I can feel adrenaline rushing through my body. As I pulled my sword out of the dying God. Its silver blade is now covered in red. Before me, lies Stagnate. This seemingly, invincible God of Death. His body is covered in scars. I chuckled. It reminded me of that day. When he was the one about to kill my family. When he just decided to take them away from me.
That time, I was the one covered with battle wounds. I was covered in sweat as I reached the temple. I was hopeless that day. And now, the tables have turned. After countless battles throughout my adventures, I once again challenged him. You can call me selfish, but I just can't help but dream of this day. The day, when I can beat him.
I turned around to the sight of a beautiful sunset. To the orange sky, to the mild wind, to the tunes of the birds. And most importantly, to a series of faces that I have grown accustomed with. Gus' snobby but proud face, Menel's thumbs up, Reystov's questionable smirk, Vindalfr's look of surprise, Antonio's mild smile, Robina's celebratory dance. Ethebald's noble clap. I can't help but cry.
As I made my way to them, I glanced at the ground. I wonder what Mary and Blood are thinking right now. The two person whom I should be the most thankful to, is them.
"I did great, didn't I? Mom, Dad."
"You did great, my child?"
My mind suddenly snapped awake. It's ringing inside my head. I opened my eyes and all I could see is pure nothingness. It's so empty that the components that forms colors are not present, not even black. It's like staring into the abyss.
I slowly regained my consciousness and realized that there's a voice echoing in here. I can't tell of which gender it belongs, but my brain is telling me to respect it, to be quiet.
A couple of second goes by and I can finally hear the voice clearly.
"You really subverted expectations William! Or should I say, Akira," The Being said. When it speaks, I can hear different voices, an endless loop of sorts. But I just can't quite figure out what those other were.
"I'm sorry, but who are you?" The extent of those echoes masked my meek question.
"I won't say something cliché like, I don't matter to you, since I clearly do! But to explain my being to this particular state of you would just make your head explode. So, for your own sake, I'll refrain from doing so." It changed its tone for a while there. Which kind of reminded me of Blood somehow.
"Well, back to the topic, I want to congratulate you, Akira. You have navigated through the perils of reincarnations, and not only are you reinvented from a physiological sense, but from a metaphysical sense as well. You truly are, a hero." And now, its giving away a sort of motherly aura. Just like Marie, I don't get this person.
"Umm, thanks, I guess. But I'm not dead, am I?"
"Hehe, I can't explain that either. Now, William G Maryblood, or Akira whatever you prefer. Forgive me for this, but I have a mission for you."
A mission? Could this be some sort of transcendental being asking for my help? A final mission of some sort?
"Throughout your time as William, you often had little glimpses of your first life, correct?"
I was taken aback by that statement. Besides, Mary and Blood, I've never told anyone about that, but I guess this being really is a different kind.
"Little glimpses, yeah. But not enough for me to form any kind of scenarios that might've happened during my past life. Although I get the feeling that I was a total failure back then." My whole body was shaking, as if it was refusing to remember.
"Well, you're correct. You were a total failure, that's why I gave you another life in a different world."
My heart jolted awake hearing that sentence, "Y-You did? You were the one who gave me a second chance?"
"Indeed. But it's not exactly a second chance. I saw your failures and decided that you would need to be re-educated. That you have the potential to be a better person. And now, it's time you to take an exam." His tone grew darker in the second sentence. It's like a father testing whether his child is capable of becoming an adult.
"You have proven that you are capable of great things in this second life. Now, I will give you the chance to pay your debts to your first life. To Akira. But remember My Child, William will always be a part of you. So remember it, use it, and redeem yourself!" The Being exclaimed. Its tone of superiority gave me an impression that Gus always gave.
Once, again, the world turned into black. My head feels like it's being hammered by a thousand anvil. I felt pain inside my chest. Leaving the world which has given me happiness. Is it really the correct choice? Will I be able to go back?
