When Morfeo fell asleep, he began to dream of something strange. He found himself in a cold place, alone, with the ground beneath him freezing. His feet were bare, and the place he was in was an immense frozen lake. He started to wander, searching for warmth or someone to guide him out of this eerie place. As he looked around desperately, his eyes caught sight of something moving on the horizon.
As Morfeo began to run towards this thing, his feet, wounded and bleeding, sent waves of pain through him. Despite the agony, he forced himself forward, hoping it was someone who could save him. As he got closer, the figure's details started to become clearer—it was a person, but someone Morfeo did not recognize. Approaching further, he realized it was a woman: Ravena. She was walking towards the horizon.
Morfeo shouted her name, trying to get her attention, but she did not hear him and continued her path towards a strange place. When Morfeo looked in the direction Ravena was heading, he was horrified. He saw her moving towards a bizarre pit in the middle of the frozen lake. A dreadful feeling seized him—he could sense a colossal monster lurking in that pit. Ravena was walking straight into its grasp.
Morfeo screamed hysterically, his voice filled with terror, begging her to turn back. Tears streamed down his face as he ran towards her, pleading for her to come to him and avoid the pit. In the midst of his desperate dash, the ice beneath him started to crack and shatter, plunging him into the frigid lake. The icy water enveloped him, draining the warmth from his body. Morfeo felt his strength fading, his body becoming numb. Believing this was the end, he closed his tear-filled eyes, accepting his fate.
In his mind, Morfeo spoke softly: I am sorry, everyone—Mother, Father, Ottavia, Lilith, and all the servants, and Ravena—I am sorry for everything wrong I did. If I had just one more chance to live, I promise I would change for the better. Please, help me, just this once. And then, Morfeo began to weep.
But as he cried, he felt warm hands embracing him. Opening his eyes slowly, Morfeo was stunned to see Ravena. She had heard his cries, and when he fell into the lake, she had dived in after him to save him. Ravena swam upwards, pushing Morfeo to the surface first. However, when he looked around, she was nowhere to be seen. Gazing down into the depths, Morfeo saw Ravena trapped—something like the monster had caught her legs, dragging her down.
Morfeo screamed and sobbed hysterically, but he was powerless to save her. His body was nearly paralyzed by the cold. Overwhelmed by grief, Morfeo lost consciousness, oblivious to the world around him.
After a while, Morfeo regained consciousness. As he looked around, he was shocked—the frozen lake was gone. He was now in a vast forest, surrounded by towering trees. It was autumn; all the leaves had fallen, turning the once vibrant forest into a desolate place. The ground was covered in dark orange leaves, and the trees were bare, their branches stretching like bony fingers into the gloomy sky.
As Morfeo moved, he realized that his feet no longer hurt. Looking down, he was astonished to find them completely healed. He was confused but did not dwell on it for long. Urgency drove him to move quickly, searching for someone to save him. However, as he walked, memories of what had happened flooded back. Overcome with despair, he collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down his face.
But soon, Morfeo forced himself to stop crying and get up. He understood that the chance he had begged for had been granted. He could not waste it or betray Ravena, who had sacrificed herself for him. Determined, he began to move through the forest. As he ventured deeper, darkness closed in from every direction until he could see nothing.
Struggling through the dark, Morfeo spotted a strange light in the distance. Running towards it, he found a path in the middle of the forest and a figure holding a lantern. Ignoring the pain as sharp branches and stones tore at his feet, Morfeo pressed on desperately. As he approached, he stumbled over a large root hidden by the dark and fell into a pile of leaves by the path.
The person holding the lantern noticed Morfeo and approached. As the figure spoke, Morfeo was stunned: Aren't you too old to be jumping into piles of leaves, young master? The voice was unmistakable—it was Ottavia.
Overwhelmed with relief and joy, Morfeo burst into tears, throwing his arms around Ottavia, telling her of the terrifying things that had happened. But Ottavia remained cold and distant. She took his hand and said: Come now, young master, stop playing around. Let's return to the manor.
Morfeo was shocked by her coldness. He was used to Ottavia being warm and comforting, the first to console him when things went wrong. Holding his hand tightly, Ottavia started walking down the dark path, the lantern's light flickering in her other hand. No matter how Morfeo pleaded with her to turn back, she ignored him, dragging him forward.
As they moved, frightening sounds began to echo from the darkness ahead. Morfeo's fear mounted, and he begged Ottavia to stop, to turn back. He pulled against her grip, but she snapped at him, shouting: Stop crying and being afraid! If you don't stop, I will leave you in the dark alone!
Despite her threats, Morfeo broke free, standing in front of her, sobbing: Please, don't go any further. I can't bear to lose you too. But Ottavia pushed past him, continuing forward. As she did, the terrifying noises grew louder.
Suddenly, a monstrous creature lunged out of the darkness, knocking Morfeo aside. Helpless, he watched in horror as the beast attacked Ottavia, tearing at her legs. Blood sprayed, staining the lantern's light from white to crimson. Morfeo tried to reach her, dragging himself forward despite his body feeling unbearably heavy.
His hand stretched desperately towards the lantern, but his vision blurred, and darkness consumed him once more. Morfeo collapsed, unconscious, unable to feel anything around him.