Nico POV

  My feet ached as I ran harder than I thought I could. I could hear fast footsteps right behind me but I didn’t dare look back now. My mind raced through several methods of escape as I scanned my surroundings that were whizzing around me.

  I was in a dark alleyway of some kind. With nothing but trash cans and large dumpsters.

  “Come on come!” I cursed. I began rummaging through my tattered bag in search of something, anything useful.

  I began throwing out useless junk to lessen the weight as well as a feeble effort to slow down my pursuers. Half eaten meal bars and articles of clothing went flying as my search became desperate.

  My hands then finally reached something that was cold to the touch, and I instantly knew what I had-

  My head violently jerked back as I could feel my body tumble to the ground. My vision went dark for a moment, only to come back to three gang members looking below at me. I wasn’t even able to catch my breath as one of the bigger brutes violently grabbed me by the front collar.

  “Got you now, rat.” He said between rasping breaths.

  “You think he’ll fetch a decent price?” Another one asked.

  “Why don’t we keep him, it seems he has a good enough head.” The last one said but I didn’t really pay attention.

  With a sharp kick to the shin the large man who was holding me yelped in pain as he released me.

  “Son of a-” Was all he was able to get out before I slammed the metal ball hard onto the ground. The artifact smashed into the ground, disturbing the chemicals and ki within it as it created a great explosion of dust and obnoxious gases. I ducked and weaved between the gang members as I covered my mouth and nose with my shirt.

  I could hear the coughs and wheezes of the men as their bodies tumbled to the ground but I didn’t dare look back as I bolted. My feet hurt but I still ran, as fast as my legs could carry me until I was blinded by the sudden light as I made my way out of the dark alleyway.

  Reflexively I used my arm to cover my eyes before they slowly adjusted. It was still night, but the billboards and signs that illuminated the city at night cast a purple light over the small sidewalk I now stood on.

  It was supposed to be night but the pollution in the air made the skies look a dull grey as light rain came down in small droplets. As I removed my arm from my eye I saw a large billboard screen directly across from me showing a newsfeed.

  Large words scrolled passed, “King Grey leads our nation’s forces to victory.” It read. Along with it the screen displayed Grey, in his battle armor and golden ceremonial crown.

  I helplessly stared up at the giant image of the man I once called my friend. I could feel my eyes growing wet, but it wasn’t because of the rain. I could feel warm blood running down my knuckles as I unclenched my fist.

  Here I was, running around trying to make a living while on the run like a rat. While that bastard is living it up within his ivory tower.

  In a blind fit of rage I summoned all the ki within my body as I punched the brick wall right next to me. Sending long cracks along it, as I could feel the burning of my skin.

  When a sudden noise from behind me brought me back to my senses. I quickly tried to gather my things before making another run for it when I realized I had left my bag back there in the alley when I fell.

  Cursing to myself I quickly darted away. A thing I was having to do more and more often these days.

  I had most of these back alleys mapped and memorized, key word, most of it. But I still generally knew my way around. My desperate run turned into a light jog then a walk as I found a crowd of people leaving whatever rundown club or bar they were coming from. I threw on the hood of my tattered jacket as I matched their pace and blended in.

  My general disheveled look and worn clothes made that job easy with these people. The entire crowd reeked of alcohol and cigarettes, but I bared it for now. They all seemed to be wandering around with no direction or idea of where they were going, heck I wouldn’t doubt if they even had any sense with how much low-grade alcohol was in their system.

  Still the smell brought back unpleasant memories, which seemed to be in abundance these days. I had also found myself at the bottom of many bottles since that day. It was a miracle I didn’t die of liver failure or haven’t gotten mugged of all my money. Not that I was well-off these days though.

  I had followed the crowd a couple of blocks before I discreetly slipped away and into another alleyway. Large rats shrieked at me and scuttled away as I disturbed their dinner. If my brain still was working after that hard hit and fall this way should lead me back to what I called home.

  As I quietly made my way I tried to recall some more pleasant memories, at least in an effort to take my mind off the smell of rotting food and garbage that surrounded me.

  Yes, I still haven’t forgotten Cecil’s face after all these years. I could still picture her, smiling back at me. Her voice, her warmth. It was something I missed dearly. But her smiling face was soon overlapping with her lifeless one. Her eyes dulled over with blood running from the corners of her mouth. Grey standing before her dead body, his face stone-cold and unchanging as he killed someone he had grown up with.

  ‘Even in my mind I was never free from him.’ I cursed. He was king now so it made sense he would be on billboards, posters, and every other propaganda this rotten country would produce. But that didn’t make it any better.

