"It hurts." I say while looking at the sky with my body lying down in the grass.
"I knew that you were going to overuse your Originium circuits." Yith says with his hand in his head. "I told you on the 56th time that you should rest, but you wanted to succeed first."
"And I di-! Urg…" I try to say happily 'I did it!', only to be rewarded with more pain.
It's like after training a lot and you didn't do stretches…
Just that instead of feeling itching or stinging in your muscles, your whole body is being scratched by something sharp, similar to cat claws.
Which isn't good I tell you.
"I knew that you are as hard-headed as I thought, so I have some analgesics." He says while reaching for the backpack.
My eyes lit in front of salvation. Please! Anything to stop this pain-
"But because you are only five years old I think that you'll be more injured if you digest them." He continues while retracting his hand from the bag, as he watches how my face transforms in disappointment incarnated. "Let this be a perfect lesson to know your limits."
.
.
.
"I'll listen to you next time." I say with difficulty.
"Sure." He says with a sigh. "Good news, is that we only need to wait at least one or two hours until you can move without much pain. Bad news, your Arts training ends for now. After you recover, we'll try to make some physical training."
"But isn't it night time- Arg…" I say painfully.
"…Did you not see that nobody is around us…?" Yith says while slowly sitting with his back in a tree.
"Yeah… I was thinking it was strange, as there wasn't even birds. But wha- Mmh!" I stop talking just in time to stop a little scream from coming out.
I will listen to him next time.
With a sigh he continues.
"That is thanks to my two Arts. With illusion I can make a zone for us and I can alter it." With that some trees become taller and others smaller, making me awe. "Remember. It's still a illusion, so it isn't real. If you think that you can pass freely above the little tree you'll have a little surprise." He says with a chuckle.
That's the first time he does one.
"But now… There is something interesting with Illusion Arts… It looks like not only it can affect other people, but Arts too at a certain level."
"What? H-how?" I say truly amazed.
I-I mean, how can you affect other Arts with Illusions?!
"I don't know, as I it feel pretty surreal even for me but it works. For example I can influence my Time Arts with Illusion ones. If you want I can explain you-"
"Yes!" I say, not making him finish.
I don't remember that in Arknights you can affect other Arts like that. Maybe I can use that for reference if I can use another Arts in the future.
"…You are pretty feisty when you want to, did you know?" He says with fun in his voice. "Alright, right now, we are inside an illusion, that's the reason nobody interrupted us." I nod with a little of difficulty because of Mr Pain. "Think of this illusion as a barrier, permitting me me to 'claim' a little area where nobody wants to come close except if I permit them. Now, because said barrier exists, I can affect it with Time Arts."
That's… A more lackluster explanation that I expected.
Noticing my strange face he corrects himself.
"I can't explain it well, as I don't know how it works, and I don't have enough information to make a plausible theory." He says while raising his claws in defeat. "The important thing, is that the barrier and its internal part becomes easier for me to affect it with said Arts, letting me if I want to change the time inside more easily."
"So… a time chamber?" I say with excitement.
"…Let's call it that… I can change the time inside, but I can only use Accelerate or Slow, as maintaining two arts at the same time is pretty energy consuming already." He says without taking a breath.
"So how much can you slow it? Maybe you can do something like 2 hour: 1 hours, or better! 3 hour: 1 hour- Urg!" I try to move, but of course, Mr Pain holds me down.
Too much excitement.
"Well, I don't understand that thing about 1 hour: 2 hours thing, but I can tell you that 1 hour here is something akin to 30 minutes outside." Yith resumes his explanation. "The time I can maintain it in outside hours is something near 6 hours"
So… Its two hours here and one outside. And if he can maintain it for six outside hours… that means that in total it's twelve hours! It's the fucking double!
"My strategy for now it's to make myself more used to it, as I can only use it once a week." He says.
"I see… But… Didn't we start at 10:36? So why is the sun setting if we were…?"
"We started 10:36 with your Arts training, and it lasted for approximately five hour-"
"Five hours?! I thought it was the half of that or less! Did I really-ARGH!"
FUCK it hurts.
