Death was not something that Adrian expected to be facing so soon in his new life. Although, he wasn't sure if he was actually dead.

For the longest time, he couldn't see anything as he couldn't even open his eyes. I feel… heavy, as if being pulled down by something.

But then, in an instant, Adrian’s awareness surged back and pulled him into a jarring clarity. Cool air caressed his face, sharp and crisp, as his senses roared awake. He was sprawled on an expanse of water that stretched endlessly in every direction, its surface smooth as glass and reflecting a sky painted with hues he didn’t recognize. Wait a minute, why am I not sinking?

His hands pressed against the surface of the lake. But instead of yielding, the water held firm beneath his touch. Slowly, Adrian pushed himself upright, every motion accompanied by the gentle resonance of ripples spreading outward in luminous rings. He rose to his feet, heart hammering in his chest as he glanced down at the surreal sight. This can’t be real. It’s like... standing on a mirror.

Yet, suddenly, a sleek tail swished gracefully into view. Adrian blinked, breath catching as he instinctively moved a hand to his head. His fingers brushed against soft fur. “Mimi?”

It was a fragile expression, but one that carried relief and a flicker of joy he hadn’t felt in what seemed like ages. He carefully reached up, lifting her from his head with gentle hands.

The fox trilled softly, her warmth radiated through his shoulder where she perched. Adrian let out a quiet chuckle as he asked, how did you get here, girl?”

Mimi leaned slightly forward, paws pressing gently against his shoulder. Her eyes locked onto his with an intensity that startled him. She tilted her head toward his side, then flicked her tail purposefully.

Adrian frowned slightly, his brow knitting in confusion. What is it? The fox let out another trill, this one a little sharper, as her tail swished again to point to something behind him.

The boy stiffened as he glanced over his shoulder, half-expecting danger. The air behind him rippled faintly as a voice followed, filling the strange expanse with a warmth that chased away the silence.“I’m glad to see that Mimi is still in good hands.”

Adrian turned toward the voice. How… is she here?

Standing on the lake's surface was Kiyara, standing as regal as ever. Her fox-like ears twitched slightly, and the flicker of green flames in her tail cast shimmering reflections across the lake. She looked entirely at ease, as though walking on water was as natural to her as breathing.

“Kiyara? How… how am I seeing you?” Adrian asked.

Her soft laughter interrupted his racing thoughts, and she took a step forward, bare feet rippling the surface without sinking. “Did you forget, my King? I was always known as the Spirit Walker."

Adrian’s mind flashed back to their first meeting. He remembered Mimi’s tiny form guiding him through the Emberwood, the ancient text etched into stone, and the seven braziers he had lit to revive her. If she's saying what I think she means, then that leaves me with more questions than answers.

The weight of the moment pressed down on him again, and his gaze fell to the water beneath their feet. “Am I dead?”

Kiyara’s expression softened, and she tilted her head slightly. “Not quite, though you are close to it. You’re suspended between the physical world and the spiritual world, teetering on the edge. It was only by great fortune that I was able to find you.”

Adrian exhaled slowly, his chest tight. Not dead… but not alive either. Is this why everything feels so strange? He looked up at her again, a flicker of hope breaking through his uncertainty. “But how are you able to talk to me like this?"

"Talking to spirits or souls who are on the brink of leaving their bodies has always been something I could do."

"If that's the case, thent—"

“Pardon my rudeness,” Kiyara interrupted. “But we unfortunately don’t have the luxury of time, we must focus on returning you back to the physical world."

He hesitated, struggling to push down his curiosity and unease. I doubt Kiyara has any reason to not tell me the truth. I should just listen to her.

Finally, he nodded, the resolve in his expression solidifying. “Alright. Do you have a plan?”

Kiyara’s lips curled into a confident smile, and she placed her hands behind her back, walking slowly around him. “I do. But it will not be simple, nor will it be without risk.”

“What kind of risk?”

“You are tethered to life by the thinnest thread, held together by forces you do not yet understand. To pull you back fully will require both your strength and mine. You will have to trust me, my King.”

Her words carried weight, sinking into him like stones. Adrian straightened as he squared his shoulders. . “I trust you.”

“Good, then listen closely. This place is a fragile bridge between life and death. To cross it fully, we must empower your soul such that you'll be able to return to your own body."

