Desperate for answers, Ayame seeks out an ancient mystic who lives in the Forgotten Realm, a desolate and mysterious place said to exist outside the normal flow of time. This realm, long believed to be a myth, is where the first Guardians of Balance were born, and its existence is hidden from the world. Only those with a deep connection to life and death can enter.

The mystic, Eira, reveals a shocking truth to Ayame: Haru is not just a vessel for The Devourer's fragment, but a chosen vessel, marked by fate long before his birth. The Devourer's essence has been searching for a host to rebirth itself in this world, and Haru's soul is entwined with the fate of this dark power. If Ayame cannot find a way to sever the connection, The Devourer will use Haru to fully return—and this time, the world will not survive.

Eira offers Ayame a dangerous solution: there exists an ancient ritual that can transfer the dark mark from Haru to Ayame herself. This would spare Haru, but at a terrible cost—Ayame would have to bear The Devourer's power within her, risking her own corruption. Eira warns that this power could consume Ayame if she's not strong enough to resist.