FEI AND I ARRIVED AT MRS. XING'S OFFICE.
We knocked three times and entered the room. She was just about to put down her mobile phone. With the looks of it, it's like she talked with someone over the other line.
And right before Fei spoke, I remembered something.
[Is it what I think it is?]
"Gramms, we need your help," Fei spoke.
"Did the two of you already do it?" Mrs. Xing asked, without any inhibitions.
[Oh, gosh. It really is. I am now revived, but why do I have to experience the same moment again?] I thought.
This scene was before Mrs. Xing killed me. It's odd that it's recurring in front of me. Is this what they call déjà vu?
I felt my cheeks got warm. "W-We… We did."
Mrs. Xing smiled. "How is my grandson? Is he good?"
Fei hugged me from behind and hid his face. "Gramms! Stop it!"
Mrs. Xing laughed. "Your Gramps would disown you if you're not."
"He is. It has been an amazing experience," I defended Fei right away. This is really creeping me out.
"Thanks, my sweetie," he whispered.
Then again, I spoke my piece directly to Fei's grandmother. "Mrs. Xing, we're here because I need your help. A week from now, we're about to fight for our lives in The Krieg, but I don't have my powers yet. I'm afraid I won't survive this tournament."
Mrs. Xing was about to smile, but she sort of calmed herself down. "Why would you think that, my dear?"
I sadly expressed myself, as I were earlier. I don't think I should do something differently. "I don't know. I'm just scared. I've never ever had this kind of experience. What if I die right away in the very first match?"
"I won't let that happen!" Fei contradicted. "I'm gonna do everything to keep you alive, Trick. I told you I will protect you."
Mrs. Xing walked towards us with a calm countenance. "My dear, Trick, I can tell you with a clear conscience. A Xing never breaks a promise, and when my grandson tells you this, believe him. Put your one hundred percent trust in him. He will do it."
Fei faced me. "Gramms is right, Trick. Do you believe in me?"
"I do," I replied.
Mrs. Xing nodded. "Perfect. Trust us, Trick… even if I do—"
"Do what, Mrs. Xing?" I interrupted her and smiled.
This was now the defining moment among the three of us there in the room. This was when my life ended. But now…
Mrs. Xing chuckled lightly. "Where have you been, my dear?"
"Gramms, we were just literally in front of you," Fei answered. "Are you feeling okay? Is there something wrong?"
I laughed. "Good to see you again, Mrs. Xing." I turned to Fei and kissed him on the cheek. "You too, sweetie."
Fei's left eyebrow raised. "What are you saying, Trick? We've never left the room."
"Of course we haven't," I said, giggling.
"So, what are you talking about?" Fei squinted his eyes even more, to the point that I barely see his eyeballs.
"I'm sure he knows what to do, right, Trick?" Mrs. Xing told Fei. "Is there anything I can help the two of you with?"
Fei talked. "So, Gramms… As we were saying… You already knew that we… You know it, yeah, and we're not sure when the powers will occur. You know what happened to Dad and his girlfriend back then, yeah?"
"I do," Mrs. Xing replied, and I can tell she was trying to hide her laughter. I didn't look at her as I might laugh hard.
Fei continued. "What if it does something bad to Trick? I know he won't be able to bear a child, so there's no other life to suck his powers from the inside."
"Correct," Mrs. Xing said, as she smiled faintly.
"So, we came here to seek help from you. Maybe you can help us create a weapon for him…" Fei looked at me and Mrs. Xing, as we're on all smiles.
"Oh, my… What happened?" Clueless, Fei hit me lightly on my arm.
"Ouch," I mocked, then laughed. "Okay, so, the earlier event seemed to have repeated, and right before Mrs. Xing does something, I stopped her and I'm still here."
"Stopped Gramms from what?" Fei looked confused.
"So, tell us… Have you been to someplace? Did you meet anybody?" Mrs. Xing asked. Then, I felt like she was fishing for information.
