- — ☯ — -

Time passed differently here, and stripped from any physical stimuli, Leonardo was forced to watch the black hole that was his mind space. Not that there was much to look at. He couldn’t even fall asleep and dream. It was unbearable.

Forced to reconcile with his state, he found himself revisiting his life and pondering regrets as was typical of a dying man. It’s not as if memories flashed before his eyes in an instant, but it wasn’t too different either. With renewed clarity, he analyzed highlights of his life and wondered what the alternatives might have been.

“Perhaps there is a chance you might live.”

Muchen broke the silence that settled in the void after a day.

“Is that so? That would be nice.” Leo responded with an unhopeful, resigned sigh.

“It’s only been a day, yet you already remind me of myself,” Muchen chuckled uncharacteristically, “Don’t wallow in bitterness and regret just yet.”

“It’s hard not to. I thought I was satisfied with my life and what I achieved, but now I find myself wondering… My life seems so shallow in retrospect.”

“What would you do different, then? If given another chance?”

“I would do more,” Leonardo answered immediately, “I feel as if I didn’t live up to my full potential. I always felt something drive me to do ‘more’, but I never quite grasped that feeling until now. Despite my power and my knowledge, all I did was care for less than a hundred children.”

“It isn’t wrong to lack ambition. I think you did fine. Besides, you are still a child. Let things follow their course, and enjoy what ought to be enjoyed in its time.”

“I don’t know, old man… I’m almost sixteen and stuck on an island without prospects. I know things that will shape the future for centuries, but I unable to weigh in on it.”

“Tampering with the future is a dangerous thing, Leo. Bear in mind the kismet and don’t act rashly. You might save a great man, but doom a nation in doing so. Or save a nation, but in doing so prevent the birth of a great man.”

“Huh? Isn’t it a bit hypocritical of you to say that? I don’t mean to offend you, but I thought you tried to reincarnate and do just that?”

“I only cared for saving my wife at the time. The rest didn’t matter. But yes, my tampering would certainly lead to unpredictable outcomes.”

Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

“Do you think we will be erased if we try to change things? I’m surprised karmic punishment didn’t befall and purge you already.”

“That’s because as far as the kismet is concerned, you belong to this era. Any decision you make was supposed to have been made. The future you shape is the one it acknowledges.”

“Doesn’t that mean anyone can just tamper and rewrite history? Or are there multiple histories or something?”

“As if. The truth is that I was meant to perish. I scattered most of my soul and fooled the time enforcer to get here — and I still failed. Born in the wrong era, and it took several years just to meld fully. By now, we are native to this time. You have future knowledge, but you’re no different from a prophet.”

“A prophet, huh?”

“Mind you that prophets exist, but they can seldom tamper with the future. If they step out of line too much, that future changes and their prophecies lose meaning. Then, they cease to be prophets.”

“Ahh, this is a bother to think about,” Leonardo shook his head with a groan, “I think I’d rather go back to sulking about my mistakes.”

“Look around, Leo. Your will is being restored gradually. Thinking of the future will only benefit you. Besides, you will need to strike a balance eventually. Between giving in to your whims or acting according to predicted future, you will have to decide what path to follow.”

“I just wanted my closest to be happy. I thought I achieved that, but then this plague was a rude awakening. It reminded me that the rest of the world is dark, and I don’t yet have the power to safeguard anything.”

Watching the gradually brightening cosmos, Leonardo steeled his resolve to broaden his reach and fight harder in the future. Subconsciously, he already ignored the looming probability of death, which only served to regenerate his will quicker.

Muchen watched with a gratified smile as Leonardo sunk back into thought, this time concocting plans for what’s to come, rather than wallowing about what had already passed.

The body of sage crumbled into motes of light, and they soon flickered across the barren cosmos, draping themselves across the dark canopy.

By the time Leonardo’s awareness returned, he found himself in the grand library of his dream domain.

His body was illusory and will feeble, so he was unable to absorb new memories. That said, there were plenty of previously unlocked books he could peruse.

With the flick of a hand, a stack of tomes appeared beside him. Containing everything there was to know about contagions and diseases, they were the first step he took in reclaiming his life.

When he woke up, he had to be prepared to fight on two fronts. His body would be weakened by the sacrificial rote, his magic no doubt unusable as well. All that remained was his will and knowledge, so he had to make do with those and thwart the virus before it snuffed out what remained of his vitality, while also dealing with the aftermath of karmic punishment.

Thus, while his body remained comatose, Leo pored over every piece of literature he could find. From advanced biology, to obscure alchemic compounds and natural remedies, he armed himself to the teeth with knowledge.

After all, knowledge is power.

His resolve continued to strengthen with each trace of relevant information he found. With his hope for survival rekindled, he abandoned all self-doubt and engrossed himself in Muchen’s experiences.

Before long, his body regained substance and he was ready.

On day 10 of the plague, 3 days after falling comatose — Leonardo woke up.