SYSTEM ASCENSION

Morning light filtered through the open window, reflecting directly on his face. The sound of chipping birds, mixed with low inaudible chatter clouded his ears. No doubt, the town was up and bouncing.

His eyes fluttered open, even when the smooth surface of the bed pulled him closer to slumber. He seem to be in new clothes and quite comfortable too.

He opened his eyes to the brightness of the room. To the left was a simple old shelf and a little table beside it, where a flowered vase sat on. A mirror mount the wall close to it. Other than that was him, the bed and the little girl drooling on his face.

She giggled and caress his long hair.

He frowned.

”What are you?”

”You mean who?” A boy voice sounded from the door. He rolled his eyes and adjusted his glasses before pushing up the wall and walking inside.

”She’s Rasy, and I am Keen.”

Elias abruptly sat up, the girl rolling off him with a startled scream. Keen dashed forward and caught her, causing him to crash into the bed wood.

”Urgh! Damnit!”

Elias regarded the boy. He look no older than ten and the girl...barely two?

”You! What is your problem?!” Keen adjusted his disheveled glasses. ”Are you trying to kill her?!”

Elias put down his leg to stand, but he drew it back up as he saw how carefully it was cleaned and bandaged.

Keen huffed.

”Sir Zeal stayed up all night, tending to you, when you were out cold like a buffalo!”

Elias stood up. His eye scanned the room again.

”What is your name?” Keen inched closer and went around him, clenching tight on Rasy who was trying to break free. ”You’re really tall!”

Elias eye settled on the mirror.

”Hey! Your name?”

He froze, and just stared. Voices turned distorted in a second, and it was just him. Him and his reflection.

”Elias...” The voice came. ”Switch with me.”

”You!”

He flinched at Keen’s voice.

”Are you listening to me?!”

He blinked once.

”Did you live in a jungle. Why is your hair unkept?”

He turned away and walk to the door.

”Stop ignoring me!!”

Elias did just that. Ignored him. Ignored his rambling and tantrums as he exit the room.

The scent of fleshy made buns filled the air, drawing him in before anything else. He found himself in the kitchen.

Zeal twirled around, singing into the spatula, while flipping buns. Rowen sat on the counter, sipping tea from a mug and reading a newspaper.

Elias stared at them for a considerable amount of time. Then, he muttered.

”Why am I here in the first place?”

Mona came.

”I should ask you that.”

Zeal turned around.

”Hah! Good morning, your highness!”

Rowen raised his head.

”Oh. You’re up.”

Zeal flung the spatula across the room, not caring that it crashed into arranged pans, slipping them across the room.

Rowen snapped at him.

”Are you mad?!”

Zeal skipped over to Elias and grabbed his hands.

”Did you sleep well, your highness?”

Elias was visibly taken aback. He blinked slowly and try to withdrew his hands, but Zeal didn’t let go. He smiled so bright you could almost see stars in his eyes.

Rowen hopped down the counter, and closed the distance with a simple teleportation. He knocked Zeal over.

”Elias. I need to see your sealing stone for a second.”

Elias eyes instinctively drifted down to the necklace around his neck.

”Yeah. This one.” Rowen nodded.

”No.”

The answer cut Rowen off guard.

”Huh?! You won’t even let me see a measly stone?!”

Elias ignored him and looked away.

Rowen head boiled.

”Give it!” He pounced on Elias. They both crashed down and began to throw a childish fit.

”Oh my.” Zeal chuckled.

Soon, Rowen stood up, the necklace dangling between his finger tip. He pant slowly and leaned against the counter.

”Got it.”

Elias slowly raised, and began to dust his clothes.

Rowen glanced at the necklace.

”Now we just need to...”

The chain holding the stone glowed, the stone vibrating.

”Wha...”

It circular chain snapped at the side. It flew out of Rowen’s arm, like it was rejecting him, and went around Elias’s neck again.

”What the hell was that.” Rowen exclaimed.

Zeal chuckled again.

Rowen stepped closer to Elias, and reached for the sealing stone. He light glowed again, and it moved from his neck, wrapping around his right hand.

”Is it running from me?” Rowen raised an eyebrow, clearly irritated. He dashed forward and reached for it. The stone moved with a speed that made Elias stumble and wrapped around his ankle.

Zeal stepped forward and placed a hand on Rowen’s shoulder.

”Hold on. Let me do it.”

Rowen stepped aside and he stepped forward.

”Your highness,” he began. ”We only want to confirm who took you, from the sealing stone. We have no reason to steal it, and even if we did steal it. You match us in strength to take it back.”

Elias just stared at him.

”So, please?” He beamed.

”That thing is a parasite with a life of it’s own. It won’t listen.” Rowen waved.

”Not exactly true,” Zeal bend down. He nudge Elias’s leg for a moment. ”It follows it master’s will.”

Elias reluctantly raised his leg, and Zeal took it out.

”Basically,” Zeal stood up and pat Elias’s head. ”If he doesn’t want you to have it. You can’t have it.”

”Damn both of you.”

Zeal laughed and turned around.

”Language, Row—”

...

...

His smile cracked.

He was no longer in the kitchen. No longer flipping buns. Rather, he was in a desert, with a bright sky.

Before him was someone, badly wounded shivering even under the scorching sun.

He blinked once, and again. His eye drifted down to the necklace in his grip, and back to the unidentified youth.

’Is this...his memories? If it is...then, where is...’

He turned around. Behind him was the familiar face, covered in dirt and blood. His eyes were cold. He held his hunter dagger.

The youth flinched at the sight of Elias.

”Wait no!” The person began to back away. ”I’m sorry! I was not among them! I didn’t plot to kill her!”

Elias raised a brow. He took a step closer.

”Plot to kill her...plot to kill who?”

The youth flinched.

”Huh? Where you not hunting us because of that girl?!”

Elias raised a brow.

”What girl?”

Zeal who watched from the side observed their interactions with critical eyes.

’It’s not that long ago. Elias look the same as he is now. This much be months...no weeks before we met him.’

The youth paled, voice raising in desperation.

”Why then?! Everyone is dead! Why are you killing everybody? Why did you trigger a bounty quest?!”

Elias thought. He raised his head side and then back to the youth.

”Why...”

A grin slowly lit up his face. ”Because I can.”

The youth began to crawl away.

”Get away from me! Get away from me, you monster!”

Elias waved off the dagger, and conjured a spear. He stepped closer and stood beside the youth and raised it.

”No... don’t kill me! Please! Plea_”

It ended with a stab to the skull.

Silence descended.

Zeal felt a chill run up his spine. He clenched his hand around the necklace and grinned.

”He’s not your average child huh...”

Elias turned around and yawned.

”What girl did they plot to kill?”

The voice came.

”That A rank girl. Yvonne.”

Zeal flinched at the sudden voice that cracked into his mind. He glanced around, but couldn’t find anybody.

’Am I hearing this because it’s his memories?’

”Yvonne...” Elias repeated.

”Who is that?”

Zeal narrowed his eyes.

”Split personality?”