"Huh? Who... who are you?" Kieran stammered, his focus shifting from his disorientation to the mysterious woman before him
she looks up at him in disbelief and anguish
"Azur honey do you not recognise your own mother?" she grabs his face and looks up at him with painful expression
'MOTHER?' Kieran's mind raced, his thoughts in turmoil.
"Azur, are you all right?" A voice, unfamiliar and yet concerned, drew his attention. A man clad in pristine white attire approached him.
"Who are you?" Kieran's words were edged with both confusion and caution.
"I'm Dr. Gerry, the local physician. Are you experiencing memory issues, Azur?" Dr. Gerry leaned closer, his eyes focused on assessing Kieran's condition.
Amidst the chaos in his mind, Kieran's thoughts raced in confusion. 'What's happening? Ever since that light, everything has turned upside down. How do I even explain all of this to these people?'
"Speak up, Azur!" The woman's voice pierced through his bewilderment.
'Azur? Is that what they're calling me?'
With a surge of determination, Kieran sprang from his bed and hurried to the closest mirror, desperate to understand the truth behind his own reflection.
As realization dawned upon him, Kieran's thoughts raced in disbelief. 'Wait, am I inside the body of a kid? But that would mean...'
He pivoted, meeting the gaze of the concerned woman whose worry was palpable. 'This child...'
"Azur?" Her voice quivered softly. "What's the matter, my dear?"
"Ah, nothing, Mother! I'm just having a bit of trouble recalling things at the moment."
Kieran's inner monologue continued, 'Well, I suppose I'll have to go along with this for now.'
Dr. Gerry let out a small sigh of relief.
"That's entirely normal after such a severe injury. Honestly, I didn't expect you to make it through—"
*The woman's glare at the doctor doesn't go unnoticed.*
"Ahem! In any case, it's a miracle that you're safe now. I'm confident your memory will come back in due time. I'll take my leave then."
With a nod, the woman hugged Azur tightly.
"Why did you have to run off to the cursed land? I've told you countless times not to go there!" Her voice was a mix of concern and frustration.
"Oh, but Mother, I don't really remember anything," he replied with a nervous smile.
"Of course, I forgot," she said, placing her hands on his shoulders. "I'm just relieved you're here with me now."
"Yes, Mom," he smiled, attempting to conceal the truth that he wasn't truly her child.
As night descended, he found himself lying on a uncomfortable bed, lost in thoughts about his former life.
'Mother... When was the last time someone truly cared for me?'
A surge of memories engulfed him, recounting the countless instances of neglect and maltreatment he had endured from his own family.
'It feels strangely warm... but this affection isn't mine to claim, it belongs to the true inhabitant of this body. I should depart this place as swiftly as possible...'
His gaze briefly rested on the unfamiliar woman.
'I am sorry,' he mumbled to himself, his consciousness fading as he surrendered to sleep.
He awoke to the gentle beckoning of his mother's voice.
"Azure, it's time to start the day. Breakfast is waiting."
He muttered to himself, "Morning already?" This was one of the few times he had slept so peacefully in a while...
"This body seems sluggish," he reflected silently while rising and beginning to eat.
"Thank you for the meal, Mother," he added, surprising her with his newfound demeanor. It appeared even she was adjusting to Azur's altered behavior.
"Fortunately, I can feign memory loss and adopt an entirely different persona than the original Azur," he thought to himself, a sense of relief washing over him.
Her expression shifted to one of melancholy. "I sense such rapid maturity in you, despite your young age. It pains me to think that you had to endure such a traumatic experience."
'These words, though not meant for me, strangely bring solace,' he mused inwardly.
He looked at her, a soft smile on his face. "I fear I might become accustomed to the warmth of your care."
Her brow furrowed slightly in confusion. "Accustomed to what, dear?"
"Nothing," he replied with a gentle smile.
As the days passed, I've managed to gather a considerable amount of information. This place is my home, Zeroes, and we reside on the border of Siasa, which is connected to other hazardous regions, causing a higher concentration of monsters near our town.
This region is primarily inhabited by hunters, with my mother, Jane Rei, being one of the most skilled among them. She used to hunt more formidable creatures but halted after having me. Now, she focuses on smaller game.
During my stay, I've tried to gather additional details about the situation on the main continent and the current state of the Tower of Enigma, but it appears to be a forbidden topic here.
Strangely, the original Azur journeyed deeper into the treacherous Abyssal Enclave, a maze teeming with dangerous creatures. However, something doesn't quite fit. They claim that my body was discovered at the enclave's entrance. Yet, if I truly fell victim to those creatures, I wouldn't have been found so close to the entrance.
In the midst of his thoughts, his mother's voice snapped him back to reality.
"Azur, come here. I need to talk," she called out.
He approached her and asked, "What is it, Mom?" The word now felt familiar, slipping off his tongue without hesitation.
Her expression turned somber as she spoke. She gently caressed his cheeks, a touch filled with both concern and tenderness.
"I understand that these past few days have been quite overwhelming for you," she said softly. "But I'm afraid it's time for you to start attending the academy."
"The academy?" he echoed, surprise evident in his voice.
"Yes, the ChronoMyst Academy," she confirmed. "I apologize for not mentioning it earlier. Now that you've recovered from your injuries, you're fully capable of attending."
With a gentle smile, she handed him a letter from the academy that outlined the details of his enrollment.
"But remember, Azur, the decision is yours," she added. "Only go if you feel ready."
"I see. When should I start attending?" Azur inquired.
"Classes will commence in approximately three weeks," his mother replied.
Azur nodded. "Alright then, I'll go to the academy."
"Very well," his mother said before leaving.
As she walked away, Azur's thoughts turned solemn. 'Three weeks should give me ample time to familiarize myself with this area. The academy might also provide me with connections to the main continent...' He sighed, reflecting on his past as memories of his own childhood resurfaced.
Kieran was a descendant of King Amarion Vale who once ruled the continents Siasa and Prisila on planet Zeroes.
His father's authority waned over time, and his mother's demise during Kieran's birth marked a turning point. Shaking his head, he shifted his focus...
'i need to move out of this place as soon as I can...collecting information will be my main focus from now on'
With the dawn of a new day, Kieran dedicated himself to relearning his long-forgotten techniques.
'I must form a storage circle near my heart, combining alchemy and psionics, just as my master once taught me,' he thought determinedly
He settled into meditation, striving to gather energy. Yet, his efforts only yielded fleeting clusters that dissipated into the air.
"Aghh! This is going to be tough," Kieran grunted in frustration.
'I need to create a circle through alchemy, maintaining its equilibrium with precise movements, without any disruption or instability.' He continued to concentrate, pushing himself to the limit.
'Just a little more... almost there...'
But suddenly, pain surged through him like a searing fire. His scream echoed as he gasped for air, clutching his chest as if his very organs were detonating and reforming repeatedly.
The agony was unbearable.
The pain was so excruciating that it felt as though his very life was being torn apart. "Shit... can't let go of this... chance," he muttered, gasping for air between clenched teeth.
Then, suddenly, his mother's voice cut through the haze of pain. "Azur!" Her horrified scream reached his ears as his body went limp and he collapsed to the floor, drenched in sweat.
She rushed to his side, panic evident in her eyes as she took in his bleeding form. "No! What's going on?" Her voice trembled with fear and helplessness.
As he teetered on the edge of consciousness, a thought flickered through his mind, like a distant spark. 'Is that... mother?' His strength wavered, and he felt himself being pulled into the embrace of unconsciousness...