Chapter 1: Untold Destiny

Destiny… what a strange thing for us all to come from…. The world's full of stories, but they tell only one story: the story of mankind. Our fate… is predetermined… I wonder…. how much of our future we can see before we are lost to history.

Aurora POV

The only sound to accompany the wind that whistled outside was the soft patter of raindrops against the window. It was a soothing sound, though sometimes I would feel like I was being suffocated by the silence. No, not alone, someone was always there, even when he wasn't around me. I had been here for quite some time. I didn't know how long exactly, and I didn't want to know… my thoughts were already getting away from me. I couldn't control my mind, not without the help of magic. The only thing keeping me here… was him. His power had given me strength… made me stronger than ever before.

It may have been selfish, but I had to do it out of necessity. I wanted to survive..and he found me. Alone. Confused. Afraid. I was desperate for anything resembling human contact… it was so refreshing… it felt right. He offered to help me. To heal me. Hence I accepted. I'm still not sure whether it was his intent or not… but I took advantage of it anyway. If I had my memories back, would that have changed things? I don't remember much at all... except for the man himself. And even then, it isn't very clear… I guess I don't need to go into detail either. What matters is that he helped me, and I owe him a great deal. I hope I can repay him someday...if I manage to live that long.

"You're acting quite strange today Aurora." His voice held a note of concern, and there was a slight hint of confusion behind those words. My eyes snapped open immediately, meeting his piercing blue gaze that seemed to hold endless secrets and knowledge.

I smiled, "Am I?" I replied softly, hesitantly. My smile turned to a scowl as I remembered my current circumstances. I clenched my jaw as the memories resurfaced.

"Stop that, you know I hate to see you pretend." He chastised. I looked up at him in confusion and tried to pull my face back into its usual expression. However, something about the expression on his face made it hard to maintain a poker face. He noticed this quickly. His features softened as he reached over, stroking my cheek gently. Even that simple touch compelled my heart to freeze in place. I stared at him blankly until he pulled back again. He sighed and rubbed his temples in distress. Although, It didn't take him long to regain his composure like always.

"I'm sorry, that came off harsher than I intended. I am just worried about you. Are you feeling alright?" He asked, leaning down closer to me as though he expected my answer to be yes.

I smiled again, "Yes, I am fine Diluc. I just need to sleep. I think I've stayed awake enough for today." I lied through my teeth. Of course, I was tired… the amount of energy he used to keep me alive drained me.

"Are you..still having those dreams?" He said quietly. At that moment, I knew I had said the wrong thing. He stood up, brushing his pants as he did so.

"Let's continue tomorrow, maybe then your fever will break and you won't be in so much pain." He said before walking towards the door. Then he stopped and turned before opening it. "You should try and get some rest, alright." He said simply. I nodded silently, not bothering to speak anymore after that.

As soon as I heard the door close, I sunk further into the bed. It hurt, but I refused to let myself cry. Crying is something humans are good at, and besides, I don't need him to see me in that state. I'd rather not give him any reason to worry. I curled into a ball and buried my head under the blanket, ignoring my pounding headache as best I could. There was no other way for me to get answers from other than in my dreams. It was a necessary evil, however painful it might be. As long as I kept dreaming, I could keep searching. I felt my eyes grow heavier as I slipped into a deep slumber.

The world shifted and formed into a landscape of trees, grass, and flowers that seemed vaguely familiar. Everything seemed quiet, peaceful, almost serene. It was impossible to see clearly, but the fragrance alone held depth and mystery. However, I felt out of place here. A cold breeze ran across my skin as I slowly approached a figure standing underneath a large tree. Their body was wrapped in black and white robes that glowed faintly in the moonlight. They had dark hair and a gentle smile. It was this person that called to me… I knew him… I couldn't say why, but I knew that it was him. Why did I know him? How did I know him? Was it destiny? I shook my head at my questions. The foggy clouds above obscured the sun, casting shadows around him

"Giuzhong" He whispered and smiled weakly. I enjoyed the warmth of his presence. He enveloped me in a hug, as though he sensed the turmoil raging within my mind.

