《The Second Dawn》


 Cyrus Moreno.

    The sun was setting, and the sky was a brilliant orange hue. A man walked down the street, his hands in his pockets and his head down. He looked up at the sky and took a deep breath. "It''s been a long day," he said to himself. He continued walking, his thoughts drifting back to the events of the day. He had just finished a meeting with one of his business partners, and it had not gone well. He was still trying to figure out what had happened. He had done everything he could to make sure the deal went through, but somehow, it had all fallen apart. He was frustrated and angry, but he knew he had to keep moving forward. He had a lot of work to do if he was going to make his dream of becoming the richest man in the world a reality. He sighed and shook his head. He was determined to make things right, no matter what it took.


    As he walked, he noticed a commotion up ahead. There was a crowd gathered around something, and people were shouting and pointing. He quickened his pace, curious to see what was going on. As he got closer, he saw that there was a young boy standing in the middle of the crowd, surrounded by a group of men. The boy was small and skinny, and he looked scared. The men were taunting him, and one of them was holding a baseball bat. The man decided that it would be best for him to continue walking home, but he was still visibly angry after what happened at the meeting.


    After getting back to his condo, he cracked open a beer and sat down on his couch to watch the news. He was tired, but he knew that he needed to stay up and keep working. He had a lot of ideas for how to improve his business, and he wanted to get started on them right away. He took a sip of his beer and turned up the volume on the television. The news anchor was talking about a recent robbery that had taken place in the city. The culprit had gotten away with a large amount of money, and the police were still searching for him. The man shook his head. All of a sudden, he heard a rumble in the complex that he was living in, followed by a loud crash. He quickly got up and ran to the window, trying to see what was going on. When he looked outside, he saw that the building across the street had collapsed. He watched in horror as the building crumbled to the ground, taking everything with it.


    He ran out of his condo and down the stairs, trying to see if anyone was hurt; however, before he could get out of the building, his complex crumbled as well, crushing him in the process.


    A man stood in a dark room, his eyes glowing a faint red. He was tall and slender, with pale skin and long, black hair. He wore a black suit and tie, and his hands were folded behind his back. He stared at the wall in front of him, his expression unreadable.


    "It seems like you have failed me," he said, his voice low and smooth.


    "Who the hell are you?" the man asked, scratching his head.


    "You don''t remember me? I''m Omnixis, the God of Death. I am here to make a deal with you."


    The man was now visibly confused; he didn''t know where he was or why he was brought here. "Sure, I''ll make a deal with you."


    Omnixis chuckled. "You are a very interesting man, Cyrus Moreno. You have a lot of potential, but you have made some bad choices in your life. You have also been very unlucky. I am here to offer you a chance to start over."


    "Cyrus Moreno?" Cyrus asked.


    "I am offering you a chance to be reborn. You will have a new life, a new body, and a new chance to make things right. You will be given a new name, a new identity, and a new purpose. Your name will be Cyrus Moreno; however, there is one condition."


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    "What is that?" Cyrus asked, intrigued.


    "You will be given a second chance, but you must use this opportunity wisely. I will bring you back on the condition that-" Cyrus was not able to hear the words that Omnixis uttered, yet he still agreed to the deal.


    "Very well, I will grant you this gift, Cyrus Moreno. But remember, you have been given a second chance, and you must use it wisely. Farewell, and good luck."


    Cyrus'' Perspective:


    I woke up to the sound of a baby crying. I opened my eyes and saw a bright light. I was lying on a soft bed, and I could feel the warmth of a blanket covering my body. I looked around and saw that I was in a small room. I tried to sit up, but I was too weak. I looked down at my hands and saw that they were tiny and chubby. I was a baby. I had been reborn. I saw two people sobbing like they''d seen a miracle; these two people must be my parents.


    "What should we name him?" the woman asked.


    "I don''t know," the man replied. "Let''s call him Cyrus."


    "Cyrus," the woman repeated. "That''s a good name."


    I heard the sound of a door opening, and a man walked into the room. He was tall and muscular, and he had a stern expression on his face.


    "Is the baby here?" he asked.


    "Yes," the woman replied. "He''s a healthy boy."


    The man walked over to the bed and looked down at me.


    "He looks just like his father," he said. "He''ll be a strong man; I''m sure of it."


    "Thank you," the woman said. "We appreciate your help."


    The man nodded and left the room. I looked up at my parents and smiled. They were both smiling back at me. Why was I reborn into this world? The words that Omnixis said to me were blurred out of my mind. What deal did I make with him?


    My parents were named Rafael and Elena Cyrus. They were a loving couple that worked hard to provide for their family. It seemed that the calendar system was very different in this world, so using their calendar system, I was born on the 10th of The First Bloomrise, in the first year of the Epoch of Enlightenment.


    I was their only child, and they were overjoyed to have me. They were also very protective of me, and they made sure that I was always safe. They were both very kind and caring, and they always made sure that I was happy.


    I grew up in a small town called Willowmere. It was a peaceful and quiet place, and it seems like the perfect place for me to grow up and accomplish whatever Omnixis wants me to.


    My parents were both teachers, and they taught me how to read and write. They also taught me how to be a good person, and they always encouraged me to help others; however, some people will never change, and in my case, I will keep doing what I have to do in order to become stronger no matter what. That is what I did before I got reincarnated, and I sure as hell won''t change my ways now.


    By the time I had some comprehension of the language in Elyria, I decided to pick up a few books that would help me learn how to use magic. What my parents don''t know is that I''m a 28-year-old man in the body of a 10-year-old, so I picked up the language a lot faster than I was supposed to, so I read the book in secret to prevent any skepticism from my parents.


    The book I read was called ''The Basics of Magic''. It was a very simple book, and it explained magic at a barebones level and how to use it.


    According to the book, magic is a power that can be used by anyone, but only if they have the ability to do so. There are many different types of magic, and each type has its own unique abilities. The book also explained that magic is a very powerful force, and it can be used for both good and evil. It is important to be careful when using magic and to only use it for good purposes. I was fascinated by this information, and I was determined to learn as much about magic as possible. I read the book over and over again, and I memorized every word. However, when it came to actually learning how to use magic, I couldn''t. I tried the incantations over and over, yet nothing came out. I thought I was doing something wrong, and I began to become frustrated, but who was going to help me? My parents? No, they would think I was crazy. I was going to have to figure this out on my own.

 What is Aether?

    I decided to go outside and practice in the backyard. I didn''t want to risk hurting anyone, and I knew that the backyard was a safe place for me to experiment. I spent hours out there, trying different incantations and gestures, but nothing worked. I was starting to lose hope, but then something happened. I was trying a different incantation, and I felt a surge of energy run through my body. This isn''t what the book described magic to be. I felt like my whole body was about to explode. My body began to glow a plethora of colors, threatening to leave my body at any moment. I tried to look through the book for any explanation of what was going on, but the book was blank. I was alone in this; I had no one to help me. I was going to have to figure this out on my own. I closed my eyes and tried to calm myself down. I focused on the energy running through my body, and I tried to control it. I felt the energy flowing through me, and I tried to direct it. I felt it leaving my body, and I opened my eyes. I saw a ball of energy floating in front of me.


    This wasn''t any normal magic; it seemed that I was unable to use magic in the same typical manner as everyone else. I was able to manipulate the energy that was flowing through my body, and I was able to use it to create a ball of energy. I was amazed. I couldn''t believe what I was seeing. I looked through every piece of text that we had throughout the house when I had the chance, and I figured out something very intriguing. There was a special type of magic called Aether, and it was a very rare type of magic, basically nonexistent. The last recorded user of Aether was during the Age of Origins, which in this world seemed like centuries ago. I was the first person in a long time to be able to use this type of magic.


    While experimenting with this, I learned how to create a protective force field around me; I called it an "aether shield." It was a ball of light, and it protected me from anything thrown or swung in my direction. I learned to expand it further away and contract it into the shield; this way I was able to use my body to attack while also being protected at the same time.


    During that time, I also learned that my natural magical abilities were something most humans could never possess, even those who wielded elemental magic. As the time passed, my use of aether became stronger and stronger, almost becoming that of an adult despite being a 10-year-old boy physically.


    "Cyrus, you seemed very intrigued by this book. Can you show me what it is? Are you teaching yourself magic, I hear?" Dad seemed slightly interested in my curiosity.


    I shook my head and dropped the book behind the couch that I was standing in front of. I pretended to act dumbfounded since I was only 10 years old. "What are you talking about, Daddy?"


    Dad looked at me and nodded, seemingly satisfied with my response. "Don''t worry about it, my little boy. When you''re older, you can learn magic with me." Dad patted my head as he walked away. "Oh yeah, Mom wants you for dinner. Better hurry; it''s beef stew today!"


    After that experience, I tried my best to keep my abilities secret to keep my family and friends from questioning my mental state. I could not let anyone figure out that I could use aether, no matter what. My ability was so powerful that it would probably have frightened them. This is a perfect time to test the strength of the shield that I can create with aether.


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    The following day, I went outside to a clearing in the woods. I stood in front of a tree and focused on creating an aether shield. I focused all of my energy into it, and I felt it expanding around me. It was large enough to cover the entire front of my body. It was a pure white light, and it seemed impenetrable. I concentrated more on my shield and I felt it beginning to change. It seemed to become darker and denser.


    I dropped the aether shield after a while; I needed to catch a bit of breath. A thin layer of sweat covered my forehead, and I wiped it off. Despite having a physically young body, I was mentally 28 and I could''ve done the same trick as an adult, and most likely I would''ve not broken a sweat.


    "Maybe I shouldn''t have tested the limits of my strength that fast," I mumbled to myself.


    "Young man, what are you doing out here at such a young age?" A mysterious man approached me. He was cloaked from head to toe in a red and yellow robe. "Do not tell me you are trying to get stronger?"


    "No, just testing a thing out. Nothing serious," I tried to remain calm and collected in front of the stranger.


    "Are you lost?" the mysterious man questioned me.


    "No, sir," I replied. "I''m just messing around and making sure I don''t end up hurting myself or others."


    The mysterious man pulled back his hood, revealing himself to be an older man. He had dark brown hair and a goatee, and his eyes were blue. He smiled and put a hand on my shoulder.


    "Well, why not do me a favor in return for not telling your parents. Don''t worry; it''ll be worth it in the end. Come to the entrance of the city in exactly 6 days."


