Chapter 206: Memory Rock
"How do you even use this thing?" he asked, half casual, half testing her.
Lyra’s expression hardened. "You don’t. Not yet. Memory rocks aren’t toys, Xavier. You can’t just press on it and expect it to show you something. They bite back."
He leaned back, scoffing. "It’s something Bull left behind. He didn’t leave it to sit in a box forever. It’s meant for me. So tell me how to use it."
Her jaw tightened, the edge of fear slipping into her voice. "I’ve seen reckless fools do exactly that. They either died on the spot or lost their minds to the flood of someone else’s memories. You think you’re different, but you’re not invincible."
Xavier’s eyes narrowed. "Nothing will happen to me. I can handle it."
Lyra shook her head, her tone shifting to almost pleading. "Don’t. Please. If you try anything with it now, I swear I’ll destroy it. Don’t make me do that."
The room went silent for a moment, tension hanging heavy. Xavier finally exhaled, letting a thin smile creep in. "Alright. If you’re warning me that much, I won’t touch it. Put it back, then. Carefully."
Relief flickered across her face as she nodded and reached for the container. She slid the slate inside, steady hands trying to seal it shut.
But Xavier’s mind was already working. His telekinesis slipped in, invisible threads tugging the slate back towards him. It floated out before the lid could close, sliding through the air straight towards his waiting palm.
"I knew it!" Lyra shouted, fury sparking as she snatched the container and hurled it at him.
Instinct snapped in—Xavier’s power whipped to catch it midair, the slate slipping from his control in that split second. It tumbled down—
—but Lyra dove forward, snatching it clean from the air and springing back with sharp speed, clutching it against her chest.
The container, however, clattered perfectly into Xavier’s hand.
Lyra’s ears were stiff, her tail lashing like an angry whip as she clutched the slate against her chest. Her glare was sharp enough to cut.
Xavier stayed silent, the weight of failure heavy in his gut. He’d been caught, and worse—he’d lost the damn thing to her quick hands. The container in his palm felt like a hollow victory.
He opened his mouth to speak, but Lyra cut him off, voice like a blade.
"I should’ve known better. This is exactly who you are, Xavier. Always pushing, always thinking you’re untouchable. And since you won’t back down, fine—" she lifted the slate higher, her expression burning with stubborn resolve. "—I’ll use it myself. Then maybe you’ll finally see how dangerous it is."
"Wait—" Xavier surged forward, hand lifting instinctively to stop her.
Before Xavier or Lilia could even breathe, Lyra slammed her will into the slate.
The air around them thickened, a faint hum stirring—then nothing. No light, no reaction.
Lyra blinked, tried again, more forceful. Nothing.
Lilia let out a shaky breath, almost relieved, but Lyra’s lips twisted into a tense smile. "Hah. Figures. It’s dead. Guess fate’s on my side for once." She gave a quick, almost careless laugh, but the edge in her eyes didn’t soften. Tossing it at him, she muttered, "Better this way. At least no one’s stupid enough to—"
But before she could finish, Xavier’s hand closed around the slate. He didn’t hesitate. He did what she’d tried, and...
The reaction was instant. A blinding surge cracked out of the slate, the hum splitting into a roar. The entire apartment vibrated with force, and for a heartbeat, the three of them froze in shock.
Then Xavier’s body seized. His eyes widened, glowing faintly, before his legs buckled. The slate slipped from his hand and clattered against the floor as his body hit it with a heavy thud.
"Xavier!" Lilia screamed, rushing forward.
Lyra’s face was drained of color. She stumbled back a step, hands shaking, realizing just what she had done by being careless and passing the slate to him.
The slate lay there, pulsing faintly, as if mocking them.
Lyra’s chest tightened as she dropped to her knees beside him. "No... no, no, no—dammit, Xavier!" Her hands hovered over his face, his shoulders, not knowing where to touch, not knowing how to fix it. She cursed herself under her breath, eyes wide with guilt. "I should’ve destroyed it... I should’ve never let you—"
Lilia shoved past her, kneeling on the other side. Her hands pressed against his cheeks, desperate, shaking him lightly. "Xavier! Hey—wake up! Come on, you can’t just—wake up, please!" Her voice cracked, panic bleeding through every word.
Lyra clenched her fists so hard her nails dug into her palms, trembling with anger at herself. "I knew it... I knew something like this would happen, and I still let him push me." Her wolf ears twitched back flat, tail stiff with regret. "Stupid, stubborn idiot! why does he never listen?"
Lilia was on the verge of tears now, her forehead pressed against his chest, listening for a heartbeat. Relief washed through her when she felt the steady thump, but it wasn’t enough. "He’s alive, but he won’t wake up!" She looked up at Lyra, eyes pleading. "What do we do?!"
Lyra bit down hard on her lip, eyes locked on the slate still pulsing faintly on the floor. "That thing... it pulled him under. He’s trapped in it somehow." Her voice shook despite her best effort to sound steady. "And it’s my fault for letting this happen."
Lilia shook her head furiously, clutching Xavier’s hand. "No... it’s not your fault! Just... just tell me how to bring him back! There has to be a way!"
But Lyra had no answer. She only sat there, trembling, as the silence of the room pressed down on them, broken only by the faint, steady pulse of the memory rock.
"Lyra! Say something. How do we wake him up? You know how this works, right?"
"I... don’t know... I have never personally witnessed something like this. I just heard stories from all around. But... why did it not work on me?"