Memories

He abruptly opened his eyes, gasping for breath as though he had surfaced from the depths of a suffocating nightmare. His heart pounded furiously, and for a brief moment, he sat frozen, clutching the cloth beneath him. His mind reeled, flooded by the vivid memory of his fall from the top of the building. The impact, the thud, the silence.

"I didn't die…" he whispered, the words bitter on his tongue, laced with both anger and despair.

But something was wrong. His surroundings didn't resemble a hospital, nor the cold pavement where he had expected himself if he somehow survived after the fall. The room he found myself in was warm, almost rustic, with walls of dark timber and lanterns casting flickering golden light. Heavy crimson drapes framed a small window, through which the faint glow of dawn spilled in. A wooden table, scarred and weathered, stood in one corner, cluttered with a candlestick and an empty mug.

"Wh…where am I?" He muttered, his voice trembling as he took in the unfamiliar surroundings.

A single thought struck him with a force that left me breathless "Am I reincarnated?"

He tried to calm my racing mind, but grief welled up from within. My fists clenched as he spoke in despair, "But wh…why? Why me? And if you had to reincarnate me, then why keep my memories of my past life?"

Before he could make sense of his own situation, a sharp, searing pain erupted in his head. It was as though thousands of needles pierced his skull while insects crawled beneath his skin. He gritted his teeth, clutching his head as the agony intensified.

Then, like a torrent unleashed, memories flooded inside his mind.

——————

"Zeph, look! There's a beautiful butterfly. Can you please catch it?"

A girl with jet-black hair and golden eyes, around the age of thirteen, pointed excitedly at the fluttering creature. Her voice was sweet, carrying an innocence that felt foreign yet familiar.

"El, that's really a beautiful one. Alright, I'll catch it for you!" A boy with snow-white hair and piercing blue eyes, also thirteen, replied with a grin.

After what felt like an eternity of chasing, tripping, and nearly falling into the bushes, the boy finally cupped his hands around the butterfly. Beaming, he turned to her. "See? I caught it!"

Elowen's golden eyes sparkled as she gently took the butterfly from his hands. With a soft smile, she released it back into the sky, watching it disappear into the horizon. Then, without warning, she threw her arms around him.

"Thank you, Zephyx," she said, her voice filled with warmth.

Zephyx's cheeks turned crimson as he stammered, "D...don't do that!"

Elowen's mother, who had been watching from a distance, approached with a teasing grin. "Ara, ara, Elowen, what have you done to poor Zephyx?"

"Mom!" Elowen protested, her face turning red. She turned to Zephyx, tilting her head. "Why's your face so red?"

"M...maybe, I have a fever!"

Her mother chuckled, a melodic sound. "Hahaha~ Elowen, don't tease him too much. You know why he's blushing."

Elowen giggled, her own cheeks dusted with pink. "Hehe~ He looks cute when he's blushing!"

Zephyx groaned, covering his face with his hands. "Don't tease me!"

Their laughter filled the air, carefree and unburdened, a fleeting moment of joy in a life that would soon be anything but.

The memory shifted, pulling him deeper inside the memories.

Weeks later, the two stood amidst a group of children their age, excitement and nervous energy buzzing through the room. It was the awakening ceremony, a rite of passage where every child discovered their magical affinity.

"Do you think I'll awaken anything?" whispered one boy.

"I don't know. Even Land affinity would be amazing," another replied nervously.

An old man with a long beard stood by a glowing orb, calling names one by one. The first child stepped forward, placing his hands on the orb. Seconds passed, but nothing happened.

"No affinity," the old man declared, his voice heavy with finality.

The boy's eyes filled with tears as he trudged back to his seat, his dreams shattered.

One by one, children stepped forward. Some awakened affinities, their faces lighting up with joy. Others left dejected, their futures uncertain.

"Elowen," the old man called.

Elowen stood, her confidence unwavering. Zephyx leaned toward her, whispering, "Good luck!"

She smiled at him before stepping up to the orb. As her hands made contact, the room grew warmer. A sudden surge of heat radiated outward, causing murmurs to ripple through the crowd. The old man waved his hand, stabilizing the temperature.

"Fire affinity," he announced, his tone impressed. "And a high potential."

Elowen returned to her seat, beaming. She hugged Zephyx tightly. "Did you see that?"

"Yeah," he replied, grinning. "You're amazing!"

"Next: Zephyx."

Zephyx stood, nerves knotting his stomach. Elowen gave him an encouraging thumbs-up.

When his hands touched the orb, a cold shock coursed through his body. The air around him turned frigid, frost spreading across the floor. The old man's eyes widened in surprise as he quickly dispelled the cold.

"Ice affinity," he said, his voice tinged with awe. "And with great potential, kid."

Zephyx returned to Elowen, who cheered for him. But despite her support, an unease began to settle in his heart.

The memories unraveled further, revealing a life of struggle and heartbreak. Zephyx's attempts to control his ice magic led to excruciating pain, his body rejecting his efforts. While Elowen flourished, her fire magic growing stronger by the day, Zephyx stagnated, unable to even form a block of ice.