    My demeanor changed from nervous to weary. What did this man want from me? "I will agree if you tell me your name." I stated firmly.


    The man grinned and nodded, "Fine. You may call me Gaius."


    "Okay, fine. What is it you want from me, Gaius?"


    "It would be better to show than tell; meet me in 6 days right where we are standing. I promise, nothing bad will come out of this deal; it would benefit you greatly in the future."


    "Before you leave, there is one more question I have for you," I called after the man. "How are you so familiar with this town?" I asked, clearly wondering how a man like him knows his way in my home.


    Gaius paused and thought of his reply. He put his index finger on his temple. "You''ll figure it out in due time, Cyrus,"


    I blinked and Gaius was gone. In his place was a butterfly with orange wings. The butterfly hovered in the air for a few seconds before flying away. "Strange man..., what''s more interesting is that the man seemed to know something. I need to find out more information before our meeting in 6 days,"


    On my way back to the house I noticed someone getting picked on by 2 older kids. I could only assume they were at least 13 years old; I''m only a 10-year-old and I know with this body I have no hopes of defeating anyone.


    "Ariel is so dumb! Just accept that your father isn''t coming back and move on," a boy laughed a fragile looking girl.


    "Yea, instead of wasting your money on sweets and stuff, why don''t you save for a gift to appease your mother? You''re a waste of oxygen; a walking pile of crap! Your dad must''ve dumped his baby because he realized you''d never be useful to him." the other one cackled


    I saw the young girl; she couldn''t be any older than 10, about the same age as I am. She was tiny, with golden hair and violet eyes. She wore a pink dress that had seen better days, and she had tears running down her face. She was crying and clutching a box of candy. I saw red and a searing anger rushed through me. I thought for a second and realized this could help me get a lot stronger if I beat them. Yes, my pride will not allow them to hurt her. I immediately charged towards the trio.

 The Bullies

    I stopped a few feet in front of them and took a deep breath. "Stop picking on her and leave her alone." I said in a low voice. My face was flushed, and I clenched my fists. "If you don''t leave her alone now, I won''t be so forgiving."


    The bullies laughed and threw me into a tree, hitting it with such a force I wondered how my skull didn''t crack into a million pieces, as well as my vertebra. My ears were ringing; I could taste blood. But I refused to let the pain stop me, no matter how badly I was wounded, I stood up shakily and rushed them.


    One of the bullies stepped forward and sneered. He was a head taller than me and was built like a wrestler. "Don''t worry little kid. It''ll all be over soon." he cracked his knuckles. He looked like a wolf that had just found his prey, his yellow teeth shone, and his eyes glinted with malice.


    The fight had just started and things were turning sour. The larger, aggressive-looking kid launched himself at me and took a wild swing. It was much quicker than I''d expected. I dodged a half step and the other kid caught me with his leg. He then began to rain a barrage of fists on me. They hit me hard, causing my vision to blur slightly. I could hear the sound of bones breaking, skin tearing and flesh being sliced. Blood covered my shirt, it was painful, but I couldn''t allow my pride to be overwhelmed by these fucking piles of garbage.


    I was surrounded by three larger kids, and I had no choice but to endure the pain. Even if I had used aether it would''ve been pointless, and it would''ve damaged my entire body; no amount of training could''ve made my current body strong enough to fend them off without magic. So I held my hands up to protect myself and tried to dodge or block the blows. As soon as I saw an opening, I launched myself forward. The blow was meant for the kid''s solar plexus, but my timing was off, and the strike came from an awkward angle. Instead of connecting solidly with my opponent''s stomach, my fist grazed his ribcage, leaving me exposed and open to attack.


    One of the bullies took a few steps forward. The bully swung his arm violently, making contact with me on my ribs and head, knocking the wind out of me. As I fell backwards, I could see a fist coming towards me. There were flashes of pain and I blacked out.


    A few hours later...


    My eyes fluttered open; it felt like my ribs were shattered. The left side of my face was swollen, and the ring on the boy''s finger had split my lower lip. "God... this shit is painful. How badly did these shitheads beat me up?" I slowly stood up and winced at the sharp pain. My blood boiled at the thought of what I should''ve done with my newfound strength and powers; I swore that when the time was right and the bullies weren''t closeby, they were going to know my full fury. I looked to my right and saw the young girl sitting next to me.


    "You saved me," the girl said happily.


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    The girl was happy, she gave off such an aura of innocence. "I can''t just leave you like this; you don''t have the body to do what I''m planning to do to them. They better know what''s coming for them..." I got up and winced from the pain. I placed a hand over my ribs, trying to minimize the pain and blood pouring out of me.


    "My name is Ariel! Yours is..., uhh... what''s your name, mister?" the young girl looked worried.


    I stopped and froze, remembering the mysterious man and his deal. "Just call me Cyrus," I responded coldly.


    The girl stopped in her tracks and froze. "Do... do you really think what they said was true? Was there a reason why daddy left my family behind? And now, mommy is so depressed, and we don''t have much money for food; daddy even stopped sending us any," the young girl began to tear up, "he probably hates me," the young girl sighed.


    I looked at her, surprised, and I gently rubbed her hair to console her, "Trust me Ariel, I''m sure there''s a very valid reason to why he hasn''t been sending anything to you and your mother. Come on, I''ll walk you home so no one else bothers you, or I could help you pick out a gift for your mother; you owe it to her. If you want I could get my mother to make you guys dinner."


    Ariel perked up at this and wiped her eyes, "Would you please? Mom''s been cooking all sorts of weird food lately, and the last meal she made wasn''t very tasty," she asked, with her eyes wide and hopeful.


    I laughed and smiled weakly, my ribs were still killing me, "I will, come on let''s hurry up, and we can catch her before dinner tonight."


    "Yay! Thank you, Mister," Ariel jumped and cheered. She held my left hand and pulled me in the direction to my home.


    At home I immediately got scolded for getting into a fight. I knew Dad would be back in a few hours and he was going to kill me. I looked outside and thought about the events of the past week and all that I had learned. Magic exists in this world. I can use aether to protect me, which would''ve given me the upper hand in combat and not become as beat up as I have currently. I feel the immense power inside my body and it is so addictive; I couldn''t give it up at all. I wanted to learn how to use more of it, but for now it would be best if I decided to keep this power a secret.


    It was nightfall. My mother went out and brought Ariel to her home after cooking a beef stew like promised. Dinner with them was delicious. I''m sure the first part of my plans are set in motion, I will no longer be under the eyes of everyone anymore. After a while I began to fade away into deep thoughts, "Are you ok, Cyrus?" a familiar voice had pulled me out from my subconscious.


    I didn''t respond, just simply nodded and shook my head.


    My mind began to drift, "Why did you decide to save that girl today?" a faint voice lingered through my thoughts, and I recalled everything, remembering the good memories and the horrible experience in vivid detail.


    I realized it was my subconscious trying to speak to me, more so my former self. "I save her because she needed saving." I stated matter-of-factly, not revealing anymore.


    My mind seemed to grow a little irritated as it forced itself into my view, it showed a man slightly older than me, at least 20 years old, "Have you forgotten who you are, it seems you have gotten a bit too comfortable in this world. Your name is ----- and you kill people in order to achieve your goal, your pridefulness sets you apart from everyone else and you kill every challenger you face. And look, I can''t even recall why or even who, yet it seems I lost myself and got too comfortable."


    "I will still do what I must, but leaving an innocent to get beat up is something I can''t ignore, my pride won''t allow it." I smirked and looked straight at the form.

 Pridefulness

    The man shook his head and smirked. He extended his arm in a fist bump gesture, "At least it seems you haven''t forgotten your pride. What''s with the physical form anyways? You haven''t been taking on fights yet."


    I returned the gesture with a smirk and a fistbump back. "My body was that of a young child''s. With these mental projections and body I am in, it was hard to make anyone fear or respect me. As you have already guessed, my aether can manipulate the physical and spiritual. However it still leaves a massive amount of drain on myself."


    The man nodded and smiled at my response. His form disappeared and left only chain behind. A chill ran down my spine. As soon as it arrived, the memory ended as swiftly as it had come. I didn''t really pay much attention to it. I''m probably just overreacting to nothing important.


    The next day, my mother instructed me to come to the market with her in order to purchase groceries. It seems in my sleep, my mother noticed my significant injuries and decided to heal them without saying anything to me.


    On the way there I saw the same people who attacked Ariel. A red misty haze spread around my eyes. I could feel rage building up inside my chest and veins; all that pent-up fury made my body hot with the intense need to inflict damage on those kids. I just stood there waiting patiently. These assholes didn''t even realize how much trouble they''d be in. The little girl who had suffered the most at their hands wasn''t going to be happy with them. If they hurt that poor little girl and I didn''t intervene, the gods would strike down upon them in the afterlife. I stood and waited until one of them walked up and started acting like a pompous idiot again.


    The minute he passed, I saw the opportunity and I lunged forward with all my strength. My fists connected solidly with the side of the boy''s head. The boy dropped like a rock and hit his face on the cobblestone street.


    A red aura manifested all over my body and my eyes were completely engulfed in the aura. I went over to the remaining one and punched him twice in the gut. He went down almost instantly. Both boys were unconscious.


    "You got your revenge and now move on." a calming voice stated. My head whipped around, searching frantically for the source. I was shocked when I saw the familiar figure floating above me, "Revenge doesn''t solve any of the pain, you can only move forward."


    I looked up and saw Gaius towering over me. His robes had shifted colors and he was surrounded by an air of authority, "As you are already aware, these aren''t just any random brutes. These two are the sons of high noblemen, they won''t stop trying to get to you and cause trouble until you''re no more."


    I turned around and continued on with the shopping. All the time keeping a hold of my mother''s hand in making sure I didn''t try to harm anyone else. I kept in silence during the duration of our shopping time.


    Back at home I had done my studies for a few hours and practiced for a bit longer. "Cyrus can you tell me what you''ve been hiding?" my mother looked at me. Her warm-green eyes showing worry and anxiousness. "I... I wish you would''ve told me that something was on your mind."


    I sat silently looking at her. After what had happened in my sleep I knew something was wrong. And yet my body refused to tell her. If someone were going to find out, it would be for them to find out, I didn''t feel like doing the work. "I''m trying to figure out why I can''t use magic mother. Why am I still unable to use it?" I questioned.


