The Day Before.....
In his dimly lit office, Kiad sat behind his mahogany desk, the responsibilities he carried were pressing down on his broad shoulders. Papers were scattered in front of him financial reports, project proposals, contracts all demanding his attention. But despite the chaos that usually demanded every ounce of his focus, his mind was elsewhere. His phone buzzed with a notification, pulling him briefly from his thoughts. It was a message from his secretary.
"Update on Miss Luna," the message read. "She's recovering well. No major injuries. The press is asking questions about why you haven't visited yet."
Kiad exhaled deeply, rubbing the back of his neck. He had been avoiding this issue for far too long. The accident had rattled him more than he cared to admit, a kidnap is a big deal and yet, he hadn't gone to see Luna. Not even a call. That last conversation they had before everything went wrong still lingered in his mind. She hadn't given him an answer. And now, with everything that had happened, he feared that she never would.
How could he face her? She had almost died, and he hadn't even had the decency to visit her in the hospital. His grandfather had already berated him for it. His parents had called, their disappointment clear even through the phone when they asked him about Luna. And the press relentless as always were circling like vultures, questioning his absence, speculating about the nature of their relationship, spinning rumors that he couldn't control and the engagement is falling apart..so and so.
But what could he say to her now? He needed to know what her answer would be, but the timing couldn't have been worse. The business was at its peak, demanding every moment of his attention, and yet, every second that passed without him reaching out to Luna only made things worse. The guilt gnawed at him, slowly eating away at his confidence.
His hand hovered over his phone, the screen illuminating his tired face as he debated sending a message, something simple "How are you?" but even that felt too much like an intrusion after his long silence. He clenched his jaw and tossed the phone back onto the desk, leaning back in his chair with a frustrated sigh.
"I need to see her," he muttered to himself. "I need to set this right."
As the night deepened, the city outside his office glowed with the soft lights of buildings and streets stretching into the horizon. He stared out at it, feeling the pull to go to her, but also he could not, he should not.
***
Meanwhile, not far from the hospital, Elis stood by a beautiful pond, the night air cool against his skin. The soft rippling of water mirrored the swirling confusion in his mind. His reflection stared back at him from the still surface of the pond, but it was a face he had only recently begun to recognize. It felt foreign and familiar all at once. He leaned closer to the water, his breath fogging the glassy surface as he traced the lines of his face with his fingertips. His lips, his eyes, his jawline each detail felt like a puzzle piece falling into place after years of being lost.
It was as if he was seeing himself for the first time.
"I'm free," Elis whispered, his voice barely a breath, then louder, more forceful, "I'm free!"
A rush of emotion surged through him, and he couldn't contain it. He shouted into the night, the sound echoing off the nearby trees and disappearing into the distance. His heart raced in his chest, and for a moment, the world felt alive with possibility. He was back....back from wherever he had been, back in a body that felt like his own, and it felt good.
But then, reality began to creep back in. Elis frowned, his expression tightening as he tried to remember how he had gotten here. But his memories were faded somehow. The last thing he could recall was a blinding light, something so bright it had consumed everything around him. After that, nothing. Just the void. He had no memory of how he had arrived in this place, no recollection of how long he had been gone.
He stared harder into the water, searching the depths of his reflection as if the answers might lie there. But there was nothing, no clarity. Only questions.
"I don't remember," he muttered to himself. "Why can't I remember?"
For a moment, panic threatened to take hold. What was this place? Where was he? He spun on his heel, scanning the quiet surroundings. There were no carriages, no familiar sights from the world he once knew. The buildings were strange, the people if he could call them that looked nothing like what he remembered. The men had short hair, their faces clean-shaven, their clothes fitted and modern. The women walked openly, their heads uncovered, their attire far from the modest gowns he was accustomed to.
He looked down at himself, suddenly aware of his own appearance. The clothes he wore felt odd, like a costume from a different era. His hands clenched at the fabric, frustration bubbling up inside him. "Where the hell am I?" he whispered, his voice tight with confusion. "And what am I wearing?"
His mind raced as he tried to make sense of it all. He didn't belong here. This wasn't his time. He closed his eyes, trying to calm the storm of thoughts. In moments of desperation like these, he had always relied on his ability to control his surroundings to move from one place to another, to travel through time as effortlessly as walking through a door.
But now, something was wrong.
"Take me back," he whispered under his breath, the words slipping out before he even realized it. His eyes snapped open, expecting to be somewhere else to feel the familiar rush of energy that accompanied his movements through time.
But nothing happened.
He was still there, standing by the pond, the water rippling softly at his feet. His heart skipped a beat, and he tried again, his voice more desperate this time. "Take me back!"
Still nothing.
Panic clawed at his chest, and he stumbled back a step, staring at the ground as if it had betrayed him. He had always been able to move between worlds, between moments in time, but now... now he was stuck.
"What... what is this?" he muttered, his breath coming faster. "Why can't I go back?"
His thoughts spun wildly, and he struggled to regain control. Something had changed. He wasn't sure what, but he needed to figure it out. The man named ,Elis , He took a deep breath, closing his eyes once more, trying to focus. He had to stay calm. He had to think.
But the realization washed over him like a cold wave: he didn't know this era. He was a stranger here, a relic from another time, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, he had no idea how to find his way back.
"Where am I?" he whispered, his voice small and uncertain. "What am I supposed to do now?"
He stared down at his reflection once more, but this time, it didn't offer any answers. His face was the same, but the world around him had changed in ways he couldn't comprehend.
The freedom he had felt only moments ago now seemed like a distant memory, replaced by a deep sense of disorientation. He was free, yes, but what did that mean in a world where everything was unfamiliar?
He clenched his fists, determination hardening his features. He would figure this out. He had to. There were too many questions left unanswered, too many mysteries swirling around him like a thick fog. And one of those mysteries was Luna.
He didn't know why, but something inside him told him that Luna was important that she held a key to the answers he sought. She had been there when he awoke in this world, and her presence had stirred something deep within him, something he couldn't explain.
Elis straightened, his eyes narrowing as he made his decision. He would find her. He would get the answers he needed, no matter what it took. And maybe, just maybe, in finding her, he would find himself once more.