Elowen's achievements brought her recognition, and soon, she began taking quests. One day, she returned brimming with excitement, telling Zephyx about a boy named Alric she'd met on her adventures. Her admiration for him was evident, her stories filled with his accomplishments and charm.

Jealousy burned in Zephyx's chest, but he kept his feelings to himself. When he finally confessed his love to Elowen, she blushed but dismissed it, saying, "We're still kids. Let's wait until we grow up a bit."

Yet, over time, He started proposing to her more and her patience with him waned. She grew frustrated with his constant clinginess and proposals and he started getting angry and also often started comparing him to Alric.

One day, as she prepared for another quest, Zephyx tried to propose again. Her response cut him like a blade.

"I don't like you. Can't you understand?," she said coldly before leaving.

On the same unfortunate night was filled with chaos and blood. The town, once a quiet and humble place, was now consumed by flames and screams of terror. Dark, twisted creatures with grotesque, misshapen bodies poured in from the surrounding forest, their glowing eyes gleaming with malice. They tore through everything in their path—homes, walls, and most tragically, people.

Zephyx ran through the streets, his heart hammering in his chest. His breaths came in sharp, shallow bursts, and his vision blurred with tears. The stench of burning wood and flesh assaulted his senses, but he pressed on, his mind singularly focused.

"Elowen... Where is she?!"

His thoughts raced as he pushed past the fleeing townsfolk. The ground was slick with blood, the bodies of men, women, and children littering the streets like discarded dolls. The monsters showed no mercy, their claws ripping through flesh and bone with sickening ease.

Zephyx ignored it all, his desperation blinding him to the carnage around him. He had to find her. She was the only one who mattered.

But as he rounded a corner, a shadow loomed over him. A hulking beast stood there, its massive, twisted frame coated in dark, glistening blood. Its body was covered in jagged, bony protrusions, and its maw dripped with saliva as it locked its glowing red eyes on him. The creature growled, a low, guttural sound that sent a shiver down Zephyx's spine.

Panic surged through him as the beast charged, its claws tearing into the land with each thunderous step. He tried to move, to run, but his legs refused to move. He was frozen in place, paralyzed by fear as the monster closed in.

But then, a figure darted in front of him.

"Run, Zephyx!" a voice shouted, filled with desperation and resolve.

It was his mother. She stood there, her body trembling but firm, as she faced the monstrous creature. Her arms were spread wide, shielding him from the beast's wrath.

"Mom, no!" Zephyx cried, his voice breaking as he tried to move toward her.

"Go! Now!" she yelled, her voice cracking with urgency.

The monster snarled, its massive jaws opening wide to reveal rows of jagged, bloodstained teeth. Without hesitation, it lunged at her, its claws swiping through the air.

Zephyx watched in horror as his mother threw herself into the fray. She grabbed a nearby piece of wood—a broken plank from a destroyed cart—and swung it with all her might, striking the beast across its face. The wood splintered on impact, doing nothing but enraging the creature further.

"Please, Mom! Let me help!" Zephyx pleaded, taking a step forward.

"NO!" she screamed, her voice filled with a mixture of anger and love. She turned to him, her face set in a stern expression. "You have to live, Baby. RUN!"

Tears streamed down his face as he took a step back, his body trembling. He didn't want to leave her, but the sheer determination in her eyes made him hesitate. She was doing this for him—for his survival.

With a broken heart, he turned and ran. His legs felt heavy, every step an agonizing weight on his soul. The sounds of the battle behind him echoed in his ears—the guttural roars of the beast, the cries of his mother as she fought with everything she had.

As he turned his head, his blood ran cold.

The monster had pinned her to the ground, its massive claws digging into her shoulders, pinning her in place like a bug beneath a predator's paw. She screamed, struggling against its overwhelming strength, but it was futile.

The creature lowered its massive jaws, opening them wide. Its teeth gleamed in the firelight, slick with saliva and blood.

"NO!" Zephyx screamed, his voice raw and filled with despair.

The beast clamped down on her head, its teeth piercing through skin and bone with a sickening crunch. Blood sprayed across the ground in a violent arc, painting the dirt in crimson. The sound was horrifying—a wet, squelching noise that seemed to echo in his very soul.

Zephyx stumbled, falling to his knees as he watched the monster lift her lifeless body. Her head dangled loosely in its jaws, her face pale and lifeless, her eyes wide and empty. Blood dripped from her neck, pooling beneath her as the beast began to chew.

The memories faded, leaving him gasping for air.

"Elowen... Alric…" he muttered, clutching his head as realization dawned.

"I've reincarnated into Dawn of Light, the game I used to play," he said, his voice trembling. "And as Zephyx… the minor villain of the story."

Alric was the protagonist, the shining hero destined to save the world. Elowen was one of the heroine, his steadfast companion. And he? He was nothing more than a stepping stone in their journey.

A bitter laugh escaped his lips as he fell back onto the bed. "Why? Why reincarnate me as him? And why curse me with these memories?"

The weight of his new reality pressed down on him. He wasn't just Zephyx—he was a man burdened by two lives, both riddled with pain, betrayal, and unfulfilled longing. But if this was his fate, then he would carve my own path.

While remorsing over the fact, he heard a voice in his mind.

[Ding]

[Soul merge complete 100%]