  And even now, he still lives rent free within my own head. It was probably from the trauma but knowing that fact didn’t ease the scar in my heart. Having your lover killed was one thing, but that killer to be the one I trusted so dearly?

  “If only he listened to me.” I muttered under my breath as I finally reached my little abode. It was a small rundown house, all of its windows were cracked or broken. The bricks that made up its walls were worn so much that they look dull grey or black instead of red. But it looked far worse when I first came upon it.

  Still, I carefully opened the front door after unlocking it. My hand went to the small pocket knife I had clipped onto my belt. In such a place you could never be too cautious. Last thing I needed was a home invasion or to be murdered in my sleep.

  After making a quick check of the house I fell to the ground in exhaustion. Only now when I took off my shoes did I see the large scabs and blisters on my feet from all the running I have been doing lately. In an effort to not use my feet I crawled to the gas fireplace as I turned it on. The stink of gas still lingered as the flames gave me warmth.

  Taking off my jacket and shirt I laid them out so they could dry off in the fire’s warmth.

  “So I just lost my whole bag I guess.” I said out loud.

  In order to make some decent living I had to resort to using my brain to create tools, gadgets, but more often weapons for the black market. It wasn’t like I could return to normal society with the bounty that was on my head after the ruckus I had caused.

  In fact it was a wonder the government didn’t have me killed before that when I had tried to break out Cecilia numerous times.

  I doubt Grey knew or even cared that there was a federal hunt for me. Or heck, maybe he even called for it himself. Perhaps he deems me too much of a liability, with me knowing too much about him and his past. It wouldn’t surprise me.

  Feeling the chill of the night I slowly slumped into an old armchair. Its mattress was worn in and that armrests were uneven but it was the best I could do for now. I draped another one of my jackets, this time one without that many holes over my body as I dragged the chair closer to the fireplace.

  My stomach growled in protest, but I didn’t have the energy to get up and prepare food now. That would have to wait until morning. I’m sure there are still some things lying around that I can sell for some bread. I sat like that for a long time, wordlessly watching the orange-red fire dance.

  Then I began to ponder. Just what my life, just… what it could have been. If I weren’t discarded by my parents at that orphanage. Maybe I would have grown up to be some engineer with a cushy job. But that life felt so empty and meaningless now.

  If Cecilia wasn’t dropped off at our orphanage maybe Miss Willbeck would still be alive. Then maybe Grey, Grey wouldn’t be…

  If only Grey had listened to me. If only. I had begged him so many times. If only, if only, if only.

  Looking back at it now my life was filled with so many regrets. I was always too powerless to stop many of it. I had the brains but I lacked the strength in order to write my own fate. I should have just taken Cecilia and abandoned Grey at that academy when I had the chance.

  But in the end, whether it was the tiredness that was creeping in or just my mind getting sick of thinking about the past I could feel myself slowly dozing off as my eyelids grew heavy.

  ‘I should stop living my life like this.’ I thought, it also didn’t help that I was just a disgraced commoner in comparison to Grey who was now a king. It was an unclimbable mountain that I was fighting here while I was barely scraping by day by day. Yes, tomorrow I should start off by going to the local market and buying some bread. Maybe sell a few of my inventions when I get the chance.

  I’ve come back from worse. I had even tried to take my life a couple of times. But, the best thing I could do now was go on living my life. Never forgetting or forgiving but still carrying on, that would be the best way to spite those who have wronged me.

  Those were the last thoughts as I drifted off into sleep with the fireplace warming my body, casting large dancing shadows on the walls.

  I couldn’t tell how long it had been. Usually the sound of children playing outside would have awoken me but not this time. In fact I could feel my stomach churning and my head thumping like a drum. My entire body seemed to lurch forward, then was violently pulled in one direction.

  I forced my eyes open, only for them to not obey and for me to be in complete darkness still. My mind began to race despite the headache.

  Was it that chemical bomb I had used last night? Was this some adverse effect on my body I hadn’t expected? Some weird hallucinations or was I dying?

  Was I really dying? Was this what death felt like? No no no.

  I can’t die like this. There were still so many wrongs in my life I hadn’t.

  Another bout of pain stabbed into my body. Well, I say body but this pain was different. In my countless attempts trying to free Cecilia as well as living like a rat on the streets I have been stabbed, burned, punched, kicked, you name it. But this pain, this was different.

  It felt as though something deeper within me was being attacked. If I had a soul I could believe that it was being stabbed directly right now. My brain sent signals to my body, to flail around in an effort to get away from the pain but it didn’t listen. In fact I couldn’t even feel my body.