"Giuzhong..?" I inquired. The mysterious stranger continued to hold me, and I couldn't resist resting my head on his shoulder. The familiarity of his scent was reassuring… so very soothing. After a while, he stepped back, his hand lingering on mine.

"We must go." He stated. Suddenly, everything became fuzzy… a strange darkness began to consume everything. I panicked and desperately tried to run, but the ground beneath me crumbled and my body submitted. Engulfed in a pit of flames that felt like the core would shatter. Pain. Before I knew what happened, everything faded into nothing. Darkness surrounded me, but I could see flashes of light far ahead.

"Ah!" I jolted upright in bed and gasped for air, drenched in sweat and tears rolling down my cheeks. The room swam in front of my vision, and I clutched at my chest as I attempted to calm my racing heartbeat. I hadn't realized that I was surrounded by flames. I looked down to where my hand lay clutching the blanket that covered me, noticing it burned slightly… and yet there was no sign of singeing on my clothes. My hands were completely unharmed as well.

"Aurora!" Diluc's voice called out as he rushed inside the room. He was apprehended by the flames that threatened to consume him. When he removed his hands from the blaze, it was no longer burning. "Pyro…" he muttered in surprise and fear. I glanced down at the hand that had once been engulfed in flames, wondering what else I might lose.

When I lifted my gaze once more, I noticed a small flame dancing in my palm. As I observed it closely, the flame started to fade.

"What is happening?" I murmured, staring at the now dormant little fire. Diluc walked up beside me as he watched me.

"I… I think it's your powers returning. You're doing it again Aurora." He said sternly. "Why do you have such an unusual reaction to this kind of thing?" He asked, taking a step closer. I backed away a little. I didn't know how I was going to explain my behavior, so I decided not to mention it.

"Stay away," I warned him, raising my hands slightly in defense. He didn't move a single muscle, he merely remained rooted where he stood in front of me.

"Why won't you accept this power?" He questioned softly and sincerely. I shrugged, avoiding eye contact, looking anywhere but his intense stare.

"It's not that I don't accept it… there are too many questions unanswered. It's too dangerous." I finally uttered after a while, still refusing to meet his gaze.

He frowned and then moved to grab me by the arm. He forcefully guided me towards the mirror, pushing me so that my feet stumbled as they crossed the threshold. He gently pushed my arms behind my back as he grabbed hold of my face.

"Look at yourself Aurora. Look at what is happening to your soul. This is not normal." He demanded. "And yet you continue to ignore it." He continued his tirade, but I wasn't listening to his words. My eyes were locked onto the image reflected in the glass. In the mirror, I saw my reflection, but it wasn't me, not exactly. Instead, there appeared a younger version of myself, the same golden curls of hair, the same bright smile… and yet I knew I wasn't me.

"I don't know!" I shouted in frustration. "This is not who I want to be! What am I supposed to do, what can I do?" I exclaimed in desperation. Diluc's expression hardened as he pushed me backward until I landed roughly on the edge of one of the beds, causing it to slide forward slightly.

"Listen to me, "he said sternly. "You cannot change the past. You cannot escape it." He spoke with finality as if he was repeating himself multiple times. "That is the only reality you will ever experience. Your fate is written in stone, and you can either stay here, or you can follow your path. Regardless, stop wasting your time on your past and find your future. No one else can but you." His words rang in my ears as I struggled to control my own breathing. His words struck a chord within me.

"How..how can I possibly live normally when broken pieces of memories from nowhere invade my mind" I questioned. "How can I even begin to forget all of this?" I asked, gesturing at myself. All I could see was a reflection that was trying its best to mimic what it knew but was unable to truly understand. He remained silent for several moments.

"You are capable of great things, Aurora. You mustn't question it." He said and then released his grip on my shoulders. I stared down at my hands before glancing back up at Diluc, feeling the familiar heat rising from my chest once more.

"There is hope for us both, don't waste what you have." With that, he closed the door and left me sitting in the darkened room.