But in other thoughts, did five hours really pass? I didn't feel the pass of time at all while trying to make the rock go faster! Was I concentrating too much?
"Now you need to wait 2 hours before moving again." Yith says while making himself comfortable in with the back of the tree.
So from the twelve hours I initially had, I already used seven from them…
"Ha… And why it's the sun like this?" I say after seeing how much time I lost already.
"I was going to explain to you, but you interrupted me, so now you'll need to wait for the explanation after two hours." He says while looking at me steadily
"Eh? Aw… Come on, please tell- Aurg!"
I am making sounds that I didn't think it was possible for a human- I mean Ancient to make.
Like that the hours passed and the training continued.
.
.
.
"It hurts."
I say while entering the bath.
After the forced rest in Yith's Illusion or Time Chamber, we continued even thought my body hurt like hell.
He said that it was only my Circuit screaming for help, but I could use the rest of my body perfectly.
So I did five hours of training while I felt like I was dying.
No joke.
He really emphasized the thing that it hurt overusing your circuits. Well, the good thing is that the training was really easy and there was a lot of breaks, as my five year old body got really tired fast. But it was intense. Five hours for a child of this age isn't crazy…Wait.
Five hours it's already overkill for a five years old!
"Really, he should have more caution… ah…"
I love warm baths after doing exercise.
.
.
.
Ah, I forgot to mention it.
Is this really the world of Arknights?
I mean, of course it is, but I could see people with oripathy in the park when we were coming back home.
Wasn't Ursus the literal hell for infected?
Am I missing something?
If I do… I just hope it isn't that important.
But… Let's be honest.
With my luck I am sure it will be.
Now, it's Monday after the first Saturday of training. My body doesn't hurt as much as before, but I feel some bother and itching moving my little muscles-
"Urg!"
"Ah! Are you okay Micha?!"
Yeah it still hurts. Maybe he meant that with overusing my Circuits.
I already learned my lesson, please stop the pain.
Please.
"Y-yeah, I am okay Misha… Everything's okay…"
"Really…? You look like you are spacing out a little…more than normal." The girl says while sitting next to me.
Before, the little Ursus girl wouldn't talk too much to me, as we met only a little, but slowly we started talking more.
What can I say? Kids make friends fast.
"Well, yeah my body hurts a little, but that is because I made a little of exercise."
"Exercise?" She says with her usual head tilt. "You are a little strange. Most boys don't like exercising because all their bodies hurt after."
Yeah, that's because they don't stretch well.
And did you know? Ursus kids do exercises in school too. It isn't as extreme as the ones I did on Saturday, but I remember that in my past life kids played things like tag as exercise, not doing push ups and the similar, unlike here.
What the hell? Was Russia the same as Ursus in my past life?
"Yeah, my parents say the same." I say while falling head first in my class table, startling the poor girl yet again.
I should consider how she feels…
I slowly get my face up and I look at her.
"I am alright, just a little stiff." I say tiredly.
"If you say so…" She sighs.
"And you? How are you?" I try to continue the conversation. A little distraction before classes isn't bad.
"I… I think that I feel okay. Just that sometimes I feel a little light-headed, but nothing worth mentioning."
"Light headed?" I say interested.
"Yeah." She says with a nod. "Sometimes I lose myself in a conversation with my brother, and stare at the distance."
"Strange…" I say.
"Yep, but it isn't anything alarming as my father said." She says with a calming face.
Really, I just want to get up and pat her head.
"I see… What does your father work as? Mine's a Salary man."
Even though I know he isn't one. What? Why did I lie? Because he wants that as a secret! Of course I won't divulge secret information, especially of my own father.
"Ah. Mine's a Researcher!" She says proudly while having her chest high.
Researcher… Maybe her father doesn't need secrecy as mine.
And… Maybe she… No. Let's put those thoughts in other place for later.
"I see…hehe. I am envious." I say with a little laugh.
The way she acts is a little funny. And cute.
"Wha- Why are you laughing?! You don't believe me?!" She starts to get a little winded, only to get me to laugh harder.
"No-haha, it isn't that I don't believe you, but that you are funny Misha." And cute.
"And you are weird Micha." She says while crossing her arms, a little offended.
