Chapter 6: Echoes of the Past

The night after Azazel's visit was eerily quiet, the kind of silence that made Luis restless. As the hours dragged on, he found himself pacing again, thoughts of the fallen angel's offer gnawing at the back of his mind. Freedom, survival, peace—Azazel had dangled everything Luis desired in front of him, but Luis couldn't shake the feeling that it was too easy.

Freedom always came with a price.

But as much as he tried to focus on the present, his mind kept wandering to the past. The memories that he had buried deep, the life he had left behind before his transmigration. Those memories were distant, like fragments of a dream he barely remembered. But now, with all the chaos surrounding him, they were resurfacing.

Luis clenched his fists, his crimson eyes glowing faintly in the dark. He had to keep moving forward. He couldn't afford to get distracted by things that no longer mattered.

Still, the memories persisted.

Why now?

With a frustrated growl, Luis stormed out of the mansion, his long strides taking him through the courtyard and into the nearby woods. The cool night air was a welcome contrast to the heat of his thoughts, and he hoped the solitude would clear his mind.

But as he walked deeper into the forest, that familiar sense of being watched returned. Luis stopped, his senses flaring. Something was out there.

His body tensed, ready for a fight, but no attack came. Instead, the shadows shifted, and from the darkness emerged a figure—tall, with an air of familiarity that Luis couldn't place. The figure stepped into the moonlight, and Luis's breath caught in his throat.

It can't be…

The man standing before him had the same white hair as Luis, the same sharp, predatory eyes, though they were a piercing blue instead of crimson. His build was almost identical, tall and muscular, and there was a dark, dangerous aura around him that made the air feel heavy.

Luis's eyes narrowed. This wasn't just a coincidence. This man… he wasn't part of this world.

"You…" Luis growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Who are you?"

The man's lips curled into a cold, knowing smile. "I'm someone who knows exactly what you're going through."

Luis took a step forward, his eyes locked on the stranger's. "You're not from this world, are you?"

The man's smile widened slightly. "Neither are you."

Luis's heart raced. He had never told anyone about his transmigration, never shared the truth of his origins. This man—this stranger—was the first to call him out, and it set Luis on edge.

"What do you want?" Luis demanded, his fists tightening at his sides.

The stranger tilted his head, as if amused by the question. "I'm not here to fight you, Luis. I'm here to offer you something far more valuable than alliances or protection."

Luis's eyes narrowed further. "And what's that?"

The man's gaze hardened, his smile fading. "The truth. The truth about why you were brought to this world… and what you really are."

Luis's heart skipped a beat, though he kept his expression cold. "I already know what I am," he said sharply. "I have the power of a monster, and that's all that matters."

The stranger shook his head slowly, his eyes gleaming with something dark and unreadable. "That's where you're wrong. You think your power is a gift, something you've acquired through chance. But the truth is much more complicated than that."

Luis felt a chill run down his spine. He had spent so much time focusing on surviving in this world, on mastering the power he had gained, that he had never stopped to question why. Why him? Why this world? Why this power?

"You're lying," Luis said, his voice more uncertain than he intended.

The stranger smiled again, though this time there was no warmth in it. "You've felt it, haven't you? That pull… the sense that something greater is at play. This world isn't just a new start for you, Luis. You were chosen for a reason. And that reason… is far darker than you realize."

Luis's blood ran cold. The stranger's words cut deeper than any blade, and for the first time in a long while, Luis felt something close to fear. Not fear of this man or what he could do, but fear of the unknown—fear of the truth that had been lurking just beyond his understanding.

"You said you know what I'm going through," Luis said, his voice low and dangerous. "What do you mean by that?"

The stranger's eyes gleamed in the moonlight. "I was like you once. Lost, confused, trying to make sense of the power I was given. But then I learned the truth—the truth about the forces that manipulate the fates of entire worlds. And now, I'm here to help you understand."

Luis felt his fists tighten at his sides, anger boiling up inside him. He didn't like being played with, and this man—whoever he was—was clearly toying with him. But at the same time, Luis couldn't deny the sense of familiarity, the feeling that this man did know something important.

"So what are you saying?" Luis asked, his voice sharp. "That I'm just a pawn in some bigger game?"

The man's smile returned, but it was dark and twisted. "Not a pawn. More like a piece on the board that hasn't realized its full potential yet. You're dangerous, Luis. More dangerous than you know. And that's exactly why you were chosen. But you'll never understand the full scope of your power until you learn the truth."

Luis took a step back, his mind racing. The idea that there was something bigger—something darker—behind his transmigration was terrifying. But at the same time, it made a twisted kind of sense. He had always known, deep down, that his arrival in this world wasn't just some random occurrence.

"Why should I trust you?" Luis asked, his eyes narrowing.

The man's expression softened, though the darkness in his eyes remained. "I don't expect you to trust me. But sooner or later, you'll realize that the truth is unavoidable. And when that time comes, you'll seek me out."

With that, the stranger turned and began to walk away, disappearing into the shadows as quickly as he had appeared.

Luis stood there, alone in the moonlit forest, his mind swirling with questions he couldn't answer. The truth… the reason he had been brought to this world. It was all connected somehow. But for now, he would have to push those thoughts aside.

Because the storm was still coming. And when it hit, he needed to be ready.