All of those thoughts blurred away as my ears picked up the unfamiliar sound of an alarm. The continuous ringing felt somehow normal and painful at the same time. I inhaled and finally gathered up the strength to gather out of my bed. My eyes wandered around the room. A small room with a bed, a drawer, a desk, and a computer. Surrounded with grey painted along the walls. It felt cold in here.
Was I living alone? Or should I expect to meet my lover, or my parents soon? God I'm so excited!
The door creaked open when my nose was exposed to a series of abhorrent smells. I looked down to find dirty dishes, mugs, and even piss bottles. I can't help but chuckle. I was such a loser huh?
Slowly, I made my way downstairs. The dining room was absolutely spotless, spotless enough to not have a single plate of food in it. But who cares about that? All I wanted to see are my parents. I wonder how my dad's like. Will he be funny but strong like Blood? And my mother, would she be as caring as Mary?
I excitedly ran to search for them that I didn't even notice the different furniture inside this house.
"It's not like you to come down and actually search for us, Akira."
"Oh, hey there kiddo, haven't seen you in a while! Make sure you wash all those dishes outside your room
My entire nervous system shut down. I-It can't be! Those voices, those faces, those…people are my parents! In the state that I am, I looked at the middle-aged women, stirring soup in the kitchen. To my left is a beardless man wearing some glasses as he continues to read the newspaper.
Something in my head exploded. I can feel it. My head feels like a million ants are currently crawling inside it. It hurts, so bad. Memories of myself in this strange world began to come back. Suddenly, I was transported to a park bench, seeing a little kid playing with the sand. Then I was transported to the back of a car, seeing a kid playing baseball with my dad. Then, to my room, a kid was playing his computer with headphones. But I could hear clearly the sound of the door banging violently. The sound of the middle-aged woman crying. That's me, that's definitely me!
My moment of realization was interrupted as I was once again teleported to a convenience store. There, I saw my mother holding a bunch of carrots and my dad holding a can of beer.
"Seriously, what's wrong with that kid?" asked my father abruptly.
"Dear, I understand that he's acting really strange lately, with those piss bottles especially. But he's a teenager you know. Boys usually go through this sort of things through puberty, right?" My Mother replied in an apologetic tone.
He crossed his arms, dropping the beer can on the basket, "Yeah, but still, all those shouting and locking the doors. It's getting on my nerves you know."
Mother put her hands on his back. Slowly patting his shoulder, "It's okay, we'll talk to him later, okay!"
They approached their black SUV and went in. As the car went through the highway, sirens and horns were heard all throughout the street. They were about to cross the road when all of a sudden, a trailer smacked into the rear of the car. I can hear it clearly. The sounds of glass shattering, my mother's last scream.
"Akira!"
Once again, a voice seemed to have brought me out of the abyss, "What's wrong with you kid? Not enough sleep? That's why I told you to stop playing those games." Father moved the newspaper out of the way to look me in the eye.
But those memories. I don't know if it's true, but I know for a fact, that those are mine. Which means that I was sent here to stop them from dying.
"Dear, it seems like we're out of carrots,"
"Well, I also drank all of the beer last night, let's go to the convenience store then." He slowly got up, revealing a man with quite outstanding stature.
But wait, carrots, beer, and convenience store? It can't be.
"Akira, you wanna come to?" With a soothing voice she asked me, interrupting my train of thoughts.
"Whatever you do, don't go!" I blurted out spontaneously.
Father's face suddenly changed. His happy but calm demeanor turned into a bitter one. With his face curled up and eyebrow pointing down. "If your lazy-ass don't wanna go then fine! Don't stop your mother and I."
"N-No, you don't get it." I hunched forward towards him. "If you go, both of you are going to die!"
I was about to launch another sentence when a firm slap had landed on my face, leaving a red mark on my pale skin.
I saw can see his red face now. He looked me in the eye, "How dare you! Threatening your parents like that. Who do you think you are?"
My ears catch mother's faint plead to stop. But I can't stop. I won't give up!
