A bolt of lightning hit me and I found myself drowning in the depths of a blue oceanic trench, struggling to hold onto my breath. I flailed my arms around to catch a straw of hope but the bubbles of breath rose leaving me to sink farther down. My heart sank but lightning struck me again and I was no longer drowning.

Cold sweat trickled down my forehead as I realized that I was standing, knees heavy with my throbbing heart. There was dark smoke around me as they climbed up my knees, hiding whatever was beneath them. Time moved as if it had turned into a slow turtle traversing through a steep mountain but a moment later it sped up, returning to normal.

My breath fastened, catching up with it and nausea hit me, causing my vision to blur. My mind was dragged into what I’d witnessed just a moment ago: Helaina’s bloodied figure covering Cathe as she lay there breathless.

The thought sent throbbing pain across my chest and I reminded myself that it was just a memory—something that had already happened in the past. Something that I could no longer change.

“Is that so?” A voice resonated from behind me. “I thought you would be more hopeful than that after coming to this world—where magic was no longer a fairy tail but a reality. Not that the past can be changed. ”

I leaped forward instinctively, spun midair, and took a fighting stance upon landing. I didn’t have my sword with me I realized after trying to grab hold of it but finding nothing but air. My new companion's worlds came flooding as they reminded me to be cautious at all times, regardless of the situation. For complacency meant death.

For someone from Earth, it would be too over the top but for them, it was the truth. A moment of carelessness could get them killed by a beast.

“Quite the cautious one, aren’t you?” He commented, clasping his hands behind his back.

It was too dark for me to see things properly so I tensed slightly but as he moved passed me, leaving his back wide open, I eased slightly.

“Who are you?” I asked but then changed my question. “How did you read my thoughts?”

“Did I? or were you just so open?” He laughed. “I’m a sentient you see. Thus my domain allows me to observe my surroundings better. Besides emotions are way too fickle. They leak out very easily. But now, your mind has turned blank.”

As he moved forward, the room around me slowly started to get brighter and I noticed a table ahead of him.

“Now, don’t just stand there and come sit. Let us talk like gentlemen do, shall we?” He asked, sitting down in a chair.

I’d thought if it was a trap but frankly I didn’t have any other choice but to listen to him. I sat down and noticed a silver glass placed before me. There was also another in front of him.

He took a sip, and said, “Try it. Don’t worry there is no poison in it.”

Most of his stature was covered by a thin layer of fog and I squinted my eyes to make him out.

He sat there, his body relaxed into a kingly demeanor and his green vibrant eyes moved sparingly between things—closely discerning everything. Every time he looked at me, I felt he could read right through me like an open book.

He was dressed in royal garb, intricate golden patterns running down his long sleeves like a maze of golden paddy fields—rich and plenty. He had moved with a saunter pace, like this entire place was for him to rule, his to dominate.

The fog around him cleared further and I made out his handsome features—smooth skin with a sharp jaw that would make him stand out even amongst the celebrities from Earth.

My eyes drifted to the cup that I was holding, the black swirling liquid reflecting on my face. My current face that is. The one that I’d worn for years on earth. One that I’d started hating at once in the past. I had dark hair, a distant look in my eyes, and heavy bags under them.

There was no charm in there. Just empty blankness that I could find. I could swear if I had seen it somewhere I would easily assume it belonged to a street ruffian.

I took a sip from the silver cup, sweetness spreading within my mouth. I sighed after putting it down, “You are Basak, aren’t you?”

“That I am,” He gave a nonchalant shrug.

“Then where are we? Did I die or something?” I said humorlessly.

“It would be very ironic for you to die a second time now, wouldn’t it?” He shook his head. “This is my domain. The only place that I own completely. Many think it’s the same as split consciousness but that couldn’t be further from the truth,” He said, a smile tugging at his lips. “ I am a little bit stronger than that. Although this is the last of my power that remains it is a place that is disconnected from the real world. Here time slows down, letting you feel its wave flow. Nobody can step inside unless I wish, nobody can leave unless I want, and nobody has ever set foot here before.”

“But now I have,” I said, calmly.

“That is correct. You are both the first and the last person to come here,” he said.

“I see. But I’m more interested in how I’d reincarnated in your body. Was it after you died and my soul found your body as its vessel?” I hypothesized, stroking my chin.

“That I can expect. In truth, it would be unwise of me to tell you everything right now. You are neither strong enough nor do you process all the information to piece everything together. I may be able to relay those with words but they shall not make much sense.” He explained. “After all life is meant to be experienced not told.”

Before I could express my disappointment he continued, “That said, I can still give you some hints. It would be too weird if you didn’t have some kind of boon after reincarnating, wouldn’t it?” He smiled and I watched my surroundings shift into something different.

I was standing once again but not inside a dark room but now in a well-lit room with windows all around us. It was a little cloudy outside but was far better than before.

