I fiddle with my phone in my pocket while I approach the address Mikaela sent me. Maybe… maybe it's finally time.

After an entire week of basically wasting my time living a life that does not belong to me, pretending that everything is fine… finally I will get some answers.

Or maybe not. Not that I don't trust the ginger haired witch, but she has no idea of the scale of what I'm looking for. It could be just what I need just as it could be something that I already know, or that isn't as important as she says. More variables, more luck, more RNG…

Hey, just like the game, what a coincidence!

When I manage to pinpoint the exact place… some worry starts to sink in. It's a warehouse, far away from any inhabited part of Ormond. Just a small, isolated building, where no one can hear you scream…

Okay, now I'm creeping myself out. It is suspicious, yes, but I doubt that I'll be killed or kidnapped… I think.

… I better go in, before I lose my nerves. I test the entrance of the warehouse, finding it to be open. I step in, calling out for her.

"Mikaela?! Are you here?! I got your address!"

A muffled voice answers back, coming from a door to my right.

"Over here Jason! First door to the right!"

Okay, everything is going well for now. Without wasting any more time thinking about it, lest I chicken out, I approach the door, opening it without much fanfare. There she is… except that she's not alone.

"About time you got here Kostenko! As slow as ever, I thought that I taught you to be faster than this!"

… Why exactly is Talbot "Blight" Grimes doing here?! I…

I think I'm starting to get a headache. Mikaela comes right at me, with a small smile.

"Ignore him. He's grumpy because he hates teaching to kids. Anyway, I'm glad you made it! We have a lot to talk about".

"In a timely manner I hope…"

"Not helping Talbot!"

"Wasn't trying to!"

Mikaela and Blight descended into a small argument from there. Somehow, I feel like this is something that happens fairly often…

I'm about to intervene and try to make them stop arguing already, but someone else stops them for me.

"Really? Again?! Can't you two go along with each other for five fucking minutes?! Need I remind you that we have both a guest and a sick person?!"

A female voice cuts through both of theirs, shutting them up instantly.

The owner of said voice walks out of the shadows, like a cartoon villain, pushing someone on a wheelchair. The woman has dark skin, a bit on the chubby side, she has sleek dark hair with a white tuft right on her forehead… and quite the scar on the bridge of her nose.

Mikaela chuckles nervously.

"R-Right, sorry Haddie. Won't happen again…"

Talbot doesn't talk, merely grunts and goes back to… whatever it is that he's doing. Wait… Haddie?

As in…

"Haddie Kaur?"

She smiles, nodding.

"The one and only! Or… more like, one of the many and onlys. But that comes later. So, you must be Jason Kostenko, right? Or… more like the man out of time inside his body".

She… knows…? Hope fills me up. Guess who's about to get some goddamn answers!

But…

"How did you…?"

Haddie tilts her head in Mikaela's direction.

"She found you. You're not as inconspicuous as you think you are. Plus, we already knew more or less where to look. We just had to search where most of our… former companions were gathered. It was a piece of cake from there. I suppose that you want an explanation now, do you?"

I sure as hell do, because I'm already starting to get confused.

"Naturally. But first, I would like to introduce someone to you. The one man that knows more about the multiverse than any of us combined. This is Aeon. Or… I suppose you know him as The Observer".

I blink, redirecting my focus on the man on the wheelchair. Old, with a bushy beard, elegantly dressed and with a glass of brandy at hand. Yup, that's him alright…

"Greetings, young one. It is a pleasure to finally, properly meet you. I bet you have many questions, all will be answered in a moment. For now, I must ask… what do you know about the multiverse theory?"

Easy enough.

"It theorizes the existence of multiple universes, parallel or not, apart from ours. Things might be the same, slightly different or completely different. There is one universe for each of those, as such they are infinite".

Aeon nods.

"You were right Mikaela. He is a smart one. Good, that will make things easier. So, as you likely already discovered, we are currently in an alternate universe, away from yours and The Entity. As you can likely guess, it's parallel to the one where The Legion came to be. More specifically, this one seems to revolve mostly around Julie Kostenko".

… That's why she always seems to be at the center of it all! Frank's girlfriend, Susie's love interest, friends with basically everyone in the fifth year and so on and so forth. That explains it.

"So, wait, she's the same Julie? Everyone is supposedly the same people from The Entity's realm?"

Haddie answers this one.

"For the most part. But not really. What happened was… a complete restart, you could say. A reboot. Which means that many things are bound to be the same… but some details change. For instance, your sister is supposed to be a manipulative, self obsessed bitch who only uses the people around her to get what she wants, correct?"

I… wouldn't put it so crudely, but yeah, that sounds like the Julie I'm more familiar with.

"The difference is plenty obvious in this case. It's you".

Me…?

Mikaela continues from where Haddie left off.

"Correct. I am no expert, but you are the sole thing in her life that is different from her origin. She likely felt that she had to leave a good impression on her younger sibling. Be an example. Having to take care of you… mellowed her out, you could say".

