Chapter 11:
The Name That Was Lost
The name spilled from Errin's lips like an incantation, foreign yet familiar, as though it had been waiting in the depths of his soul to be spoken once more.
The moment the word left his tongue, the world shattered.
Light and shadow twisted together, the stone courtyard vanishing in a rush of wind. The man in blue robes remained, his expression unchanged, but now Errin could feel something radiating from him—a presence that was no longer distant, no longer a mystery.
They were the same.
The realization struck him like a hammer. This man was not just someone he had once known.
He was someone he had been.
Memories surged forward, fragmented and disjointed—flashes of a life beyond the valley, a world filled with towering cities, celestial battles, the weight of responsibility pressing against his shoulders. He had walked through the heavens, carved his name into the fabric of history.
And then—
Oblivion.
His chest tightened. He had forgotten.
Or had the valley made him forget?
The man in blue robes finally spoke, his voice softer now, almost mournful.
"You see it now."
Errin staggered back, his breath uneven. "This—this isn't possible."
The man tilted his head. "Isn't it?"
The wind roared through the emptiness, carrying echoes of his own voice—his past voice—shouting commands, whispering secrets, calling names he no longer recognized.
Errin gritted his teeth. "Why did I forget?"
The man exhaled. "Because you chose to."
The words struck like a blade.
"I wouldn't have," Errin snapped. "I—"
But even as he spoke, doubt curled around the edges of his mind. Wouldn't he?
Had he wanted to leave it all behind?
The valley. The stillness. The quiet life he had embraced. Was it truly an accident?
Or had it been an escape?
His pulse pounded. He needed answers—real answers.
"What was my name?" he demanded.
The man in blue robes studied him for a long moment.
Then, slowly, he stepped forward, pressing two fingers against Errin's forehead.
And in that instant—
The valley vanished.
The stars above twisted into unfamiliar constellations.
And Errin remembered everything.