  I opened my mouth to scream but even that release was denied from me as I couldn’t even hear myself. Was I truly dead? Was my soul being sent off to some kind of hell? Was this what some religions believed in?

  But as suddenly as it began the pain disappeared, as if it was a simple lie. Blow away like sand in the wind. I urged my body to move, and this time it obeyed. But, I felt weaker. I could feel that my movements were slower. I tried to flex my fingers but I had very basic control over them, only being able to randomly close and open my hands.

  I tried to get up from what I could only assume was a lying position but my head felt so heavy that I could barely even lift it an inch.

  With some effort I was however able to open my eyes. My vision was blurry and the colors looked odd. It took more effort to focus on anything when a deep voice talked to me.

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  It wasn’t any language I knew but I could understand it somehow.

  “Hello Nico, welcome to Alacrya.” The voice said, and a large figure loomed over me. It took some time for me to focus on the figure to gather any detail. And when I did I was met with a handsome looking young man with fair skin. His deep blood-like red eyes stared back at mine. But the most striking feature was the set of elk-like horns that sprouted from his head.

  ‘Ok, I am dead and this is the devil.’ I thought

  But the horned demon man only laughed as he responded. “No, Nico. You are not dead. In fact you have been given a second chance.”

  It was as if he could read my mind. I tried to respond but no words came from my mouth. Only vague baby sounds.

  “Worry not, incarnate. You are fated for much more in this world.”

  My eyes shot open as I bolted up straight. A deep and sharp pain struck my temple as I winced in pain.

  Just what the hell was that? It all felt so… real. I slowly calmed myself down as I felt my own breathing. Several deep breaths later the pain was still there was somewhat manageable. I took in my surroundings.

  A large empty room with stone walls and ceiling. I was lying in a simple bed with a thin blanket over me. Taking off the blanket I saw that I was dressed in simple pants and shirt and on the small table next to the bed was a pair of glasses. I didn’t know if they were mine but almost instinctively I reached for them and placed them on my face.

  ‘Seems to match.’ I thought as I placed both my feet on the cold stone floor as I sat on the edge of the bed. I was slowly hyping myself to get back onto my feet when a cold voice called out to me.

  “Take it easy, you’ve been through quite a lot I’ve been told.” The voice, a deep baritone that both commanded power but also hint of a deep soothing tone. But to me the voice only seemed to spark some strange conflicting emotions. A mixture of trust and hatred filled my body as my head snapped to look for the source of the voice.

  From the corner of the room, leaning on the wall was a man. I could have sworn this room was completely empty before and there appeared to be no doorway.

  The man had pale blonde hair that came down over his shoulders. As his golden eyes stared back into mine another sharp pain hit me as I stammered onto my feet.

  I almost fell face first into the floor but quickly caught myself. With uneasy steps I slowly walked towards the man as he pushed himself off the wall as he walked towards me as well.

  We only stopped when we were face to face with each other. A sense of disbelief filled my mind as I lifted up a hand to touch the man’s face. It was so familiar. I could feel trust and friendliness rising in my own mind in reaction. As a name rose up from the tide of emotions.

  “Arthur?” I muttered, more to myself than to him. I didn’t understand why I called him that, or even if that was his name. But my subconscious mind seemed to think it was.

  The man I named Arthur only smiled warmly before his face turned to that of an emotionless one. Like it was carved from stone instead of the warm flesh I could feel.

  This time a different type of emotion rose, this time like a violent roaring fire. Rage, a blind anger. Emotions and images flashed across my vision. Of blood, a sword, a beautiful young girl, betrayal. All of them culminating into a singular word. A word that reeked of blood and hatred.

  This time I uttered a different name. Even the name felt like something disgusting in my mouth as I said it.

  “Grey.” I spat. And this time the man smiled again, but this smile was different. A colder smile, as if he had gotten exactly what he was scheming for.

  “Nico Sever.” He said back. Upon hearing those words I staggered back as if I was struck. There was pain, not physical. No. There was a deep pain in my chest as emotions, memories, too many things. Too much. It all flooded my mind. As if the floodgates were ripped open. I saw myself. A child, crying baby as I was left alone. A young adult, blood on my hands as I was holding a young girl.

  An entire lifetime passed before my eyes as all that information assaulted all of my senses as I relived them. All those years condensed but it still felt like an eternity.

  When I returned to my senses I was on the ground. My fingers caked in blood as I was clawing at the stone floor. I could hear Grey, yes, I knew for certain this man was Grey now. He may have changed his vessel like I have but that can’t change a person. Not a person like him. I could hear his footsteps coming closer.

