Dave sat on the ground, which looked like water but felt solid, with a watery shimmer. His surroundings were dim and misty, and he wore a sad expression as he sat on the floor, knowing he was in his cosmic mind.
"What does my dad have to do with this?" Dave asked himself, confused, as he played with his fingers, lost in thought.
"The look in her eyes—it was like she realized something, like she remembered. She said, 'Find my dad before it's too late.' What does she mean?" Dave wondered.
"Thinking too much won't bring you closer to the answer," Lord Kan said, walking toward Dave.
Dave wished his mom had lived a few minutes longer to explain. He never knew his father, and she hadn't spoken about him since his disappearance. Her dying words sounded like a warning, urging him to find his father.
"Do you have any clue what she meant?" Dave asked Lord Kan, hoping for a helpful answer.
"She wasn't leaving you a riddle, Dave. She gave you a purpose, a journey to find the truth about your father. No matter how long it takes, no matter the obstacles, you must fulfill your mother's dying wish. It's what she wanted you to do." Lord Kan's words sank deep into Dave, and he began to cry.
"Thank you. Now I understand. She died to tell me this. If I hadn't stayed in control, I would have been killed. Thank you. Now I know what I must do," Dave said, and Lord Kan nodded in approval.
"For a second, I thought you were going to attack me, now that I've materialized," Lord Kan said.
"It's no use. Now that I understand what I must do, this path is all that matters."
"I wanted to ask—do you know Uria?" Dave asked.
"Uria? Unfortunately, I don't. Who or what is Uria?" Lord Kan asked, confused.
"When I was eight, I encountered an alien. For some reason, I wasn't scared, even when I tried to act like it. That was the first time I heard your name. He told me I was your reincarnation. He said he was from a distant planet, the last of his kind, called the Arath clan. He gave me an orb. He was dying and wanted me to have it because he knew you. He said you were like him—white skin, big black eyes. He was the last of his kind." Dave spoke softly.
"That must be my origin, a clue to where I came from. I have no memory of my past life, or something is blocking me. So where is this orb now? Maybe it will give us a hint," Lord Kan asked.
"The orb? It's in my room. If I regain consciousness, I'll go home to get it. I hid it somewhere. I'd love to find out about your origin and why you reincarnated into me," Dave said.
"It's not a perfect reincarnation, since I'm an entity inside you. A perfect reincarnation happens when one of us is the direct entity of the one reincarnated. For instance, you'd be Dave but with my memories of my past life. Or maybe this is another form of reincarnation," Lord Kan explained.
"I was going to say that, but my body isn't responding. Was I really that drained and exhausted?" Dave asked, worried as he tried to connect to his body.
"Strange that I can't feel what's happening outside either," Lord Kan said, looking up at the misty sky.
Meanwhile, Lang stood in a place with little rocks and floating rocks all around. He looked focused as he scanned his surroundings, thinking he had been kidnapped. The place resembled a fantasy world with huge floating rocks, and he had no clue where he was.
After a long search, Lang noticed something in the distance. He attempted to use his powers but realized he couldn't.
"What's going on here? Where am I?" Lang asked in frustration when he discovered he couldn't use his powers.
Lang decided to approach the unknown entity ahead of him. The entity wasn't human. Lang was confused, thinking he was on another planet. The alien was restrained by chains from the ground. Like Lord Kan, it had white pale skin, a unique figure, and big black eyes with black markings on his skin. It sat on the ground, conscious but not paying attention to Lang, though it knew he was there.
"Who are you? What is this place, and where am I? Speak now—I need answers," Lang ordered.
"You sick brat, who do you think you are? Oh, you want to know where you are? Find out for yourself; the answers are all around you," Lord Shade said, smiling cunningly at Lang.
"You bastard," Lang screamed as he attempted to charge at Lord Shade but was blocked by an invisible barrier.
