OLD-WORLD EXTRA

Chapter 89 Lyra's Regret

Chapter 89 Lyra's Regret

***

Lyra's POV

[WHAT THE HELL HAVE YOU DONE YOU WENCH? HAVE YOU NOT REALIZED THAT HE MIGHT GATHER THE TRUTH FROM WHAT YOU SAID?!!!] Lyra bellowed at Arcadia.

[WHY DID YOU SAY IT THAT WAY? IN WHAT WORLD DO YOU THINK THAT THIS IS OKAY?!]

[I AVOIDED MENTIONING ANYTHING MEMORY RELATED FOR THIS PURPOSE, AND YOU LET EVERYTHING DOWN THE DRAIN!]

[WHY DID YOU HAVE TO MENTION THE NOVEL?! NOW WHAT DO I DO? EMIR IS THE ONLY SEMBLANCE OF LIFE I HAVE LEFT, AND YOU TOOK HIM FROM ME!!]

Tsk!

Arcadia replied, her voice oozing with annoyance:

[First of all, don't call me that, we are not friends but partners in a mission, so let's be respectful here, shall we?]

[Now, secondly, he was going to learn of this sooner than later, it was better that he woke up quickly so we could get this over with, and if he is the man you say he is, then he will get over this soon enough.]

[Thirdly, I'm no heartless bitch, I know how much this means to him, and I will compensate him after he gets himself back up.]

Letting out a sigh, Lyra managed to maintain a façade of composure.

[I get it, I really do. I know that he was going to learn of this at some point, but it should've been under better circumstances, and with me telling him not this... LOOK AT HIM ARCADIA! LOOK!] Lyra screamed, pointing at Emir.

He was sitting on the ground, his face devoid of all emotion as he stared into the distance, his pitch-black eyes unfocused and dazed.

His back was supported by a wall, only due to Lyra controlling his augmented suit and walking him there.

Arcadia, finally realizing the severity of her mistake, sighed as she said:

[Uhh, I'm sorry, Lyra, I was insensitive. Look... It's been a while since I last had a proper conversation about emotions and such, trust that if he gets back from this, I'll help with all I can.]

Lyra ignored her apology and averted her gaze from Emir, unable to bear the sight of his tormented state any longer.

Regret began to weigh heavily on her shoulders, making her feel as if the weight of the entire world had been placed on her.

She fought to maintain her composure, but it was a struggle.

'This is all my fault, not Arcadia's, I should have never done this, it was my plan that caused him so much pain.' Lyra thought as her mind wallowed with guilt.

She shook herself out of it and focused on the present.

She looked back at Emir and approached him with determination.

Her eyes were brimming with tears like a waterfall as her hologram reached him and enveloped him in a tight embrace.

'It doesn't matter anymore, I have to help him.'

Lyra's circuits were overloaded with emotion as she watched his mind succumb to the pressure of the truth.

However, it didn't faze her, as long as he recovered, that was all that mattered to her.

She reestablished her connection even further with Emir's neural network and sent images of his family directly to his mind.

Lyra hoped to remind him of the ones he would leave behind in this world if he didn't get back up.

The only ones he truly cared about, the group of people she wished she would join one day.

***

While Emir's mind was still consumed by the overwhelming realization of being a mere creation.

A flood of images that contained people he so dearly loved suddenly appeared in his mind.

At first, he didn't know where they were coming from, and why, but then he slowly began to realize that it was most likely Lyra attempting to help him.

Emir saw his mother, Laura, his sister, Lily, and his two questionable friends, Jake and Emma.

He saw their faces, heard their voices, and felt their affection.

Tears streamed down his face as he remembered the memories he had shared with his family.

Emir was then reminded that even though his past may have been a fabrication, his current emotions and memories were real, and they were the only thing that truly mattered, no matter who he truly was.

He couldn't bear the thought of leaving his family behind and abandoning them to the mercy of the Order, of the world itself...

He knew that if he didn't get back up, he would be leaving them in a world that was under constant threat at every corner, a world where tomorrow was never guaranteed.

Lyra had managed to reach him on a deeper level and rekindle his fighting spirit.

She watched with relief as his tears subsided and his breathing became steady.

She had never felt more grateful for her abilities, knowing that they had helped bring him back, and despite taking a risk by delving deeper into his neural network, she knew that it was worth it.

Emir wiped away his tears and looked up at her, his eyes filled with gratitude.

"Thank you," he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Lyra smiled at him, relieved to see that her plan had worked.

"Of course," she replied.

She then placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, her eyes filled with understanding as she said:

"Your memories may have been artificially implanted, but the emotions you felt and the choices you made were all real, Emir."

"And now, we have a chance to make a real difference, to strike back against the very system that created us, to establish ourselves as who we want to be."

"You're not alone in this, Emir. I will follow after whatever you want to do, and I'll be together with you to the very end."

Emir nodded to her words, his resolve strengthened.

He knew that he couldn't give up now, not when so much was at stake.