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    Mother shook her head at the question, "It''s simple, dear. It seems your father''s genetics passed down to you and since he can''t use magic, it doesn''t seem you''ll be able to either. I''m sure you''ll still become a wonderful swordsman!" she smiled sweetly, "That was a little hypocritical, now that I''ve said that...," mother muttered to herself.


    After another hour or two I headed back to bed and thought of things that I would be able to improve tomorrow. While walking I got a knock on the door from the house right next to my family, it was none other than Ariel. Ariel had the biggest smile and cheerfulness came from her. Ariel told me her mother wanted to have dinner and give a special present as thanks for the other day. "Please do me and you mother a favor by helping to persuade her by saying we made this for her."


    We headed out to meet her mother and I was greeted by the presence of a pretty-faced woman, a well-cultured woman wearing fine linens and with golden hair. She gave me a beautiful smile, which I returned politely, then waved at the small girl, "I am terribly sorry I have not formally introduced myself. My name is Anna."


    Anna was an elegant looking woman; she was slender with large eyes and sharp features that gave her a feminine appearance. She wore a grey dress that accentuated her curvy figure. The outfit was similar to Ariel''s, but it was a lot cleaner, and appeared newer. It made her look like a fairy; something I had never seen before. She had a long white cape on the back of her, with a big white collar. Ariel ran to her and threw herself in her arms, happily squealing her excitement at seeing her mother again. "Are you aware that Ariel has been getting bullied?"


    Anna''s expression went grim. "I will protect her the best I can but with me and my lack of strength to face off against someone''s son or father it''s not like I can simply take care of her on my own."


    She nodded her head and gave a look to Ariel. The look was of pity and sorrow for what her child was suffering. It was clear Ariel understood her mother''s fears, but didn''t seem to care much; she didn''t care for the reputation or the social status of the ones bullying her, she just didn''t want them to treat her poorly.


    Anna looked towards me and gave me a knowing smile. The young woman led me out to the garden and beckoned her to sit. She pulled out two cups of tea, one for each of us, then sat down next to her. The women sat there looking at me with a blank stare before finally speaking up, "Tell me Cyrus, is your mother home right now?"


    "Yes she is. Is there something you''d like?" I asked as politely as I could manage, trying to sound like an adult rather than an ignorant child.


    The girl was intrigued at such a simple response, so she moved closer to the girl and leaned in. "I would like to thank you for saving my Ariel from those who wished to harm her. Even if she had a rough time dealing with those who would hurt her, she has had you on her side through it all and for that I will forever be grateful."


    "But the bullies-" I stuttered, caught off guard.


    Anna shook her head no and put her index finger on my lips. Was I about to get groomed by a lady in her 30s? "Don''t think about it anymore. Think about what was right in front of your eyes." She smiled warmly at me, putting my thoughts at ease.


    "If I were to lose Ariel, I don''t think my heart would survive." The young woman grabbed my hand and led me into a hug, as tears trickled down her soft skin. Her long eyelashes were glistening. She gently stroked my face, her blue eyes shimmering brightly and she rubbed the tears away with her delicate hand. The contact seemed very tender yet firm. It was something my mother never did, never had before, and definitely not with my own sister who hated everything to do with boys or humans.


    Anna''s eyes sparkled and a large smile crossed her beautiful face.


    My face flushed as my body reacted in ways a 10-year-old shouldn''t, especially an innocent one. It was starting to get difficult trying to hide my feelings but there was nothing to show other than a loving touch. "What am I supposed to tell her?"


    "Don''t worry m''am, I promise I''ll protect Ariel, that''s a promise." I smiled warmly. The young woman closed her eyes. There was a silence that fell over us, neither of us saying anything for several seconds. "I must head home, my mother may worry and come looking for me," I replied quickly and rose to my feet. The lady also stood up and placed a chaste kiss on the cheek, causing my whole body to burn red hot. She chuckled and bid farewell.

 Gaius The Greedy

    I felt numb throughout the entirety of the short journey back home. Everything was a blur; my vision was hazy, and it made everything appear double. As the minutes passed by, I managed to snap myself back to reality; just enough for my thoughts to focus again. That evening had made me feel some sort of sensation that I didn''t want to face; something about Anna felt weird and bad.


    When I got to our house I broke down, it''s been so long since i''ve felt this conflicted. What is this feeling inside my stomach? A deep voice called out to me, snapping me from my thoughts, "Don''t you want revenge on those bullies?"


    My head slowly turned in the direction. Standing behind me was an imposing figure in black armor and a terrifying gaze. The figure radiated death.


    "You are weak and incompetent to fight, this makes things difficult because we cannot destroy him if we are weak... There are two days before you have to meet Gaius once again, don''t fuck this up for us." the voice in my head said.


    I shrugged the statement off and walked inside where Mother was already setting the table, "Here darling," I glanced over and there were two plates. My plate had a small portion of grilled vegetables and chicken, while my mother had a hot steaming soup in her plate.


    The conversation at the table was very relaxed and light; nothing major happened, though our little interaction about magic and my desire to use it hadn''t gone as I originally planned, in fact, I was really confused and concerned for myself. Mother just seemed to have this way to make you relax around her and forget whatever worries you''re having at that moment.


    The one problem was she never actually told you any real solutions to problems she knew you were currently dealing with, and then proceed to ask more questions to keep things going without giving an actual answer. I decided that it would be best for the conversation to end there and go to bed.


    The week passed rather uneventfully until Friday arrived, where I finally would see Gaius again after a long eventful 6 days. "How have you been Sora?" Gaius greeted me with a polite wave.


    "I''ve been fine, Gaius. Although I will say that this place is boring as heck."


    I watched him nod, his lips slightly curled upwards. He always had the smallest hints of a smirk at any time he talked to me. I thought to myself. "Do I ever smile, and if so when did I smile and why have I never noticed before? Am I such a boring person? That''s probably it."


    I chuckled aloud at the idea. Gaius stopped for a second and tilted his head questionably toward me. I''m probably overthinking things again. "I was wondering, why did you want me to come out here?" I asked, thinking a bit before asking.


    He thought about it for a bit, then gave a smile. "I''ve been doing a bit of digging on you, analyzing everything that you have been doing these past 6 days and I''ve found some interesting stuff about you Cyrus. Tell me, why can you use Aether?"


    My jaw tightened, my breath caught. "What do you mean why? How was that ever related? How much is this asshole able to predict about a normal kid?" I thought, before replying.


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    "Aether is what comes natural to me, it has always been so..."


    "There''s another thing, you aren''t 10 years old, or at least mentally you are much older than your physical body. My eyes can see into your soul boy, I''ve seen what you have done in your past life." A shiver ran down my spine, not only was he able to perfectly guess the situation that I''m in, he was also able to figure out that I can use Aether. My lips grew dry, but somehow I managed to respond: "What do you want?" I croaked.


    Gaius'' face grew a wide smile, "Ah good, there''s some fire. To put this bluntly, you can be worth a pretty penny."


    My heart leapt into my throat, beating a million beats a minute. It took all my willpower not to go berserk there and then. Gaius just continued smiling in front of me as if nothing were happening; it was almost unnerving to look at his smile.


    Gaius raised his hand, signaling for me to remain calm. "What you''re going to do for me is come with me so I can sell you and then you''ll escape and we can both make a good amount of gold coin." His explanation sounded straightforward enough, but I would never go through this. Fuck this guy, trying to use me for his own personal benefit.


    My temper flared instantly and my face heated up; the veins on my face pulsated and veins swelled angrily on the backside as my knuckles were completely white.


    I couldn''t stand to hear him talk anymore. As quickly as I could muster my fist impacted heavily upon Gaius'' left temple. I watched his form drop with a loud thud as his lifeless body lied motionlessly against the ground. His face twisted from that cheeky grin into one of pain and anguish. "So you want to do this the hard way boy? I tried to cut you a deal, but it seems I just have to rough you up a bit." he roared in anger, picking up a nearby log with his leg. With an almighty crash the log split in half as it hit my right shoulder. The wood landed with a resounding crack.


    The tree splinted instantly under the impact, exploding in all directions, showering everyone in it. Blood gushed from the newly inflicted wounds all across my body. It was only now that I realized the severity of my injuries. His massive bulk still managed to hold itself above me and pinned me in place beneath its weight.


    I couldn''t move any of my limbs at this point; my breathing was getting slower and slower, becoming harder to maintain with each intake. Then it happened: a sharp pain shot through my right leg, a crack sounding as he snapped my bone. Tears filled my eyes instantly.


    He stepped off of me, staring down on me with utter disgust.


    A crimson fluid was splattered everywhere on the ground beneath him. The battle had been over in such a short amount of time. "You''re nothing! No one is even paying attention to our fight right now, do you know why?" Gaius smirked, looking up at me. I kept looking into his eyes as my mind went through a turmoil of thoughts; thoughts on whether I should go through with this or run away, leave and never be seen again. My hands were already shaking as they rested upon my head and gripped tightly onto my hair. Gaius sighed loudly before raising his foot high above my head and stomped downwards.


    "Oh what? Don''t wanna watch a little boy die by your hand?" he taunted mockingly, continuing his descent. I lay there, unable to get up even if I tried. I couldn''t move an inch, didn''t feel as though I could even get a sound out of my mouth to defend myself. I tried not to give Gaius a reaction or say anything, however I couldn''t control it; a small scream came forth from my lungs as the final blow impacted into my body.


    Blood flew through the air from all sides, each splatter sending a rush of coldness through every nerve ending and joint throughout my body. His attack didn''t kill me instantly but he managed to inflict severe internal injuries throughout my entire being.


    My blood was warm, sticky and messy. Everything hurts right now; the pain is beyond comprehensible. Why was I going to be killed by this bastard? Is there something I could have done differently, to make myself less of a victim and more useful in terms of skill and abilities?

 Injuries

    I can''t help but wonder if I''ve done anything worthwhile, have I made a difference? Or has it been all pointless? These types of questions always tend to haunt my mind at times like this. Maybe the people around me aren''t entirely bad, maybe they care deep down even though they show it differently. "WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU''RE DOING TO MY BOY!" My father cried out and started sprinting towards him. My dad slammed Gaius straight down on the ground. With one hand my dad began to crush his wind pipe, causing him to gag and choke on his own tongue.


    I blacked out.


