Kassandra’s eyes snapped open. She tried to sit up, but her body was too weak after five long years in a coma.

“Someone... help…” she called out, her voice hoarse from disuse.

A maid standing outside heard her faint voice and rushed into the room. She froze in shock, eyes wide with disbelief as she saw Kassandra awake.

Kassandra noticed the maid’s stunned expression and asked impatiently, “Are you going to help me or just stand there?”

That snapped the maid out of her stupor.

“Lady Kassandra... you’re awake?!” the maid stammered, her voice cracking with emotion.

“Does it look like I’m still asleep? Of course, I’m awake!” Kassandra replied with a sarcastic edge, as if she’d forgotten everything that happened in her mind space. “Now, help me up. I... I can’t move my body.”

The maid quickly nodded. “Yes, my lady!” She rushed to Kassandra’s side and gently helped her sit up in bed.

“Go get my father,” Kassandra ordered, her voice growing stronger.

“Yes, right away!” The maid hurried out of the room to find the baron.

Christopher burst into the room moments later, his emotions in turmoil. Without saying a word, he wrapped his arms around Kassandra in a tight embrace.

“It’s so good to see you awake!” he exclaimed, his voice thick with relief.

“Why are you being so dramatic? How long have I been asleep?” Kassandra asked, her tone oddly casual.

“It’s been five years since you fell into a coma. We’ve all been waiting for you to wake up.”

“Wait… Five years? Was I in that place for five years? No way!” Kassandra’s disbelief was clear in her voice.

“What place are you talking about?” Christopher asked, his face creased with concern.

As Kassandra tried to recall the memories from her mind space, her breathing grew erratic. Her eyes filled with terror, and tears spilled down her cheeks uncontrollably.

“Kassandra, what’s wrong? Kassandra!” Christopher shook her gently, trying to snap her out of it, but nothing worked.

Panicking, Christopher called for the doctor who had treated her for all those years. Coincidentally, it was the same doctor who had diagnosed her coma five years ago.

“Baron,” the doctor began after examining her, “it seems she’s been deeply traumatized by something, but it’s difficult to pinpoint. The brain is the most complex and delicate organ in the human body. I can’t say anything for certain.”

“But… if I may, baron?” the doctor asked cautiously.

“Go ahead. Speak freely. If it’s about Kassandra, I need to hear it,” Christopher replied, trying to keep his emotions in check.

“Are you familiar with origins, sources, and successors?” the doctor inquired.

“Of course. Anyone with a basic grasp of history would be,” Christopher answered, then paused as realization struck him. “Wait… are you suggesting—”

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“Yes. After researching the cause of her coma, I believe it’s possible Lady Kassandra has been chosen by an origin,” the doctor revealed.

“That... that’s impossible…” Christopher murmured, struggling to process the idea.

As they discussed it, Kassandra—still shaken—heard every word. Mustering all her strength, she asked in a trembling voice, “Am I... am I a successor?”

Both Christopher and the doctor turned to face her, but neither responded. Kassandra repeated herself, louder this time, her voice still trembling:

“Am I a successor?!”

“We’re not sure,” Christopher finally responded, his voice heavy with uncertainty. “But it’s possible. You falling into a coma, experiencing pain before you collapsed… these could all be signs of an awakening.”

The room fell into an uneasy silence. No one spoke or moved. After what felt like an eternity, Kassandra broke the quiet.

“What happens to me now?” she asked, her face blank, devoid of emotion. As memories from the coma slowly resurfaced, she felt her feelings slipping away, numbed by the despair she had endured for so long.

“I... I don’t know,” Christopher admitted, his sadness evident.

“If I may, Lady Kassandra,” the doctor began, his tone respectful. Kassandra glanced at him and gave a silent nod, urging him to continue.

“Ever since you fell into the coma, I’ve been researching potential causes. As I mentioned earlier, you may have awakened as a successor. I can’t be certain, but can you tell me what you experienced while unconscious?”

“Fine,” Kassandra sighed and began to recount her time in the mind space.

“In the beginning, there was only darkness—no light, no objects, nothing. After calming down, I decided to move. I realized I could float, so I drifted, though I had no idea how much time passed. It felt like an eternity,” she paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. “After what seemed like forever, I found an altar. It was black and dark green, the only thing I had seen in all that time. So I approached it. To my shock, the altar spoke and told me to place my hand on it. I didn’t know what else to do, so I obeyed. The moment I touched it, I was engulfed in darkness. I felt like I was drowning. Then, the darkness separated from me and morphed—into me.”

Kassandra took another deep breath before continuing her story.

“After it took my form, everything blurred. I can’t remember all the details, but I remember feeling Despair. After that, I was forced to witness countless people die—some jumped from high places, others took their lives in other ways. It felt like it lasted forever. I lost track of how many died before my eyes. Then, the entity warned me that if I learned its name, I would experience a far greater Despair than anything I had seen.” She paused, shuddering. “I’ve never been so terrified in my life.”

She finished, her words hanging in the air. Both Christopher and the doctor were speechless, staring at her in disbelief. It took several minutes before Christopher managed to speak.

“Did it… tell you its name?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Thankfully, no,” Kassandra replied. She turned to the doctor. “So, what now? I’ve told you everything I remember. What do you think?”

The doctor sighed. “Being a successor means you have an origin. An origin is the source of your powers, and from what you’ve described, your origin may be connected with Despair. Despair is likely the essence of your origin, meaning you can wield it. The entity making you endure that was probably necessary for you to gain those powers.”

“That’s as much as I know,” the doctor continued, glancing between Kassandra and Christopher.

“You’ll need to consult a specialist in the history of the Age of Origins. They may be able to tell you more.”

“Where can we find such a person?” Christopher asked.

“They’re more common than you might think. Successors aren’t as rare as they seem,” the doctor replied. “For example, you may not know this, but Duke Lenter is a successor.”

“I see,” Christopher said, turning to Kassandra. “We’ll get through this. I’ll be with you every step of the way.”

Kassandra looked at her father for a moment before remembering something. “Where is Mother?”

“Loretta? She’s with Alexios,” Christopher replied casually.

“Alexios?” Kassandra echoed, confused.

“Oh, right... You wouldn’t know. Alexios is your baby brother. He’s already two and a half years old,” Christopher explained, his tone lightening.

“I have a brother? That’s... great,” Kassandra said, though her face remained emotionless.

Christopher noticed but chose not to comment, understanding that her trauma wouldn’t disappear overnight. Before they could speak further, Kassandra’s stomach growled audibly.

“Can I get something to eat? I’m really hungry,” she asked, slightly embarrassed.

Christopher nodded and instructed the maid to have the chef prepare a meal for her.

Thirty minutes later, a delicious meal was brought to Kassandra. She ate quickly, savoring each bite, unaware that two people were quietly approaching her room.