"I know, I know-Urg!" I groan yet again in pain. Thanks to the conversation I forgot about the pain, but Mr Pain doesn't forgets.
"Micha!" And the worrywart says meanwhile classes start.
.
.
.
After classes we have a little recess where we meet with Alex.
"Thanks for taking care of Micha, Misha… I said it wrong again..." Alex says in front of me.
"Don't worry Alex. Of course I'll help my friends anytime." I say with a smile and a slight nod.
When I say that last part they stop for a moment and look at each other for a little. After that they look at me and nod at the same time.
Wait…
They didn't consider me their friend?! I thought kids made friends easily?!
I been lied… and by myself of all people…
"Yes! Thanks Micha!" Alex repeats himself yet again, but it doesn't fix the slight void I am experiencing right now.
Looking at me, Misha tries harder.
"Yes! Thanks for taking care of me Micha!" She says while hugging me.
…
Oh god…
Why is she so cute? I literally want to pat her head, but…
After some seconds she breaks the hug and goes back next to her brother, which is looking at me with a piercing gaze. Why is he looking at me like that? Is he probably a sis-con?
"Micha, would you like to come to our house one day?" Misha says unexpectedly, getting the attention of Alex.
"Misha, I don't know if that is a good idea… We need to talk with dad about that." He says while pondering.
"I am sure dad will let him come!" She says hurriedly. "If not I'll convince him!"
"Mhh… Alright. I'll help you" Alex says determined.
"Yay! Micha, we'll talk with dad and ask him if you can come one day, yes?"
...
I didn't get a say in this conversation, but I won't say no.
"Yes!" I say enthusiastically.
*ring*
And the bell sounds indicating that we need to go back to our classrooms.
"Ah, let's go, the third hour is going to start. Bye Micha, Bye Misha!" Alex says while going to his classroom.
"Let's go Misha." I say while walking in front of her- "Urg!" The pain attacks again.
Really, how much I need to be like this?
"Have caution Micha, you can get hurt." She says with a sigh.
Yeah, no kidding.
After ending school and talking with Yith, I don't do much in home. I don't have access to the internet, so I do other things like studying, reading a book, helping mom or dad with chores or watch the TV.
I thought of practising Arts, but my body is still screaming from the Saturday, so no thank you.
Ah. You want to know what am I doing right now?
Well…
I am helping dad cleaning the living room. Mom went out to buy groceries for dinner, and when we saw how the living room was, we started to clean it without saying anything.
Even though we don't talk a lot without mom here, we understand each other perfectly.
But… Sometimes even the silence becomes unbearable and we start talking.
"Dad." I say while passing a wet cloth to the table.
Of course I do it slowly.
I am still fucking dying from Saturday.
"Mh?" He responds while cleaning the dirty plates and cups of yesterday
"Are you a researcher?" I say suddenly out of nowhere.
"MH!" He makes a sound that no man should do in his entire lifespan. "I-I almost dropped a cup. Sorry Micha, what did you say?"
"Please don't break nothing, or mom will be angry." I say while looking at him jokingly.
"Ha-Haha. Yes you are right, I should have more caution." He says with a half-hearted laugh. But his eyes become serious while looking at me. "Can you please repeat what were you saying?"
"Dad, are you a researcher?" I say in the same voice as before.
Now, you might think…
Why I am asking this so suddenly?
I… just want to know.
Why does he need to make it a secret from myself and mom?
Curiosity killed the cat, I know pretty damn well that, but satisfaction brought it back.
.
.
.
The saying goes like that, right?
Right?
Meanwhile I was thinking about curiosity and cats, dad starts laughing out loud.
"What? Me a researcher? Impossible! If I had such a high-paying job we would be living in a castle!" He says while laughing and closing the faucet. "Who told you that?"
"…It was Yith..." Lie. "…Misha's dad…" Big lie. I don't even know him. "…and mom…" Big FUCKING lie. I don't even know if she knows that dad is a researcher and not a salaryman!
And maybe Misha's dad doesn't even know mine!
I am having second thoughts about this.
"…I see… and I thought I had it pretty hidden."
Holy shit, it worked?!