Not that I don't trust Mrs. Xing, but somehow I felt that something inside me was telling me not to tell a lot of things to anyone. Besides, in the first place, she asked where I've been. She did not even ask how I was, or she didn't even apologize for what she did to me. Now, I'm doubtful.
"I've been to this place… Really magical place. There were a lot of different creatures and there were lots of planets everywhere," I lied.
"That sounds like the Valenti, am I right?" Fei said.
"Y-Yes," I said. "I've been to Valenti."
"And what happened there?" Mrs. Xing followed up.
"I… I met someone. It was the dragon that was roaming the mountaintops, and it transformed in front of me as a man who told me that I need to be back here," I lied again.
"Who is this man? Why didn't I see him when we were there?" Fei queried.
"Perhaps you were too busy making love with him there, that's why you didn't notice," Mrs. Xing joked.
"Gramms! Stop it!" Fei hid again behind me, embarrassed.
I laughed. "That's true, he… Wait a minute."
Then my heart beat so damn fast. This was a really odd feeling, because…
"He what?" Mrs. Xing said.
"He didn't tell you where we did it," I stated, then hugged Mrs. Xing. "It's nice meeting you here, Mrs. Xing, and I hope I can call you Gramms soon."
"You can call me Gramms, but what are you saying, Trick?" Mrs. Xing asked me.
I just closed my eyes and…
When I opened it, I saw the seven Karlbland surrounding me.
"You guys!" I stood up and I was about to attack them, but Vigdis held me in my arm. All of them were laughing about it.
"Apologies, Master. Eneko had a really odd humor," Vigdis stated.
"Humor? You tricked Trick! You tricked me!" I complained.
"That was just a test, Master. I just wanna make sure you consciously knew what you really want," Eneko explained.
"So, I guess this is really it," Ferelith scoffed.
"We'll have to wait for your death again, and who knows how long will that take again," Taneli added.
"I'm sure Master will be really happy with his love," Arnau cheerfully said.
"Will you be okay, Master?" Marcene anxiously asked.
"I will be okay. I'm with Fei. He will protect me," I said.
"So be it," Ciaren firmly said. "We need to send back Master to his last life."
"Wait… Before I go, I wanna ask you, guys," I stood up properly and faced them. "I'm gonna be a sorcerer when I get back. How about you come with me and help me with my magical journey?"
All of them gasped.
"Master… You've never asked us before to come with you," Marcene said with a shocked face. "That's a first… and it's exciting!"
"Our only task is to reincarnate you and we've done that 999 times," Ciaren mentioned.
Taneli spoke. "Exactly, so we'll put everything to waste?"
"If it makes our Master happy, then why should we not do it?" Arnau argued.
Vigdis added. "Also, we pledged our loyalty to our master, so I will follow him."
Ferelith winced. "Do we even know what will happen if Master dies in that lifetime? Will we still exist? Who will be there to reincarnate him?"
I looked at Eneko and smiled. "You, my dear, again are the deciding factor."
"Master, I cannot decide for you nor the Karlbland. I did the test and let you decide on your own, but this time, no tests will settle this. It's up to you," Eneko said.
I looked at each one of them and I saw their varied expressions. I can tell how deeply concerned they were to me.
"As the song from High School Musical says, 'We're all in this together.' Therefore, you'll all come with me," I said. "Get ready."
All of them moved in my command. Although they were arguing earlier, they all followed me without hesitation. They all formed a circle and emitted strong, colorful forces.
Vigdis then called me. "Master, please stand between me and Ciaren."
That, I did, and held hand with the both of them. Then, the rest held hands. The force became stronger, more colorful than ever, as if it was like a blend of watercolors emitting everywhere.
"Are you all ready?" I asked.
All of them nodded at the same time. Then, a ray of light from above illuminated all of us, as it slowly consumes us, and it's so bright, all I did was to close my eyes, and…
Suddenly, I arrived at the…
[Oh, gosh…]