He looked no different from what I remembered. A middle aged man with a friendly yet commanding aura. There were simply no words for my lack of understanding of what was going on.
Around us was nothing. Seriously, just pure endless white—a forgotten, unfinished template of creation that was left behind. Looking down, I noticed I was in my own body. My body.
My old clothes. A pair of black jeans, a loosely hanging buttoned-up light-blue shirt, and some gray sneakers. There was no flower surrounding the wrist on my right hand, which was total flesh and bone.
“Strange. You aren’t even from that place,” Janus said, striking me away from my self observation. “You have travelled further than most could in several lifetimes.”
“Am—am I dead?” I asked, airing the first, and in my opinion, most reasonable question that came to my mind.
Janus chuckled, lifting a hand that was resting on his knee to his mouth in a graceful manner. “No, Peter, you’re not dead. But there is some time to talk now, though I expected you much sooner. Put those thoughts aside for now.”
I blinked at him. “I don’t understand.”
He lifted both hands in a resigned gesture. “The Hearts Emblem.”
I searched my thoughts for such an item, tracing back to the illusion. Then it struck me. That pointless gamble the Elder Ramus engaged in with Elder Craine. Ramus had claimed an item of that name.
“But the elder gave that thing to you… What’s going on? Where are we? I—”
A palm held itself in front of me, cutting me off.
“Ease your questions. The time in front of us is limited,” the man explained.
It wasn’t exactly easy to shove the questions down, but I did my best at the assurance that I had somehow survived having my heart crushed—ripped out, whatever had happened.
Janus lifted a single finger. “First, that token was only that—a vessel that kept the true treasure within.” He pointed at himself. “For a man like me, old, having been stuck at the same stage, the item was useless.”
He then pointed that same finger at me. “But for you? It already seemed like my master was planning something… untoward. Slipping the essence of the Hearts Emblem only made sense.”
I nodded, pretending to understand his logic.
“It only seemed right… After all,” he said in a way that seemed dramatized for the apparent urgency, “It was you that allowed me to end my stagnation so long ago.”
I sat down, imitating his posture, both of us just a small space apart.
“Well… Thank you. I guess you saved my life, though, I’m not really sure what I showed you.”
He shrugged with an air of disinterest. “It may be better to just let you grow. You already have what you need.”
I didn’t bother asking anymore questions, despite still wondering how long this would last. But, if he said time was limited, then I would awaken again… Probably. And I imagine Kris wouldn’t be getting another shot at me.
Still, thinking about that, how could he not resist taking me out? He had whispered that he was waiting for Serith. Why would he strike me so decisively? Was he so confident in not being punished? At least not severely…
“You have a lot on your mind,” Janus stated plainly.
“I’ve died twice now… Gives you things to think about,” I responded flatly.
“Pfft. AHAAHAHA!” The man released a laugh that could only rival his subordinate—Asmund. Perhaps even Griffith. A bellow of amusement that echoed across nothing.
He wiped away small trickles of tears building in the corner of his eyes. “You have no idea how boring it gets here.”
“Sir?” I pressed, feeling as though any one of my questions could’ve been answered with all the precious time this man was using.
“Ahhh,” he sighed. “Yes. I’ll get to it.”
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
I could already sense something off, so I spoke just before he did. “Don’t be cryptic. Treat me like an idiot.”
His mouth shut, creasing at the corners for just a moment before opening again.
“That thing has spread his bloodline too far now. But it is beyond that—binding the will of creation to himself.”
Apparently Janus was either not a fan or lacked a fundamental understanding of the request I gave. But that didn’t stop him from continuing.
“But you discovered a way to free that Will. Capture it, make it your own—inspiring others to do the same.”
Truthfully, I did know what he was saying, so maybe that’s why the words felt so vague. The Great Ancestor had captured the Will of the Universe—Precursor Energy, and that had been broken by me.
Then spread… and my guess, Janus had discovered some methods himself to rise to—well, whatever this was. There was nothing but my domain that I showed him anyway. Only Precursor Energy made sense.
