn't help but curl into a bittersweet smile. "Mom... So this is the purple lady's diary..."

Next page...

'Dear diary, I'm afraid I have to hide you very well within my little room. From what I've heard from the others in the park, it is prohibited to have diaries. So, I'll come to visit you less often, but I promise won't forget you! I suppose the first day they mistook you for a simple little book. I'm happy about that!'

Many of the following pages were filled with small details about her daily routine; mundane, but with a sense of unease. "Oh, this seems interesting, though..."

'Lately, my arms really hurt, and my head too. The shadows have also increased... However, they told me it won't be necessary to continue with the treatments anymore, and I'll be moved to the next tier. I have no clue what that means, but apparently, I'll undergo training to embark on dungeon expeditions. They said I'll even get a bigger room.

She will be coming along too! I'm so happy about this! I feel like as long as my friend is with me, I can go through all this pain. I'm really, really happy!'

"Hmm... Alright, next..."

'The training is pretty hard, and I don't even understand what my magic is about. However, she has no trouble at all. By the time I was halfway done, she had already finished and decided to assist me instead. She guided me through the steps, and she even seemed to understand my magic more than I did.'

"A natural..." I sighed.

'Recently, I feel weird... whenever she's around, I feel my heart beat so fast, and my cheeks always feel hot. Am I getting sick? Perhaps I should get myself checked.

But what kind of sickness would manifest only when a person is around?

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Perhaps... she's poisonous! Yes, this must be it!'

A chuckle almost escaped me at that. Even so, I flipped to the next page...

'I decided to tell her about my weird symptoms, to which she just laughed.

I don't understand why she laughs so much, especially lately. However, after that laugh, she looked at me and said: “Is that so? Then, perhaps I could be your personal maid and tend to you."

What was that supposed to mean?!?!?'

The rest of the page was filled with scribbles, gibberish, and suspiciously overwritten drawings; quite an amusing sight.

'Tomorrow we're going inside the first dungeon. We went through a lot of training for this. Everyone's ready. However, I can't help but feel... scared. I told her about this, and she offered me a reassuring hug.

Oh, dear diary, why do I feel so safe in her arms?'

I had to flip to the next page to find out how it went. I was actually pretty curious about it.

'The dungeon was extremely hard… Many died, and both she and I got separated from the group at some point. We had to go alone. Despite the situation, I felt… safe. She really is strong, and she handled most of the monsters. I still feel guilty that I didn't contribute much, and I let her know. However, she held my hands, and with a beautiful smile, she told me: "What are you saying? You're the only reason I'm able to go forward. Standing together, we can do anything."

I'm pretty sure I turned as red as a tomato there... and she just kept laughing at me.

From that dungeon, only us, another girl, and two guys survived. One of the two guys wanted to retire, but they told him he couldn't. It's forbidden to do so... We are managing to find comfort among ourselves, at least...

Despite everything, that dungeon helped me a lot. My magic is not well-suited for expeditions. And, to tell the truth, I am still unsure what my magic is for. She says I'm a soulweaver, but I don't understand what I'm supposed to do with it.'

"Huh...?" I blinked, trying to process the implications. "She's... No, no. It's too early to jump to conclusions. Next page..."

Many of the following pages contained frustration, confusion, fear, and doubt. Until, at some point...

'The second dungeon was a little better, though still chaotic. The good news is that I made some new friends! The life in this tier is not so bad, and one of the men in white coats is actually pretty nice to me! He answers my questions. Most of them, at least. His name is Markus. Apparently, he's dealing with most of us. I'm happy when I'm with them. But, as usual... she's the only one that makes me feel strange... And I wonder why... when I'm in her arms, all my fears dissipate. When she holds me close, I feel like that's everything I need. She's like a star, an angel... My angel of life…

I even talked with Markus about this, and he said that, deep down, I already know the answer. He also looked amused as I explained it to him, almost like she was...

Diary... this is love, isn't it?'

So many pages were now filled with nothing but love. To the point that even I started having doubts.

"This lady... clearly loved my mother," I murmured to myself. "Do I even... love Crimson?"

I sighed at the mere thought. The way I react around Crimson is not similar at all to how she described her feelings, and I never felt that way. Well, sure, when Crimson's around, I feel at ease, and I am somewhat similar. But... could this truly be considered love?

"I miss you a little, though, Crimson..."

I shook my head, pushing the doubts away, returning to the diary. More dungeons and more doubts about love filled the pages, until another caught my full attention.

