### **Arc 1, Chapter 6: Visions of the Past**
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The journey back to Lysara feels surreal, as if the world outside the city is growing more foreign with each passing step. The weight of what just happened still lingers—the controlled flame in my hand, the way the Veilborn recoiled, and the quiet sense of victory that filled me after its defeat. But beneath that pride is a gnawing uncertainty.
Why did the fire listen to me this time? What was different?
The sun is higher in the sky now, filtering through the dense canopy of trees overhead. I try to focus on my breathing, on the rhythm of my steps, but my thoughts keep drifting back to the fire. The magic. How could something so dangerous, so chaotic, bend to my will after weeks of failures? Elara's words echo in my mind—*"Trust yourself."* But it wasn't just trust, was it? It was something more. Something I still don't understand.
As I walk, my hand brushes against the pendant around my neck—the one I've worn since I woke in this world. A simple, silver chain with a strange gem embedded in the center. I don't know why, but touching it always brings me a strange sense of calm. I close my eyes for a moment, feeling its warmth against my skin.
Suddenly, the world shifts.
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I'm no longer in the forest.
The sky above is dark, swirling with storm clouds. Thunder rumbles in the distance, and the ground beneath my feet is cracked, scorched, as if some terrible force ripped through the land. I'm standing in the middle of what looks like a battlefield—one that's long since been abandoned. The air is thick with the scent of ash and something else… something metallic.
There are no bodies, no signs of life. Just destruction. I look down at my hands and realize they're different—larger, rougher, scarred. These aren't my hands.
A sudden jolt of panic shoots through me. I try to move, to run, but my body doesn't respond. I'm trapped in this moment, this vision, as if I'm seeing through someone else's eyes.
Ahead of me, the landscape shifts, warping like a mirage. Figures appear, distant at first but growing clearer with each step I take. Soldiers, clad in dark armor, their faces hidden beneath helmets that gleam in the faint light. They march forward, relentless, their swords drawn and glowing with some kind of unnatural energy. And behind them, towering above the rest, is a figure cloaked in shadow. Its presence sends a chill down my spine.
I don't know who—or what—it is, but I can feel the malice radiating from it. The power. It's overwhelming, suffocating.
As the figure steps closer, I realize I've seen it before. In flashes, in nightmares that have haunted me since I woke in Elysia. The shadowed figure with burning eyes. The one that watched me fall.
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I snap back to reality with a gasp, stumbling forward as the forest around me reappears. My heart is racing, my breaths coming in short, panicked bursts. I look around, disoriented, but the forest is still. Quiet. There's no sign of the battlefield, no soldiers, no shadowed figure.
Just me. Alone.
I collapse against a tree, my legs weak, and bury my face in my hands. What the hell was that? It felt so real, like I was there—living someone else's memories. But that can't be right. I'm Arion Valen, a stranger in this world, with no connection to whatever that vision was. Right?
I squeeze the pendant in my hand, feeling its warmth again. This time, though, the warmth is tinged with something else. A sense of familiarity, of… recognition.
I don't know what's happening to me, but I can't shake the feeling that the answers lie somewhere in my past. The life I had before waking in Elysia. The memories I've been seeing in my dreams—they're not just random flashes. They're pieces of a puzzle, one I'm not sure I'm ready to solve.
But I have to. If I want to understand my powers, my place in this world, I need to confront whatever these visions are trying to show me. Even if the truth terrifies me.
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By the time I reach Lysara, the sun is beginning to set. The city's gates loom ahead, their towering stone walls a welcome sight after the day I've had. As I approach, the guards give me a quick nod before opening the gates, allowing me to slip inside without question.
The streets are quieter now, the bustle of the day fading as the city prepares for nightfall. I make my way toward the Guardian quarters, my legs heavy with exhaustion. All I want is to collapse into my bed and forget about the visions, about the fire, about everything. But as I pass through the marketplace, I spot a familiar figure standing near one of the stalls.
Elara.
She's speaking with a merchant, her expression as calm and unreadable as ever. But when she glances in my direction, her eyes meet mine, and for a brief moment, I see something in her gaze—concern, maybe? Or curiosity? It's hard to tell.
I stop, my exhaustion momentarily forgotten, and walk over to her. "Elara," I say, my voice rough from the day's events.
She raises an eyebrow. "You're back sooner than I expected."
"I—" The words stick in my throat. I'm not sure how to explain what happened. How do I tell her about the vision, about the battlefield and the shadowed figure, without sounding insane? "Something… happened. Out there. I saw—"
"Visions?" she asks, her tone neutral.
I blink, taken aback. "How did you—?"
Elara sighs, her gaze drifting toward the sky. "You're not the first to experience them. And you won't be the last."
Her words send a chill through me. "What are they?"
"I don't know for certain," she admits. "But the magic in this world—especially after the Veil Shattering—has strange effects on those who wield it. Visions of the past, of possible futures… it's all connected to the essence of Elysia."
I swallow hard, my mind racing. If these visions are connected to the magic, then does that mean my powers—my fire—are somehow linked to this world's history? To the Veil Shattering? It seems impossible, but after today, I'm not sure what to believe.
Elara watches me for a moment before placing a hand on my shoulder. "Whatever you saw, don't let it consume you. Focus on the present. On mastering your power."
I nod, though her words do little to ease the weight on my chest. "I'll try."
As she turns to leave, I can't help but call after her. "Elara?"
She stops, glancing back at me.
"Do you think… these visions… they mean something, don't they?"
For the first time, I see a flicker of uncertainty in her eyes. "Maybe. But that's for you to figure out."
And with that, she disappears into the crowd, leaving me standing alone in the fading light.
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**End of Chapter 6**