"Who am I?" The question reverberated in his mind, louder with each echo. The chanting of his name grew insistent, filling his ears until it drowned out all other sounds. Images flashed—fragments of himself in rich court attire, sapphire eyes intense, poised yet unfamiliar. His head throbbed with the urgency to remember, to grasp the one answer slipping through his mind’s grasp.
My name is…
A jolt of pain pierced his thoughts like needles, but this time, he didn’t shrink from it. He wanted the truth, and he wouldn’t turn away. Then—"Boom!" The world around him shattered like glass, fragmenting into a cascade of tiny reflections, each one capturing a glimpse of his face.
The ache in his head deepened, a searing heat pushing him closer to clarity. He was so close now, just a breath away from hearing it fully.
“Charles!”
The shout erupted from him, raw and consuming, merging with the voices around him. His chest heaved, his eyes glowed red as power surged through his veins. Around him, the ground splintered, fissures snaking across the earth as his world broke apart, and his body began to transform, his awareness flickering.
Then, just as suddenly, his vision cleared. His sapphire-blue eyes shone brightly, his feet grounded once more—but now he stood on an endless grassland. In each hand, he held a dagger: one, chipped and faintly glowing blue; the other, intact and bathed in a crimson light. He looked up in wonder, heart still racing, and saw a majestic golden eagle soaring across the sky.
Its wings spanned wide, covering the heavens, casting a radiant glow over the landscape. This was no ordinary sunlight but a brilliance emanating from the eagle itself. Charles’s breath caught at the sight of it. In all his experiences, he had never seen a creature so magnificent, so untamed.
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Then, he felt a presence, the eagle’s immense, golden gaze fixed on him. In that moment, he sensed a connection, something deeper than sight or sound. Almost instinctively, Charles released the daggers, raising a tentative hand toward the eagle’s soft feathers.
“West…” The word slipped from his lips, surprising him. It felt ancient, like a truth long forgotten. The name hung in the air, carrying with it memories that surged forward, flooding him with images and sensations.
Time itself seemed to pause, the world fading around him until only he and the golden eagle remained. The eagle’s eyes closed in trust as Charles’s hand made contact, his fingers brushing against the warmth of its feathers. When he finally opened his eyes, they shone with an otherworldly clarity, a pure sapphire glinting with the light of understanding and purpose.
Charles’s voice was steady, his tone both a declaration and a revelation. “Charles West.”
The eagle blinked in response, its golden gaze meeting his with a knowing look. Then, with a powerful flap of its wings, it rose, its massive form blotting out the sky as it soared higher and higher. Charles watched, transfixed, as its cry echoed across the vast world, resonant and mighty.
The dream-like haze lifted, and Charles felt the weight of Earth’s memories drift away. He had tasted every pleasure and privilege of that world. Now, here in this realm, he was free to pursue true power, to grasp the destiny awaiting him.
The blue glow from the chipped dagger in his hand faded, the light dimming until it vanished entirely. Closing his eyes, Charles took a final breath, savoring the moment.
When he opened his eyes again, the priest stood before him, mouth agape, as if he had just witnessed an impossible miracle. The man’s hand trembled as he stammered, his awe plain as he pointed a shaky finger at Charles.
“God… God bless you…”
“No… No… It’s the West family’s golden eagle that appeared!” The priest’s voice was a stunned whisper, disbelief evident in every syllable.
Charles stood calmly on the altar, indifferent to the priest’s rambling astonishment. Around them, the dense clouds began to disperse, revealing the scene to the waiting crowds. His enlightenment ceremony was nearly complete, and he looked toward the scales on the altar.
A scarlet scale shone at its center, flanked by nine smaller scales, each glowing red in a brilliant procession. His breath caught—he knew exactly what this meant. It was a symbol of his blue blood concentration: ten scales, each one alight, their hue unmistakably crimson.
A perfect 100%.