There was a round table in the middle of the room, with half a dozen men—mostly dressed well, chattering amongst themselves. Their words were similar to static noises like I was hearing news from an ill-signaled radio, far and distant. Multiple drawings and maps were laid open on the table as they argued amongst themselves.

A man wearing a white vest stayed silent for the most part as the others argued among themselves. He was leaning forward into the table, his gaze lost behind his misty eyes.

“Prince Ashjar,” Basak said, walking ahead and around the table.

Nobody reacted to him as if he was not there. Basak paused before a tall shelf filled with books and he pulled out one out. “You are leaking your thoughts again. Now, it’s better. To answer your question about what you are seeing right now, I would say a vision of the past. Something that had happened long ago. I’m just letting you live that moment. That’s all.”

I stared at his back as he leafed through the heavy book, not bothering to stop. “Look history of the Kingdom of Filia it says! As if it existed back then!” He turned the book toward me and it was unlike what I’d expected.

There were symbols and texts of a language that I couldn’t understand but unlike the words, the words were not blurred.

“Why aren’t the words a blur like their conversations?” I asked, taking a look at the still-arguing men.

“That’s because I wasn’t present when this meeting took place. I’d heard of it from others and pieced things together. But their conversation was not part of it. But this book in my hand is different. I’d read it before.” He explained.

“So this is a conjured imagination of yours from information that you pieced together?” I thought aloud.

“Correct,” he replied, throwing the book on the floor. He pulled another out, reading it silently. “ Prince Ashjar was wise for his age. He was wiser than any other heir there was. He even established the Eleventh Knight’s order. Formerly also known as Dark Knights.”

He threw the book and turned toward me. “Remember this Zareth. When you are outside, you must avoid the Dark Knights at any cost. If they find it, they will kill you. Because,” He paused, his tone questioning.

I answered for him, “Because I carry around your face.”

“Half-points. Face can be hidden or even changed. You should know from my memories that I’d worn many faces. Although the one you seeing right now is my real face. Not all Dark Knights will recognize you, in fact barely any will. But they will see your eyes. Those pairs will send shivers down their spines.” He waved his arms around in a grand gesture, “And they will throw themselves at you like ants into fire. But your fire is not hot. It’s not fiery enough to burn them.”

I listened carefully to what he had to say and his last words made me realize that I was too weak. I still didn’t know how strong my foes could be and how they might harm me. But now an invisible threat hanged and even for that one reason, I needed to get stronger.

“Anyways, Since I’ve shown you this. Let’s also show you something even more interesting, shall we?” he grinned before his body vanished. A moment later my surroundings changed too.

This time I found myself in a green land as the wind blew from my side. We were standing on a small hill, beneath a large field whose end I couldn’t catch. I felt the soft grass under my feet as they tickled them.

“Come,” Basak said, walking off the cliff.

I leaned forward in slight panic forgetting the fact that this was an imagination of his. I watched as his feet landed softly on the ground. He looked up at me.

“You coming?” He asked a youthful glamor on his face.

I didn’t hesitate any longer and jumped down. For a moment my descent was fast like I was riding the clouds but then it slowed down as the air cushioned me, carrying my body down. I landed beside Basak and he smirked.

“Like that?”

I nodded.

He started walking ahead and I followed after him. Soon two people came into my sight. One was a man kneeling and a woman stood before him. She had wrinkles on her face and I assumed it was in her forties maybe a little younger.

She thrust a sword into the kneeling man as it went through his body, coming out of the other side. Blood dripped down his body and I looked at Basak in surprise.

“Don’t worry this is just a memory,” He said calmly.

“How can I-”

I was cut short when Basak kneeled forward with one knee, “I greet the Empress of Godvolt, Mother Queen.” His eyes were cast downward but the woman looked at him, almost as if she could see him.

She only broke her gaze when a man came running toward her from behind. He was wearing armor around his body and his head was covered by a steel helmet. He kneeled and said something but it was static noise only again. She looked at the man whom she killed for just a moment and then left.

Basak was back on his feet. “That was Mother Queen. Her name has been mentioned many times in history. You will know once you leave Xavier. She was the first woman to ever ascend to the throne. A prideful woman if I might add.”

I stayed silent as he approached the dead man and pulled his face up, revealing a face that I’d seen just a little ago.

It was the face of Prince Ashjar. It was older and more mature now, with depth in its features. It was no longer the face of a handsome prince but that of a wise ruler. But what made me baffled was the fact that there was a smile tugging on the corner of his mouth as if he was in peace.

“Look at him. He had been smiling till his last breath.” Basak mused to himself and then let Ashjar’s body fall to the ground.

“Why are you showing me all this?” I asked.

“Why now? I have told you that I’m giving you hints. Trust me, you will thank me later.” He smiled. “Now then let us move to our next location.”