"Listen to me! I saw it all, I saw you the both of you chatting inside the store. I saw mother patting your back. I saw both of you entering the car. I saw you cursing down the driver in front of you. I saw your car get hit by a truck. I saw you die!" My voice went atop of my lungs. The howling winds accompanied my hysterical shouts. I sound like a madman, but I don't care anymore.
"Those damn computer games! Making my son crazy. You better enjoy it while you can, because I'll confiscate it once we get back." With that, he turned his back on me. He motioned mother and they both went inside the black SUV.
No, please…I don't want to lose my parents anymore. I've already experienced it twice. Gracefeel, no, anyone please!
The front door slammed as the cold night air enters the house. This feeling of hopelessness, it's the same one I felt when running to the temple. Déjà vu.
But I didn't give up that night, and I'm sure I can, I'm the hero! A familiar feeling returned to my body. I can feel the flow of blood through my arteries, it's boiling thickness. Though I can't do any magic in this world, this alone gave me a sense of strength. I won't give up.
Splutters of mud stain my shoes as I continue running. Somehow, I just know where they are heading. That Being from before, it must've been the one giving me this chance, and I'll cherish it. I promise.
The honks reached my eardrums. The smell of pollution infests itself in my body. Whenever I look up my eyes are blinded by the billboards, the streetlights. Now that I think about it, I don't belong in this world.
"Father! Turn around!"
That moment, he sticked his head outside the window, and squinted his eyes as if scanning around the street. The car suddenly stopped. I did it! I save their lives! The same boyish smile is now plastered on my face, as I rushed to my parents. "I'm ho-
The freezing cold night besets itself upon me. No matter how much liquor I drank, it just won't heat my body up. The sound of the alarm woke me up in the middle of the night. I chugged the last shot of beer and got up. The door creaked open when my nose was exposed to a series of abhorrent smells. I looked down to find dirty dishes, mugs, and even piss bottles. I can't help but chuckle. I'm such a loser huh?
I made my way downstairs only to find a dark and empty dining room. When I brushed my index finger to the kitchen table, it was suddenly coated with dust. Hehe, I woke up everyday thinking that I would have a second chance. That I would see mother steering the soup once again. That I would find father reading the newspaper once again. But I've blew it.
My eyes began to feel heavier. My knees felt weak. I stumbled my way only to lay down on the cold kitchen floor.
Now that I think of it. Does it really matter what I do that day? Had I stopped them from going, wouldn't Stagnate just find another way to take them? That Being told me to use my life as William. But William is strong, he can beat Gods and do magic. What does that get to do with this world?
"That's where you got it wrong, Will."
"That voice! It can't be! Mary?"
Mary gently caresses my face. That smile, it warms my heart. "You're already talented in fighting to begin with. Even if we hadn't had raised you, you would've still become a great warrior."
My eyes widen, it's like when I was little. When Marie would caress my face and tell me a story.
"But what made you a hero, Will, is simple. You were raised by us, strange beings with sketchy pasts. You put your hands around strangers you met, becoming friends along the way." Slowly, she placed her hands on top of my chest. I can see her lips moving slowly. After hearing her answer, I can feel for a moment what Adam and Eve had felt when they ate the forbidden fruit.
Tears began to well up inside my eye. This conversation did what liquor couldn't do, I can feel this sudden warmth inside me. But with that, Mary began to fade away. What a cliché power to have.
I wonder if I had interacted with Father and Mother that day, would it be better. I didn't even call them Father and Mother, not even once. The specks of dust combined with tears flew inside my mouth. It tastes bitter. I wonder, had I just talked to them like a child does to his parents. Would they die happy, knowing that this ungrateful, despicable being disguising as their son, truly cared for them.
The thought of mother's tears suffocates me. For a split second, my life flashed before my eyes. But what flashed were not a series of events, rather a series of faces of people whom I know.
Whom I love
Thanks for reading the story! Apologies for not sticking with canon, since I don't really know what Will's real name is.
Stay safe!