Christina's world spun as she fell off the rooftop, her eyes wide open as many thoughts hit her at once.
"Am I going to die now that I've finally found reliable friends? I'm about to start enjoying life after so many years, is this my fate? To die a lonely and loveless life?"
Her fall seems to slow and the whole world became shrink out of her sight. She loosened her fist and let go of every thoughts, letting fate decide her end as she braves herself for whatever may come.
But suddenly, she was enveloped in a dark, winged shadow. She felt a gentle grasp, and her descent halted. Dazed, she opened her eyes to find herself on the ground, unscathed. Everything had happened in a blink of an eye.
"But...what just happened?" she thought to herself "Had I imagined the wings, the figure?" She rubbed her head, trying to shake off the haze.
Just then everything began to flood in, she remembered the monster she saw earlier on the rooftop. "An illusion, it had to be," she whispered to herself. Yet, the image lingered, haunting her.
She scanned the area, searching for Mike, but he was nowhere to be seen. She caught sight of Rachael approaching and rushed towards her.
"Where is your brother?" she demanded, her voice laced with concern.
Rachael shrugged, her expression neutral. "I just arrived, how do you expect me to know where he is?" she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
Christina's eyes narrowed, her mind racing. She turned away from Rachael and darted back to the rooftop.
"I'm sure I saw someone there. And what kind of costume was that?" she thought to herself.
"Could it have been real what I saw earlier? A human with wings? And wasn't it Mike who saved me from falling? No! No! No! No! That's nonsense."
Christina turned around and saw Stefan picking up a torn uniform from the ground. As her eyes locked onto the fabric, Stefan quickly concealed the it behind his back.
"Is that not Mike's uniform? How's it..." Christina's sentence trailed off as her confusion deepened. Her eyes widened, and her breath caught.
Why's Stefan hiding Mike's cloth?
What's he trying to hide?
The implications were staggering.
Stefan shook his head frantically, attempting to deflect Christina's suspicion. "No, it's not his," he insisted.
Christina's gaze lingered on Stefan's hidden hand, her mind racing with connections.
"Something is not right, did Mike actually..." Christina paused, her eyes scanning the area again. Her gaze landed on Mike's abandoned bag, and her thoughts clicked into place.
"OMG! It's Mike!" she exclaimed under her breath.
Her determination solidified. She had to know what happened. She pivoted, her feet carrying her toward the woods, driven by a mix of curiosity and trepidation.
"Where are you going? Christina!?" she heard Rachael calling out.
"To find out!" Christina replied over her shoulder, not breaking stride.
"Find out what!?" Stefan asked, his voice laced with alarm.
"What I saw!" Christina replied as she entered into the woods, Rachael and Stefan's voices fading at the distance.
*****
Mike gazed up at the colossal creature, its chiseled, masculine physique accentuated by its bare torso. A loincloth crafted from what appeared to be leopard or cheetah hide wrapped around its waist, forming a makeshift trouser that concealed its groin and extended down to its knees. The creature's rugged body was etched with scars, testifying to a history of battle and fierce combat.
Its feet were clad in primitive sandals, unlike any Mike had ever seen. Long, rope-like laces wound up its legs, securing the footwear in place and reaching almost to its knees. Hung from its shoulder was a brown pouch made of animal's fur.
Mike's confusion deepened. "What do you mean by…"
"You're the Jyuran, the chosen legendary protector of the kingdom of Perebia," Djumara explained, as if stating a fundamental truth. His expression shifted to shock, his eyes widening.
Mike's face reflected his bewilderment. "Legendary protector? Kingdom? What are you talking about?"
Djumara's confusion deepened, his brow furrowed. "You...don't remember?" he asked, incredulity lacing his voice. "You're the chosen, the legendary…"
"Wait! Wait! Wait! a moment," Mike urgently interjected, attempting to gather his scattered thoughts amidst the overwhelming influx of information. "Let me understand this correctly. Are you suggesting that I have been selected by this power within me, to fulfill the role of a yuran, or whatever that may entail? Furthermore, you're implying that the entity Perebia, which has frequented my dreams, is not an individual but a tangible kingdom that exists within our world?"