“And how do we do that?”

“Ideally, you simply need to remember. A part of your past, an echo of your essence… something that connects you to the core of who you are.”

“That’s the problem, I don't know that much about my past life, and every vision I’ve had of my past up to this point came out of nowhere. I had no control over when or why it happened.”

“Then perhaps we can guide your memory instead. Sometimes, what is buried deeply can be unearthed with the right nudge.”

“You think seeing something familiar could help me remember?”

“It is worth trying," Kiyara said, stepping closer. “I cannot know exactly what will unlock your memories. But I can show you a glimpse of my own truth. Perhaps it will awaken something within you.”

Adrian raised an eyebrow, puzzled by her words. “Your truth?”

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Without answering, Kiyara reached up and removed the mask that framed her face. The air seemed to grow heavier as the mask left her hands, revealing a face of ethereal beauty. Her features were sharp and flawless, like a portrait painted by a master artist, but one detail drew Adrian’s attention immediately: a deep, jagged scar ran from her left eye across the bridge of her nose to her right cheekbone.

The sight struck him hard. He inhaled sharply, a gasp nearly escaping his lips. That scar… why does it feel so familiar?

Before he could say anything, the world around him twisted violently. He blinked, and the shimmering lake dissolved into chaos. When his vision cleared, he was no longer standing on water. Instead, his feet were planted firmly on blood-soaked earth. The sound of swords clashing against metal blared loudly all around him, while explosive magic erupts all around him. Is this… a battlefield?

Adrian's hand instinctively reached for Mimi, but she was no longer perched on his shoulder. Seems like I'm alone for this one.

Adrian blinked as he adjusted to the chaos surrounding him. His gaze darted to the soldiers fighting nearby. They were not human. Wolf-like ears twitched atop their heads, tails lashed behind them, and their sharp claws gleamed as they engaged grotesque demons: towering figures of blackened flesh and jagged bone. Their glowing red eyes burned like embers, and their mouths were lined with rows of needle-like teeth. Some had wings, others extra limbs, or even other appendages that were difficult for words to describe.

Adrian's instincts screamed for him to run. His hands trembled as he looked around desperately for somewhere to hide. Just as he spotted a small ditch in the distance, his path was blocked by a massive black demon. It loomed over him, its six horns curling wickedly from its skull. Its eyes glowed with malicious delight, and an infernal blade wreathed in pulsating red fire, rested on its broad shoulder. Just my damn luck.

The demon tilted its head, cackling in a deep, guttural voice. "Well, well, what have we here? A human child, wandering where he shouldn’t be." It licked its jagged teeth, stepping closer. "I don’t know how you made it to this battlefield, little morsel, but I’m more than happy to feast."

Adrian reflexively thrust his hands forward, willing the familiar blue flames to erupt from his palms. But nothing came. His hands remained empty, powerless. Why isn’t my magic working?

The demon’s grin widened as it closed the distance, its blade dragging along the ground with a grating screech. “Don’t worry,” it mocked, lifting the blade high above its head. “I’ll make this painless.”

Adrian’s knees buckled as the blade came down. He squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for the blow that would surely end him. But no impact came. Instead, he heard a resounding clash of metal against metal, followed by a familiar voice.

“Back away, demon.”

Adrian’s eyes flew open. Standing between him and the demon was Kiyara, her green fire blade locked against the demon’s infernal weapon. The flames of her tail lashed furiously, and her sharp features were set in a glare that radiated authority.

The demon snarled, stepping back. “Spirit Walker,” it hissed. “I should have known you’d meddle.”

Kiyara straightened, her green flames flaring around her. “You will not harm this boy,” she declared. With a flick of her wrist, she sent a wave of green fire surging toward the demon, forcing it back several paces.

She turned to Adrian. “Are you hurt, boy?”

Adrian swallowed hard, shaking his head. “I’m okay. Thank you.” His eyes darted around the battlefield, then back to Kiyara. “Did you… do all this?”

Kiyara raised an eyebrow, her head tilting slightly. “Do all this? Did you hit your head, boy?”

Her words struck Adrian. This isn’t the Kiyara I was talking to before. This must be a memory.

