I reached Aelira, her body weak, eyes barely open—but she was alive.
Without wasting time, I picked her up and ran to the nearest house I could find in the village. A wooden sign outside read: Doctor. I knocked, and an old man answered, already aware of the situation. To my surprise, Master Kan was already there, resting quietly.
"Lay her on the table," the doctor instructed.
He glanced at Kan. "He's not injured. Just resting. He'll be fine."
The doctor examined Aelira carefully and then handed me a bottle of apple juice with a straw.
"She needs energy. Let her drink this."
I knelt beside her and held the bottle to her lips. Slowly, she sipped, color returning to her face. A moment later, Kan opened his eyes and sat up in the chair. He looked... steady.
"They're outside," the doctor whispered. "Police. You need to leave."
Once Aelira had recovered enough strength to stand, we quietly slipped out of the house. We made it back to our inn, grabbed our belongings, and loaded everything into the car.
I took the driver's seat, and for three hours we drove through narrow roads until we reached the edge of a vast desert.
"There's no road beyond this point," Master Kan said, stepping out of the car and looking ahead.
"We'll walk from here."
I nodded.
Noah climbed up onto my shoulder, his small body surprisingly cool in the scorching heat. Master Kan led the way, his steps light, his expression calm—even as the sun blazed above us.
We walked into the endless desert.
One hour passed.
The heat was unbearable—but Kan walked as if it didn't touch him. Noah gave me water occasionally, keeping me steady.
"We're close now," Kan said, pointing ahead. "Look at that mountain."
I lifted my gaze and saw it—dark, jagged, and towering. A black rock mountain, rising out of the desert like an ancient giant. My legs gave in the moment we reached its base. I collapsed onto the sand, breath heavy, my stamina completely drained.
On top of the mountain, a silhouette stood against the blazing sky.
A man.
He had a long, flowing beard and hair that reached his waist. Towering—at least seven feet tall—his presence was like a mountain itself.
"That's him," Kan said softly. "Master Kael."
The figure raised his arm and beckoned. "Come," his voice echoed down the slope.
We followed him, entering a cave carved into the base of the mountain. But inside… it wasn't what I expected.
There was a home here.
Warm light bathed the smooth stone walls. A simple kitchen stood in one corner, a bed in another, and old books lined a wooden shelf. A well-worn sofa sat in the center, next to a low table with a kettle and two cups.
Electricity buzzed quietly in the background. The air was cool.
We sat down on the sofa.
"You're safe here," Master Kael said, his voice calm, but firm.
His gaze fell on me. "Only you. Come with me."
I glanced at Kan, who nodded silently. Then I followed Kael deeper into the cave.
To my surprise, the cave was much larger than it seemed. Twisting corridors, narrow turns, and dozens of rooms passed us as we walked in silence.
"Wait," I finally asked, "how do you have electricity here?"
Kael gave a small smile. "Solar panels. Enough to power what we need."
We reached a wide chamber dimly lit by a single lantern hanging from the ceiling. In the center of the room stood a table. On it sat a large stone bowl filled with still, clear water.
Kael walked to the table and pulled out a glowing blue crystal.
"This stone," he said, "was given to me by someone long ago. It holds power beyond normal magic—it allows one to see… and touch the past."
He let the stone hover above the bowl. A pulse of light shimmered in the water.
"But to see it," Kael said, "you must place your head into the water. It will not harm you. Just… don't resist what you see."
I hesitated.
Then slowly, I leaned forward—and submerged my face into the water.
My eyes opened. The world had changed.
I was no longer in the cave. I stood at the edge of a vast, open plain. A gentle ocean breeze swept across lush green hills, and waves crashed softly in the distance.
In front of me, a man sat calmly on a large stone. His presence was overwhelming—majestic robes, long dark hair, a regal posture that radiated power and wisdom.
King Korel.
Without turning, he spoke. "Sit in front of me."
He couldn't see me. Not really. This wasn't a vision. It wasn't a memory. It was… the actual past.
"I am King Korel," he said. "And this is no mere illusion. Through the stone I gave Kael, you are here—in my time. cannot speak to me, and I cannot hear you. But I have left this message, this moment… for you alone."
I sat, stunned, as the king's voice continued.
The Past, as Told by King Korel
Korel sat tall upon the stone throne, his eyes cast toward the distant sea as he began to speak.
"A long time ago," his voice echoed softly, "Earth was home to ordinary humans—simple people, unaware of what lay beyond the stars. But then, one day… they came."
I listened, heart pounding. His tone grew grave.
"Aliens, though they looked like us, arrived from a distant world called Hatle. They were beings of immense power. Magic… was natural to them."
My eyes widened. Magic came from aliens?
"At first, humans couldn't understand magic. But as time passed… more Hatleans arrived. Their planet had been attacked, destroyed. Earth became their refuge. And in time, they began to marry humans."
He paused, letting the words sink in.
"Their children—born of two bloods—could wield magic. Half-human, half-Hatlean. That is how magic was born in our world. Over centuries, their blood mixed with ours… and now, nearly everyone carries a piece of that alien heritage."
I swallowed hard. We… we were descendants of aliens.
Then his voice shifted—colder now.
"When I was born, I vowed to rule the world. I trained in magic, swordsmanship, strategy—everything a king must know."
His fists clenched.
"My father was weak. He lacked the will to conquer… so I killed him. Took the throne at twenty. And then… I declared war."
His eyes gleamed with memory.
"At first, I won. One victory after another. But then, I faced a power too strong… an enemy that couldn't be defeated so easily."
His voice trailed off.
Korel's voice echoed like a whisper carried by ancient winds.
"He was tannel—the ruler of the strongest nation in the world. A kingdom armed with dragons and monsters beyond imagination. My army… was crushed."
His eyes dimmed with the memory of defeat.
"My generals returned broken. Those who survived carried the weight of failure. With no hope left, I was prepared to surrender."
But then, his tone shifted.
"That night, they came."
He turned his gaze to me.
"Aliens—far stronger than any magician—arrived, representing a company known as Kolden. A powerful intergalactic corporation with unimaginable resources. They offered me a contract."
Korel raised his hand as if holding an invisible scroll.
"Earth held a rare fuel buried deep beneath its surface—fuel that could power ships across galaxies in moments. Kolden needed mining rights. And in return… they promised to win the war for me."
He paused as the cave filled with a sudden gust of wind, swirling the dust in a slow spiral.
"There were only eight of them. But those eight slaughtered thousand. My enemies fell one by one. The world was mine… at a cost."
"I signed the agreement using my kingdom's seal. But I gave them one rule—they could only begin mining after 3,000 years had passed. They agreed."
That time… is now.
"But they broke company rules. They weren't allowed to participate in wars. So when the time came for them to mine, there was a condition—they had to find my true descendant. Only a matching DNA can authorize the mining now."
My heart raced. They're searching for me…
Korel looked down, his voice quieter.
"In the galaxy, there exists a council of alien organizations—each with their own rules. Even Kolden must obey. They cannot mine Earth unless the contract bearer's blood accepts it."
He paused again, pain slipping into his tone.
"Aelira… the strongest sword master of our time… was my wife. She died in that war. But I created a clone of her. I erased her memories… to protect her."
My eyes widened.
"And Kael? He, too, is a clone of my most trusted friend and strong magician after me. I left both behind… to help you."
Then he looked directly at me.
"I am the strongest magician to ever live. But you must awaken that power… because I was reborn as you."
"I… am your past life."
The vision faded. The water stilled.
I opened my eyes, breath catching in my throat.
The truth… had changed everything.