Niu looked at his hands and heard himself speaking, "I… how did you know? It's been strange. My body feels too small, like it's not… mine. And my thoughts—sometimes I know things, words, concepts without ever being taught. It doesn't make sense."
Orimudi's gaze softened, a knowing look crossing his face.
Orimudi responded to the curious child, "It's not surprising. Your mind and your soul are at odds, Niu. You possess the understanding of someone far beyond your age, yet here you are, in the body of a child. Does it make you wonder why?"
Niu nodded slowly, "Yes, it's like… I can't explain it. It's like I'm missing something—like there's a part of me that knows more, but everything is hazy. My emotions, they feel... stale. I can feel happy or sad, but it's not real, not like how other children seem to feel. Everything I know seems too much for me, but not enough to make sense."
Orimudi paced slowly around Niu, his hands clasped behind his back.
"It's because you're not like the others, Niu. Your understanding is not bound by the limitations of this world. You've noticed that, haven't you? Your emotions don't match the simplicity of your age, and your worldview... it's beyond the natural bounds of a child."
Niu nodded, a weight settling in his chest. He had always known something was wrong, something out of place, but hearing Orimudi speak it aloud made it feel more real.
"I don't understand why, though. How do I understand words and concepts without ever learning them?"
Orimudi paused and turned to face Niu. "That's why I've brought you here to explore. Your mind, your soul… are not tethered to the same path as those around you. There's something deeper, something that predates your time here. And I suspect… you've already begun to feel it."
"Do you think I've… lived before?" Niu replied, his voice shaking slightly
Orimudi's eyes darkened, his expression turning serious.
"Reincarnation is unheard of in this world, such things are hidden, kept from the common knowledge of most. The dragon has severed the path of reincarnation in his domains, ensuring the souls he devours never return. But you… you might be an exception."
"Yes, the world we live in... it belongs to the immortal dragon. Every living thing here—when it dies—its soul is consumed by the dragon. That's how the dragon grows stronger. That's how it learns from every soul it devours. Reincarnation isn't supposed to happen here, Niu. In this realm, the cycle of life and death is broken. Souls don't return."
Niu's heart thudded in his chest. The idea of having lived another life before this one felt too big, too overwhelming to grasp. He searched Orimudi's face for answers.
Niu stared at Orimudi, his heart beginning to race. His thoughts swirled, making it harder to focus.
"What do you mean? The dragon's domain? But… how? If the dragon consumes every soul, how could I be reincarnated?"
Orimudi's gaze softened, and he leaned back, his tone shifting to something more reflective.
"That's exactly what makes your case so extraordinary. You shouldn't exist, Niu. By all accounts, your soul should have been devoured like the others. But somehow... you returned. And not just as a new soul. You have memories, instincts, knowledge of a world outside the reach of the dragon."
Niu sat in silence for a moment, processing the weight of Orimudi's words. The confusion that had clouded his thoughts began to clear, replaced by a creeping sense of fear and curiosity.
"But… my memories. I don't remember anything before the sanctuary. My life began here. If I'm a reincarnation, why don't I remember my past life?"
Orimudi didn't answer right away. Instead, he continued walking, leading Niu down a long corridor lined with shelves, each one filled with books, relics, and artifacts that seemed to hum with their own power. Finally, they reached a large doorway, intricately carved with runes that glowed faintly in the dim light. Beyond it, Niu could see a massive book like crystal slate set in the center of the room, its surface shimmering with scattered images—fleeting, disjointed, like fragments of memories waiting to be pieced together.
"This," Orimudi began, his voice low and solemn, "is where the truth lies."
Niu frowned, stepping closer to the glowing slate. He could see images flickering across its surface—flashes of moments he didn't recognize, but which stirred something deep within him. A sense of familiarity, like pieces of a puzzle he hadn't realized he was missing.
"What is this?" Niu asked, his eyes locked on the shifting images. "Why does it feel… familiar?"
