A sudden, thunderous crack split the air as a swirling portal tore
open before me. A dark tunnel yawned wide, its eerie whistling
like a siren's call, pulling me in with irresistible force. As I
tumbled through, my body felt like it was dissolving—becoming
something weightless, ethereal. Then, just as abruptly, I
emerged... somewhere else.
In this strange new world, I saw myself—but I was only an
observer. My hand passed through objects like mist. I was a
ghost. Is this a dream? I wondered, unease rising in my chest. I
had to get back before Loken noticed I was gone.
As I drifted through this spectral plane, I encountered another
version of me. This one moved with purpose, confidence. He
marched into the wilderness, drawing a sword that ignited in
flames. In seconds, he dispatched a monstrous creature, his
companion marveling at his speed. I stared, stunned. This
version of me radiated strength and certainty.
Before I could process it, I was yanked into another reality.
Now, I stood in a grand hall, watching myself seated on a
throne. A king. Regal. Terrifying.
"Did you really think you could betray me?" the king snarled,
rising. "Give my enemies the weapon to destroy me?" His sword
gleamed menacingly as he stepped forward. "What's stopping
me from ending you—or maybe your families first?"
"King Helion," one of his knights said carefully, "he possesses
the third magic."
The king's eyes narrowed. "Bring it to me."
A knight seized a wailing infant from a pleading mother.
"The third magic, prophesied to destroy my empire," the king
murmured, lifting the child with a flick of magic. "Maybe I end
this now."
Panic surged in me. I wanted to scream, to stop him—but I
was invisible. Powerless.
Then chaos exploded. The accused fought back. Magic
clashed with steel. With a roar, the king slammed his foot down.
The room froze. Even in my astral form, I felt the pressure,
the crushing weight of his command. This other me... he was
unstoppable. And terrifying.
What am I seeing? I thought. Why? There had to be a reason
for these visions. A message. A warning.
The king's burning gaze never left the crying child. The room
held its breath, waiting.
And then—another portal ripped through the space. I was
pulled away again, into darkness.
The next world was quieter. Dim. Muted, as if the very
essence of life and color had been drained away. A lifeless wind
drifted through the air, and everything felt... hollow.
In the center of this strange realm, I saw someone.
A boy.
He looked exactly like me— matching my age and appearance.
Unlike the versions I'd seen before—the unstoppable king,
the fearless warrior—this one stood alone, trembling. His
eyes darted around in fear, wide and unsure. His hands were
clenched at his sides, not in defiance, but in desperation.
He looked lost.
Scared.
Confused.
For a brief moment, our eyes met. I thought he saw me—truly
saw me—but the moment passed. It was just a coincidence. He
turned and started to run, his footsteps echoing softly against
the deadened world. Then, just as suddenly, he vanished into
the fog, swallowed by the emptiness.
No power. No command. Just fear and fragility.
This version of me didn't fight monsters or sit on thrones.
He fled.
And that, somehow, disturbed me more than anything else
I'd seen.
Before I could make sense of it, that familiar pulse returned.
The portal opened once more, and I was swept away again.
I jolted awake, drenched in sweat, heart pounding. My hands
were solid. Real. I was back.
"What's happening?" I whispered.
The door burst open. "Are you okay? I heard a scream," Loken
asked, eyes wide.
"Yeah... yeah, just a dream," I lied, forcing a smile. But my
mind still reeled. Was it just a dream?