Chapter 4

...Didn’t I die?

I quickly pushed away my disappointment, well aware it wasn’t normal.

I quickly found more abnormalities in the situation.

Firstly I was giving off a faint glow, secondly, my legs were still there, there were no wounds in my chest at all, not even scars, lastly, the space I was in was the definition of strange.

It was nothing.

There was no ceiling or sky, no ground or floor. I was standing on nothing.

Darkness as far I could see.

I tried walking, but I wasn’t even sure if I was moving, there was no change at all in the scenery.

Jumping? Didn’t do anything either, the ‘ground’ seemed non-existent, I didn’t feel any impact when landing.

As if I was landing on air.

Though after a while it seemed like the air solidified, which was a relief since I seriously hated the feeling of standing in the air, it felt like you were just going to fall, but you didn't.

You stay suspended in the air, with the feeling of free falling while you aren’t even falling.

As for how long I was in that space? I have no blazing idea.

There is nothing, just pure darkness, nothing to tell time from. Even if I tried counting, it felt as if the flow of time itself was distorted.

After who knows how long I felt a force pulling on my body.

It was weak, like a small tug on my clothes.

Bored and with nothing else to do I just followed to where the pulling force took me.

1 step. 2 steps. 3 steps. 4 steps. … 1,000 steps. … 10,000 steps. … 3 steps. 4 steps. … 1 step. 934 steps.

I wasn’t sure but it felt as if my mind was skipping a few parts.

I’m sure I counted correctly, but it doesn’t feel like it.

401 steps later I found something different.

I took a step back, only to return to the eternal darkness.

I took a step forward and I was enshrouded in light, which seemed to be pulling me out of this place.

At first I hesitated, but soon simply let go and entered the pillar of light which was both visible and invisible.

Closing my eyes, I relished the feeling of warmth.

It’s been so long, or short, since I ‘felt’ something. The darkness was not cold or warm, nor was there any air resistance so it felt like I wasn’t even there, I couldn’t tell what was real and what wasn’t.

If not for the lack of dead people I would have thought it was the after life.

When I opened my eyes the scenery changed.

The first thing I saw was a gigantic wall.

It was at least five times my height

Then I noticed I was standing on water, and the wall was floating, nothing was supporting it.

It was an endless sea as far as my eyes could reach.

And then I saw a man in white clothing. He looked like the neighbourhood grandfather who gave candies to the children. Though his clothes… were rather strange. It was a white robe, ancient. It wasn’t the type of clothes you’d find in the Empire.

The man was sitting on the edge of the giant wall, staring down at me. It made me feel slightly irritated to be looked down upon.

“Sigh. The 5th time already. Your destiny is one of the largest and harshest I’ve ever seen”

Without explaining what he said he jumped off, standing just inches from me.

With a slam with his foot, the water splashed, creating waves. Waves that were several hundred meters tall.

I tried to run but started sinking, but the man grabbed my arm, holding me up.

The waves crashed on the wall, then the wall tilted.

What I saw was something I could never describe properly.

It was a wheel.

A titanic, impossibly huge stone wheel.

What I thought was a wall was in fact just the wheel’s rim.

There were thousands of inscriptions, some I recognised as runes, others I didn’t.

The man suddenly patted my shoulder.

“Fate is truly cruel, all I can say is, good luck.”

After which he expanded.

He practically doubled in size, his muscles expanding even more.

‘When in gods could grandpa’s be so swole’

He grunted, as if reading my thoughts, then turned to the wheel.

I could see his veins bulging.

He grabbed it.

Slowly but surely the wheel started to turn counter clockwise.

The man kept turning it, gathering momentum.

The sea became chaotic and started to create waves reaching even higher than last time.

I was captured by the scene. It was beautiful. The forces of nature, and one man keeping it at bay.

It looked like it came straight out of a book.

However, suddenly I felt something very wrong.

My existence was fading. Memories vanishing.

I was disappearing.

Permanently.

I tried reaching out to the man. To tell him to stop.

But my hand passed right through him.

I stared at it. I had stopped glowing.

Instead I was turning transparent.