And… You didn't have it pretty hidden. You said it by error like fifty times plus times.
"So you are?" I say searching for a confirmation.
"…Yeah, I am a researcher. I thought that Yith was going to tell you but not Sergey or Irina… Maybe I should have a talk with them." He says determined.
"Ah. You shouldn't." I say, breaking his little determination in a million pieces.
"Why?"
"Because it was a lie."
"…a lie?" He asks incredulous.
"Yep."
And with that response, he slowly puts a hand in his forehead, and starts looking at the roof.
In total defeat.
"…who taught you how to bait people like that?" He asks still in that position.
"Yith." Truth.
"That's it. I am sorry Micha, but I need to kill somebody." He says suddenly while walking to where his jacket is.
I think that a father shouldn't say something like that in front of a five year old, but you do you.
I see him taking his jacket and-
"Dad- Wait are you really going out?!" I scream.
"Of course! I am thankful that Yith show you how to use such a technique, but at the same time it's unforgivable! You are my precious little boy, and I won't let somebody like him continue to corrupt you!"
I-I am sure there is something bad in those sentences.
No wait, I need to stop him! He is already opening the door
"Dad! Please stop! I was just curious why you hid it from me." I say appearing in the middle of the outside and himself.
"…"
He stops and after some seconds that appeared like hours, he sighs and says.
"…Fine… But I'll still have that talk with Yith later."
Yes!
He slowly walks to where the couch is and…
For the first time since I knew him, he puts the most serious face and the atmosphere becomes a little heavy.
"Micha. This is something you can't say to anyone. If you do, the consequences can be great. Not only for myself, but for you and Irina."
This… is more important that I thought.
I nod.
After watching me for some time, he nods too and continues.
"I am not only a researcher but a scientist of the Ursus Empire. I… No. I can't."
And like that, he stands up and goes to the kitchen, continuing cleaning the remaining cups that were left behind.
What?
"But…" I try to-
"I already responded your question." He looks at me suddenly.
Cold.
His voice is so cold.
And his face…
Scary.
But after what looks like some seconds, it transforms in a shock, followed by a sore one.
"I… I am sorry Micha, but I can't tell you. Maybe… when you are older."
And like that the silence reigns again.
Just that unlike before, the atmosphere is heavy.
…
It's that important?
…
He doesn't trust me…
…
I mean, of course.
You can't let a boy of five years old hold such a secret… Especially one that can affect your family so much…
But…
It still hurts.
.
.
.
He.
.
.
.
Hehe.
.
.
.
It looks like the cat didn't come back.
Days passed fast. I wrote more things about the future that I remembered, but it isn't easy to remember, as the lore was literally spread in all of the operator's profiles…
Well, I still have something like 20 years, so I hope I can-
"Arg!"
"Concentrate." Yith says while picking the rock yet again. "Remember, you need to concentrate pretty hard for now to apply your Time Arts. Your Circuits are healthy again, but the pain still remains. You need to put up with it. Your opponent will not wait for you to recuperate."
…And the second training with Yith started.
I think he is a little angry to tell you the truth.
"I know." I say trying to ignore the sting I feel.
Thanks to god I only feel stinging, unlike before.
"Great. Because your Circuit is flawed, you can't use Normal Arts, so the only thing you can do is train in Time Arts… Shit, and you had a good assimilation too. You could have become a great caster if it wasn't for that." He says with a little of frustration and a sigh following that. "Haa… Take a break."
Finally. A break.
I literally sit down in the grass while panting. Now I can address the elephant in the room more easily.
Like he said, my Originium Circuits are flawed. I can't use Normal Arts, only Time ones, which reduces my offensive capabilities greatly.
We found out just some moments ago, as he wanted to teach me how to make a simple spell without using Time Arts, only to found out that my Circuit didn't even respond to that command.
The circuit will always follow what you want to do, even if it's incapable to do it. Mine doesn't even try. Well… More than saying it doesn't try, it does, but it's blocked by something. Not even Yith knows what the hell is blocking my use of Normal Arts, so he choose to change the training regime today a little instead of losing this day speculating about why I can't use them.
Before it was a caster regime, specialised in Arts Training.