Okay then… time for the big one then. Or, one of the big ones.

"What happened then? How did this come to creation? Why are you all here?"

Aeon hums, likely knowing that this question was bound to come. He moves on his own in his wheelchair, kindly refusing Haddie's help.

"I… have been with The Entity for a long… long time. You know, it isn't a deity, like you and probably many more people believe. No… there is no 'dimension of The Entity', because… The Entity' itself IS the dimension. It is the incarnation of all the pain and suffering of people all over the multiverse. It needs to feed onto hope, in order to continue existing, for it is… fragile, all things considered. Powerful, yes, but not enough to sustain itself without outside help. During my time there, I saw many losing their hopes and being casted in the void, never to return…"

Mikaela stiffens at that sentence.

"Some became the very thing that broke them…"

Talbot taps his fingers on the table with a bit more force than necessary.

"And some… merely vanish, lost in who knows what angle of that living nightmare".

Haddie hugs herself, her lips drawn back in a snarl.

"I had seen so much… I refused to stand back and watch anymore. To do that, first I had to make myself scarce. Fortunately, my people know many tricks to obscure one's presence… and so, I decided to disappear for a bit, while I gathered allies. First, dear Haddie here found me and offered her knowledge and ability to see through the rifts. Her help was invaluable in finding what exactly we needed".

Haddie continues.

"We soon reached the conclusion that we had to jump ship, completely. The Entity is at its strongest while actively organizing trials and feeding off of them, which meant that we had to find a way to… take everyone away, basically. It wouldn't stop the beast, but maybe we could weaken it a bit. Changing dimensions seemed like a no brainer… but we had no idea how. Aeon here could scour the multiverse for hours… but his Auris simple wasn't powerful enough to transport everyone, on top of needing very precise coordinates for it. The latter stopped being a problem when…"

"When I decided that injecting myself with serum was starting to get old".

Talbot picks up the explanation.

"Sometime during their… research, The Entity' picked up on something being amiss. Haddie was nowhere to be seen in almost any trial. These two got extremely careless towards the end, their desperation attracted its attention… and it sent me to take care of the problem. As you can easily guess, it didn't even imagine that I would join their efforts, instead of stopping them. So, I ran the calculations, pinpointing exactly the position of this universe, on top of mass, velocity and all that little things that you, my dear student, absolutely suck at doing. Of course, all the while participating in the trials, as to not make it suspicious".

I chuckle at that. Can't deny that one…

Aeon chuckles, before continuing.

"So, we had a plan. We had a suitable universe. We knew how to reach it. What was missing was a big enough pool of power to allow my Auris to do its job…"

Mikaela coughs gently.

"And that's where I came in. Ever since setting foot on The Entity's Realm, I started gathering magical power in order to escape. My plan was to wait just a couple of months… but after getting entangled with them, my scope became bigger… just as the amount of energy needed to make the jump. Which meant that I had to be in as many trials as I could, to store as much as possible each and every time. Fortunately for us, The Entity isn't magically attuned, which meant that I could sneak away from each torture session with just a little more power. A little more energy. A little more hope…"

She takes a seat.

"It took years and years… but finally, I had enough. And so, combining Aeon's Auris, Haddie's knowledge, Talbot's calculations and my magic… we made it happen. Those that I could send to their home universes, like Quentin, Laurie and more, I did… the others, who had their home destroyed, I brought here. To our surprise, the dimension not only welcomed us… but it adapted to us. It brought everyone's loved one that weren't already lost to The Entity, instilled new memories into everyone, made them… feel at home. Like this is where they belong. Everyone… except for us and… one more".

I understand right away.

"You mean Kate".

She nods.

"Yeah. She… always had a close bond to The Entity. Nobody knows why, or how, but she's always been capable of doing things that no one else could. She could… refuse it. Fight it. Even control it to some extent, like Cheryl would sometimes do. The negative was that her memory couldn't be altered. Her family and friends didn't make it back here, as a result. She's alone with her trauma… and she refuses to let us help".

… Well, shit. That explains a lot about her. I had already discovered that she remembered… but not to this extent. I can't help but… feel bad for her.

Now, for the other big question.

"What about me? Why am I here? And how do I bring Jason back?"

Haddie blinks.

"Bring him back…? You don't have to bring back anyone, you know?"

What?

Mikaela intervenes again.

"Let me handle this one, Haddie. So… how do I explain it… have you ever… I don't know… felt like you know something, or a place seems familiar somehow? Or did you ever speak without meaning to? Know things that you shouldn't?"

"Uh… yeah, actually. I thought that it was because Jason was still inside my noggin and was trying to free himself, or something like that…"

Mikaela coughs.

"Right, of course you'd think that… how do I explain it, damn it!"

Aeon wheels himself over, placing one hand on her shoulders.

"Here. Allow me to answer in your stead. I know that this is a very difficult question for you… in many more ways than one".