He hesitated, then nodded quickly. “Y-Yeah. I must have hit my head.”

Kiyara sighed, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. “The battlefield is no place for a child. Come with me. I’ll—”

Suddenly, a roar interrupted her, and the demon from before soared through the air, landing heavily before them. It flexed its claws, smoke rising from its charred skin. “A decent attack,” it growled, smirking despite its burns. “But not enough.”

Kiyara's grip tightened on her blade, and she pushed Adrian toward the ditch he’d been eyeing earlier. “Stay down for now!"

Then, she turned back to the demon, her flames intensifying. “Your overconfidence will be your undoing, beast.”

Adrian scrambled into the ditch, crouching low as Kiyara charged at the demon. Her blade moved like a streak of emerald light, clashing against the demon’s infernal weapon. The ground shook with every impact, and bursts of flame and shadow illuminated the battlefield.

Kiyara was relentless, her movements precise and deadly. For a moment, Adrian thought she might win. But the demon was equally relentless, its strength and cunning pushing her back inch by inch.

Their duel reached a crescendo as the demon dodged a sweeping strike from Kiyara and retaliated with a brutal counter. Its blade slashed across her face, leaving a deep, jagged wound that bled green flames.

Adrian’s breath hitched. The scar… this is how she got it. I wonder how long ago this was.

Kiyara stumbled, one hand clutching her face as the demon towered over her. Adrian gripped the edge of the ditch tightly, helpless to do anything but watch as the memory played out before him. Just watching is so… frustrating, but if this is a memory, then I know that Kiyara will be fine.

The demon loomed over Kiyara, blade raised high for the killing strike. But before the blow could land, a brilliant torrent of blue flames surged across the battlefield, engulfing the demon in an infernal wave. The sheer force of the fire sent the beast staggering back, its guttural roar echoing as its charred skin smoked and cracked.

Adrian’s heart leapt. His gaze snapped to the source of the flames, and his breath hitched. Striding toward the demon w was the King in Blue. His regal presence was undeniable, his long cloak trailing behind him, untouched by the carnage around him. The flames that swirled around his form glowed brighter than the fires of war.

His cold eyes locked onto the demon with disdain. “Abominations like you have no place here.”

The demon hissed, its crimson eyes narrowing as it steadied itself. “Anathema, you meddle where you are not wanted. Your existence itself is an insult.”

For a brief moment, the King’s lips curled into a smile, but it quickly vanished as his expression darkened. His eyes burned with fury, and his voice rose like thunder. “And you think you have the right to speak of insults? You, who defiles this realm with your wretched presence?"

Adrian watched in stunned silence as a fiery halo materialized above the king's head, its blue flames crackling like a celestial inferno. An intense aura of fire enveloped his entire body, pulsing with unrelenting energy. That looks almost exactly like my enhanced state, but it didn't seem like my past self needed to be calm or focused to activate it.

The King’s power radiated fury, pride, and an indomitable sense of authority. Is his strength fueled by… anger? Pride? Both?

The King wasted no time. He launched himself at the demon with blinding speed, his blade wreathed in blue fire. The two clashed in a violent flurry of strikes that shook the ground beneath Adrian. Each swing of the King’s weapon sent shockwaves rippling across the battlefield, and the demon’s once-confident smirk faltered as it struggled to keep up.

With a final, thunderous blow, the King’s sword shattered the demon’s weapon, and his flames consumed the creature entirely. The demon let out a deafening scream before its form disintegrated into ash, scattered by the King’s unyielding fire.

The King in Blue sheathed his blade, his aura dimming slightly as he turned to Kiyara, who was still clutching her wounded face. His piercing gaze softened just enough to show concern. “Are you alright?”

Kiyara nodded, her hand dropping from her scar. “I’ll manage."

She turned and pointed toward the ditch where Adrian hid. “But you should help the boy. He’s not meant to be here. Take him to safety.”

The King’s eyes followed her gesture, landing on Adrian. For a moment, their gazes met, and Adrian felt as if he were under a magnifying glass.

“Heed these words, boy. Power comes not from weakness, it comes from conviction. " The King said.

"Wait, what do you—"

Before Adrian could respond, a force tugged at him, pulling him backward. The battlefield blurred and distorted, the fiery glow fading into darkness.