'She loves me too! She loves me too! She loves me too!

Oh, I feel so happy! She said yes! She loves me! And, actually, she even chided me for making her wait so long to admit it! Damn her! She always played with me until this point!

But I'm so happy. Oh, diary... I'm so so so so happy!'

I let out another sigh. Still, I smiled at that. "Next page..."

'This is a problem, dear diary... Apparently, women are not supposed to be together in this city. We must choose a man to marry, as we are fated to bear strong children, or else we'd be labeled as witches.

But we don't want that... We want to live together. And so, one day, we will! Oh, it feels like a love escape! I can't stop smiling!

Tonight I'll meet her again! I can't contain my happiness! I feel like I'm seriously getting sick now!'

"Huh?!" As I flipped to the next page, what my eyes caught... left me utterly confused. "This is... my mother's handwriting!"

'A diary... how cute. You really seemed the kind of girl to have one. I loved this side of you, too.

I hope you can forgive me for being weak at such a crucial moment. To think that you'd be the strongest one when facing imminent death... You've always been full of surprises.

But I'm here now. And I promise you, with the power you entrusted me, with your power in my hands, nothing like that will ever happen again. I'll make sure of it.

I love you, Bianca. I always have, and I always will.'

"Huh...?"

And then, nothing but white. White pages on and on; the diary met its end with my mother's entry.

"What...?"

Nothing but confusion clouded my mind, exhausted as it already was.

"What does it mean...?"

I came here seeking answers, but all I found were only more questions... What was the meaning of all this? What was I supposed to understand at the end of it?

"My mother was not a soulweaver..."

Bianca was.

"But then... What of it...? What conclusion am I even supposed to draw from it?"

My mother... took Bianca's magic? She was entrusted with it? What was my mother's magic, then?

"And judging by the last part... Did she take revenge...?"

I turned around, glancing at the city around me. All the destruction, all the chaos...

"Did she do... all of this? Reduce a whole city to... to this...?"

Returning to my codex, I flipped it open to the page containing my latest spell.

"I don't understand... What decision am I supposed to make here...?"

I swallowed.

"I... I'm fine with casting it... I think..."

My mother's full name... Her first, middle, and last name. She only mentioned her middle name once to me, during a conversation about us, but I never forgot it. It's almost a miracle she even mentioned it to me, given the amount of secrets she had.

"Yes... Yes, I'm fine with it."

So, I took a deep breath. I really was about to summon her. Truly one of the strongest libromancers ever? I don't know... but surely, she was strong. No doubt about that. And Bianca, as a demon, is strong too. If this spell summons another demon... Well, only one way to find out...

"My latest spell..."

Her name... the one she was given when she came into this world.

"Luna..."

Her middle name... the one she held close because special to her.

"... Seraphina..."

Our last name... the one that united us by blood, and allowed me to be loved, acknowledged as her own.

"Mariposa."

As I pronounced her full name, a searing pain in my hand jolted me backward.

"AH!"

I flung the codex away. It fell on the ground while white flames consumed it.

"My codex! It's burning!"

Instinctively, I stepped forward, intending to extinguish the fire. But just as I dared to, countless white and ice-cold spikes came into view, stopping just in front of me. My body was now burning just as quickly as it had begun to freeze.

A bone-chilling wind whipped against my back as my legs buckled, sending me crashing to my knees. Though unable to sustain itself any longer, the spikes kept my body from falling completely to the ground, staining it with my own blood as they made me feel nothing but agony throughout every nerve.

My vision blurred, yet I could see it clearly: broken wings of ice closing in, blinding what little remained in sight as they wrapped me in their cold embrace. My bones cracked under the pressure while I could feel my insides being torn apart by the jagged spikes, spilling out alongside the blood pouring through the gaping wounds.

Following the rest of my body, my head flopped backward. And in that moment, I saw it: a faceless entity, a hollow mask with a wide grin spread across it. Its long hair floated weightlessly, and a white dress swirled around it as icy air slashed relentlessly at my skin.

"M-" I tried to speak, but all that escaped was a wet, choking cough of blood. "Mom...?"

Crystal hearts flashed; in the blink of an eye, all the spikes wrenched free from my body, and I collapsed helplessly to the ground as blood pooled around. The lukewarm feeling of it faintly vague, until my vision, along with what remained of my consciousness, faded away, leaving nothing but pure and cold darkness.