“This is…” Mila realised she was standing at her usual spot when she opened her eyes in her dreams. “Not what I expected.”

The Old Ghost was standing in front of her - forlorn, looking in the distance. He didn’t answer, mulling over something. His visage was tired and unwilling. He looked ancient.

Mila could tell the being was serious about this moment and felt her heart clench. She didn’t believe this atmosphere promised anything good for her.

Finally, Aaers looked at her - his unclear, almost eyes looking like an abyss full of endless memories. “Some of what you will see is personal.” He spat out before looking away. “And some of it will involve those bastards high above. Watch and learn.”

Before Mila could mull over the meaning of those words, the world twisted, and she lost consciousness.

—

“... preparations.” Mila’s mouth said. “I tried to get closer, but the Divine presence was too strong.” The man’s voice sounded neither too young nor old. He was looking at the ground in clear deterrence for those who were in front of him.

In fact, the only reason Mila knew he was a man was because she inhabited his body. The voice itself was genderless. “I really tried…” He continued.

Finally, the man looked up and allowed Mila to see-

Mostly nothing.

This had happened before, and Mila knew what it meant. She knew even before the man had raised his eyes.

They were in the presence of a higher power. The man’s senses had told her so, but nothing else. There was a simple void where this being was.

But ‘mostly’ wasn’t all. Next to the blank stood Aaers - powerful and imperious. His presence reached the sky. It was almost to the level of…

Inwardly, Mila gasped. This was her first time seeing Aaers properly and not just his shadow.

The General was tall, clad in metal armour. His face was in a rough shape, covered in scars. But his blue eyes shone brightly with domineering light. He held his large palm on the sword that was at his side and judged everyone around him.

It was all impressive, but the sensation. Mila couldn’t… She couldn’t believe how potent the man felt. She could tell because she inhabited a man’s body with sharp and honed sense.

Mila had to wonder… Just how… Just how powerful Aaers was at the peak of his strength. This couldn’t be all. There had to be more. The mana inside the General was insane. It didn’t feel like mana at all!

Of course, Mila had heard rumours and hearsays during her long dreams. She had listened to songs and tales about Aaers’s prowess in battle.

Part of her had doubted those tales. But now, standing in front of the General, Mila understood they had not gone far enough to portray the awesome power the man held.

While Mila was reeling from the discovery, the Assassin spoke again. “But they should leave soon. If I can-”

“No,” Aaers stopped. “I have another target for you, Nio.” He looked to the side.

Mila felt another whiplash as she recognised the tender look in Aaers’s eyes. The bashful look did not suit the warrior, making him look a little strange.

It was a very familiar gaze to Mila. She weathered one such as this every day when Isabel looked at her. Aaers was clearly in love.

Only…

Mila didn’t dare to guess how it would work. Gods didn’t have a body. She didn’t understand, and it was clear - Aaers didn’t want to show.

“My lord,” Nio shook. “Sir, I can-”

“It is too dangerous,” Aaers returned his gaze to the Assassin. “I know they have not descended, but their involvement with the realm is growing. They are angry, frustrated and fearful. They do not understand and see it as a danger. This-” He stopped.

Mila felt the time rushing around her. She could tell the being next to Aaers was doing something - perhaps speaking. But with how washed out everything around her was, there was little she could tell but to wait.

And then Nio was out of the room. He marched through the simple underground stone hall, determined to fulfil his new task. His mana moved, slowly pushing him out of everyone's perception.

But Mila wasn’t concentrating on that. She was still hearing the order Aaers had given.

“Go and take the Soul Bead from the Emperor’s vaults. It is under the palace, where-” There had been a blank at this part, where Mila couldn’t hear anything. “-awakened.” But she understood Aaers had referred to whoever stood beside him.

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More importantly, Mila understood something from those scant words. The Soul Bead… The name resonated with her. It was something she knew she had seen before. Or at least pieces of it.

Mila guessed that’s what she had been handed when she had been summoned to this world. It was what she had found in Ocheon. It was what seemingly had been under Stilag.

It meant the assassin would succeed in his task. The only question was how would he die. It also meant the dream would not last long - hopefully.

Belatedly, Mila began following the man’s mana. She experienced the experienced assassin’s way of controlling his spell and traced the matrix he used. Her consciousness tried to learn everything she could from Nio as he headed up the ladder towards the surface.

But Mila would be lying if she said her full attention was on Nio.

No. Her mind was too preoccupied with Aaers, his words, what they could mean and what had been besides the general.