“Is there a point to telling me what I already know?” I asked, trying my best not to sound rushed. Seriously, he did say there was a time crunch.
He nodded, a bit more casual now. “Of course. It is my instruction to you. Continue as you are.”
“I planned to already sir,” I responded.
“More than that, Peter,” he said. “Not just you. Not that girl that came with you to the sect. Many. Hundreds. Thousands. Tens of thousands. Even more. Plunder his power. But,” his voice turned low and grim. “Do not surpass the power of a world.”
“The power of a world?” I pushed for clarification.
“If you rise to ascend past those who claim a world of their own… he can reach you.”
It would be nice to answer ‘good’, but I wasn’t so deluded into thinking that someone who Serith was cautious against was an opponent I could face, but… I would. The Great Ancestor wasn’t someone I would avoid forever.
“Maybe you were looking for some sort of grand revelation?”
For a second, I wondered if Janus had the ability to read minds. Or if maybe the expression on my face was too obvious.
Before I could respond, Janus began to disintegrate from his feet up. Slowly, starting with his smooth black slippers to the hem of his robe.
“I say creature, but he was once a man. His origins unknown. But his name…”
The words became a whisper as darkness replaced my vision, the last semblance of his visage exiting my view.
“Kazriel.”
#
BOOM!
The sound of battle woke me up. I sat up immediately, looking at the chaos that had erupted around him.
“HAND HIM OVER NOW!” Serith screamed as I sat up immediately.
A barrier was erected around a particularly concerned looking elf-man, red, and cracking at a point where Serith had just launched an attack.
I felt… good. Really good. Kris was next to Drema, panting ragged breaths, sweating bullets with eyes closed. Dark veins bulged from his skin, black in color.
The sight was instantly recognizable, and his resistance to it almost admirable. Seriously, when was the last time she had even released poison? What level was the potency at when Luna injected him with it?
P—PETER?! Luna shouted from within my mind. An acceptable exception to our never-followed unspoken rule of not scaring each other with our mental screams.
“PETER?!” Griffith echoed the flower in disbelief, wrapping me in a hug so tight, I seriously considered whether he wasn’t just competing for the record of quickest Peter kill.
Feeling so light-hearted felt a little wrong, but how could I feel any different. Looking down at the hole I imagined would be in my chest, there was nothing. Well, my shirt was ruined, but that was the least of my concerns.
“Serith!” Drema shouted. “Cease this at once! The Elder will be here soon! If Kris dies—”
“Let the old bastard come!” My Guardian screeched. “He can take care of your corpses after I—”
Amei grabbed her friend's glowing hands, lowering them.
“What the hell do you—” Serith started, infuriated, before following the pointing hand aimed at me.
I saw Mei, surrounded by her own barrier in a corner near the black liquid screen. But considering that she was passed out on the floor, Synthia standing in front of her. I could only imagine it was Amei that had kept them safe.
“PETER?!”
My name was kinda nice to hear so many times in such a short time frame.
“Griffith?” I managed to breath out.
He didn’t release me. His shoulders shook with my call of his name.
A couple of whispered ‘impossible’ later from further away and from him, I patted his arm.
“I'm fine. Just let go for now,” I requested, but still, his embrace never loosened.
“See?!” The snake shouted. “He’s fine.”
That may be the first and only time I would hear that man concerned or relieved at my safety.
“Serith, can we go back?” I called over to the stunned woman whose robes were in a mess, all of her usual theatrics thrown to the wind.
“Ho—how?” Griffith croaked?
I gave a half-hearted shrug. “I was just lucky. But…” I trailed off, hesitant to ask my question. “What are the odds of you keeping this a secret from Thea?”
His shoulders shook more, body becoming even heavier. “Even at a time like this—What’s wrong with you?”
I took that at a low to impossible.
You’re alive? Really? Peter? I’m not… Luna’s hesitant questions flew into my head as her vines wrapped around me even tighter.
I’m alright now. Seriously.