Luca's point of view

Location: Fourth Sanctuary Trial

It was early afternoon, and I was standing in front of my late brother Kim's grave in the cemetery. The rain kept falling, as if the heavens themselves were mourning his loss.

There was no one else to attend his funeral. No relatives or friends to help me get through the ordeal, even though I was only 16 at the time.

It was an age when we were searching for our identity, when every experience shaped who we became.

Losing my brother at that age was a devastating blow. Finding myself alone, faced with this loss, created a deep wound within me. But something deep inside me knew that this moment wasn't real.

I knew it was all an illusion created by the Sanctuary to test me. Despite this knowledge, facing one's own trauma remains painful.

As I stood in front of the tomb, a sign I hadn't seen for a long time resurfaced, announcing the end of the ordeal.

{You have successfully completed the conditions necessary to pass the final ordeal of the shrine, therefore...}

The words echoed in my head. I was exhausted, both physically and emotionally.

Eight years in this sanctuary reliving the same scenario as in my previous life in order to move on to the next trial.

During those eight years, I watched my brother's condition deteriorate, knowing that he would die.

At the time, I always asked myself, "If only I'd known what was going to happen, could I have saved my brother?"

This question haunted me because I would never have the answer.

A voice echoed in my head again, that of the shrine, presenting me with three options:

{The shrine offers you three options:

1. Proceed to the fifth and final ordeal of the Shrine.

2. Continue to live in this imaginary world and completely erase your memory as if nothing had happened.

3. Return to the very beginning of the fourth trial}.

Apparently, the options I had written into the novel haven't changed; they're still the same.

In the work, the main character chooses the first option, because the other two are of no benefit to him, especially the last one, because he doesn't want to relive the same trauma.

"Let's get it over with," I said aloud, ready to choose the first option and leave this place.

But just as I was about to make that decision, a thought crossed my mind. What if I went back in time once again, not to relive the trauma, but to see if I had the ability to save my brother?

Even if I knew he wouldn't be brought back to life in the real world, because this world is an illusion, I need to know, to be sure I could have saved him then.

Taking a deep breath, I made my choice.

{You have chosen the third option, so you will be taken back to the very beginning of the fourth trial}.

The environment around me began to dissipate, the graves, the rain, all transformed into a swirl of light and darkness.

I was ready to face this ordeal again, with a single goal in mind: to save my brother.

…

…

…

As soon as my eyelids open, I'm right back where I started, on the bed in my bedroom.

The soft morning light filters through the curtains, creating a peaceful, familiar atmosphere. Next to me, my brother Kim also wakes up, rubbing his eyes sluggishly.

"Oh, hi Luca," he says, yawning.

"Hi Kim, are you coming ? Mom just made us some hot chocolate for breakfast," I tell him with a smile.

"Stop kidding, I'm sure it's omelets."

"Want to bet ?"

Kim, with a mischievous grin, accepted the bet with a nod and went down the stairs first, already convinced he was going to win.

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

I followed him, my heart clenching slightly at the thought of what was about to happen.

"You're right, how did you know ?" exclaimed Kim as she discovered the bowls of hot chocolate sitting on the table.

"Oh, up already ?" asked our mother, surprised to see us awake so early.

She was setting the table for breakfast. My father, already seated at the table, looked up from his newspaper and added:

"Twins, drink your chocolates before they get cold."

"Yes !"

"Yes !"

Our daily life seemed perfect. We weren't rich, but we lived humbly and were happy together.

The morning routine was comforting, a moment of simple happiness.

But suddenly, everything turned upside down.

"Ahhhh !!!" cried Kim, seized with intense pain. He fell from his chair, holding his head with his hands.

"Kim !"

"Kim !"

My parents came running at once, panic visible on their faces. They tried to figure out what was going on, but there was no obvious answer.

"Honey, watch Luca. I'm going to take Kim to the hospital," my father said in a trembling voice.

"Yes," replied my mother, trying to keep her composure.

They took an emergency cab and headed for the nearest hospital. I stood there, frozen, fear overwhelming me.

"Mom, what's going on ? Why did Kim suddenly scream ?" I asked, my voice breaking with worry.

"It's nothing, Luca, everything's going to be fine. Why don't you go to your room until they come back, okay ?" she tried to reassure me, stroking my head.

But I could clearly see her hands were shaking and her smile was forced.

"Y-yes, I'm going," I replied before going up to my room.