    The next time I awoke was when I saw my mother''s face and she cried at me to open up my eyes. "Is that you Mom? Is he still alive!?" My mom nodded rapidly while clutching on to her chest with a trembling hand. It must''ve taken all of my strength to open them, though thankfully it didn''t hurt like before, maybe because there is no pain when unconscious. She cupped my cheeks in her warm palms and wiped away all the dirt from around my face, drying any tears and making sure everything was clear for me. It felt good being cradled, however the pain was intense.


    Father was speaking with a man, and had a stern look on his face, unlike anything I have ever seen on him before. I saw many doctors tending to his wounds while some others checked my vitals. Everything was moving way too slowly, and there''s only one thing on my mind. "Dad... what... happened... to Gaius?" I panted weakly as a nurse brushed away some sweat droplets on my forehead and brushed hair back behind my ear. He was probably scared from hearing all sorts of rumors and gossips flying around, or maybe he thought someone was after him. Whatever it was, it scared me to bits; I shivered from fear while speaking to him about my suspicions about Gaius. He looked as though he was pondering whether or not he wanted me to worry. "That bastard got away before I could do anything to him. The next time I see him, he''s going to fucking die." he spat at the ground furiously and stared into my eyes intently as if trying to drill an idea into my brain: "No one hurts my son, I am going to rip him limb from limb for hurting you so." He then ran off somewhere to search for information that might lead him in the direction of Gaius, leaving my mother to comfort and care for me. She gave one last sigh before coming back in a chair beside the bedside and wrapped an arm around my body in a motherly hug. My arms reached up in front of me, gently wrapping around hers.


    "Cyrus? Can you hear me? You need to rest. We can talk later..." she soothed.


    "...okay, mom." my voice trembled slightly.


    Her voice dropped low, and with great sympathy asked, "Do you know who did this to you?"


    The answer seemed quite easy for me, I was almost positive that it was Gaius. "A man, I didn''t recognize his face but he did tell me his name." I whispered to my mother softly, before pausing a little to think. "His name was Gaius... he threatened my life if I told anyone what I knew about him..." My words trailed off after my throat became dry.


    Her brows knitted together as she studied the expressions on my face; searching my features and my skin tone. That''s when the best nurse in the Verdant Expanse entered the room and was able to heal my injuries fully. With my wounds gone I could tell my mother was still very concerned about Gaius.


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    My mom frowned slightly. "The bastard actually did do this." Her hands clenched at her sides angrily. "I will destroy him with my bare hands the next time I see him!"


    "Mother, don''t worry about him anymore. I promise you, only I will need to deal with him." I reassured her while placing my hands over hers, trying to make her relax and breathe easier. "If this makes you uncomfortable or nervous then please forget about him and we''ll never speak of him again!" I continued on explaining to my mom how I would handle things from now onwards, and hopefully put her mind at ease.


    She stood up straight and pulled back. "All right Sora, I will trust you to take care of the matter; however should anything go wrong or seem suspicious at all, promise you''ll run to me and I will handle things from there." She kissed me and left, but not without looking back at me a few times, making sure her eyes met mine once last time, reassuring that she believed me completely.


    "One more thing Cyrus, why do you speak to me like a child for one second and then speak to me in such a mature manner the next? I mean you are six years old and you want to take on a man like this alone?"


    I gazed at her perplexedly and shook my head a bit as if confused. "I don''t understand what you mean by that question..."


    Mother was probably one of the most stubborn people I knew. Sometimes I''m glad she didn''t know my inner struggles and other times, I feel terrible that she doesn''t. She didn''t press me about what exactly my concerns were; rather, she simply said that I was her baby boy and no one could stop her from worrying about me.


    The days following the incident, Gaius wasn''t around for 3 whole weeks; most likely, he had enough and left, or possibly dead, but we won''t know for sure. With my Aether, I can still sense his energy flowing through him, and he''s somewhere in Willowmere. It makes it difficult for me to track him down, especially without letting Father and Mother know that I was tracking down Gaius. But, whenever I find him, I will put him six feet under.


    I decided that now would be the time to tell my parents about my ability to use Aether, it seems i''ve been keeping it from them for far too long. We were currently at home, sitting down in the living room, talking. In the process of revealing my hidden secret I thought up a plan. I was planning on telling them both about my past life, well not all of it, only a good majority of it. Though there are some things that are too painful to share and other things that should never be shared. "Mother, Father I''m so sorry. But I need to tell you something very important."


    "Cyrus, please just tell me and get on with it." Mother said impatiently. "I don''t want you to be embarrassed or upset by what happened in the past. Trust me, we can handle this together and I can guarantee that we are stronger than you believe, in more ways than you think."


    Father just kept staring blankly ahead; his hands were placed neatly together with a look of content. "Tell us what, Cyrus? Speak to us." Father commanded with a strong voice and spoke like a king, never a stammer nor an interruption from his tone.


    I let out an annoyed huff before sighing deeply in order to regain my composure and proceed. "It''s going to be rather complicated, you see Father, Mother... I... can use magic. Not in the way that you are thinking, I have the ability to use Aether which is an ancient form of magic." My confession sounded like I was admitting a crime or being guilty of committing a felony of sorts, however in actuality I''m trying to inform them of an extraordinary ability I have. "So don''t try blaming me or saying that there''s no way, because it''s definitely real... I know for a fact that you have to accept the fact, since I can prove it to both of you... if you let me?" I blurted out quickly in my embarrassment and began blushing bright red.


    "Okay..." They replied hesitantly. "Can you do a spell for us then? If so show us how you''re going to do it then"


    The fire was burning bright; its heat warming the room in the otherwise cool summer night air. As I tried casting the first spell I''ve used, a blue circle surrounded me with runes inscribed within. "Watch closely!"

 What Its Like To Be Loved

    "Uh Cyrus, what are those markings that are surrounding you?" Mother asked.


    The runes soon disappeared in an instant and I finished the spell. The effect showed a bright light illuminating the surrounding area, followed by a rush of cold winds causing Mother and Father to shiver. Mother and Father stood frozen staring directly into nothing; their eyes were transfixed, unblinking. After a moment or two, Mother and Father had managed to break out from the trance and their faces lit up, smiles filling their entire countenance with happiness. They spoke of praises to the gods for allowing their son to be blessed, and I stood dumbfounded at their actions.


    Father spoke up after a pause. "Why do you use this magic in front of us now?" he asked curiously.


    I shrugged slightly as if unsure on how to answer such a strange request, but decided on telling him that "I wanted you to know the truth about who I really was, in order to bring peace of mind and hopefully to build a trust between us all, despite us being family, you''re not always certain you''re on the right side or doing what''s right for everyone."


    Mother cocked her brow. "Oh Cyrus, my dear son! We love you no matter what." She added with an apologetic tone.


    "Love you too Mom," I replied as tears fell freely down my cheeks, washing away any lingering emotions held there previously.


    Father patted my shoulder with his rough hand. He motioned towards me and smiled knowingly, then ruffled my hair as if telling me that things were okay between the two of us and not to worry anymore about whatever may come next between us, and he''d handle it if things got out of control. Then it hit me, this dissociative state where all I could think about was what could''ve happened after I died. My mother, my father. I know I cut off contact with them after I started climbing my way up in the criminal underworld, but is this really fair for anyone that I get to have loving parents and all they get is a dead son?


    The more I thought about it the worse I got, but eventually my mother snapped me out of it by putting her hand on my shoulder. "Cyrus," She said softly, "Are you okay?" I didn''t respond.


    My breath caught, causing me to choke on air as the scene flashed before my closed eyes and the image of Gaius'' cruel sneer appeared behind his eyes. His voice echoed in my ear, and it sounded so close that I was sure I was dying. As the visions began fading away from me, the pain also retreated until finally I lay panting heavily on my back. My heartbeat hammered loud in my chest and ears. My hands clenched into fists tightly; nails cutting deep crescent shapes into the palm of my skin as I tried to remain calm and steady.


    I did manage to answer my mother''s inquiry this time though.


    "Sorry Mama," I stammered out inbetween shaky breaths, "I''m still reeling a bit from everything..."


    It didn''t stop the fact I was having problems though, I mean this wasn''t something that I could just brush aside, the effects will probably leave lingering symptoms for years or decades to come. If I don''t get help now I''ll forever be plagued by the guilt and anxiety it brings about, and eventually, if I do nothing I''ll end up snapping and harm someone close to me or worse end up killing myself. So until I have a more concrete way of dealing with my problems, I won''t let things slide away from me.


    "Mother... I hate that bastard. Why must he hurt me like this, is he trying to make me go crazy? I want to murder him!" I said while trembling uncontrollably from pure hatred flowing through me. My face was scrunched up as my jaw clenched hard.


    "Hang on, what?" Mother asked. She had turned pale and looked visibly shaken, before taking a couple steps closer and placed her hand against my cheek, her voice quivering slightly as she spoke, "Cyrus, please calm yourself my son." My head dropped limply in my mother''s arms.


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    "What if he hurts me again!? Or tries to kill me next!?" Tears ran down her face as I buried my face further in the warmth of her bosom, holding her tight and holding onto me desperately for dear life. We stayed there like this for awhile before Father finally decided to speak. My mother realized there that I was no ordinary 10-year-old boy, I had dark thoughts from a young age. I haven''t felt these emotions of pure fear in a while. Could it be because of this fragile body that I''m in? Probably so...


    "You won''t be in any danger my son," My father insisted sternly. I could feel his strength radiate through the words, his voice firm and unyielding in its authority. "I will keep Gaius away, you will never be exposed to such dangers ever again."


    A lump formed in the base of my throat.


    "B-b-ut f-father w-why can''t we do something about him? He wants to kill me!" I blubbered pitifully, crying at his feet.


    "Cyrus, calm yourself my dear child," He cooed sweetly, wrapping both arms around me and cradling me like a newborn babe. My parents and I cuddled together. "What happened has been dealt with, no one will try to hurt you anymore,"


    After we got some dinner ready, and I began to cry even harder, wailing loudly as if to remind myself that I''m a weak 10-year-old mortal, my emotions no different than when I had been an adult. My parents gave each other knowing looks over their meal and I knew at this point, things were going to get interesting.