Djuma, acknowledging Mike's confusion, nodded solemnly as he cautiously stepped closer, his ears twitching alertly as if attuned to the slightest sound of approaching footsteps. "Indeed, Perebia is a kingdom that exists, albeit not on this planet; it resides on a distant planet," he elaborated.
"Inhabit another planet?" Mike's voice quivered with incredulity, his mind racing through the familiar names of neighboring planets. "Could it be Mars? Jupiter? Uranus? V..."
"Far beyond those realms, Perebia thrives on our home planet, Noan," Djuma clarified, his ears displaying an unusual independence, as if monitoring the surroundings for potential eavesdroppers. It twitched in opposing directions, defying the conventional unity of sensory organs. "Your purpose is to thwart the reign of terror of your son, Dahra."
"Kindly grant me a moment to process this," Mike implored, his hand reaching to steady his swirling thoughts. "My son? How is this conceivable? A son I'm unaware of? And how am I involved with the reign of terror?"
Djuma's expression shifted to one of surprise, his gaze lingered on Mike, searching for something. "It seems...your memories are sealed," he concluded, a hint of concern creeping into his voice.
"It was anticipated that you would have unlocked your memories by now; why the delay?" he inquired, his twitching ceased, and his long, pointed ears focused intently on Mike's direction.
"Memories?" Mike inquired, perplexed. "What exactly are you referring to?" The sheer volume of unfamiliar information threatened to overwhelm him, leaving his mind reeling. "Could you elaborate on these memories?"
"I'm talking about the memories stored within the Krara, the power that resides within you," Djuma explained. "These memories hold the key to your responsibilities to the kingdom and your connection to Dahra, your son."
Mike's confusion deepened. "But I don't recall anything. Are you suggesting that these memories are hidden somewhere in my mind?" he asked.
Djuma nodded gravely. "I believe so, it must've been suppressed, probably by fear or shock," he replied. "You must unlock them, as they hold the secrets of your past and your destiny."
Mike's eyes widened as realization dawned. "Perhaps that's why I've been seeing fragments of these memories in my dreams."
Djuma's expression turned puzzled. "Dreams? I'm unfamiliar with this term. What's dreams?"
"Dreams are visions or experiences that occur during sleep," Mike clarified.
However, Djuma's confusion persisted, indicating a lack of understanding. "You must unlock these memories," he pressed on, "or risk being murdered by your own son."
Mike's voice trembled with fear. "Why would Dahra want to kill me? I've committed no crimes," he said. "And why do you keep calling him my son? I'm sure whoever you're talking about is a villain. I'm still a virgin; it's impossible for me to have had a child already at my age."
Djuma's expression revealed bewilderment. "I apologize, but certain words you're using are unfamiliar to me. Your statement is difficult to comprehend."
"Why can't you understand? Are you an Ai or what?" Mike sniffed. "Even Ai knows some words."
"I'm not from this planet, though we share the same language, not all our words are the same," Djuma replied and took another step closer, his concern evident. "In your current state, returning to Perebia would be perilous. I fear you're unaware of the power you possess."
"I'm well aware of my abilities," Mike responded confidently. "I possess speed, superhearing, night vision, superstrength, and today I discovered my eagle-like vision. And, as it so happens, today's also my first transformation."
As he spoke, Mike seamlessly transformed back into his human form.
Djuma's gaze lingered on Mike, shaking his head in dismay. "You can't even maintain your Anthropter form for an extended period. Are you aware of your superhealing and regeneration capabilities? Do you realize you're essentially indestructible?"
"What!?" Mike squealed in disbelief. "Re...re...what? Regeneration?" His expression turned stunned, frozen in place by Djuma's revelations about the depth of his powers.
Djuma's voice took on a serious tone. "You still have much to learn, my Jyuran. There's a vast chasm of knowledge about yourself that remains unexplored."
Mike's mind reeled, overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of Djuma's statements.
"I know your mind is racing with questions," Djuma acknowledged, "but I cannot provide all the answers. As you unlock your memories, the truths will reveal themselves. Our priority now is to ensure you're prepared, for only you can save Perebia."