the truth(1)
The night air was cool against Dakota's skin as he stood before his friends. Their eyes were fixed on him, waiting, anticipating. They knew something big was coming—something that would change the way they saw him forever.
Dakota: (calm, yet heavy)
"I am going to show all of you my memories. Then you will finally see the truth."
A heavy silence followed his words. The flickering flames from the campfire cast long shadows across the ground, mirroring the uncertainty on their faces.
Henry: (arms crossed, skeptical but intrigued)
"Memories, huh? What, like an illusion?"
Dakota simply nodded, raising his right hand. Dark energy swirled around his fingertips before expanding outward like ink in water. The air shimmered and twisted, distorting reality itself—
—And then everything changed.
The group found themselves inside a dimly lit hospital room. The sterile scent of antiseptic filled the air. A woman lay on a hospital bed, exhaustion clear on her face as she held a newborn wrapped in a soft white blanket.
Nurse: (smiling warmly)
"Congratulations. It's a boy."
The woman gazed at the baby with weary but loving eyes, her voice a soft whisper.
Woman: (tenderly)
"Michael… His name is Michael Renard."
The room fell silent. The group stiffened.
Henry: (wide-eyed, stunned)
"Michael?!"
Ava: (frowning, confused)
"Michael Renard… That name sounds familiar."
Lucas: (slow realization dawning)
"Wait… That's the guy we met on Old Earth!"
Mia: (nodding, looking between the scene and Dakota)
"The one who helped us fight the Dark Mages…!"
Jack turned sharply toward Dakota, suspicion and confusion warring on his face.
Jack: (demanding)
"Dakota, what the hell? Why are you showing us his memories?"
Dakota: (expression unreadable, voice calm)
"Just watch. You'll understand soon enough."
The memory shifted, years passing in an instant. The hospital room faded, replaced by a sunlit classroom filled with laughter. A young boy—Michael—sat alone at his desk, his gaze fixed on the wooden surface as the other kids chatted around him.
Teacher: (cheerful, clapping hands together)
"Alright, class! We have a new student today. Say hello to Michael Renard!"
Michael hesitated before giving a small, uncertain wave.
Then, four children approached him, grinning.
Ethan: (grinning, offering a hand)
"Hey! I'm Ethan! You wanna play soccer with us after school?"
Emily: (rolling her eyes, smirking)
"Ethan, don't just drag him into your games. I'm Emily. Nice to meet you, Michael."
Alex: (crossing his arms, smugly)
"I'm Alex. Just so you know, I'm gonna be the best at everything."
Marie: (shyly, but smiling)
"I'm Marie… It's nice to meet you."
Michael blinked, taken aback. Then, slowly, a smile formed on his face.
Michael: (softly, but happy)
"Yeah… I'd like that."
The warmth of the moment was undeniable. The memory froze, lingering on the five children's smiling faces.
Henry: (staring at them, his fists clenching)
"These kids… We met them. They were there on Old Earth."
Mia: (glancing at the others, voice uneasy)
"How is this possible…?"
Lucas: (eyes narrowing, stepping closer to Dakota)
"Dakota… Why are you showing us this?"
Dakota: (calm, watching their reactions carefully)
"Just wait. There's more."
The memory resumed, showing flashes of Michael and his friends playing in the park, walking home together, celebrating birthdays. The images played like an old film, nostalgic and warm.
Time moved forward. The children grew older.
In middle school, they stood together on the first day of class, the bond between them unshaken.
Ethan: (grinning, tossing a soccer ball in the air)
"One day, I'm gonna go pro. Just wait and see!"
Emily: (laughing, teasing him)
"Yeah, yeah. And I'll be the one making sure you don't fail all your classes while you chase that dream."
Alex: (arms crossed, confident)
"I'm gonna be rich. No way I'm working some boring job."
Marie: (smiling gently at Michael)
"And you, Michael? What do you want to do?"
Michael paused, thoughtful, then smiled softly.
Michael: (quietly, but certain)
"I want to write a story. A really big one."
The group watching the memory felt a strange chill crawl up their spines. They didn't know why, but something about Michael's words unsettled them.
Ava: (whispering, uneasy)
"Why does this feel… important?"
Jack: (arms crossed, trying to shake off the strange feeling)
"I don't get it. This is just a kid's dream. What does it have to do with anything?"
Dakota remained silent. He knew the weight of those words.
And he knew what was coming next.
The illusion began to fade, bringing them back to reality. The warmth of the past dissolved into the cold night air once more.
Everyone was silent, their thoughts racing. They had seen a glimpse into Michael's life, but there were still too many unanswered questions.
Henry: (frowning, thoughtful)
"That was… a lot."
Mia: (hugging her arms, deep in thought)
"Michael Renard… Who was he really?"
Lucas: (nodding in agreement)
"And why did you show us this, Dakota?"
Dakota turned away from them, looking up at the dark sky. The memories they had seen were only the beginning.
Dakota: (softly, to himself, his voice almost distant)
"It's almost time… for the serious stuff to happen."
His words sent a shiver down their spines.
The truth was drawing closer.
And none of them were ready for what came next.
Dakota: well I time for me to show them some of the serious stuff that happened in middle school, even though the most important stuff happened in highschool and after... But this will be the memory when we became the best in middle school and also met her... That bitch who is now In this world playing the role of the antagonist... If Lucas is really Ethan's reincarnation... Then he will have a lot of questions to ask her when he faces her in the war. Anyway this will also be the moment when me and Emilys relationship blossom into a little romance and so does Alex's and Marie's relationship. I wonder if they will get their memories back while viewing them. And If they do... Then this situation is going to get a whole lot more complicated.