    After the crying subsided a little, I suddenly found that I had eaten more than half a loaf of bread in one sitting and now had an uncontrollable craving for some alcohol. I had an idea for this and since my father was here, he was more than happy to oblige. "Hey daddy, do you think I could have a tiny sip of the drink you had last night?"


    A gentle smile spread across Father''s lips, and his eyes gleamed with affection and joy. "Of course dear boy, anything you''d like,"


    I watched in awe as the amber liquid swirled around in my small mug. "Wow daddy! Can we drink this every day? You seem pretty happy after drinking!" I tried tricking him into giving me some booze. In reality I just wanted to think of a method to end Gaius while being a bit tipsy since I always have the greatest ideas when I''m drunk.


    "It''s just wine, Cyrus," my father answered quickly, shaking his head sadly, "I''m afraid you can''t drink it yet my child. Come on," he picked me up, and I instinctively wrapped my legs around his waist. He carried me out of the dining hall and toward the royal quarters, whispering softly, "Let''s get to bed early shall we?"


    I smiled sleepily back, too tired to reply properly and too comfortable to really care either. My eyelids were heavy, fluttering open for a few seconds at a time before finally slipping shut again as I lost consciousness completely. I vaguely remember my father tucking me into the king sized bed, kissing me good night, before everything went dark around me. I dreamed of many wonderful and vivid images. It seemed like eternity when I woke, and for a minute I almost forgot that I had a traumatic experience, until I opened my eyes wide and looked straight at Gaius'' malicious grin looming over me; my body trembling and heart pounding uncontrollably. He had found me.


    His voice had an undertone of evil as he talked low, barely above a whisper. "Well isn''t this a pleasant surprise?" He glanced down at my body briefly then chuckled cruelly. "It looks like your mother was wrong." His black cloak swayed back and forth ominously, causing the hairs on the nape of my neck to prick up.


    This isn''t good! How is it even possible for this to happen?!


    Gaius lunged at me, slashing wildly with his sword. The sword pierced the fabric of my tunic and dug into the soft skin beneath the garment. "NO!" I screamed and thrashed violently, clawing frantically to free myself. However, my struggles were futile and ineffective against the man who held me firmly in his grasp and in a moment my mind clouded over in a black haze. "GET AWAY FROM ME, WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!"


    Before he had a chance to react I managed to pull out the dagger my dad gave me. With the dagger I drove it through his chest, piercing flesh and muscle without any hesitation and stabbing deeply. The blade broke past bone and went straight through his heart, pinning him on the ground. He struggled futilely trying to break free; his blood splattering everywhere. His body convulsing violently before dropping lifeless onto the ground. It took every ounce of my strength and courage not to just run, but rather continue onward with the plan to protect the people that have become close to my heart, my family and loved ones. Before I could act on this, I woke up. It was just a nightmare that really fucked with my mind with how vivid it was. Gaius was truly instilling this fear inside me filled with despair.

 The God

    I decided that it would be best for me to go downstairs and get a glass of water to calm down my mind. A nightmare wouldn''t normally affect me like this, unless the thing I was dreaming about had come to life and was out there stalking me, ready to pounce. My heart beat faster, sweat covered my hands and arms, I struggled to stay calm. "It was just a dream..." I whispered shakily and dragged myself off the bed.


    Walking out my bedroom door and onto the stone floor, the chilling air instantly nipped at me, waking up my senses. The cool night air sent goosebumps dancing across my bare skin. In the light of the pale moon shining through the open curtains and illuminating every object in my bedroom, including myself, the moonlight cast a silver shimmer upon everything. There was no sound, except the occasional owl or bat flying overhead, leaving me alone. Alone, with all of my memories.


    Why was it so damn freezing in this new house? It wasn''t winter time, it was summertime, which is the perfect weather for running around outside, playing, laughing, and having fun with friends. Instead, I would have to shiver, teeth rattling as I try my best to stave off hypothermia. As soon as I''d gotten a hold of this house and everything that belonged to it, I would definitely upgrade the furniture and fix the drafty windows and holes in the walls. Not to mention making sure that they put a heater in the house. It was honestly ridiculous how much better the rooms were designed when compared to ours in this dimension.


    In this era, luxury wasn''t an option as we had to suffer to get by, it''s only natural, especially living in a kingdom that was economically challenged, and as a result, living in such conditions of poverty, is how nobles end up becoming evil tyrants or mass murderers, by seizing the chance to escape when given an opportunity like that. I was told by my mother of an event that happened over 60 years ago which put the Verdant Expanse in extreme poverty, she never told me what happened though.


    My thoughts continued to race until a noise suddenly reached my ears. I stiffened, listening hard. It was coming from the direction of my parents bedroom, where my mother and father usually slept. Cautiously, I crept up the stairs. If mother was awake then she should''ve already opened the door for me and invited me in for a midnight hug and cuddle session. "Mother?" I quietly called out to her, only receiving silence as a reply.


    Slowly, I pushed the bedroom doors open a little further. This time I was prepared for the rush of freezing cold air and my hands trembled slightly, but nonetheless, my movements remained precise and my breath stayed steady. When I entered, I realized that the room had an eerie feeling hanging in the air. Nothing in here was warm and comforting anymore; just darkness. Something was wrong and it set alarm bells ringing through the empty house. "Mother...?" My words sounded faint and empty; no longer bold or determined but scared and anxious, nervous and shaky.


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    And then I heard another noise: A small whimper from across the room, in the direction where father''s bed was supposed to be, however no bed was there. "Mom...?" This time, a light clicked on and suddenly my mother''s familiar face greeted me. Her eyes were wide and unfocused, unblinking, and she didn''t even turn in my direction to acknowledge that I was standing there in the doorway, even after my voice raised to almost an hysterical pitch as I screamed out for her. "What''s going on?!"


    In horror, I watched helplessly as she raised her arm in slow motion towards me, before pointing a finger at me and motioning with her hand. "You''re too late Cyrus. Your time has come," she breathed in a flat, emotionless tone. It sounded strange and foreign to me, and even in the lowlight, I could clearly see her hand shake violently as it hovered before me and then fell limp onto the bed again. Her finger curled into a loose fist, and then relaxed once more. Then the lights flicked off abruptly.


    What was that about? I walked briskly into their bedroom, desperate to find out what was wrong with them, but nobody else was there. This is Omnixis'' doing, I can tell now he''s trying to play this tricks on my brain to instill this authoritative fear into my mind. "I''m done with these childish games, Omnixis, erase this illusion at once." I growled under my breath angrily. His mocking laughter filled the room around us and echoed throughout the house, resonating against my ears.


    "Such spirit from such an arrogant child... Oh how amusing." Omnixis sighed wistfully as if nothing could ever take away his sense of humor and delight.


    I scoffed, I was repulsed at the sight of Omnixis for doing this to me. It made me think he has some ill intentions now that I''m here. After all, why would I be given a second chance for free? He knew something.


    "Enough games. Why me? Of everyone in existence. I want a straight answer without you dangling an offer in front of me. "


    The god shrugged his shoulders, his eyes still staring at the blank space in front of him and no answer was uttered as the silence stretched on. Seconds turned to minutes which turned into hours which slowly blended into the next day and soon the only noise I heard was a ticking clock mounted against one of the walls. Finally I fell asleep, my heart rate remaining calm and steady, even when my eyes closed and my consciousness faded, I didn''t fear his presence, even now my subconscious mind knew there was nothing he could do that wouldn''t bring me to tears. So it''s with these thoughts that I eventually drifted off back into the land of reality, awaiting whatever lies ahead.

 The Tale of Sora Katayama

    I woke to find myself in my bed, it seemed all of it was truly just a dream, or maybe a warning of what to expect from here, seeing as I never dreamed of being tortured mentally in a horrendous way as I did. Nevertheless, that is what I hope happened, and it wasn''t real at all. This is the moment that all of those people in their books and movies experienced when they discover the true purpose of their lives. It always seems too unreal and fantastical. Now the whole world is wide-open for me to explore, experience, love, hate, live and learn from every single aspect of life in my own time. Not because I''m forced, not because it''s something that I need to do because there aren''t many choices or chances at it.


    My mother called me down for breakfast, so I put on my shoes, grabbed my things and headed downstairs, ready to embrace a bright new day together. As usual, Father and Mother were sitting together at our breakfast table. Father was reading the papers and eating his omelet, my mother was absentmindedly tapping on the table with a fork and glancing anxiously towards the living room. Every so often I would glance her way as she stared into nothingness, fiddling with the frills on the edge of her white dress and pulling her lip up whenever she caught sight of me watching.


    "Mother, this special power of mine... how do I know when I''m on the path to goodness?" Ever since my encounter with Omnixis yesterday I''ve felt uneasy, this feeling of existential dread has overwhelmed my thoughts ever since this morning. In my past life, I was a prideful being who sought for nothing but greatness. I would manipulate others for my own benefit and now that I have been given this second chance, the only person I need to rely on to become great, is myself.


    "Let me tell you a story Cyrus, around 60 years ago, there was this man named Sora Katayama who was a very powerful individual. He was considered to be a prodigy as he was able to use oblivion magic which is a very rare mutation of dark magic, however his ambition was limitless. One day he was attacked by a man named the Voidwalker, this man killed his best friend. In a fit of rage he sought for nothing but vengeance on this man and that''s when he realized, the man who killed his best friend was the man he respected the most, his teacher and mentor." She spoke with sorrow in her eyes as she recounted this event. My mother was someone I cherished and loved dearly, though at the moment I just wish to hear how her story would continue, because everything was all connected to Omnixis and for now I was trying to understand if all of this was a mistake.


    "So what happened to Sora after he found out about this?" I couldn''t contain my curiosity, it seemed he became quite powerful with just an exponential amount of training, it would''ve been interesting to meet him during his time here.


    "He was eventually able to kill the Voidwalker, but not at the cost of his own sanity. He pushed away all his friends and became a rogue mage of the Verdant Expanse. He eventually came back to the capital three years later and sought destruction on the entire Xuidian Kingdom. His sorrows led him to his own downfall, so what I am trying to say Cyrus... never lose sight of yourself, even in the most painful situations." Her eyes glowed brightly as her gaze turned distant and reminiscence, it seemed she really respected this man known as Sora Katayama. I felt the urge to help her in every possible way that I could.


