The Crossroads of Realities (3)

He was sure that the red-haired woman was more resourceful than she looked. After all, their brief encounter had revealed her combat prowess and the fact that she was intimately familiar with the concept of a "butterfly prince." Enzo's mind raced as he tried to piece together the puzzle of his situation.

Gently landing on the grassy hill, he allowed himself a moment to catch his breath and gather his thoughts. The landscape around him was a stark contrast to the battlefield he had just left. It exuded an almost magical calmness, a respite from the chaos he had experienced moments ago.

"I need to find out more about this place," Enzo muttered to himself. He knew that being on the run wasn't a viable strategy. He needed information, allies, and a plan.

His butterflies, always his reliable companions, fluttered around him as if sharing his concern. He absentmindedly reached out, letting their delicate wings brush against his fingertips. Their presence was reassuring, reminding him that he wasn't completely alone in this strange new world.

Filled with determination, Enzo stood up. He took in his surroundings, noting the distant mountain range, the shimmering streams, and the vibrant flora. There was an eerie familiarity to the scene as if he had seen it in a dream long ago.

"Seriously all of this is so strange!"

Indeed, how could he even remember such a place? He lived his whole life on Earth, so such scenery wasn't possible. The trees were way too beautiful, and the grass shined brightly under the sun.

"And how does this woman know about me? Surely if the last butterfly royalty died ages ago, there would be no record of them, right? Yes, she looked as if she knew everything about me and my power."

Indeed things started to get stranger as time passes. But it wasn't anything new. After all, since the debut of the apocalypse, unimaginable things happened left and right. Yet this place seemed to be the strangest of them all.

On one side of this land, a furious war was waged between different races, while on another part, it was as if no worries could penetrate it, not even the scream of hundreds if not thousands of people dying.

"What am I even supposed to do here? Go and fight in the hope of finding a clue, or explore this place in the hope of finding a benevolent someone who could help me..." Enzo thoughts as he looked at both sides. Then with a nervous chuckle, he said, "Yeah, who am I kidding? I better consider everyone here as an enemy if I don't wanna die. Everyone might as well want to get my head. After all, if I'm indeed a prince, things will go sour for me sooner or later, that's for sure."

He clenched his fists, feeling a mixture of determination and apprehension coursing through his veins. As he continued to survey his surroundings, Enzo noticed a narrow path leading down from the hill into a lush forest. It seemed like as good a place as any to start his exploration. With a deep breath, he took his first step, the grass softly crunching beneath his boots.

The forest was alive with a symphony of sounds—chirping birds, rustling leaves, and the occasional distant roar from the ongoing battle. Enzo kept his guard up, his senses on high alert. He couldn't afford to be careless, not in a world that held both beauty and danger in equal measure.

Seconds turned into minutes, and minutes turned into hours. Enzo kept exploring, caves, narrow paths, and high-view points, but there was nothing of use here.

is frustration grew as he moved deeper into the forest, his mind wrestling with the lack of progress. The forest seemed to stretch on endlessly, and despite his efforts, he found no signposts, no hints, and no other living beings.

"Is this some sort of elaborate test?" he muttered to himself, his voice echoing through the trees. "Am I meant to prove myself before I'm given any answers?"

The sun began its descent, casting long shadows that played tricks on his eyes. Enzo decided to find a suitable spot to rest for the night, a place where he could maintain some degree of safety. He stumbled upon a small clearing near a murmuring brook and decided it would suffice.

As he settled down, the weight of the day's events bore down on him. The idea that he might be a "butterfly prince" from a lineage he couldn't remember still baffled him. He lay on the grass, staring up at the darkening sky, his thoughts alternating between determination and self-doubt.

After all, even though not for long, he thoughts that those classes he had to choose were just the next step for his evolution. Without it, he would have surely died long ago. Yet now, with all the new information he had, those classes seemed to be far different than what he thought

On the one hand, he was sure that some people didn't have anything to do with an ancient lineage, but was it the same for him?

He still vividly remembers the dream he first had on the first night of the apocalypse.

He had been thrown into a white space without anything in view. Then, a voice resounded into his ears, carrying the weight of royalty. At that time, the woman said that she would give him a chance. And when he woke up, he got his ability of 'butterfly control'.

'Then was it because of her? Did I become a prince because of her interference?' He thought while massaging his eyes. "Argh for real though, I don't know anymore. All of this is so confusing!"

As the night passed, Enzo suddenly got an idea. When he defeated the guardian of Fury back in the dungeon of Fury, he obtained two rewards. One was the 'Ancient Thorn of the Guardian', which he consumed immediately. It allowed him to not be clouded by emotions anymore. And although he didn't know if it worked well, he was sure that if he didn't consume it back then, his choices might have been way different.

As for his second reward, it was the 'Memory of the Beginning'. This 'petal', once consumed would allow him to see a part of his class' lineage.

He hadn't consumed it yet. After all, he didn't know if it would have been really useful. But... things seems to be a little different now.