Kei and Teri stumble upon an unexpected vision: Lilian herself, in a memory that dates back centuries. They learn that she, too, was once bound by love, only to lose everything in a betrayal that shattered her soul. This chapter reveals Lilian’s tragic backstory, and the roots of her hatred for bonds like Kei and Teri’s. It’s a powerful turning point, as Kei and Teri begin to understand that breaking free isn’t just about escape—it’s about healing a wound in the fabric of the cosmos.

(In a swirling fragment of time, they witness a memory of Lilian’s past, seeing her younger self in a vision of loss and betrayal. As the memory fades, Kei and Teri exchange glances, their expressions heavy with realization.)

Teri:
"So… she wasn’t always like this. There was a time she cared, maybe even loved someone as deeply as we love each other."

Kei:
(nodding thoughtfully) "She lost them. And that pain, it… twisted her. Turned her into the very thing she must have hated."

Teri:
"It’s almost tragic. If things had been different… could she have been one of us? Fighting alongside us instead of trapping us here?"

Kei:
"Maybe. But that doesn’t change what she’s done. She chose to curse us, to take us away from our family, our world."

Teri:
"But it gives us an edge. Lilian thought her pain would bind us in the same way, that it would tear us apart. But she underestimated one thing."

Kei:
(curious) "What’s that?"

Teri:
"Us. No matter what she throws at us, she can’t destroy what we have. We’re stronger together, and I think… I think that scares her. Because deep down, she knows what it feels like to lose everything."

(Kei reaches for his hand, her expression fierce and determined.)

Kei:
"Then let’s prove her wrong. Let’s show her that love isn’t a weakness—it’s the only power strong enough to break her curse."

Teri:
(smiling) "Now that’s the Kei I know. Let’s do this, together."

(With newfound determination, they begin to channel their powers, their combined energies igniting the void with a brilliant, pulsing light, signaling the start of their fight to break free from the chains of time and space.)