The gaps in his mind slowly were filled back in as he laid sheepishly on his bed. The feeling was foreign to Viran, the feeling was akin to finally filling the missing pieces in a jigsaw puzzle. An overwhelming sense of tension and confusion had finally fallen off of his shoulders.

It had only been a few days ago since he had fought Gregory… And lost of course. But even losses had merit, Viran thought. He had solidified a goal for himself, and found himself not that far away from reaching the end point.

“Though it’s a shame I can’t do anything like this.” Viran muttered with eyes resembling a dead fish.

Looking around the room… Revealed a dire sight. The windows were boarded and the only door to his room was guarded by a pair of Knights. Last time he was able to escape by going through the window in the library, yet it seems they won’t be giving him the chance now. They even took the sword he had taken after he battled Gregory, and then proceeded with a complete search of the entire residence once more. Luckily they hadn’t found the book Sir Leonard had given him, but it's not because Viran had hidden it well enough.

Days ago Viran awoke within the library floor in a daze, and a clean white cloth in front of him. Embroidered on the cloth were numerous bright stars that were finely etched, it was a true work of art. A voice was heard once more by Viran, one familiar yet unfamiliar, ancient sounding yet youthful.

“The time for action is now. The turning is soon, and once it does chaos will drive the lands to ruin.” The voice was deep and had a weird sounding rasp to it, as though it was unfamiliar with the very language it was speaking.

Viran’s boggled mind went through shock and he threw his gaze around through the entire room. He stumbled to his feet looking around, yet there was no presence. His eyes once more meet the cloth on the ground.

“Destroy the obstacles in your way, that is your way to get stronger.” The ancient voice lazily says to Viran.

“W-what? Spirit? Ghost? Phantom?” Viran said as a shiver goes down his back.

Viran’s nerves were taunt and he was still wildly confused… He wasn’t sure how he had arrived in the library and now some ethereal being was speaking to him? Viran couldn’t remember anything but words he had read just before passing out… Words descripting chaos, survival, strength.

“Your obstacle, boy, is Gregory. Humiliate him. Destroy him. Kill him if you have to.” The voice said calmly.

“... I don’t think I can go that far. I still need time…” Said Viran.

“You don’t have time…” The voice trailed off. “You… Have given me my material body in the form of the book. To repay you I will give you, though insignificant, knowledge.”

‘When did I agree to giving him Sir Leonard’s book…?’ Viran thought with barely hidden disgruntled eyes.

“Gregory was the one to report Renault to your Father.” The voice spoke.

Hearing this, Viran's pupils trembled with anxiety. How did this happen? Why did this happen? It made no sense… Viran even now still didn’t know what he had done to warrant Gregory’s hatred.

“No… Why would he do this…” Viran muttered with his face only inches away from the cloth.

“Leave through the window and go towards the North-East corner of the estate.”

Somewhere inside of Viran, the anger began bubbling up once more. Something about the voice was… Infectious to him. His emotions were provoked and had begun to flare, he wanted to leave immediately to settle with Gregory. But even still the questions Viran had for the voice kept coming up.

Noticing this, the cloth flies up into the air and ties itself loosely around his arm.

“...For now it’s best you don’t think of me. You’ll remember everything, soon. We’ll speak once more.”

After those words were spoken Viran felt something fall from him, something important. He couldn’t remember what and he was left with a misty feeling inside of his head. Looking up at the window that allowed the sunlight to drift into the library Viran yelled and repeatedly smashed numerous items against it…

The window gave out and Viran left with a purpose, yet no recollection of what had happened only moments before.

Viran looked back at it all with a dumbfounded expression on his face. Had that really happened or did he hallucinate? Viran rubbed his chin while he wondered the chances of having his water spiked.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

Sitting up from the bed Viran untied the cloth that had been on him this whole time, yet not a single speck of dust could be seen on the pristine marble white coloring. Viran sighs once more as he ran his fingers down the embroidered stars, it was truly a work of art that made even Viran gasp despite his clear lack of knowledge regarding art.

“Psst. Pssst.” Viran whispered to the cloth. He was trying to be quiet because of the guards just outside of his room… Viran didn’t want to be seen as crazy if he was heard talking to some cloth.

Receiving no answer Viran flaps the cloth in the air multiple times as he continues to look at it through all angles. Viran loses interest soon enough and throws the cloth behind him back onto the bed as he walks to the door.

Opening the doors revealed two steely-faced Knights, their gazes were frightening to Viran. After quietly receiving the multiple servants there to serve him food, Viran finally took up his spoon and began to eat the soup that was tonight’s dinner.

In the middle of eating Viran suddenly giggles to himself as he playfully offers a spoonful of warm soup to the cloth.

“Want~ some~?” Viran Giggled to himself.

“I don’t need to eat.” The ancient voice responds.

Viran turns wide eyed as he drops the spoon and he scrambles away from the cloth. Viran continues to stare at the cloth before fearfully speaking.