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    A gentle breeze swept past us, bringing along the smells from the city outside; of the aroma from bakeries baking fresh breads, sweet pastries and sweets that were cooked inside them as well; of flowers that were blooming along the street''s curbs. A hint of lavender wafting through the air as the scent mixed with that of cinnamon, both enticing me to have another bite of this delicious breakfast. And there, somewhere behind me, in my heart, was a great happiness in all of this and the world felt safe once again.


    There was a knock on the front door and to my pleasant surprise, it was Ariel. "Hey Ariel!"


    "Morning Cyrus! I saw you sitting alone, you looked bored, so I wanted to invite you out on my morning ride and walk with me!"


    My mother giggled, shaking her head affectionately at me and went to answer the front door to let Ariel in while I sat dumbfounded at her. The thing is, a normal boy would be thrilled about this opportunity and would probably be begging their moms for permission, but I wasn''t normal. As far as I could tell, my own parents would only ever go horseback riding and would not consider getting me a horse at the very least.


    After finishing breakfast, Mother excused herself and left to take care of her errands while Father said he''d go out to the pub. This meant that I was now completely alone in the house, not exactly a thrilling thought especially after last night. It would be great if Ariel stuck around me till this situation is solved. At least for now I have to rely on my mom for this protection, considering I was the baby in this household.


    I quickly followed her to the barn, she saddled one of her horses, a white and gold Arabian stallion, it was breathtaking to see the two of them move, her beauty as if from heaven itself, the horse''s wildness and its untameable nature that it was so easy to relate to her. She made her way through the door to the field without a glance at me. Her back was straight, head held high. No sign of any uncertainty whatsoever, and not even the faintest trace of emotion crossed her face. "You already know how to ride a horse?" I was curious at how she was so proficient at riding a horse at such a young age.


    "Of course, I''ve always been surrounded by horses and animals ever since I could remember. When my aunt decided to give up raising horses, she asked my father to take over as soon as we settled here." Ariel giggled softly to herself, apparently finding her response funny, yet it seemed I missed out on the joke entirely.


    She continued her conversation, oblivious to the fact that I was thoroughly confused. "I thought my first few attempts were abysmal and that I would never get a grasp of riding, but once my Aunt Dina taught me the proper form, I instantly found comfort with the saddle and how it would move with every movement I''d make. At first it was awkward trying to control the horse but gradually I became accustomed and it seemed the horse understood what was going to happen too. That''s when I realized, I should be using this skill to get around better! Besides, traveling by horse would be better than by carriage because it means less noise. Right now, I have to borrow my dad''s horses whenever I ride, so I''d have to wait till I turn eighteen before I''m allowed to buy my own horse."


    I hopped on the horse and we soon made our way to the main part of Willowmere. We rode through the city streets at a leisurely pace, weaving expertly through crowds of busy merchants carrying their goods and bustling shoppers trying to navigate their way through the throng of people. A sea of color greeted us as we passed by numerous stands filled with various items ranging from expensive jewelry to beautiful fabrics and finely carved wood. Several guards stood stoic at every corner of town, their spears and swords proudly gleaming in the sunlight, no doubt they would easily cut through anyone daring enough to try and steal their weapons. Right there I sensed his presence... Gaius was in the town and he was looking for me.

 Gaius The Goliath

    "Keep your composure Cyrus." My body language shouldn''t have been visible to him, but nevertheless I had the sudden urge to hide away or run away from this place. I was perfectly aware that running from something was useless in the end, unless the enemy was the same.


    As we got deeper within the center of town, things changed drastically. The markets and shops slowly faded out until nothing else remained, the bustling noise turned to an eerie silence, the sky turned pitch dark. All traces of light disappeared. Even Ariel grew restless.


    "I need to head home, I''m getting anxious." I glanced to my sides and saw the same people who had gone about their daily activities without a care for anything, yet none of them had noticed our odd disappearance from the middle of the crowd. It was just empty space here now.


    "We aren''t going anywhere. I will show you our way out. If we walk far enough we should arrive back where we came from, come let us follow my lead." With that she motioned her hand forwards and set off in a random direction, the darkness swallowed me in its entirety until the only source of illumination that I could see were the stars and a pale moon that shone brightly in the sky, highlighting our silhouettes as we walked.


    "Ariel... do you know a guy named Gaius, that guy... well, he tried to kill me during our fight and right now he''s in the vicinity of us. So I feel unsafe being this close to him, it makes me feel weird that I should stay on guard even though he''s no longer here."


    "Well if you don''t want to die you''d best avoid him as long as possible, also why do you hide your power? If Gaius knew the strength that you possessed, I doubt he would attack you." Ariel sighed frustratedly while she bit down on her lower lip in displeasure. Her features creased as the muscles clenched in annoyance and her teeth were bared in a grimace.


    "The problem is that Gaius knows about the ability that I possess." My words hung in the air for a brief moment as I gathered my thoughts to explain the situation to her. I chose my words carefully, picking out only those that wouldn''t betray any secrets about myself. Why did Omnixis bring me to this world? Out of all the people who die every second, he chose me.


    "So, if Gaius knows you have the innate ability to use Aether, why isn''t he scared?"


    "That''s because my control over Aether is weak, and he knows how strong Aether can become."


    "Wait, how does he know how strong you''re capable of if your Aether control isn''t at its maximum? Cyrus what do you have?" She suddenly seemed worried again. "There you are Cyrus, I''ve been waiting for this." His voice echoed against my ears, loud and clear. A flash of lightning crackled above us, lighting up the surrounding area, momentarily revealing everything that was hidden by shadow. "What the hell do you want Gaius, JUST GET AWAY FROM ME!" My heartbeat accelerated immediately, sending me into a near panicked state as I realized I couldn''t use aether unless I wanted to hurt innocent civilians who were nearby.


    "YOU''VE INSULTED ME FOR TOO LONG, NOW COME HERE!" His figure materialized in front of us out from the shadows, causing both me and Ariel to recoil in horror at the sight of him standing before us. His right arm extended to reach down at Ariel''s head.


    "ARIEL!" I leaped out in front of her without hesitation, catching hold of her wrist while also pulling her back towards me and away from harm, she stumbled into me, losing her balance and crashing into me as we fell to the ground. Then the pain hit.


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    When we landed onto each other, a sharp jolt ran up the side of my chest and I gasped as the breath flew out my lungs. Tears streamed down from the corners of my eyes as we rolled, causing even more injury to be added on top. As my chest hit her, it felt like thousands upon thousands upon millions of needles had sunk themselves deep inside my chest. "Why." Ariel sobbed from underneath me and I wrapped my arms around her waist, keeping her pressed against the dirt. Her shoulder pressed into my sternum. There was no room, there were no options, there were no choices. Just pain, and this horrible ache that screamed at me to stay put.


    Suddenly Gaius'' gaze landed upon me. My eyes were tightly squeezed shut as I willed the agony away, praying that nothing else would happen and that she wouldn''t move again. In those short moments where the whole world stood still and all else fell away from existence, I knew what was happening to me; I recognized this feeling, though it wasn''t quite the same. With all of my energy drained I couldn''t conjure up a single ounce of magic. My hands dug into the ground beneath, nails carving trenches into the soil until I felt Ariel shift in her position and her warm breath puffing on the side of my face. I barely kept in the grunt. My breath hitched, as my vision narrowed and my stomach flipped, making bile crawl up my throat.


    "How boring... You didn''t even put up a fight." His cold laugh resounded loudly against the buildings of the city around us, filling my ears with noise, causing a buzzing to emerge within the back of my mind. His lips turned up slightly, curling at their corners, amusement clear in his gaze. His hand stretched out, fingers curling around my ankle and yanking me from the ground with little effort. My chest pulled, something tearing painfully through muscle. Another gasp escaped my mouth, then Ariel cried out behind me.


    A sound between a scream and a yell burst forth from the depths of my throat, tearing its way past my lips. "Gaius, you''re really fucked up you know that?" In my right hand I conjured a tiny dagger created from Aether and jabbed it right into his left eye and kicked him in the nuts. His screams and the sudden action of his body letting go was my signal.


    I scooped up Ariel, threw her on my shoulders and broke into a sprint while blood ran down my leg. Every fiber of my being wanted to stop, wanted to rest and sleep, but that was impossible and wouldn''t help my situation in the slightest. Adrenaline fueled my body as it pumped into every muscle, bringing me back to life.


    That''s when I realized, Gaius was no joke. He appeared right in front of me, with a stern look on his face that screamed animosity. His left hand gripped tightly onto my arm and twisted. Ariel''s grip loosened and we tumbled together, falling flat on our backs. "We don''t need more reasons for this world to cling on. You need to die before you can become a threat to everything."


    Before he could land another attack on us, an immense amount of bloodlust erupted from him, threatening to engulf us completely in his aura. His eyes widened in shock before narrowing. His muscles tensed as he prepared to strike me with one powerful blow. Ariel instinctively pushed against the ground with her palms, launching her body back. Her left leg hooked around mine and swung round, effectively swatting my right leg out the way.


    My reaction time slowed, with adrenaline coursing through my veins. "AETHER SHIELD!" Before the punch connected a large green barrier of hexagons encircled me blocking his punch and causing him to recoil and fall back. Ariel grabbed onto his legs and casted another spell to disorient and slow him down. Gaius wasn''t fazed by this however, and was quickly able to break the roots that came up to pin him to the ground. He stomped forward, closing the gap between us quickly.


    His aura intensified, covering the entire area in an oppressive weight, attempting to crush everyone nearby. "Inferno of 1000 Suns." Suddenly he created a spell that emitted hundreds of orbs which he shot straight toward us. A thunderous crash exploded from the explosion, flames scorching the surrounding area. When the smoke cleared he stood alone surrounded by an invisible barrier of purple, white, and black mana, while I was holding onto Ariel in a defensive stance, keeping the shield up while trying to regenerate energy from the last attack.


    I jumped backward, moving quickly and putting some distance between us, "I''ll make this a proper fight since the last battle didn''t seem fair to you," he grinned as a sword of blazing flame appeared in his hands. The orange flame extended like a tongue lashing at its target, trying to devour us whole.

 God Fist

    "Solar Beam." a large ball of fire shot out toward me and Ariel and met with an incredibly thick beam of red light. My ears rang with the sound of explosions as the blast flung us high into the air where we were exposed, not just to the heat and fury of Gaius, but the natural forces of the environment. Wind blew relentlessly against me.


