It had been a week since the TARTARUS event, and life at the capital of the Arkon Empire returned to normal again, like nothing happened.

“Kill him!!”

“Kill that peasant!”

The sound of a crowd of people shouting and cursing burst into Einar's ears, and there he was, kneeling at the execution platform with hands tied to his back and the executioner on his side. It was a public execution held in the central (plaza) part of the capital city of the Arkon Empire. Citizens gathered to watch the execution of the man who killed the hero, Anna Blackwater.

Einar's eyes were still adapting to the light of the outside world; he had been imprisoned in that chamber for months without seeing the light of the day. As his vision cleared, he scanned the vicinity. In the crowd, he saw a familiar face: Anna's father.

His father-in-law looked at him with hate. He looked away from Anna's father and faced the bright blue sky. He had no words to say to his father-in-law, and he felt ashamed for not being able to protect her daughter.

In an attempt to recall his wife's warm voice, her touch, her beautiful eyes, and her smile, Einar simply stared blankly up at the sky. He had a lot on his mind. Would his friend Chris still be alive today, and this situation would not have arisen if he had been successful in saving Anna that day? Would he continue to lead a typical life? But something stopped his thoughts.

"The sky was quite clear today. A pleasant day to die, don't you think?"

He gazed at the man who had just spoken; it was Prince Corbin of the Arkon Empire, and next to him were the two Escort Knights, who just fought Chris a week ago but managed to survive. For some reason, the Prince never liked him from the moment they met. Einar just stares at the prince with a blank expression without saying a word. The Prince was annoyed by Einar's not responding to his provocation. However, the Prince remained composed while speaking to the crowd.

"Einar, you are charged with murder and found guilty of killing Anna Blackwater, the holy sword of the Arkon Empire. You are hereby sentenced to death."

"Any last words?"

Everybody fears dying; they will weep and feel uneasy when they consider their impending death; however, Einar was different. The moment he heard Prince Corbin’s declaration, it was rage that could be seen on Einar's face rather than fear; although he had no more energy to speak clearly due to starvation and torture, he gathered all the strength he had left; he clenched his teeth hard and cried as loudly as he could so that the hall crowd could hear him.

"I did not kill her; I did not kill Anna Blackwater!"

"I did not kill my wi…"

'Thud, thud!'

Einar's head rolled on the platform before he could finish his words. The Prince sent a signal to the executioner to strike down his neck. With just one swing of the sword, Einar's head separated from his body, and a fountain of blood sprayed from his severed neck.

"Pathetic! Still trying to act innocent till the end," the Prince muttered, turned his back, and was followed by his Escort Knight.

Later on, a man approaches the execution platform, where his head drops. Wearing a black cloak with a hood that covered his eyes. Standing directly in front of Einar so that he can see him as his vision begins to deteriorate. His brain is still functioning even though his head has already been chopped. The man slowly opened his mouth and conveyed some words. However, Einar was unable to understand what the stranger was saying in his whispers. Other thoughts were racing through Einar's mind.

'F*ck! I never got the chance to take revenge for my wife or find out who killed her...'

Einar's vision went black…

***

Ba-thump!...

Heart racing fast.

Einar woke up sweating, panting heavily, catching his breath.

‘Huff, huff...’

‘...What was that?’

'...Was all of that just a dream?’

Einar scanned the place and recognized the room. It was the house that he and Anna lived in. However, there was no one, just him.

Einar clutched his neck while trying to be calm; he was terrified and troubled as he tried to recall the details of what had just happened, the rage he felt at the time of his execution changed into fear. He felt anxious with all the memories of that prison. He got up from the bed and knelt on the ground to vomit.

‘No, it wasn’t a dream, it was so vivid. I can still feel the pain. But this place should no longer exist. This place was burned down during the attack.’

Bewildered by the situation, Einar looked at the table next to the bed and noticed a photo frame. A photo of him and his parents together. He had a vague notion of what was going on this time. Einar rushed outside to confirm the notion that he had in his mind.

The warm light of the sun, the cold breeze whistled softly, blowing lightly to the tree branches and touching his face; blowing the hair that covers his eyes.

Einar’s eyes grew wide while standing at the hill looking down at the village that was supposed to be in ruin. It was the village where he grew up, his home.

He opened his mouth slowly after being astounded by what he saw and exclaimed, "I'm back!"

***

Back at Einar's house.

He is still puzzled about what kind of force returned him to the past. He's trying to find answers. He was sitting at the dining table, looking blankly at the corner with furrowed brows.

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‘How is this possible?’

He recalled something as he glanced around. He rose, entered his room, and grabbed a wooden box under his bed.

Einar took the wooden box he had hidden and brought it to the dining table. The box contains books. It was quite a collection of books, tons of them; it's all about mana manipulation, curses, and magic. Einar once dreamed of being a mage; that made him collect books about it.

Einar scanned the books thoroughly to find answers to his regression. But after a long time of reading these books, he still can't find any information or clues regarding his regression.

Then Einar starts to ask himself about it.

‘How? I don't recall anything that could have caused my regression.’

‘But what about Anna?’ Einar suddenly thought about Anna. But he disregarded his thoughts. He looks glum with the thought about his wife.

‘…No! Anna had divine powers, but not this kind.’

Einar sat down, breathed slowly, and tried to clear his mind. Although he was disoriented with the state of his regression, he got his mind focused on the things he must do first.

‘Now that I'm back in the past, I have the chance to change the outcome of my future. I will avenge Anna’s death and the agony I went through in that inferno.’