Everything was going exactly as it had last time. Even though I knew it was all an illusion from my old memories, and that I'd been through it twice before, it was still painful to see my brother suffer helplessly.

When they came back, my father disguised the truth, saying that it was just a temporary headache and that Kim just needed some medicine.

But in reality, Kim was suffering from a brain tumor, and the drugs he was given only prolonged his life.

The doctor had assured us that the tumor could be removed with surgery, but the cost of the operation was well beyond my parents' means.

My father already had two jobs, and my mother, a housewife, was doing her best despite the mountain of debts she had to repay.

To reassure us, the doctor said Kim could make it to her 18th birthday. Unfortunately, a subsequent event reduced this expectation by two years.

My brother and I learned the truth on the evening of their return from hospital. That night, I had asked Kim to accompany me to the bathroom, and we accidentally overheard our parents' entire conversation.

When they realized we were listening in, they tried to reassure us, saying they had the situation under control.

"However..."

However, I was naive to take their word for it.

Now I'm going to do everything I can to save my brother. Determination burns inside me.

I don't know how, but I'm ready to face any obstacle to give him a chance to live. Every action, every decision I take will be guided by this goal.

I can't just sit back and watch history repeat itself. I must change our destiny, even if this world is just an illusion.

With this new resolve, I left my room and headed downstairs. I knew I had to be more vigilant, more proactive. Every moment counted, and I wouldn't let any opportunity pass me by.

"I'm going to save you, Kim," I whispered to myself, ready to face this challenge, no matter how difficult it might be.

…

…

…

"Luca ! Kim ! Come downstairs, I need to talk to you," called our mother from the kitchen.

Last night, to keep my brother from finding out he had a brain tumor, I invited him to play cards. We played until we fell asleep.

"Today, Mom's going to be busy all day, so I'm counting on you to behave, okay ?" she said as she adjusted her purse, ready to leave.

"If you leave, Luca and I will be home alone," Kim replied, worried.

"Don't worry, I'll drop you off at the orphanage. A friend of mine will welcome you with open arms. You'll make lots of friends," she replied, smiling at us.

My mother had found two jobs to help my brother survive. Sometimes, she would even let us sleep at the orphanage because she didn't have the time to take us home, just like our father who worked a lot.

Once we arrived at the orphanage, a lady the same age as my mother greeted us with a big smile.

"Aren't these our dear twins ? You've grown since the last time I saw you," she said warmly.

"Indeed, but I must leave you now. And remember, no nonsense, is that understood?" said our mother, casting one last glance at us.

"Yes, Mum !"

"Yes Mum !" we replied in chorus.

After our mother's departure, the lady showed us around the orphanage. It was a warm and lively place.

"And this is the playground. You can see other children the same age as you two," she said, beckoning us to join them.

Kim, always sociable, stepped forward enthusiastically.

"Hi everyone, my name's Kim and this is my brother Luca. Nice to meet you," he said with a big smile.

"Twins ?"

"Where ? I want to see !"

As soon as they heard we were twins, all the children around rushed to see us. However, only one stayed away.

"Hey Luca, what are you looking at ?" asked Kim, following my gaze.

Not far from us, a child our age was lying in the shade of a tree, his eyes closed. He seemed indifferent to the commotion around him.

"Honestly, we don't know his name. You should avoid him," he said, worried that we were getting too close to him.

"Come on, let's play hide-and-seek!" another child called out.

"Yes !"

"I'm playing too !"

"Wait for me !"

Like all the other children present, I joined them to play.

"1, 2, 3..."

As soon as the game started, everyone hid. But I was preoccupied with something else.

"I had to earn money, but how ?" I thought.

To save my brother, it's essential to get money. But how can I do that with a child's body ? No one would pay me, and I'm sure my parents would object.

I thought about playing the lottery, because I knew the winning numbers. Even if I wasn't old enough to take part, I could at least give them to my parents. However, my parents are very religious and opposed to gambling.

No matter how I think about it, it's impossible for me to win any money.

To solve this problem, I approach the person I've been warned not to approach.

The dark-skinned child was lounging in the shade of the tree. As soon as he sensed my presence, he slowly opened his eyes and stared at me. His brown eyes showed no emotion, as if he didn't care about life or the world around him.

"Hi, my name's Luca. What's yours ?"

After a moment's silence he finally decides to answer me

"William. Call me William," he replied in a calm but firm voice.