Now…
"Alright, now let's start." He says excited.
It's a Spartan training regime.
No, I am not kidding.
As I can only use Time Arts, the time for Arts training reduced greatly, making me suffer more physically…
"3 laps around the inner edge of the barrier. After that 5 push ups, 5 squats and end with a five count elbow plank. Do three sets of that separated each one with a 20 seconds rest."
Spartan.
Remember I am only 5 years old.
The three laps are enough to tire me completely.
"And… Start!" Yith signals the beginning of my suffering with a whistle.
When did he get the whistle?! He does this a lot of times! He appears with something in his hand which wasn't even nearby of him!
Can't he only use acceleration and slow inside of the barrier?!
Is he making this only to irritate me?!
Ha…
I start jogging and…
I'll die.
Help me.
My body is too weak for this.
.
.
.
"Great, now rest for some minutes, then later we'll continue with the next set."
With that I slowly get to him and…
I literally drop dead right in front of him.
Help.
Even my tail is screaming help, it looks like it wants to get out of my body, grow legs, and go somewhere else but here.
…
It's literally stretching away from Yith!
Don't you dare abandon me! Especially with him!
"…"
He is glaring at my tail. Yith is glaring at my tail. How is he glaring at it?!
"Well, thinking it better, let's make the rest last half an hour." Yith declares after looking at my tail for some time.
Thank you tail!
.
.
.
Of course we didn't wait those minutes in silence.
"You want to know about me?" Yith says with a little of surprise in his voice.
I nod still in the grassy floor.
"Well, there isn't much about me. I am a Yith, a subspecies of a Sarkaz that went extinct long ago." He says almost theatrically.
That… sounds familiar.
He was… a Reunion member right?
I can't remember his name but I do remember his race.
"Like... a Wendigo." I say without thinking.
"…Yeah, like a Wendigo... How do you know about them?"
Sometimes I hate myself. And my mouth the majority of times.
"T-that-!"
But before I can continue talking, he stops me.
"Wait a minute there." He puts his hands below my armpits, literally takes me up from the ground, and puts me in front of him with his arms extended, almost like a plushie. "If you want to you can tell me. Remember I won't force you to tell me something. You can trust in me."
"…Yeah…" I say while looking at other places, almost imitating a child that did something bad in front of his mother and doesn't want to watch her in the eyes.
And what is this position?!
"…What was that half-hearted 'Yeah'? And look at me when I am talking to you." He says inching his face closer to mine.
"Y-Yeah!" I say now looking directly at him-
Only to look at another side, making him to move his face even closer to mine.
Why is he more on edge than before?!
"…Ha… Well, just remember that you can trust me." Yith says while slowly getting me down. "Want to share how you know the Wendigo?"
"I… I read about it in school." I say looking at him.
"Just say or no, don't lie to me." He says deadpanned.
"…I-I just know about it."
That's not a lie…
"...Alright. You know about Mostima and the last Wendigo… I really want to know how you do, but well, I'll wait until you tell me."
That didn't sound ominous or anything.
And we stayed like that for a sometime until I started talking again.
"C-can we go back to you?" I say slowly.
"Mmh… Alright" Yes! "But first, let's start the next set of exercises."
Shit! He remembered.
"A-Ah… Thirty minutes already passed?" I say with evident fear in my voice.
"Let's make it with a reward. For each- no, let's do two. For each two lap that you do around the inner barrier, I'll tell you about me. You'll do 11 laps in total, being the sixth only walking, not jogging, so you can rest a little." Yith talks with… happiness in his voice.
Somebody help me.
Please.
And like that I almost died two times in one day.
You think that's a joke?
No.
No it isn't.
When I said Spartan Training Regimen, it really was going to be one.
I couldn't complete the eleven laps, I only reached eight in total. But, with almost dying, I learned a good amount of things about Yith.
Well, not much about him, but about his race and something pretty interesting… and strange.
Better I write them. I don't want to forget it now.
I get up from my bed and reach below it for my diary.
Shit I can't find it…
Ah! Here it is…
My heart almost stopped for a moment.
Opening it I see that I have a good amount of pages written in them.