    My hair fluttered wildly in its violent rush, threatening to cover my vision completely. "ARCHEAN COMET STREAM." suddenly two pillars of stone rose up from the ground beside him before morphing and creating hundreds of rock spears that began to hover above us, moving at incredible speed.


    He has excellent control over his mana, how the hell can I win this!?


    As the spears were barraging my barrier began to crack, breaking into millions of little fragments of shattered mana.


    Then with no warning, my vision went red. There was no pain or sense of discomfort at first, rather a rush of energy coursed through my veins. Everything went mute, sound ceased, leaving only silence to replace the symphony that accompanied battle, the air thinned, creating an acute pressure upon every nerve. Everything around me turned to crimson. The ground, the buildings, the people who had taken shelter indoors. Blood poured across my line sight. All I could do was shield Ariel from these spears, but Gaius was making no effort whatsoever to defend himself, just standing there watching while smirking. His arms were crossed, head tilted to one side, his eyes intently locked onto mine. He didn''t look pleased. Rather his expression held a mix of annoyance and anger, mixed in with a hint of hatred towards me.


    My body was impaled with spears all over as blood poured down to the ground from the wounds they had opened up. I slumped down on the ground as my hands trembled while clutching Ariel. He looked smug now.


    A cold sweat beaded upon my forehead as my breathing became labored, struggling desperately to fight through the pain and stay alive. Slowly, very slowly, things started fading. Red gave way to gray, color disappeared entirely until I was surrounded by shadow. Everything blurred, merged into one seamless swirl. Colors lost their vibrancy, sounds died out entirely and were replaced by ringing, then nothing. Black took over and I slipped into unconsciousness.


    Ariel''s Perspective:


    As soon as his arcane comet stream reached me, my heart dropped into my chest. Fear paralyzed me, fear of death. I was terrified out of my wits. All rational thought was obliterated and my whole body shook uncontrollably. Noises penetrated my eardrums. Every second that passed felt like hours, eternity, no more time was passing than now and forever. Each moment lasted far longer than it should have. Every second stretched out forever. As the comets rained down upon us, one final thought ran through my head, Cyrus, you saved me... again, despite not having strength in the fight to beat Gaius.


    Cyrus stood up.


    As his body tensed, a surge of power pulsed through him. With his muscles bulging, sweat forming upon his brow, and his hands balled into fists, the aether in his blood began flowing wildly.


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    I couldn''t help myself, and I lifted myself and threw my arms around his neck, holding tight in the embrace.


    The world around us had gone silent and darkness had begun setting over the landscape, causing everything else to turn black. Yet this didn''t phase Cyrus at all, as he remained standing tall.


    "Even after death, your soul still persists. The aether in your body refuses for you to die. This is magnificent, truly magnificent!" His voice was filled with wonder and reverence, as if the words spoken were uttered only by one witnessing a miracle. "You have been chosen by the very god that watches over you."


    Before Gaius could even react, Cyrus was in front of him, charging up a strike. "God Fist." At this point, he had surpassed Gaius''s strength by several levels, and the attacks became slow to him. Everything else fell away, and a burst of light flashed. As quickly as it had come, it disappeared, and Gaius was on the ground, bleeding profusely after being sent crashing into a building. His body was crushed. His bones shattered. His eyes empty. "I didn''t... realize you possessed this much strength as a mere child... it seems I underestimated your strength"


    His eyes were wide open in shock, surprise written plainly on his face, a trickle of saliva dripping from his mouth. I could practically hear the thoughts rushing through his head. He lay there, frozen stiff in place, unmoving.


    Cyrus walked up to him one last time and charged up another attack. "God... Fist." Before Gaius could even recover, he launched a new attack on him. "Die." I watched as the massive hole on his chest, gaped, trying to cling to its original shape despite the tremendous weight of its owner having gone through it. Blood gurgled down from it, and pooled on the floor below. Gaius gasped violently for air, trying to breathe through the mass amount of blood that was currently running out. He let out a small wheeze, coughing up small droplets of the substance and attempting to pull himself back onto his feet again, despite how clearly futile that attempt was.


    Gaius'' eyes were dull and unfocused, completely unseeing, glazed and dull. The pained breaths came out less frequently now, each of them shorter, weaker, not lasting as long. My hands began shaking from sheer fear. Cyrus collapsed, it seems that he couldn''t stay awake for any longer. His hands and legs twitched uncontrollably before they too were overcome by trembling. I sat there in disbelief as I saw Cyrus'' father sprinting towards us. "ARIEL, WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED?!" Rafael yelled out. The sound reverberated from wall to wall, shaking the foundations of the structure we stood in. His fists tightened as his rage boiled.


    He quickly picked up Cyrus and inspected the wounds and sighed. "The doctor will have his hands full fixing him up, it''s not easy to heal the host body while maintaining the life of the host," His face was stern and he shook his head sadly. I nodded slowly. "Will he survive, will he wake up," My voice was hoarse and scratchy, barely managing to reach any volume whatsoever, causing my words to come out breathless and low. "Let us pray,"


    I swallowed thickly, struggling to choke back my sobs as tears prickled at the edges of my eyes.


    When Gaius was defeated he slumped over and turned to ash. "Tis better to reign in Hell, then serve in Heaven." That man was truly horrible... the least he deserved was an end as quick and painless as possible, one that didn''t require suffering, agony, pain, anguish and torture. Cyrus gave him a torturous ending to his life, he was a horrible man who deserved everything that came to him. He made the choice to hurt and torment innocent lives, the results are on him. The screams he let out were haunting and sent chills down my spine.


    Cyrus began to fade in and out of consciousness, with him nearly being close to dying multiple times. As time passed, the injuries kept getting worse. His heart rate had slowed down significantly, almost stopping altogether; his lungs heaved heavily, working hard to provide oxygen throughout every inch of the battered body, struggling with every pump of blood it sent out. He had finally stabilized.


    I cried softly as I gently pressed my forehead against his, hugging him as I broke down.

 Who is Cyrus Moreno?

    Cyrus'' Perspective:


    I woke up in a desolate area, filled with white noise. My surroundings could not be described, all I could see was white. Everything looked the same, with no contrast at all. I didn''t have any strength to stand. I was at my limit. I lost to Gaius, I couldn''t even finish him off. As I tried to get up, I lost balance, falling flat on my back once more.


    As my vision regained focus, I saw a child in front of me. "Hey kid do you know where-" I stopped and thought who I was looking at, it was me.


    I got up from the ground and stood facing my reflection who had also stood up. My reflection opened its eyes wide. "YOU..." He had a sinister smile and murderous eyes.


    "Me...?" I was confused... What does my reflection even mean by this?


    "YOU STOLE EVERYTHING FROM ME." my reflection said while reaching behind its head, grabbing something, and taking it out.


    "WHY... WHY CYRUS, YOU''VE STOLEN EVERYTHING I HAVE. EVERYTHING YOURSELF WOULD LACK... EVERYTHING THAT HELPED YOU..." the being spoke to me, his voice shaking, trembling slightly. It was trembling in rage.


    "What are you talking about?" I asked curiously.


    "Do you not understand? Your selfish desires have prevented me from living a life, so instead you took my place and now my parents have a child who isn''t actually their child. Because of your selfish desires, you robbed them of their real son! MY life has been stolen from me, and you''ve wasted every second of it." The being glared angrily at me. His eyes shone with hatred, blazing with fury. I felt my anger welling inside.


    My own face was staring at me... how was this happening...? How was it possible... that another entity which resembled me existed right here... in my world? How did he get here... or should I ask... who created him? And why did he look exactly like me?


    "YOU THINK I ASKED FOR THIS FUCKING LIFE? NEVER, I WOULD NEVER WANT TO PUT MYSELF THROUGH THE TORTURE OF LOSING EVERYTHING THAT I EVER CARED ABOUT FOR A SECOND TIME AND YOU HAVE THE AUDACITY TO SAY THAT I DID THIS FOR MY OWN SELFISH DESIRE. I have no desire to even exist."


    "Then, why not do us both a favor, and stop wasting your existence in an abyss of suffering?" His smile was growing wider and wider, his teeth gnashed together, almost growling. I looked around the blank expanse surrounding us. "If you wanna die so badly, go die."


    He stepped forward, extending his arm toward me. I backed away from his outstretched limb, quickly sidestepping him. The palm of his hand slapped empty air as I dodged his grasp. "It''s too late for that now, I have grown attached, and now I have to make sure these people dear to me do not die." He laughed lightly, "What people are those?"


    "It doesn''t matter at the end of the day, all you will be is a fragment of my soul." My jaw clenched and I growled back at the figure standing opposite.


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    "That may be, but do not forget, I AM THE ORIGINAL." He turned around and slowly faded away as his entire body vanished from my vision. As he left, that was when Omnixis came in to speak to me once again.


    "This is indeed quite a predicament," his expression held an intense sense of pity as he spoke the words to me.


    "What the fuck is wrong with you?" I scowled, throwing my arms wide open in front of his face. He laughed softly and smiled gently as he stared directly at me.


    "So angry with me? Does not bode well," his tone was calm and placid, yet his tone held a firm, mocking tint to it, which struck an unusual chord within me. Why the fuck was Omnixis standing in front of me again. Everything always leads back to him, for what reason?


    I furrowed my eyebrows and clenched my fists. "JUST TELL ME WHAT THE FUCK YOU WANT!" He smiled at me before disappearing like my other self. Just like that I was alone in this desolate plain with only my thoughts and nothing else. It felt as though time stopped entirely and the concept itself no longer existed.


    This feeling of loneliness has become such a foreign concept to me. That''s when the light surrounding me become brighter and brighter. I woke up in a bed, doctors swarming my body, trying to figure out what''s wrong with me. "Is it a soul or an entity?" the doctors were debating on whether or not to take care of me. Ariel just kept crying next to me, holding me tightly. I pushed the blanket covering me away and leaned in.


    "Alright I''m awake, what''s everyone''s problem?" my tone held slight anger, "You were impaled by Gaius, basically killed in the process of protecting Ariel, yet you stand right here in front of us in perfect condition." Rafael explained, with a hint of curiosity behind his words.


    I sat there, in confusion, unable to wrap my mind around what he had told me. "Impaled, as in stabbed through and through?" I questioned him, my eyes widening at the news. My father nodded slowly before smiling faintly and turning back around, exiting the room without so much of a goodbye, and left without saying anything more. My mother did the same. She left quietly without looking back and walked out into the hallway, presumably to find someone, perhaps a friend.


