Arthur's Point of View

Lestrania Thousands of Years Ago

This time I was flung from the portal and onto my back. "About time you showed up." Aydan's voice came from above me as I groaned.

"Yeah, sorry about that. Was just meeting the lovely Davost." I told him as I rolled over onto my stomach. "Not going to lie, it was slightly horrifying."

The Great Sage held out his hand to aid me. "You met Davost?" He inquired as I accepted his help.

Brushing myself off as I stood, he waited for an answer. "Yeah. Your portal sent me to some manner of magic void that turned into Davost. She spoke with me."

He crossed his arms and gave me a skeptical look. "How convenient." Aydan stated, almost mockingly.

"Not really. As I said, it was kind of horrifying. First, she looks like a regular High Elf, but with white hair and white wings, both of which glow." I informed him. "Second, she is rather tall. Like, really tall…" Putting my hand over my head, I continued. "She towered over me easily and pretty much manhandled me." My bitter tone made Aydan smirk slightly.

"Is that so?"

"You don't believe me?" I asked back.

Shaking his head, he shrugged. "It's a little suspicious, to say the least."

Waving a dismissive hand, I replied, annoyed. "Fine. Let's just get whatever it was you wanted and get out of he-" I stopped when I noticed the familiarity of the study we were in. "Oh shit…"

Aydan looked at me in concern. "What's wrong?"

"I've been here before." I told him, and his brows shot up at that.

"Coincidence after coincide-" He began, but I cut him off.

Pointing off to the side, I spoke. "There are four statues just behind those shelves in a little alcove of sorts." My eyes widened in understanding now as I realized the tall statue was of Davost, but it wasn't her voice that came through when it attacked me. "I cannot be here." I whispered out fearfully and started to back away from the statues.

Aydan seemed to believe me a little more as I moved away from where I pointed. "You are correct about the statue, but I don't understand. How did you meet Davost, and why can't you be here?"

"All excellent questions that I wish I could answer, but I have none to give you. I don't know anything about magic in any regard."

Bringing his hand up to his chin, he began stroking his beard in thought. "Mmh. This is most unusual. I could've sworn I was the only one who had ever been here before, but you were correct about our Goddess's appearance along with the statues." He summoned his magic to his hands once more and created another portal. "I will believe your words and I will return to the study later without you."

Not waiting for further prompting, I quickly moved through the portal and hoped I wouldn't be forced to meet Davost once more. Thankfully, we returned to Aydan's Lab, and I immediately slid down the wall in exhaustion. My nerves were on edge from the small time we spent away, and I no longer cared if he believed me entirely. Even a short amount was enough for me.

The Sage followed behind me and stepped out to see me sitting on his floor. "Are you alright?"

Rubbing my face for a moment, my arms soon flopped onto my knees. "I'm tired, Aydan, and I really don't want to be here."

To my surprise, Aydan moved next to me on the wall and slid down next to me. "Tell me about it." Looking at him, he just chuckled. "I never really wanted to join this alliance. I just wanted to continue learning about magic."

I scoffed at that. "The Master of Magic wants to learn about magic?" At his confused look, I explained. "The future knows you as The Great Sage Aydan and a Master of Magic."

Leaning back, he closed his eyes as if mirroring me earlier. "There is still so much to learn, and I am no master. Perhaps more adept compared to everyone else around me, but my magic isn't truly my own."

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"What do you mean?"

"Much like you," Aydan began as he gestured to me. "I draw my power from elsewhere. Magic exists in everything, and all comes from one source." Opening his eyes, The Great Sage continued. "Using what I've learned in the study, I've come to harness the origin of magic, and it exists everywhere." Then he turned to me, and his hand glowed as it slowly hovered over my body. "Everywhere, except for you."

Shrugging, I replied. "I told you I didn't have magic."

He nodded. "You did. After everything that has happened, I have no choice but to believe you. That study with the statues has never been opened for anyone else before, and I've never seen anyone there." Standing, Aydan moved towards his desk and grabbed some parchment. "But you have in the future. This is worrying."

Pointing off to where his portal had been made him frown. "Something took over the statues and attacked me. It seemed more curious than anything, but I'm new to this world, so I'd rather not risk it."

"It was that powerful?" He asked nervously.

"Maybe?" Was my unsure reply. "Everything about this is new, and I'm not a fan of magic so far. Plus, it seems to have weird effects on my body. I don't know if that's because of my own personal energy or if it's something else, but that original magic you used, hurt like a bitch!" Showing him the wound and scar, I explained. "My wounds can usually heal instantly depending on the severity. This little scrape should've healed in less than a second."

"Fascinating. So, your healing powers are your strongest ability?"

Another shrug. "I've no idea." At his look, I defended myself. "How about you get transferred to a new world with a new body, powers, and with no prior knowledge on what the fuck is going on." Gesturing to him as he scribbled away, I continued. "Then see how much you get done! Especially with a bunch of whiners constantly bugging you!"

Caressing his beard, he hummed out in thought. "So, you have no idea the secrets your body possesses…"

"Not really. I got some weird-ass eyes, can use fire and ice abilities, but that's about all I know."