She nods, sitting back down and staring at the floor. What's wrong with her now…?

The Observer coughs to get my attention. Ah, right, explanation now, get distracted by the pretty ginger later.

"To answer your questions, we need to make a small detour and go a little bit more… philosophical and religious. You see, every person in every dimension and universe has a soul. Each soul is unique, all of them are different and they all harbor different memories and feelings. But… some of these souls are… special. They take different forms and different names… but they are essentially the same. We call these 'Golden Souls'. A group of individuals that essentially could be all grouped up in the same person. The act as beacons for everyone else, guiding them through dark times to a new prosperity. You, my young friend… are one such soul".

A Golden Soul…

"What does it entail?"

"On a personal level, nothing. But when it comes to interaction between yourselves, is when things become muddled. Golden Souls have the power to call unto each other in times of crisis, sharing memories and feelings together in order to better lead others to safety. Your body is the same… but your memories belong to someone else. Someone capable of helping us with our impending doom. In other words… you don't have to look for Jason Kostenko anywhere. He's already here, right in front of me".

I…

I need to take a seat. I heavily collapse on a chair nearby, close to hyperventilating. Me… I am Jason Kostenko? I'm not some sort of… parasite that took over his body?! I'm… him. I just have a different set of memories, taken from someone else that recently died and with whom I basically share my soul with.

This… this is…

"Completely and utterly absurd! How do you expect me to believe any of that?!"

"It is true…"

Mikaela speaks quietly.

"And how would you know?!"

She sniffs. She looks like she's on the verge of crying.

"I know… because I met you before. I met someone else that shares your soul. You remind me of him, so much. You act like him, think like him…"

She looks up at me, giving me that same look she had back in the school's library.

"... speak, like him…"

"Well, don't worry about it, gingerbread. You got me now to back you up, so you don't need those assholes. Not to mention our mutual friend! Leave it to us, okay?"

The name pops in my mind like I always knew it.

"Julian…"

The mention of his name seems to be too much for her. Her quiet sobs fill the warehouse. And I instantly feel like an asshole.

"I… Mikaela…"

Haddie comes along, gathering the crying girl in her arms.

"It's not your fault. This… was a long time coming. I'll take her away for a bit, she just needs some time…"

She drags her along, passing right by me and whispering.

"Don't beat yourself up over it. You are not to blame… The Entity is".

They're gone a couple of seconds later.

Aeon looks on with sorrow in his eyes, while Talbot spared a pitying glance in her direction, but nothing more than that.

"Why, then?"

The Observer looks at me.

"Why did this… memory switch happen? What is going to happen?"

He nods once more, breathing in.

"Because we're running out of time. It will find us soon…"

It…

"The Entity?"

"Yes. It wants its toys back. And it will not stop until it gets what it wants. But… for now, it's best if you head on home. There is still time, after all. Go on, enjoy your youth and your life. Now that you know… things will be easier. I promise you".

I nod as well, numbly, before exiting the warehouse with a quiet goodbye.

There… is so much to unpack. To think about. To dwell on. And I don't even know where to start. I…

The Entity is coming. That is what continues to ping around my head. But when? And how?!

Something in my head compels me to look at the notes on my phone again. Various birthdays and other small events… remember to do this, that and so on… until…

This one. I didn't understand it the first time I saw it. But now, with the added pressure of the inevitable and the new knowledge about myself… the answer came to me.

07032016. It's not a phone number, or a random sets of digits. It's a date.

March 7th 2016 to be exact. And TEC… my skin crawled right then and there.

The Entity's Conquest.

Hello?! Is this thing on?! It is?! Noice.

Welcome, dudes and gentleladies, to another episode of AIOS, the show where the plot is a slow beast, but eventually it rolls around.

Yup, after one entire year, we finally get some answers on what the hell is going on! Did I make things overly complicated? Probably. Are there plot holes? Most likely. Oh well, you win some, you lose some.

I did say that Mikaela was gonna be very important, didn't I? Well then, here she is, completely shaking everything up, just like when she introduced "that perk that shall not be named".

Slightly shorter chapter, but much more packed than normal, so enjoy y'all. Also, next chapter will be the last one of the first arc. The second one will be… a special one, for many reasons that you will see later.

Review responses!

WhyareUsernamesTakenAlready: Yup, they are. No wonder I'm a killer main, I absolutely despise playing survivor. It's either boring or frustrating, but literally never fun. It makes me wonder how som people decide to main survivor… I am always glad to welcome another lost lamb into the Yui cult. Welcome young one, we have cookies and motorcycles.

subnautica05: Welp, we have a literal date for that. Can't be anymore specific than that. A big fight you say… I'm not gonna say anything, leave you hanging a bit. Thank you for the compliments. I don't know how much this is a story to be proud of, but as I already said in the past, it's a story that I want to tell, damn it, and I will!

That's all folks! Ta-ta for now.