"You think this is funny? What do you know about the attack on my friends Mika and Mei? I swear, if I find a way to break this barrier, I'll squeeze the answers out of you," Lang shouted, hitting the barrier repeatedly.
"Aren't you too young to be violent? About those friends of yours—let me refresh your memory: you were holding their dead bodies," Lord Shade said, smiling cunningly, which annoyed Lang even more, making him punch the barrier in anger.
"I finally meet someone driven by rage. It's funny how human emotions can be so strong and deep. Emotions make you human but can also be your downfall. They're gone, and you're far from bringing them back," Lord Shade uttered.
"What is this place?" Lang asked forcefully.
"You'll never get that answer in your current state," Lord Shade said.
Lang observed him and looked around. He saw floating rocks, dark clouds, and a half-blue sun. He looked at his hand and then at Lord Shade again.
"Something's not right. Am I still unconscious? This isn't my physical body, but I still don't know what this place is," Lang said calmly.
"At least you figured one part out. You're in your Cosmo mind, a state where your mind and Cosmo connect, and I occupy this part of you," Lord Shade said.
"I understand the Cosmo mind a little. What do you mean you occupy this part of me?" Lang asked.
"As you can see, I'm a living entity inside you, your source of power. From what I observe, I had a previous life, but somehow I found myself here. I have no memory of my past life. Do you understand?" Lord Shade explained.
"If you're right, why are you in chains?" Lang asked.
"Because your stupid Cosmo detected me as a threat, which is wrong. Now do me a favor—manipulate your Cosmo and lift these chains off me," Lord Shade shouted.
"Cosmo—what Master Sin Su referred to as every Izigans' second consciousness. He said it protects the Izigans when they run out of cosmic energy. If my Cosmo restrained him, he isn't supposed to be here. He mentioned he's the source of my powers, so I need to know more," Lang thought.
"What is this boy thinking? He has a strong will and mind. If his Cosmo is this active, I wonder how strong he is. I need his body to find the truth about myself and my past life. I can't continue as this human's soul bound or whatever. Does that mean I'll become part of him one day?" Lord Shade wondered.
"I'm still unconscious; I can feel it now. I can sense the power around you. You'll remain in chains and teach me to manipulate gravity fully. I need to become stronger to avenge my sister and friend. I'll gain full control of my Cosmo to free you if you meet my needs, but you'll stay like this as long as I want," Lang ordered.
Lord Shade let out a loud laugh.
"Who do you think you are? Don't make me laugh, boy. To think I'll be someone you can order around—think again. You're tough for a kid. I misjudged your intelligence. You amuse me. Let's do it this way: I'll help you learn to manipulate your Cosmo, then you free me. You'll have my powers, and I just want out of these chains," Lord Shade said.
"I'm not dumb, Alien. You want to take advantage of me and take over my body. Now I know why my Cosmo restrained you.
You're not going anywhere. When I learn to manipulate my Cosmo, I'll squeeze the juice out of you, then you won't be of use. The power I need I'll take by force. So if you like yourself, help me learn my powers. As long as you're here, we're partners. You help me, I help you. Do we have a deal, Mr. Alien? I'm guessing you have a name," Lang said.
"This kid is no kid. He's something else. He's smart, and his quick judgment skills are remarkable. I can't believe I'm about to submit to this brat. I guess I have no choice," Lord Shade thought, taking a deep breath and looking at Lang in defeat.
"Alright, we have a deal. Partners, you say—so be it. But you must know, to obtain my full power, it doesn't come easy. Your body has to accept the flow. I don't give power; your body must be open to receiving it. Powers don't work on weak bodies," Lord Shade warned.
"I am not weak," Lang added.
"Oh, just wait and see what I mean when you wake up," Lord Shade said, smiling, keeping Lang curious.
---
"Call me Lord Shade," the entity declared.
"I'll call you Shade. Lose the 'Lord'," Lang replied, watching as Shade frowned at his insolence.