Light

"My name is Leon."

Leon answered, but his mind was in turmoil. There was another man, just like him. He hesitated for a second.

"Did you too die in your world and come here into another body?"

Durgon leaned back, looking at the sky, and spoke softly."I did."

Looking at Durgon, Leon felt a certain bond form between them."How did you die?" Leon asked.

"I don't remember… actually, I don't remember many things about my past self — my name, my appearance."

Leon looked puzzled. Earlier, Durgon had asked him questions about Earth, questions about who discovered gravity and the theory of relativity, which meant he remembered certain things.

Seeing Leon's puzzlement, Durgon gave a laugh."Ever since I opened my eyes in this body, it has been eating away at my past self. The only thing that reminds me I don't belong to this world is the knowledge I carry — knowledge that is out of this world. Maybe because I am a mage, one whose magic works based on those principles and laws."

Leon felt a chill run down his spine. If he forgot about his past self and experience, would he truly become Leon of this world? Was his current self not Leon from Earth anymore, but an amalgamation of both? He didn't know. At this moment, he still saw himself as Leon from Earth, a 26‑year‑old software engineer.

"What do you mean by 'it has been eating away your past self'? What is it?"

Durgon gave another chuckle."Time. It's time. In a hundred years, I forgot the name I carried. In another, I forgot who I was. The only thing that reminds me I don't belong to this world is my knowledge — the knowledge that has helped me walk the path of magic and uncover its mysteries."

Leon was shell‑shocked. If what he said was true, then this man had lived for at least two hundred years.

"Sir, may I ask how old you are?"

This time, Durgon didn't laugh. He looked at the sky and spoke with a faint murmur."I do not know… but I was alive when the mage towers stood tall and proud. When countless scholars uncovered the mysteries of this world, I was one of them. I watched as those mighty towers fell to the ground, engulfed in flames — falling in the name of god."

Leon didn't understand a word the old man said, but the old man continued nonetheless."I have lived a long life, and it is coming to an end."

The old man stood up, and started walking. Leon felt himself compelled to move too — still under the old man's control. They walked slowly down the quiet streets, reaching 28th Street, the very one Leon, Mathew, and Bear had passed that morning. They turned around a corner that was all too familiar.

Leon saw an old tree in the distance and a figure sitting under it. A very thin old man. Leon could tell from a glance that this man wouldn't survive past the night. He had seen him earlier when Mathew and Bear were arguing.

"That's my real body," the old man beside him said. Suddenly, the figure beside Leon grew faint and disappeared.

Leon felt control return to his body, and as he was about to run away, he noticed the dying old man slowly fluttering open his eyes.

"Child, come closer," the old man said, voice faint and fragile as a final breath. Though Leon wanted to run, he couldn't bring himself to abandon a dying man. He decided to at least listen to his words.

"When I saw my spell had no effect on you, I thought you were a demon. I was determined to take you down with me… but who knew that after all these years, I would encounter someone like me?" The old man's deep blue eyes shimmered like stars, a faint glow growing weaker with every breath.

"Even after living for so long, I have failed to leave my mark on this world. Perhaps the heavens are finally with me."

Leon watched as the old man struggled and slowly raised his hand. Leon took the bony hand in his own, and the old man spoke softly:

"Wait for half an hour… after I die."

Leon didn't speak. He didn't ask why. He didn't move. He just held the old man's hand in silence, knowing how miserable it felt to die alone, with no one left to mourn for you.

A faint smile appeared on Durgon's bony face, and then he closed his eyes.

Leon felt the hand he was holding grow cold, but he didn't let go. He waited silently.

A long moment passed, and then Leon felt the hand in his grip — long gone cold — suddenly grow warm again. When he opened his eyes, he watched as Durgon's body began to glow. The hand grew so hot that Leon was forced to release it. The old man's body shimmered brighter and brighter until it was too blinding for Leon to look at. He closed his eyes as the light surged, swallowing the night.

People of Aurethia were deep in sleep. It was just past midnight. Only a few people in crisp, white uniforms strolled through the streets.

A young man with a muscular build and blond hair was among them, his uniform ironed to perfection. He was Garren, an officer of the city guard.

He marveled at the sight of the city — a gigantic castle rising in the center of countless buildings. Its walls shimmered in the night, illuminated by faint torchlight that revealed the smooth, white marble beneath.

Then, Garren was caught off guard. He looked towards the north and saw a light — so bright it felt like the sun was rising from the horizon. Slowly, it bathed the city in a golden glow, and people began to stir from their slumber.

"Garren! What's happening?" came a voice. A young man in a white uniform came running towards him.

Garren squinted against the blazing light."I don't know, Captain, but it's coming from the north!" he shouted.

Then, as suddenly as it appeared, the light started dimming. The night descended upon Aurethia again, swallowing it in darkness.

Garren's vision darkened for a moment — the shift from night to day and back was too quick for his eyes to adjust. As he regained focus, he spotted the captain a short distance away.

"Captain, what was that? It was like the sun rose from the north!"

"I'm just as shocked as you are. Let's gather our men and head north," the captain responded grimly.

Meanwhile, Mathew had a habit of waking up with the first light of dawn. And that's why he was the first to rise. He ran outside and watched as the sun rose from the north, blindingly bright. He spotted Dan and his group, still sleeping on the ground, suddenly waking as the light grew more intense. Mathew shielded his eyes with a hand until the brilliance subsided.

When the light finally dimmed, Mathew opened his eyes. Dan and his men were up, staring in shock as well.

All across Aurethia, residents and animals alike were woken from their slumber, every one equally shocked by the strange phenomenon.