Only when Nio passed through a busy courtyard full of exhausted soldiers did Mila recall the reason for coming to this place. She knew there would be time to think about the new information while the assassin travelled.

Mila compared this man’s spell work with the one she had learnt before and found plenty of similarities. The core was essentially the same, possibly indicating they had learnt about it from the same place. She had done well in replicating it herself.

But in the end, it was only a replica.

Now watching a real master's work, Mila realised she had allowed too many inaccuracies to occur in her framework. Her memory wasn’t perfect. She had already done well.

“But I will have to start from the beginning if I want the foundation to be strong enough.” Mila inwardly sighed, stuck with just her own thoughts, while Nio started to move through the fields.

The man left the small fortress with the extensive underground tunnel network behind. It was one of the many bases they had set up. Mila hadn’t been in this one, but she had seen many alike scattered over the Empire.

If she was correct about the timeline, these were the last days of the Empire. After the Emperor had gone mad and slaughtered everyone in the Palace, Aaers had been forced to take over.

Mila suspected there was more to it, but that was all she ever heard. Maybe that would change now that she was in Nio’s body. This man was clearly someone high-standing and powerful if he could receive direct orders from Aaers and be allowed in the presence of ‘that being’.

While she was pondering, Nio moved. He ran across the forest, heading north. His steps were resolute and breath even.

At this pace, Mila hoped he would reach the destination in a…

Mila’s mind halted again. She caught a glance at a mountaintop she felt was very familiar to her. So was the one next to it. And the distance…

This was…

Memories from not that long ago flashed through her mind. Her mind moved to the very first day she had arrived in this world - summoned by a madman messing with a ritual spell.

Mila had never seen the place beyond the dark hall and the pillars. Isabel’s and Andrew’s recounts hadn’t helped either. Silinth had done something to confuse their senses.

All she knew was that the summoning place was underground and not far from Silinth’s little refuge. And these mountains were something she had seen plenty of when living those couple of months in peace.

It called for an investigation. Mila had planned to return to Silinth’s place even before, but the priority of that thought had jumped up severely.

The little, hidden fortress housing a God and someone who was unfathomable. There had to be something more. She had to visit the place.

In the future…

Mila could do nothing but watch for now. The trees passed as the silent man continued to move. His breathing didn’t change, and only occasionally he glanced around. This was a man with a goal in his mind.

So, when they exited the forest and arrived at a village, Mila was surprised. Nio slowed down and entered the settlement, dropping his spell and greeting a few people on his way.

“Nio!” A granny waved and clambered closer. “Boy! You dare to show your face! Leaving your wife and son alone for so long.” She grumbled and waved her cane. “If my husband was still alive, he would beat some sense in you.”

“Sorry, Old Martha,” Nio leaned away from the cane coming for his face. “You know, it’s not that simple. I have my duty as-”

“YOU HAVE A DUTY TO YOUR FAMILY!” Martha hollered, hitting the ground with her cane. “Leona misses you.” She suddenly quieted. “Little Beino, too.”

Nio sighed. “I am doing it for them, Martha. You know that.”

Martha spit on the ground and turned away. “I know that you are a bad husband and father.”

There was no answer. Nio looked at the spirited old lady walking in silence. He glanced at the rest of the street, knowing others were looking at him. They were simple people - farmers, for the most part.

And there was something else. Mila noticed the lack of people in their prime. There were neither men nor women past their teens or before their sunset. The able-bodied had all been drafted into the war.

After another sigh, Nio moved. And soon, he arrived at a simple house in the middle of the village. He watched the smoke coming from the chimney, hesitating to enter.

It was only when a kid, no older than ten, ran from behind the house wielding a long stick that Nio moved again. He broke into a smile and stepped forward.

The boy noticed Nio immediately. “Dad!” He cheered, throwing himself towards his father. “Mom! Dad is home!” He laughed.

From within the building, a woman exclaimed. “Nio?” She rushed outside, her blonde hair fluttering behind. “Nio! You are safe!” Her voice was full of relief!. “You are back!”

“Leona,” Nio received his son, then wife, into his hands. “Beino… I missed you…”

“You fool,” Leona was crying. “I am so glad you are back. Please don’t leave…” she begged.

“I will have to,” Nio didn’t lie. “But for a week, I will stay with you.” He ruffled his son’s hair.

Mila didn’t know what to think. She felt like a stranger. But she was stuck in the body. And for a week, it seemed she would have to watch a simple family’s life.