"And your healing." Aydan added.

Rolling my eyes, I confirmed his statement. "Yes, Aydan. My healing too." Using his magic, several scrolls and tomes began to circle around him as he looked them over. "What're you doing?"

Glancing at me for a second, he immediately went back to his parchments. "Your arrival in this world should not be possible, but all the evidence suggests you're telling the truth." Then he mumbled with a hand over his mouth. "And you have no reason to lie that I can think of." Removing his hand, he started scribbling something onto a fresh parchment. "Seeing as how you are essentially the new King of Lestrania, I will aid you in every way I can."

"Wait-" I tried to interrupt him, but he kept going.

"That includes trying to understand how you arrived in the past."

"I'm not the new King!" No reply. "Are you ignoring me?" Aydan ignored me like a champion.

Then he began pacing. "However, I will also look into how such a spell is possible… Needless to say, I'll also need to investigate whether or not this will change the future and how to send you back if it's even possible." Aydan stopped and just stared off into space. "How can such a powerful spell exist that it sends someone back so far in time, and how can we trace it? Does it have a magic signature? Who cast the spell? Is it a timed spell, and will you return without warning? What effects will this have on your body?"

The man went off and ignored me for a solid thirty minutes as he began darting around, writing things down, casting spells, looking in old tomes, and more. It wasn't until I threw a pebble at him and it struck him softly in the side of the head that he turned to look at me. Aydan looked confused for a moment before I gestured around the room, which was essentially entirely green.

He chuckled and put a few things back. "Apologies. This is a new subject to research, and I do get lost in my work sometimes."

Giving him the same dull look he gave me earlier, I replied. "I noticed." Standing, I brushed my cloak off. "So, you obviously believe me, but what now?"

"Well, I suppose more proper introductions are in order." He gestured to me. "Introducing you to the people and kingdom should be done as soon as possible. Without that cloak, people will feel more at ease and may be unnerved by your eyes, but it will go a long way in building up trust."

Realizing my cloak was off, I flipped it back up. "Bad idea. No one made any mention of me in the present, and I work for Arceana and Elincia. Neither of them had any memory of me and instead referred to me as the one from the Prophecy." Crossing my arms, I explained further. "As such, I think we can agree that neither of them saw my face, and using an alias was the correct choice. If they learn about me from your book, so be it, but I'm perfectly fine without having to weird people out about my eyes."

Aydan frowned. "That cloak is unbelievably distracting, unnerving, and threatening. Unfortunately," He began and sighed as he sat at his desk. "I have to agree with you. If neither of them recognized you, for better or worse, the cloak must remain."

Sighing myself, I leaned against the stone wall. "So, what now?"

"Well, if you're going to rule-"

"No! I'm not the King! The Royal Family should sit in on most matters and see how things work, but each of them are too young to make decisions! They need to learn by example! Not just have them make choices, and all of you bumble about trying to make it work!"

"This is true, but you have almost single-handedly strong-armed your way to the throne. Like it or not, you are going to be ruling in their stead." I opened my mouth to reply, but he continued. "And I will do everything in my power to make it happen."

Surprising at that, my brows raised in confusion. "Why?"

Gesturing to me, Aydan explained as he leaned forward. "Like you said, you're from the future. If the past and future can't be changed, that means everything you do is meant to happen."

"But we don't know that."

He shrugged. "Maybe not, but I'd prefer a future where all the Royal Family is alive. Not just the youngest." Aydan then leaned back. "I've raised those kids like they were my own. To hear that something has happened to them."

"They're over thousands of years old, Aydan. I'm pretty sure dying isn't the worst thing to happen at that age." I then shrugged. "But who can say."

"True, but how old are you?" He asked in return. "What?!" Aydan smiled playfully in response to my look. "I'm curious. Both Arceana and Elincia live to be thousands of years old while I myself am several hundred. The oldest Elf ever recorded was about two thousand years old, but he extended his life with magic."

"And Arceana and Elincia are both well past that and only look like they're in their twenties." I added in understanding. "That is interesting because I haven't seen a single Elf of the older variety in the future."

Aydan frowned at that. "None?" I shook my head. "That is odd…" He made some sort of note before looking back at me. "However, I can get to that later. I would like to know how old you are."

As I was about to say my age, I stopped myself to think. My thoughts drifted and started to focus on everything that happened leading me up to this point. Frowning, I tried to think of how old I would be, and as I considered the traveling that I had gone through to reach the home of the Star Creature and to reach this new world, but found myself lost. The void itself was an unknown to me and as I immersed myself in my thoughts, my surroundings changed, and I felt like I was back in the Star Creature's void. Looking around, horrified and lost didn't begin to describe how I felt. As if eternity was on my shoulders and nothing could be seen but an emptiness that never ended.

My eyes darted about to find something. Anything. Even the smallest form of light or a shape in the darkness, but there was nothing. Looking down at my own hands didn't help since they weren't there either. It felt like I was moving, yet it was unclear on what was truly happening. However, a light soon appeared, and I found myself looking at a very concerned Aydan Farro.