Orimudi placed a hand on the slate, his expression hardening. "These are fragments of your past, Niu. Memories of a life you once lived, but no longer remember."
Niu's heart skipped a beat. His past? The life before this one?
Orimudi turned to face him fully, his voice heavy with the weight of what he was about to reveal. "Niu, you are a reincarnate. But what you don't know is that your memories—everything from your previous life—were removed."
Niu stared at him, disbelief flooding his mind. "Removed? By who?"
Orimudi's gaze was steady, unwavering. "By the sanctuary elders. Including your mother."
Orimudi had crafted this moment like a master play-writer. His agenda was simple, to guide the dragon's reincarnate into taking his place in the world. Separating the child from his mother was the first step.
Niu felt like the ground had been ripped out from under him. His mother? Naria? The one person he had trusted more than anyone, the person who had always been there for him, had… betrayed him? His hands clenched into fists at his sides, anger bubbling up inside him.
"Why?" Niu's voice was strained, his chest tightening with hurt and confusion. "Why would she do that? Why would any of them do that?"
Orimudi took a deep breath, his eyes filled with a mixture of regret and understanding. "It wasn't done to hurt you, Niu. It was done to protect the sanctuary. You must understand, your past… it carries great power, power that could endanger us all. The dragon's domain is unforgiving, and if word got out that you were a reincarnate—especially one as powerful as you—there would be consequences. The safety of the sanctuary depended on it."
Niu's anger flared, his body trembling with frustration. "So they just erased everything? Took away everything that made me who I am?"
Orimudi placed a hand on Niu's shoulder, his voice calm but firm. "It wasn't an easy decision. Your mother didn't want to do it, but she knew it was the only way to keep you—and the sanctuary—safe. The elders, especially Elder Rujik, came up with the plan. They decided to divide your memories into twelve portions, scattering them among the sanctuary's elders to ensure they could never be fully recovered."
Niu took a step back, shaking his head. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. His mother, his own mother, had been part of this? The person he trusted most in the world had agreed to strip away his memories, leaving him with nothing but fragments of a life he couldn't even remember.
"How could she do this to me?" Niu muttered, more to himself than to Orimudi. "She knew I would want to know the truth. She knew I would want to remember."
Orimudi's eyes softened, sensing the depth of Niu's pain. "I know it feels like a betrayal, Niu. And in a way, it is. But it wasn't done out of malice. Your mother loves you deeply, and she was trying to protect you. She wanted to give you a chance to grow without the burden of your past weighing you down."
Niu's mind was spinning. He couldn't process it all—the revelation, the deception, the fact that his entire life had been built on a lie. But beneath the anger and hurt, there was something else. A flicker of understanding. If what Orimudi said was true, then before him was a portion of his life -- a part he had already recovered.
"So what now?" Niu asked, his voice quieter now, the anger ebbing into something closer to resignation. "What do I do with this?"
Orimudi turned back to the crystal slate, the images still flickering on its surface. "That's up to you, Niu. The memories are scattered across the sanctuary. But they are not completely lost. You have a choice—you can seek them out, piece them together, or you can continue as you are, forging a new path without the weight of your past."
Niu stared at the slate before him, his heart heavy with indecision. A part of him wanted to reclaim those lost memories, to know who he truly was, to understand the life he had lived before this one. But another part of him was afraid. Afraid of what he might find. Afraid of the person he used to be.
"Mother believed that I deserved a fresh start," Niu said in a low voice. "A chance to grow without the shadows of my past looming over me. But the choice is mine now. I have the power to decide what comes next."
"I believe accessing my memories may hinder my growth. As you mentioned, the elemental realm is based on spiritual affinity based on experiences with the elemental forces. Currently, I do not have any biases therefore can have any or all elemental attributes."
Orimudi hid his surprise, he never expected the child would refuse his memories. "You display remarkable wisdom, young master. Many people focus on their past, neglect their present, and worry about their future. Your memories are safe with me and I will guide you towards your goal."