I don’t know why, perhaps it was because of my time in the endless darkness that made me forget.

I was supposed to be dead. So where was this?

And, what did it mean?

I panicked again, the fear I forgot for some time resurfaced.

I ran.

I had to at least do something.

I’m sick of this, why do I have to go through all this.

I looked at my hand again.

Other than the outline it was as good as completely transparent.

So… this time I really will… die.

I closed my eyes as I sank into the sea.

Water filled my nose and soon, it filled my lungs.

And then, the last of my consciousness died.

...

You can call me Kannon Angevin, I’m more widely known as the second son of Grand Duke Angevin though.

Well, that’s because the children of the Grand Duke are special.

A year before I was born there was a prophecy.

There would be a Saint who unites the Ameuthe Continent.

And the Saint was one of the children of the Grand Duke of Dabaira Empire.

I’m sure I am the Saint.

You might ask why, but I’m sure of it.

Would a normal child mature as quickly as me?

Hehehe, look, a 6 year old is talking about maturity. If I’m not special, who is?

I’m going to be king of the world!

And-and-and, I’m super strong! I asked dad if I could learn how to fight so he gave me a private teacher.

I can beat my teacher! I swung my sword 3 times and he surrendered!

Though he didn’t look very injured. He’s probably hiding the pain to look cool hehe.

So I asked dad if I could go fight in wars with him. But he refused..

I’m strong, you know…

Even though I said I don’t need bodyguards, daddy insisted so I have these scary men around me all the time.

Not that I mind it, they make me look cooler.

Coolness for the win!

It was my big brother’s birthday, midwinter.

The family was holding a banquet, mother was here too! She rarely comes outside, I don’t know why though.

Well, what can I say, it was an absolute feast, the entire city was in a festival as well, we were extremely popular and our birthdays were deeply connected with the citizens.

After the standard congratulatory speeches the old men went inside to eat, I went outside to play.

Ah no, I meant explore, no I mean inspect the city.

That was when I saw someone, he was hooded, but I felt an ominous premonition.

He turned to face me, they were cold crimson eyes.

I stiffened, I don’t know why but my mind just blanked.

I recognised those.

I don’t know from where but I know that I’ve seen them.

He slowly raised an arm, which was holding some sort of artifact.

“Your side? ...okay, I’ll finish up here as well”

He switched it off, then walked towards me.

His eyes softened.

“I’m sorry… but I have to do this”

He pulled out a knife, during the split second I saw it I was awed by it.

Even for me, I don’t usually see that kind of craftsmanship. I could almost hear the blade resonate.

I only had one artifact on me, a bracelet mom gifted.

I fumbled with it.

When I looked back I saw the man’s face, no, it was a young boy.

I could almost feel the hesitation as he lifted his knife.

In a panic I pulled out my sword, it was a ceremonial sword, with a dulled blade. However the boy easily disarmed me.

“...I’ll try to make it quick”

He stabbed me. Why? He clearly didn’t want to.

I looked down. I felt strange.

What is this?

It hurts. I don’t like this.

I stared at the boy. He was shivering. Why are you shivering? Shouldn’t it be me?

I started to cry. No don’t, adults don’t cry.

The boy shook his head and swung his knife again. And again, again, again.

Ah. Aaaaah. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!

IT HURTSSS!!!

I don’t know why but I lost my voice.

Slowly my vision turned black.

When I could see again I found myself in a black area.

Eh. Why is there no floor?

I looked around, but there was nothing.

…

There was an old man with weird clothing sitting on top of the wall.

“It’s the 12th time already. Oh dear Heaven why art thou so cruel to this poor soul. He only lived to 6 this time”

He jumped down, smashing the water, creating really big waves.

“Your destiny is truly cruel, the cruellest part is you don’t even remember…”

He stopped talking and simply turned, waiting.

The wall fell down. Oh. It’s a wheel.

Wow, can something be that big?

“Sigh”

The grandpa grabbed the rim and pushed the wheel.

Impossibly it started to turn.

It was spinning super fast, then the grandpa tensed up, putting the wheel to a dead stop.

I felt a strong wind and then, nothing.