Chapter 3.5: Aria Tempus

I woke up in an unfamiliar setting. It wasn't a large city, bustling with people on their way to work. but instead, was a seemingly desolate suburb.

That didn't mean it was completely isolated. Cars were driving along frequently, and I could still spot a few people walking around.

I woke up unable to remember what had happened to me. Amnesia? No, it couldn't be. I knew who I was, yet I couldn't remember how I had got here or why I was asleep in the streets. Judging by the clothes I'm currently wearing, I most definitely am not homeless.

Everything seemed odd and out of place. It was hard to put it into words. But I was certain of just one thing;

I didn't belong here.

Whether I was stranded in a different country, or in another state I wasn't too sure yet.

I looked over at the setting sun within the canvas of the stunning colours with tints of warm orange and purple splattered around. The serenity due to the lack of people and traffic all contributed to the alluring sunset. In such a situation I feel like I should be trying desperately to remember as much as I could, maybe I should start panicking and hope this is all a dream, even going around asking people about where I currently was could help me in some way. Yet under the gift of nature, I didn't move as the sun slowly set. A small smile formed on my face.

***

9 pm. That was what the time my watch read, meaning I'd been walking around for approximately an hour now. Currently, I was walking around through an alleyway which, according to one person I spoke to, leads straight to the closest train station. Though I would have to travel illegally, that sort of thing couldn't be helped currently. Either way, I could rely on my blessing if the situation gets difficult. Not that I really wanted to though.

After what feels like was a few minutes of wandering around, I came to notice a silhouette of a human.

'A person?'

It was odd considering that the person ahead of me was the only person I saw during my time in these backstreets.

I saw him stop upon noticing me, I guess he was also surprised to see another person amid the dark. Yet after a few seconds began walking towards me again. The closer I got to him, the more visible he became. He had matching glasses along with his black unkempt hair, though the hair was unkempt, it wasn't messy, but rather, it suited him. Judging by his uniform he seems to be a school student. I didn't end up thinking much of it as I walked past him.

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"They're coming for you…"

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"You're just a curse."

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'"R-run! Aria!!"'

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I immediately felt a brief wave of anxiety wash over me. Different voices all began to ring in my ear as what I could only assume to be fragments of my memories began to congregate.

I began to remember specific events. The memories came back in flashes, almost like pictures in my mind. As more memories came back, they started to connect like puzzle pieces, however, the puzzle wasn't complete.

I remembered the feelings of joy when I reunited with my family after not seeing them for a long time, the experience gained from my first quest, graduating from my academy.

But with the good came the bad. Memories of loss and regret also resurfaced, and it was hard to face them. It was like reliving the pain all over again. Yet this wasn't something I could avoid, I had to confront each one of my memories, and the catalyst for that...

was the boy that walked past me. I wasn't sure what he was, but he most definitely couldn't be a normal human.

"Hey. What are you?" I asked.

I received no response.

"I asked you a question."

"Uh, could you perhaps be… talking to me?"

"Yes. What are you? Which one are you from?"

I could remember why I was sent here. To escape I travelled into another 'dimension.' Recalling the bundle of voices that entered my head earlier, no one in this dimension should hold a blessing, which was most likely the reason I got sent here: to ensure my safety. Meaning he, like me, also got transported here.

"I'm a student that lives around here." He replied.

I didn't think it'd be that easy to get an answer out of him.

He may have been involved in the same situation as me, giving me a reason as to why he triggered my memories. He is the first step in claiming my memories back. In other words, he was someone I definitely couldn't let escape from me.

"Don't die."

I quietly muttered as I set out a large barrier which enveloped the entire suburb, blacking out in the process.

***

The moment I woke up, memories, different from the one I lost, flowed into my head. From chasing, to punching and kicking, in the end, I had knocked him out. Well, 'she' knocked him out more precisely.

I have a split personality. Every time I activate my blessing, my consciousness switches with another, meaning I wasn't in control of my own body during this time. We switch back either after an hour or once 'she' grows bored. Luckily, for some reason, that occurs only once a day, in which I'm able to manipulate both the contents within the barrier and time correspondingly.

Looking back, he used his ability at the worst time. After receiving a heavy beating from… me, it looked as if he used it to try to create a diversion, even if I hadn't punched him, he probably would've passed out from exhaustion.

'It's a miracle that he's alive…'

Usually 'she' kills everyone that she sees, which is why I never use my ability unless the time really comes.

Though… It looks like I have to wait now.

***

It had been around an hour since I last 'woke up,' while wondering when he'll wake up from his slumber, I heard a voice come from behind me.

"I guess It was a dream."

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After sincerely apologising to him. I ended up explaining to him the brief concept of my blessing and how it was applied in our earlier squabble. Usually, revealing this somewhat classified information would be a poor decision, in any other case, I'm sure forcing him to talk would've been more efficient than discussing it with him.

But… I kinda felt bad for knocking him out, especially after seeing how much of a hopeless fighter he was. There was genuinely no risk in letting him know about me, this could also allow me to build a sense of trust.

"That's enough about me though. I'd like to know who you are, where you're from, and why you'd come here."

There was a silent pause before he began speaking. Building trust seemed to be the way through this.

"I'm Einar Raine, and I'm from… Korea? I came with my family because they wanted to..? How the hell do I answer that!!"

Though the answer he gave me wasn't really sufficient…

"Which dimension are you from?" I decided to give him a little push.

"What do you mean dimension? Is that some sort of another world?"

But his reply instead evoked a sense of anxiousness within me.

'I could've inferred that he wasn't involved with my situation since he's so wimpy. But, he doesn't know what dimensions are?'

"What's wrong?"

"N-no. Sorry, just forget what I said."

'"They're coming for you…"'

I was reminded by those words. Does getting involved with him mean he's in danger too? I could say with certainty that he wasn't if we were within my barrier, except it had already dissipated earlier.

I needed to leave…

I walked away with no destination, but a goal. I need to get away from him before he gets involved with me…

I didn't want to be responsible for any more deaths.