Golden light consumed Reinhard's consciousness, drowning thought in radiance too bright to resist. His body remained in the forest, surrounded by enemies, protected by his companions.

But his mind traveled elsewhere, pulled by the Star Jewel's power into memories not his own.

The light faded gradually, revealing a settlement.

Buildings constructed entirely from wood stretched in organized rows, creating a town-like structure that suggested careful planning despite primitive materials. The architecture bore similarities to what Reinhard had seen in Nuevo, but it was older.

These were the foundations upon which later cities would be built.

People moved through the streets, and their faces held expressions Reinhard recognized immediately. It was despair of being in a hopeless situation, horror of what they saw, and fright at what they should do.

Mothers clutched children against their chests, trying to shield them from sights already seared into young minds. Men stood in small clusters, speaking in hushed tones while their eyes remained haunted.

The elderly sat on doorsteps, staring at nothing, processing losses too great for immediate comprehension.

A young man walked through the settlement, and Reinhard's attention focused on him. He wore a simple green tunic that reached his knees, belted at the waist with a leather cord, while wooden sandals protected his feet from the rough ground.

His face bore features Reinhard recognized without the weight of centuries that Commander Dune's spectral form had carried. This was Dune before command, before leadership, before whatever transformation had elevated him to his position.

Young Dune walked through rubble and destruction. Evidence of a Beast Raid and siege that had torn through the settlement like a hurricane through kindling. Buildings stood partially collapsed, wooden beams snapped and rose at angles that defied common sense. The ground showed deep gouges where claws had raked stone and earth. Bloodstains darkened surfaces despite obvious attempts at cleaning.

Bodies were being hauled away on crude stretchers, covered with cloth that couldn't completely hide the shapes beneath.

Reinhard followed, his consciousness bound to Dune's movements as an invisible observer. A thought formed with sudden clarity. This might be a side-effect of the Star Jewel when trying to fully summon Dune. It might be that I have to relive his memories.

The realization expanded. This might be why Marie saw the Forerunners' past when she grabbed the Star Jewel. The artifact doesn't just grant wishes, it possibly shows the memories of things related to the wishes.

Dune stopped walking.

A golden monument rose before him, perhaps thirty feet tall and ten feet wide at its base. Names covered every visible surface, inscribed in letters so small they formed a continuous golden tapestry.

The monument caught what little sunlight penetrated the settlement's smoky haze, reflecting light in patterns that suggested something sacred. Reinhard recognized it was the same Memory Pillar he saw in Melo City before.

And it's then he felt Dune thought, he called it the beacon, and the reason people had stayed behind to die.

Dune's fist clenched, knuckles whitening with pressure while he gritted his teeth, and his muscles bulged. Reinhard could feel the emotions rolling off Dune, anger, fury, and disappointment.

Dune's thoughts became audible, surfacing in Reinhard's consciousness as if spoken aloud. Mom and Dad… Your names are here, carved into this monument alongside hundreds of others. But I don't understand.

"I don't get it," Dune muttered, his voice cracking slightly. "Why did you sacrifice yourselves for this damn Pillar? Was it really so important that you were willing to abandon even your son?"

The words hung in the air, accusation mixing with grief.

Why? Dune's thoughts continued, pressing against Reinhard's awareness with painful intensity. Why did both of you have to stay behind? You could have just run like the others! You both weren't even that strong. I'm sure that the other beast warriors, you two were just useless shields that would buy a couple of seconds… So why would you still stay?!

Reinhard felt the logic warring with emotion in Dune's mind. The young man understood that his parents had made a choice, but understanding and accepting were different things entirely.

The gap between them stretched like an abyss that no amount of reasoning could bridge.

Dune's gaze swept the settlement, taking in details that painted pictures too vivid to ignore. Bodies being hauled away showed wounds that spoke to violence beyond normal comprehension.

Buildings lay wrecked while the ground itself bore scars of deep trenches and circular patterns where whirlwinds of destruction had touched down. People cried openly as they mourned family members who would never return.

Though Dune hadn't witnessed the attack firsthand, the evidence allowed him to imagine it. The clash must have been absolutely terrifying, as guards had been torn apart by Phantasm Beasts.

The images his mind created from the gruesome remains made his stomach spasm. He trembled, trying desperately to suppress his imagination, but it showed him disgusting thoughts regardless. Flesh rendered from bone, screams cut short by tearing impacts, phantasm beasts tearing through the city without care, and guards sacrificing themselves to stop them.

Dune held his head, dizzy from the thoughts spiraling through his consciousness as he saw people crying over others. A woman clutching what might have been her husband's torn tunic, a child sitting beside a covered form that was far too still. An elderly man placed flowers on the ground, still stained with his daughter's blood.

The question formed again in his mind. Was it truly worth it? Another thought followed. Maybe… Maybe if I ask one of the Warriors, they can answer? But… What if they call me stupid for not knowing? Or say I'm a disgrace for questioning my parents' actions instead of praising them?

Dune bit his lips, the small pain grounding him before he sighed, staring at the ground. He was lost in thoughts that provided no answers, only more questions that spiraled into doubt and confusion.

Reinhard frowned, his own consciousness reacting as he whispered. "Is that… Is that how Klein, Anasha, and Anna would feel if I died on an Expedition? That's…"

He didn't know how to complete the thought. The implications spread through his awareness like cracks, each one threatening to split open into something he couldn't afford to examine. Not while enemies surrounded his physical body.

But the question remained, appearing in his consciousness. Would they understand? Or would they feel this same anger, this same sense of abandonment?

The scene shifted, time flowing forward in the memory.

Dune stood before a small section of disturbed ground, clearly dug up and recently filled. Two mounds side by side, marked with simple wooden boards. The graves of his parents, Reinhard realized with certainty.

Dune had buried them himself, probably alone, probably while grief was still too raw to process properly.

A man approached from the settlement. He had short black hair, a beard, and blue eyes. He wore a tunic similar to Dune's but of better quality, and wooden sandals that showed signs of long travel.

Dune bit his lips again, that same nervous gesture, and he asked softly. "Did they stay because it was their responsibility as Warriors to protect the Capital? Is that why they stayed, Bargest?"

Bargest hummed thoughtfully. "Responsibility?" He paused, letting the word hang between them. "Then didn't they have a responsibility to protect and raise their child? Especially when he has no one and would have to grow up alone?"

Dune flinched before gritting his teeth while clenching his fist as he stared down at the ground.

Bargest sighed, gaze fixed on the graves. "When it comes to a parent, I'm sure most would choose to stay with their children instead of leaving them alone."

"Then why did they do it!" Dune's voice cracked, pain overwhelming his attempt at control. "Did I mean so little to them? Couldn't they just have left and stayed with me?"

Bargest fell silent, offering no immediate answer. He simply continued staring at the disturbed ground, allowing Dune's outburst to echo and fade naturally.

Dune clenched his fist, fingernails digging into his palm hard enough to leave marks. His thoughts bled through again, poisonous and aching. The only thing they left me was this agony, questioning, doubt, and their… I… I hate them so much.

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