“I… Uh… I didn’t get drugged? It was real!” Viran said in a hoarse voice. The situation was just too unbelievable for him, there really was some sort of ethereal being.

“Yes I am real and I saw everything that had happened… Disappointing.” The voice said in a flat tone, yet Viran could oddly hear a glimpse of mockery hidden within those words.

“Uhh… Yes I lost…” Viran whispers as he stares at his feet.

“Hahh… Perhaps I did choose the wrong host. I thought you would be the one too…” The voice said.

“Wait wait! What do you mean?” Viran hastily spoke as he reached towards the cloth.

“Well considering how you failed to defeat the boy, very soon your fate will be sealed. Sad.”

Viran’s head turned as he wondered what those words meant.

“My fate what do you mean?”

“I mean you’ll die of course. That boy has it out for you.” The voice said.

“...” All Viran could do was stare once more at the cloth, before continuing to think it through.

Viran didn’t want to believe it, yet he could still feel the anger Gregory had towards him, and the fear he felt when he was beaten half to death those many days ago. Before when he had fought and lost against Gregory he felt the same anger, yet it was multiplied. Viran didn’t want to believe it, but Gregory may very well be out to get him.

Then there were the words spoken by the voice, the voice did have some merit afterall. Before Viran was incredulous when he was told that Gregory had spoken about Sir Renault to Lord Idicium, but in reality it could only be Gregory that told Lord Idicium. Why would the Lord trust the words of some servant without doing some sort of investigation, there weren’t many people whom Lord Idicium trusted enough to solidify Sir Renault’s expulsion in a matter of hours.

Though it was a shaky argument, Viran thought it had some merit. Plus he had been told the facts by some ethereal being, Viran had no choice but to trust the words spoken by it. Still, it didn’t make sense to Viran, how could he die?

“I’m completely protected in the estate, how could I die here?” Though Viran was isolated largely from his Father and the rest of the world, he knew that Lord Idicium wouldn’t allow something or someone to hurt Viran.

Whether it was because of reputation, prestige, or something different entirely. Lord Idicium could not allow a direct descendant to be killed through assassination, or worse yet killed by his own half-brother.

“Well of course it won’t happen in the-.” The voice suddenly went quiet as the door to Viran’s room opened.

The steely faced guards were nervously standing outside of view as the figure of Lord Idicium entered the room. Before he can see anything, Viran hurriedly grabs the embroidered cloth and shoves it down into his pocket.

Lord Idicium’s usual apathy is none existent, replacing it as an even worse iciness that Viran did not want to try to budge. Lord Idicium’s gaze follows along every inch of the room, though Viran wasn’t sure what he was looking for. The room was very plain in regards to other rooms of the estate, even a servants room would at least have some form of pottery or family painting.

“You’ll be leaving in two days. You’ll be meeting with House Axrid’s young miss, and you’ll have to act like a real man of the Idicium House. The trip should last for at most a month there by carriage and a month back. You’re a potential suitor, don’t embarrass the House name.” Lord Idicium quickly shot out all of the details in succession.

Viran stood there in a blank before realizing Lord Idicium was staring directly at him.

“Uh, erm. Yes my Lord…” Viran said hesitantly.

Lord Idicium’s eyesight lingered onto him for a short while before focusing directly onto the pocket Viran had shoved the cloth into. Walking forward Viran was shaken as he tightened his eyes clothes, yet Lord Idicium only walked past him.

“This soup… Clean up after yourself. Now.” Lord Idicium said as he pointed at the puddle of soup still left on the ground from Viran’s initial shock.

“Y-yes. By your will, my Lord.” Viran spat out.

As the door closed once more Viran didn’t bother even glancing at the mess on the floor and instead fell onto the bed. A swirl of emotions were filling his chest, the timing of it all was simply too coincidental. It was frightening.

“Believe me now?” The voice said.

“If I didn’t believe you at this point… Hahh.” Viran sighed as he stared at the blocked windows and the locked door.

“Can you… Help me not die… ?” Viran wondered out loud.

“I don’t have to help you… Unless we make an agreement here and now.” The voice said.

“An agreement?” Viran wondered.

An agreement did make sense, Viran didn’t want to expect the voice to help him out of its own good will. He learned clearly through his life in the estate that goodwill was hard to come by.

“Yes. I will tell you the details of how they are planning on killing you, who, and where.”

“But what can I really give you… What are you exactly?”

The voice paused for a moment.

“You will be indebted to me. I will be gone for the duration of the trip, and if you survive through it I will find you once again. I will tell you what I want then.” Said the voice.

Viran was disgruntled by not being told what exactly he will have to pay up… But dying right now was not an option for him. Viran, afterall, had the expectations of Sir Renault and Sir Leonard on his shoulders. Most importantly though, Viran wanted to find what those words that were spoken in the past were truly about, about finding a new world for himself. Viran wanted to witness it himself, by his own action.

But before Viran can agree to anything, there is just one thing he needs to know.

“You still haven’t answered my question… Just who are you?”

“Me? You can just call me Ry.”

Viran wondered that maybe, his world could change.