Did I really write this much in such a short amount of time?
While thinking that, I make a little space in my desk and turn on the desk light I have.
I really need to arrange this catastrophe of books in here.
Taking a pen from the pencil holder, I start writing:
First: The race of Yith was greatly focused in Time Arts, but the majority sucked at explaining it. It's like the Sankta explaining to someone how to use a gun. It's that bad.
Second: Yith's race are in reality a mix of two races which is something pretty shocking. They have both Sarkaz blood and of an unknown Elder race, making this even more shocking, as there isn't much know about them.
Third: He is the last one remaining, and is his fault that the others aren't alive right now.
Fourth: Lastly, there was a Sarkaz prophecy in his race, which reinforces the theory of the Yith and Wendigo being more than sub races of Sarkaz.
I close the diary.
I should have continued… He didn't tell me more of said prophecy, because I couldn't complete all the laps.
But my body gave up on the ninth one, so I can't do anything to change that.
.
.
.
Prophecy…
I don't know why but I feel… strange about it.
Prophecy…
Just to be sure, what's a prophecy?
It's a revelation of the future, but only that?
I stay still for a moment, until I move to take the little dictionary I have in my desk and I search for the word.
After some seconds I find it.
Prophecy:
A message that is claimed by a prophet which was communicated to them by a deity or a divine being. It can be known as a divine message or destiny. It can be foreknowledge of the future or past events which there is no memory, presenting things that cannot be known by natural light of reason.
…
So not only it can be of the future but of the past too?
The bedroom opens suddenly, surprising me. From it the horned head of my father appears.
"Good night, Micha" My father says with a little smile.
"Good night, dad" I say while smiling too while he goes to sleep.
I slowly get back to bed.
I can't wrap my head around the feeling I have right now.
It's a mixing of bewilderment, terror and…
Excitement?
I don't know.
And that terrifies me.
What was my name?
What was my name before Micha?
Who were my first parents?
Who are those people in that old memory?
And… Who was William?
He was important, I know that, but I can't remember who he is.
I didn't like to talk with people and I didn't like to do exercise.
Why I do now?
…
I should go to sleep.
Tomorrow will be another day… right?
Right?
.
.
.
.
.
I had a dream.
I was in a blood-stained battlefield. Destroyed buildings, dead and different parts of people on the ground, and enormous Originium crystals surrounding all of me… And an unknown amount of people were encircling myself, and their faces… blurred.
Except one.
Horns.
Big deer-like horns and red eyes adorned his face… Like the devil descended on Terra.
He slowly comes to me with his gigantic spear and shield in each hand.
A sound.
No, talking.
He is talking, but I can't understand him.
And the next thing that I know is the spear passing through my body.
.
.
.
.
.
*Thuck*.
"What?!"
I wake up because of a strong sound which clearly isn't my alarm.
Looking around I spot the dictionary of last night in the floor, totally open.
"Did I sleep with it? Damn, sometimes I am pretty stupid right?" I say stretching myself and getting out of my bed.
I reach for the dictionary, and out of curiosity I look at the first word I found.
Prophecy.
.
.
.
I close it and I prepare myself for my day.
Chapter 4, Prophecy: End
Author's note: ON!
Yo!
It's been a good amount of time.
Almost...
A month.
Yeah.
I don't have any excuses.
Well, I mean, I do, but you don't care about that. You prefer reading the story of Micha instead of mine.
*sniff*
I understand.
*sniff*
...
Well, let's stop joking.
Thanks for watching chapter 4!
This chapter took me a god amount of time because I was blocked with it. I couldn't find a good way to make it 'good' for almost a month, so apologies.
Let's change the topic.
Did you get Nian?
If you did congrats!
If you wanted Aak, and didn't get him, I don't know what to respond to you!
...You can do it! I trust in you!
Well, the responses to the viewers will be short:
Elpis Bringer of Hope (You appear so much that you are guaranteed to appear in this part, let's be honest): ...Well, Yith isn't a buff vampire still, so you can continue reading and find out if he becomes one!
This time I won't say to review, because the last time I did, I only got one in one month.
Aaah, I don't know what to write now so...
Author's note: OFF!