I dreamt that night of azure blue eyes.

They stared at me, a smile underneath.

But they weren't the eyes of a girl, nor was the smile one of joy.

The blue eyes were a reflection of myself. The smile was strained but determined.

"Sam Ivers," I spoke at the face in the reflection.

Around me was nothing, just the privacy of the void.

"My name was Sam Ivers, officer in Lucia's military."

I raised my hand to pass it through my straight white hair.

It was smooth and long, reaching down to my shoulders.

As I saw myself and talked out loud, my life, though still hazy, became clearer.

"I was a mage and a researcher, a specialist in runes and virtual arrays."

I thought of the duel team that I had seen before in the field.

"Derek and Joey, friends and teammates. We lived in the same dorm, and started a corporation."

"Izabeth," I whispered and the reflection in front of me rippled.

Instead of my own ghostly image from the floating world, I saw a woman, her eyes and set of her mouth both stern and caring.

Lieutenant Izabeth, was my superior officer. She had taught me of virtual runes in academy days.

I don't know why, but I felt something go missing within me as I stared into her reflection's vacant eyes.

There was something more between us, something important, something gone.

The reflection rippled again, and in front of me was an older man.

He had a round face and bulbous nose, framed by two thin partings of hair that fell in front of his shoulders, and made him look fat despite his frame that looked no larger than father's.

I had seen him before, he was in that vision where I had used a signet ring.

"I'm afraid the details of Lieutenant Izabeth's mission are secret," He responded to a question that I must have posed. "We all have our role to play for Lucia. I expect much of you as well."

I felt like I had just forgotten something, but quickly took ahold of myself. I couldn't be in a daze when I was in front of the Major.

"Yes, sir."

I had asked about Izabeth, but no luck there. If Izabeth was currently on a secret mission then it would be dangerous to inquire further.

The Major pointed at an orb of light floating above his desk.

"Confirm the contract here, Officer Ivers."

Feeling a sense of familiarity, I watched as I extended my hand towards his desk and pressed a signet ring into the centre of that sphere. It glowed and the document inside the orb disappeared.

"Very good. How fortuitous that one of our alumni would be looking to help us right when we need you most. Lieutenant Jebries can brief you on the project and your role tomorrow morning."

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

"Not at all, fortune is with me, sir. I shall endeavour to contribute to Lucia's glory with the lieutenant starting tomorrow."

My stomach twinged as a breeze from the door I opened brushed passed the golden tassels hanging behind the Major's desk. Despite the affable person he seemed to be while he talked with me, the pomp of his office and the sternness of his work expression gave me a chill.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When mother awoke me the next morning to a sunny morning, I opened my eyes and stared.

I was Sam Ivers, officer of Lucia.

I was also Tilvrade Feles, son of the Lord of Olwick.

Each day and each night, I grasped something more and now, I finally knew a name.

But I tried not to dwell on my new memories and changing identity.

I felt more alert as I remembered the spark. The young girl of the blue tinged people, walking through the forest.

"I had a dream," I told mother as she picked me up and looked down at me.

"Oh? And what did you dream?"

I pointed to the trees.

"There were men on horses," I said. "They were walking on the road over there."

"The road? Over there?"

Mother asked and I wriggled a bit so that she would put me down.

I walked over to the trees, mother hovering behind me.

The clearing was exactly as it was, not even snow on the ground.

As we got closer to where I saw them, it all felt silly, like a dream. There was no road through the forest where, during the night, the road had previously been. There were only knee high ferns and baby trees and moss on the ground.

Was that girl last night with the long pointed ears looking at me not there and then, but through the rain and trees of my half forgotten memories?

"Milady! Over here, we're ready to go."

At Mr. Barker's shout, mother picked me up and said we had to go. Father and Byl had saddled the horses and were already mounted, waiting to leave.

Mother accepted Mr. Barker's hand as he helped her step up into the carriage, and then we left the mysterious spot in the woods and were back on the road.

At noon, just after we stopped to eat, the forest soon opened onto a lake. The hard packed earth path traced its contour until we came across a crossroads.

We turned onto the new road, much broader and paved.

It was just as bumpy as the dirt roads, perhaps even more. But we no longer had to stop from the wheels occasionally getting caught in the mud or fallen branches needing to be cleared from the road.

Each day, there were more and more people on the road, and we passed through villages more frequently.

We still travelled through woods most of the day, but sheep and cows and horses grazing in the grass became more and more common as we approached and left the small villages.

I even waved from time to time to the men or women looking up from throwing seeds or leading oxen through the muddy furrows of their fields.

The nights were also very different, inns and taverns providing little rooms and private dinners.

They were all somewhat similar. Noise would bother us from the tavern below and half of the innkeepers who showed us the rooms were oily and obsequious, the other half gruff and fat.

Then, on the seventh day, we entered the capital, Gristol.

That morning, when we were just leaving the inn we had stayed at, father had sent Byl to ride ahead and inform the manor that we would be arriving later in the day.

I was excited to see the capital that mother described as the carriage ambled forward.

"This is East Gate," mother told me, noticing how I gazed at the new scenes. I looked at the bustle of city life, the criss-crossed roads and the men and women crying out fresh pies and new knives.

"It's a bit dirty here as we get close to the gate, and we'll draw unwanted attention, so let me close the shutters, alright? There's not much to see anyway," mother told me.

Another carriage was passing beside us just as mother was closing the wooden shutters.

It had 4 horses, was bigger and had a shiny black sheen. It didn't have shutters at all, but three panes of glass set on top of the door. On the door, there was a coat of arms: a boat and a sword, each repeated twice in a checkerboard pattern.

This was a place where nobles would be everywhere.

"We'll be arriving at your grandfather's residence soon," my mother started adjusting the ribbon tied around my collar. "Try not to pay attention to your father and grandfather. They are not on the best of terms, but your father will come through."

I was a bit disappointed not to see much of the big city from behind the closed carriage doors, but it seemed like the missed sceneries of the capital were the least of my worries.

My mother seemed nervous as the carriage progressed through the capital's streets. Frequent stops and starts and the jostling and shouts of people outside made me feel uneasy too.

Then the carriage stopped and moved no more.

Light poured in as the door opened and I saw the castle in front of us.

It didn't have spires or turrets, but it had a giant wing to each side, jutting in front of the double doored entrance that was framed in a portico of 10 pillars.

Mother stepped out into the courtyard holding me in her arms.

Father was in front of us, already speaking with one of the many people there.

An older moustached man with ramrod posture bowed in front of father.

"Welcome home, young master Sivis," he spoke with a melancholy smile. "The sijon awaits you inside."