  ‘This time I will kill you.’ I thought as I ripped the stone floor open, large spikes grown from the earth erupted from the ground as they all converged at Grey.

  But in a flash of purple all of them were reduced to ash as Grey just stood there. Gritting my teeth I lunged forward with my own two hands. I pushed mana to them as I landed a hard punch right in his face. Yet Grey didn’t protest, which only fueled my anger.

  I began to whale away at Grey, punching and kicking as I screamed at him.

  “Do you even know what I’ve been through? Grey! Do you know what you’ve taken from me!”

  I threw a sharp jab at his ribs.

  “If only you listened to me! You never listen!”

  A clean hook to his right jaw.

  “You just abandoned us, like we were trash! Even when we followed you!”

  Another hook, this time to the other side of his face.

  “I should have never helped you! All you do is take! How could you abandon your friends like that!”

  A knee kick to his stomach.

  Despite all my hits and attacks, Grey seemed to be completely fine. Not even a single drop of blood, even though all of my attacks were enhanced by mana. I could feel myself losing myself to the rage but I couldn’t care less.

  A sword made of dark obsidian-like material grew in my hands as black flames engulfed the blade.

  “I treated you like my own! We were brothers once!” I shouted as I swung the blade straight for his neck. Only for my arms to come lurching to a halt.

  Grey stood there, with my sword’s blade caught in his hand. He leaned in to speak.

  “Once.” He said, he didn’t raise his voice but even I could feel the power and suppressed anger that was behind his words. With a small flex of his fist my sword shattered like glass in his hands.

  “I have made mistakes. I won’t deny that. And I understand why you hate me. Believe me when I say that I hate myself for what I have done as well.”

  “Knowing that doesn’t absolve you of your crimes!” I objected.

  Grey only nodded sadly. “I agree. But the march of time moved forward.”

  “Don’t wax poetic with me. You and I both know that you were never the studious one.” I accused him. You dare try to speak in such a tone to me?

  “This isn’t the first time I have lived this life.” Grey said.

  First time? I understood well enough that we both have been reincarnated in this world by Agrona. And he had promised me that he would eventually return Cecilia back to me.

  “I already know what Agrona-”

  “No, not that. I have lived this life as Arthur on Dicathen before.” Grey interrupted.

  “What do you mean?” I asked, my anger mixing in with confusion now.

  “I’m not exactly sure myself but I was given a second chance in this life again.” Grey said as he stared down at his own hands.

  “So what!” I shouted as I began to gather mana. Conventional spells seemed to have no effect on him. So I needed some kind of way to escape this place. There were no visible doors but there must be some hidden entrance here if Grey was able to enter

  “I saved you for a reason Nico. I want your help and cooperation in my plan.” Grey said in a pleading tone with one of his hands outstretched towards me.

  I slapped away his hands in disgust. “You think you deserve anything from me?” I asked, bewildered.

  “You must know yourself that somebody like Agrona won’t just bring you here for you two to live a happy life. He is investing too many resources and time for it to be so simple.” Grey reasoned.

  Or course I knew this. Agrona had explained to me that he had taken interest in us because of Cecilia’s status as the Legacy. Saying she could be the key to winning against the tyrant asuras of Ephetous and freeing this world. He had also promised that he would give us our freedom as a gift in return if we aided in his war against the asuras. Maybe even returning us to new bodies back on Earth.

  “You have no idea what is going on!” I exclaimed.

  “I’ve lived this life once before! Do you know what happens to you and Cecilia? You die by Agrona’s hands as Cecilia’s soul is shunted away from this world. I am only proposing this idea for your own good!” Grey said, steadily raising his own voice.

  I knew that Agrona’s words were too good to be true. But I desperately wanted them to be true. If there was even a small chance that I could be reunited with Cecilia then the whole world could burn for all I cared. What has the world ever done for us? But still, Grey’s words did shake me a bit.

  “Look.” Grey said as the entire room shifted in a way that was mathematically impossible. The angles of the corners stretched, obtuse angles appeared to become acute but acted as if they were still obtuse. Time also seemed to shift as the room and everything within it decayed to rot then in the next second returned to a pristine form.

  Grey was now practically glowing, purple markings shone below his eyes as a halo of gold that resembled a crown floated above his head.

  “I command aether, the building blocks of reality itself. I can make you the same promise that Agrona made you. Except I can fulfill them.”

  “And why should I trust you?”

  “Because I am asking you this as a friend. In both of our lives.” Grey asked, a look of sadness on his face.