‘I must find out why she was killed and who did it, there must be a great reason behind it.’ Einar clenched his fist tightly.

But if I wish to alter my future, I must first figure out how to utilize magic in some way. I need to get stronger.

Einar was a farmer. He never had any experience when it comes to fighting. His life was focused on raising crops and taking care of it.

‘But how I’m going…’

“Knock, knock, knock!” The sound stopped Einar from his thoughts.

“Einar? Are you there?”

Einar opened the door slowly, trying to peek at the person calling his name. His eyes grew wide looking at the man in front of him. The person standing outside was quite a good-looking man with brown hair and light gray eyes. It was Chris, his childhood friend. Barely holding his tears while gazing at him, he never thought of seeing him again. The man just died a week ago before his eyes.

“You look like you've seen a ghost.” Chris spoke.

As he saw Chris, something came to his mind. He suddenly grabbed Chris and took him inside the house.

“What’s with the books?” Chris asked with curiosity gazing at the tons of books on the table.

Einar didn’t listen to what his friend just said, he was consumed with the thought he had in mind.

“Right! Chris, I need you.”

Chris looks at him with a weird face as he replies.

“Dude I'm not into men.”

“Idiot! It’s not like that.” Einar talks back with an irritated look on his face.

“Aren't you forgetting something? You were supposed to be harvesting the crops with us today. We will be leaving tomorrow to trade at the City of Grandel.” Then Chris turned his back and walked out of the house.

“Hey? Where are you going? We're not done talking here.” Einar state.

“Stop mumbling and follow me, we need to finish the harvesting of crops today before the sun goes out. We will talk later.” Chris replied.

“Sh*t!”

Einar can't wait to ask Chris about what he had in mind. But there's nothing he can do. Chris never listens to him when his mind is fixed into somethings that caught his attention.

“Alright! Fine! We will talk about it later.”

“Ok!... Just stop talking and follow me, we need to move fast.”

Einar just followed Chris and put aside his thoughts and queries. He remembered that it was the first day that he would enter the City of Grandel.

***

It was already dusk when they finished harvesting and loading the crops.

‘Huff! huff!’

“This is the last one, right?” Einar asks Chris as he loads the last sack of crops to the wagon.

“Yes! That will be all of it.” Chris replied.

The two of them sat down next to the wagon as they caught their breath, exhausted from a long day of labor.

“Well done guys. We finished the harvesting before night time, it was faster than I had expected.”

Einar gazed at the man who just spoke. It was Mr. Silas, Chris' father, and seeing both of them, he was glad and sad at the same time; he remembered a painful memory.

After Einar’s parents died, it was Mr. Silas who took him in and treated him as family. The death of his parents brings sorrow to him, but with the help of Mr. Silas and Chris, he tries to live his life again. But his joyful life with the three of them was short-lived. They received word that Chris had perished in the Second Great War. Mr. Silas was heartbroken by the news and eventually lost the will to live and committed suicide.

Chris and Mr. Silas were the only family he had left since his parents death. With the death of Chris and Mr. Silas, Einar lived alone again and inherited the farmland until he met Anna.

‘No! Chris didn’t die in the Second Great War, and I don't understand why he hides himself. There are so many things that are so vague right now, but I won't let them die this time. I have the chance to save them.’

“Thanks again, Einar, for helping us.” Mr. Silas spoke in a grateful tone.

“Einar?” Mr. Silas looked at him with concern when Einar didn't respond. He was lost in his thoughts.

Chris looks at Einar zoning out and taps his shoulder.

“Hey? Are you okay?”

Ah!... Yes! No problem Mr. Silas. I'm always glad to help.

Mr. Silas smiled after hearing Einar’s respond

“You must be tired, you should take a rest, I will check the other stuff that we will bring tomorrow. I’ll leave you two then.”

Mr. Silas turns his back and walks towards the barn.

‘…?’ Chris gazes again at Einar.

“Hey, Chris? I have something to ask you. Einar spoke softly.”

***

Back at Einar's house.

Chris looked at Einar with frowning eyes and spoke.

“Aren't you forgetting something? You can't use mana, how am I going to teach you a thing about magic?”

Einar knows that he doesn't have a talent for magic, but he needs to find a way somehow. Mana is the energy that is rich in our surroundings, a life energy. It is a power source of a mage in order to use magic and cast spells, however not all humans have the gift to use magic, in order to manipulate and use mana, a person must first awaken their mana core.

“Maybe you got something that could help me use mana, or a way to awaken me or something”

“I don't know about that, I never heard nor read something in the books that can help you gain mana core.”

Looking at Einar's gloomy face, Chris couldn't help but feel sorry for his friend. Though he doesn't want to give him false hope, he still wants to help.

“Ok! I will ask my professor tomorrow about your condition. Maybe they can help you, but don't let your hopes up. I can't guarantee you anything.”

“Thanks!” Einar replied with a smirk.

‘Chirs was one of the top students of Empire’s best Magic Academy, and in the future, Chris was one of the war mages during the second great war. He has always had a talent for magic since we were kids.’

‘We both dream of becoming well-known mages in the empire, but that changed when I found out that I can't use mana, so I gave up that dream and just focused on how to grow crops with Mr. Silas.’

“By the way Einar, I never thought you're going to have an interest again in magic. What makes you change your mind?” Chris asked Einer intriguingly.

Einar’s facial expressions changed with Chris' words.

He can't tell the truth to Chris that he regressed and wants to learn magic for revenge. He just simply tells Chris a fitting word that he will believe.

“I just want to keep my promise.”