    The doctor put his hand on my shoulder and took a deep sigh before speaking. "Cyrus, you are already dead, or at least you are supposed to be dead. I have a theory that the only reason you''re alive at this very moment is due to the fact that your soul transcended beyond the concept of death. You survived because it''s not a concept you believe in,"


    I still sat there trying to register his words, still dumbfounded, unable to comprehend his reasoning. "But that would mean...," I paused mid-sentence as it slowly sunk in and registered in my mind. I finally got it, I understood. I glanced up at the clock hung upon the wall above, noticing the numbers "1:30 am." flashed upon its face. I had been unconscious for five hours. How was it possible for a person to be unconscious for that amount of time... or not die for that long? No, no matter how hard I think about it, I wouldn''t come to a conclusion.


    "Cyrus, I know you are probably confused, but the most important thing to note is that you killed Gaius. Whether you were in the state of mind to be able to remember these actions is irrelevant but it seems like you have no recollection of what happened after you ''died''." The Doctor was explaining things calmly and concisely, unlike a regular doctor, he has shown me a great deal of respect and courtesy.


    I just stared at him blankly, trying desperately to remember if I could, in fact remember any of these things but alas no memory returned. The doctor then left, after giving me one more pat on the back, leaving me alone with my thoughts.


    Ariel had stayed with me and was lying next to me the entire time. The time was spent in a somewhat peaceful manner, until eventually the morning came.

 Azriel The Wise

    When the bright daylight poured through my window, the warm sunlight bounced around the small room illuminating every corner of the room brightly. I sighed and laid my head down on the pillow next to me and took a few deep breaths before glancing over to Ariel.


    "Hey, sleepyhead... how''s your back holding up, have you recovered from everything that happened yesterday?" I was greeted by her sweet smile as I woke up, there was nothing I wouldn''t do to protect this child from harm.


    "You defeated Gaius." Her smile widened and her face grew bright. The sudden realization dawned on me, which immediately followed a series of flashbacks in my mind... the memory of how the fight took place, the events, the battle...


    "You''ve accomplished something incredible, son. It was extremely painful. I don''t know how it is you managed to recover so quickly. You and your mother are remarkable." My father smiled and patted me gently on the back and shook his hand. This made me smile uncontrollably, "Thanks."


    "Son. That was some pretty reckless behavior." Dad smiled as we began talking, "Sorry, I had to kill Gaius," I answered sheepishly, trying to hide my smile, but he wasn''t having any of it.


    "Nonsense. The world is a better place now that it doesn''t have him," his smile faltered a little bit as he thought about that fact, before continuing. "I think it''s time you get some proper training under your belt, the doctor notified me that it wasn''t actually you that killed Gaius but it the soul of yourself that pertained after your death that ended up killing Gaius. This proves that the potential that you hold is immense and we should not wait any longer for your training before we send you off to school."


    I could barely contain my happiness. The amount of affection shown by the two people who have given me more affection than I have ever received in my past two lives is overwhelming. Things are finally starting to look up for me!


    This feeling is indescribable and the blissfulness I feel in these moments is unimaginable! My thoughts then drift toward Ariel and a few of the others who were closest to me, even though they don''t quite know who I was prior to this current existence of mine and that''s alright.


    With that in mind, I smile and walk away, heading towards my room, which had been expanded to fit two beds instead of one after we proved our bond of a brother-sister pseudo-relationship, it was a long process but after the incident it finally happened. Ariel was able to live with us for multiple days at a time, and if I want to keep her safe I need her to stay close to me. That is the duty that I have posed on myself in this world.


    She quickly jumps on to her bed and nestled herself, I chuckle softly and turn off the lights. With that, I walked back down the hallway and headed for my parents room where they would no doubt be waiting for me to discuss the details of my training.


    "Are you okay? How do you feel?" My mom ran straight to me as soon as I entered through the doorway. Her eyes darted all over my body, examining my skin for bruises, cuts and lacerations. She paused once she reached my forehead. Then, the sensation of her fingertips pressed firmly against it as she pressed harder.


    "There''s no reason to be anxious mother, I just want to know who will be training me starting tomorrow." She stared at me, studying my face, as if she was scanning every feature and trying to read my expression. Her hand slid along my chin, brushing across my cheek softly, and up into my hair.


    I hadn''t noticed, until that exact moment, but the entire time my mom had been touching my face; my lips had never stopped curving upwards, a constant smile plastered firmly on it.


    "Okay," her voice was strained and wispy, I could tell by the way that her hands were trembling, she had been extremely worried about the health of her son and husband, but there was really nothing that either one of us could do. "You father has contacted the headmaster of the most powerful school in the Verdant Expanse, Azriel the Wise."


    "Wait what school?" I tilted my head.


    "All you need to know is once you graduate from your magic school, that is where you''ll be attending. Azriel is one of your father''s closest acquaintances, and he said he is fully willing to train you in order to become a elite-level magic user."


    The world of magic was vast and so large that it was nearly incomprehensible. From what I''d heard of from this world''s history; the development of magical technology began with humans who had harnessed a certain level of power. At that time, they weren''t capable of anything beyond basic elemental spells. In time, however, this progressed to allow them to wield far greater abilities than merely that. There came the day when the world was hit with tragedy.


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    Some powerful humans had created a spell to manipulate the environment and allow the dead to come back from the afterlife, yet this only brought upon untold destruction and turmoil as the souls of the dead became lost. They roamed free with no recollection or awareness of anything. Those who had died became mere puppets with no control.


    Once they were killed or injured, they would reanimate within moments and strike their foes with relentless force, which, for many years, was the major cause behind the demise of all civilization. Most of the countries that exist today were wiped out from these invasions. Those who survived had gone underground and dug their holes, seeking refuge from this inevitable fate. Ever since that shift in the balance of the world, the Time of Turmoil, as people called it¡ªwe have transitioned into a new era of enlightenment where we have the capability to do good and maintain the balance that remains.


    As the new dawn rose, it was time to begin the training that I have long awaited. Excitedly, I ran out of the room and out the doors with Ariel and my parents following close behind, laughing and giggling at my silly antics. We exited the city, taking one last look behind before descending the stairs, our footsteps pounding loudly with each step taken.


    I quickly realized we were heading towards the gate that led towards the exit of the city, I could barely contain my joy!


    Then, right before me stood the entrance to the outside world, tall iron bars lined the path which connected it to the forest below. The iron gates themselves were quite large, making me have to raise my head slightly in order to see its full height. Beside me, there were several guards and mages, keeping watch over everything, especially me.


    They saluted us as we passed, my eyes drawn upwards as they waved in a signal to keep an eye on everyone inside. With their acknowledgement, our group headed towards the trees lining the opposite side of the dirt pathway. As soon as we passed those trees, everything changed drastically;


    Our surroundings completely transformed, becoming vastly more intricate and intricate; every object gained a unique, beautiful tint as we continued further along. Suddenly, there were birds, butterflies and many other creatures surrounding us, some were familiar, others foreign, flying between the thick boughs of the ancient forest, hopping from tree trunk to tree trunk.


    It didn''t take very long before my attention was drawn to one particular sight: A stunning array of colors blossoming from vines wrapped around tree trunks, climbing upwards and twisting towards the sun''s light above. In front of me there were also rows upon rows of thickets, bushes and plants. To say it was awe-inspiring was an understatement, my mouth went slack-jawed as we marched further down the trail. I soon saw the source of the incredible display; a waterfall of vines cascading over a boulder at the base, flowing upwards into a gentle stream of cascading petals, peach, rose and lavender shades all overlapping as they flowed to the ground.


    Before my very eyes was an army of women and men all gathered around in a clearing, speaking amongst one another, each of them were incredibly well armored and extremely beautiful. "Headmaster Azriel, I have the boy." My father spoke up, while turning his attention to the man dressed in a black robe with golden runes lining the seams. This Headmaster was tall, maybe about the same height as my father. His face was rough with many scars lining his skin, he sported an unkept beard that was long enough to reach his neck and his dark brown hair was a tad bit curly as well.


    The headmaster''s gaze locked upon me. His eyes shone with a spark that hinted at understanding what my mother had told him prior, he gave me an inquisitive glance. "Young Cyrus, hmmm." He took a step forward, reaching out and grabbing hold of both my arms, lifting me up, inspecting me. "Rafael, you never told me that your son was going to be this young, he doesn''t even seem fit to be able to endure the training that I have in store for him."


    He glanced back over to my father. "Although he does seem fairly capable, perhaps he could be made fit in time..." his sentence trailed off into silence, "Then, you will take him with you?" my father''s tone had turned inquisitive as well, he had no doubts in his son''s ability, but he needed assurance.


    "If you would like me too, but of course, I won''t take the young boy away from his parents, it''s just my specialty is in magic. I can see that this young boy has inherited many things from the both of you." The headmaster then let go of me and looked directly at my mother.


    My father glanced at my mother and nodded, then spoke up. "Cyrus will never be more ready to receive your training than now, I would be truly honored if you would take my son under your wing and shape him into a fine young mage."


    "Well then young Cyrus, follow me please, we need to start your training right away. I''ve never had to train someone so young before so this will be interesting and I''m very interested in how far your potential lies."


    My mother then placed a hand on the headmaster''s shoulder. "If that''s so, why the hell hasn''t Ariel enrolled? I refuse to let him leave until she''s able to as well. If she''s strong enough to defend her self then you better accept her because she''s too damn stubborn to change her mind."


    The headmaster sighed. He turned around and stared down at the young child. "Are you sure?" He inquired. "Why don''t you check up on him yourselves first and then decide." Rafael pointed toward my chest, just over where his heart is and asked for permission, but Ariel beat him to the punch. Ariel has the potential as well, I can see it in her eyes.


    I stood still in place, smiling ear-to-ear and raised both hands, showing the headmaster what lies within them, a pair of pebble-size glowing crystal balls, swirling with multiple colors dancing around the surface, no words escaped my mouth as I waited to see his reaction.


    It was obvious that he couldn''t deny the potential that we both showed, that is the real reason we are being trained right now. "I''d say it''s time for both of you to follow me. Time is of the essence." With a smug smirk on his face, Azriel spun around and began walking deeper into the forest.