  “What is this deal that you want?” I growled.

  “You join me in this war against Alacrya and Ephetous. In return I will do everything within my power to give you a life you deserve.” Grey said as he extended his right hand for a handshake.

  “Are you going to kill me if I refuse?”

  Grey scoffed. “Do you really think I would do such a thing-”

  “You killed Cecilia, right in front of my eyes. You never deserved the crown and title of king. She was meant to have that, you are nothing but a pretender, a false king.” I shouted as I slapped his hand away.

  Grey took a small step back as he looked bewildered. “Do you really believe I wanted to kill her?!” Grey raised his voice this time.

  “You should know that Cecilia’s raw powers far outstripped mine. She could have easily killed me during that duel if she wanted.”

  “A trick, a deal! You and that bitch Vera planned for this and set a trap for her-”

  +Don’t be a fool!+ Grey’s words shook me to my very core as I staggered back and fell to my knees.

  Grey now looked down at me, his eyes were still gold but there was an unmistakable fire that burned within them.

  “Did you ever think about how Cecilia felt in all of this? Being a lab rat for those scientists, treated as something lesser than a human. A mere tool to be used due to her circumstances. Agrona merely repeats this, treating her as his silver bullet, a weapon to be aimed towards his enemies. She was the one who killed herself upon my blade!”

  “Liar!” I screamed as I lunged towards him with dark cold flames erupting from my palms. But I didn’t even have time to react as Grey so easily dodged my attack and grabbed my head.

  “Have a look for yourself.” He snarled as my head felt as if it would explode. I could feel something, a strange foreign entity enter my head as it began to stir the inside. My vision itself blackened as I screamed like a dying animal.

  When I opened my eyes I was blinded by an overhead light. The smell of sweat and blood assaulted my nose as I blinked several times to adjust my vision.

  In my hands I held a heavy sword. I was leaning on it for support as I could feel my chest rise and fall in a heavy heave. And in front of me was Cecilia, wearing the same armor she had worn when she had her final duel with Grey.

  Her usual sweet face that redacted warmth, the face which I knew and remembered her by was gone. Replaced by a stone-like face and the gaze of a cold killer.

  In her hands she held a sword, made entirely of ki that it gave off a blinding white light. Before I could even find my bearings she jumped forward, moving at speeds that should have been impossible for any human.

  My body moved on its own as I parried her attack, just barely. The sheer power behind her sword sent sharp needle-like pain through my shoulders and arms.

  She withdrew as quickly as she had attacked and this time went for a low sweep. My body moved on its own again as I quickly jumped over the attack and swung my sword down to her left arm in an effort to disarm her.

  Yet my blade never found its mark as her sword changed form to a shield and blocked my blow. With a shrug she pushed my sword aside as it formed back into a sword. We exchanged several blows, with each encounter I felt dread and desperation as I could feel the several cuts in my own skin oozing warm blood.

  There was no way I could win this. It was akin to a child challenging an adult, just the sheer difference in raw power made this seem almost comical.

  Cecilia backed off again once more as I desperately tried to catch my breath. She barely looked winded, her cold calculating gaze never leaving me. I felt as though I was a small rabbit caught in a predator’s trap.

  I prepared myself once again as I raised my sword, much to the protest of my aching muscles.

  “Let’s finish this.” Cecilia quietly said as she raised her own sword to match my stance. I took a deep breath, knowing that this could be my last.

  Cecilia began to walk, then sprint as she jumped into the air. Allowing the ki to guide her body she stabbed downwards at me. I could only hope to block it as I brought my own sword up when Cecilia moved her sword aside and landed upon my blade.

  Red blood ran down the blade and onto my hands. I could only stare in utter shock with my mouth agape. Cecilia slumped forward and fell to her knees.

  After a few moments I could only utter a single word.

  “Why?” I should feel my mouth shake as I said it.

  Cecilia raised her head, her entire body shaking from the exertion. She looked back at me, I could see her eyes becoming distant but that warm look of a happy girl returned once more. The sight of such a look with blood running down one corner of her mouth sent a deep pang of pain in my heart.

  “They… wouldn’t let me… kill myself. I’m sorry… this was… the only way… Nico will be safer… without me…” She said with a weak smile before she closed her eyes.

  My mind was forcibly ejected as I returned back to my own body. I fell to my knees as I could feel warm tears streaming down my face. With shaky careful movements I peered upwards at Grey, he was silently crying as he looked back at me.

  Grey extended his hand once again, swallowing back the tears as he asked me a question.

  “Do you believe me now?”

  Author's Notes