Pain.

"Liam! Liam! Liam!" 

Hearing his name, Liam struggled to open his eyes.

His eyelids were heavy, making it difficult for him to accomplish the simple task.

"What's wrong?" He asked as he struggled to seat, turn, and stand, but to his disappointment, he couldn't perform any of the aforementioned activities.

'What's this?' he thought, his head throbbing with indescribable pain.

"Ahh!" Said the figure, gesturing for Liam to open his mouth.

Though hesitant at first, he decided to comply. 'I don't have the strength to fight back anyway.'

Feeling a pearl-like substance entering his mouth, he gulped it down in one go, feeling a little relieved of his pain.

"Where am I?" Liam inquired, finally getting the energy to open his eyes.

"No time for talking. Or do you have amnesia?" Asked the voice sarcastically.

'Hmm?' taking a closer look at the entity before him, Liam realized what went on. An unutterable sadness swept over him.

"What's wrong now?!" Asked the individual, noticing Liam's downcast expression.

"The test… is it by chance… real?" He asked in a shaky voice, his heart holding faith about his desire.

"Uhhh?!" Making a strange sound, the individual circled Liam. "You seem alright, though."

"I…"

"Don't bother. As I said… it's a test… which means… not real," he said slowly as if educating a baby about good and bad.

As a fountain of tears escaped his eyes, he bent downwards in agony. 'Why?!!!'

"You went to your past, right?" Asked the individual, walking to the other side of the room.

"..."

"Your memories… you got them back?" The individual continued. "It must have been a painful past."

"I…"

"You don't need to tell me. I believe you know your priorities. And I hope you fulfill them. Don't let us hold you back."

Walking out of the room, he gave Liam one last glance, saying. "Rest well. I'll be waiting for your decision."

As he left, Liam's cries intensified recalling all that happened in his so-called test. He had an inkling that it was all a fabrication of his memories, but… it was a whole different story now.

'I wish I could go back in time… Maybe… just maybe, I would have been able to do things right.

But, I can't stay like this. This world is filled with a lot of wonders. If fate won't help me… then I'll help myself.'

Wiping off the tears and snot from his face, he walked out of the room, heading to the location he considered preferable for the old man to reside.

"Seems you know me well," said a frail voice. He was seated by the bank of a stream with a fishing tackle in hand.

"I didn't spend my time here for nothing," Liam said, walking through the Rocky terrain.

"You haven't been here for long, though," the old man replied as he placed bait on his hook.

"You're right, then…"

Cutting off Liam, he said. "It must be due to your soul power."

"Really?!" Liam exclaimed, checking himself for any improvement.

"Don't bother searching. You'll find it eventually… when the time is right," said the old man.

Stopping his search, Liam walked to the man, sitting beside him.

Looking at Liam weirdly. "Hmm?"

"What?!" Liam asked.

"Nothing, so what's your choice," he said in an attempt to change the topic.

"I know you know, but… for better understanding I'll say this," he raised a finger, eyeing the old man. "Master Merlin! Show me the way!"

Rising, he bowed to the old man aka Merlin; resolved on his path.

"Are you sure…?" Inquired Merlin, not believing his ears. From Liam's former expression, he could figure out the fact that whatever trial he went through was difficult and painful for him.

"Yes…" as he was about to conclude his sentence, the whole vicinity shook, the cave-like structure cracking from above.

"What's that?!" Liam asked, shifting in fear of getting hit by the crumbles.

Not replying to Liam's words, he kept on performing his task of baiting and catching fish, putting the ones he caught in a basket.

"Master!" Liam called out, hoping to bring Merlin out of his reverie.

Raising his head, he looked at the ceiling. "It seems our time is out."

Getting up, he moved slowly toward Liam, avoiding all the crumbles on his path.

"Hmm," breathing deeply, he placed an arm on Liam's shoulder. "Things are going to get rough from here, just remember… always stand strong."

"What…?"

"Kuerghh!!!"

Looking down, Liam saw Merlin's other hand, placed on his stomach.

Feeling an inexpressible feeling of betrayal, he tried to figure out any possible reason for the sudden backstab.

'Why?! I thought it was all good, then why?! Why do I always end like this?!'

As he drowned in the sea of despair, he heard one last word from his supposed master. "Sleep tight!" 

________

In a room filled with experiment pods and other scientific instruments. 

A figure of a child could be seen laying on a bed, his expression serene.

The whole environment had both a serene and eerie look, giving it a special glow unique to itself.

Sitting by a desk, was an elderly man, solemnly going through some documents; having a similar look to experimentation files.

Grrrrr.

Hearing the rumbling sound, followed by the fall of rock crumbles. He turned to look, seeming to not mind the situation, and he went on with his task.

Stomp stomp.

Turning around, he caught sight of a beautifully clothed female, her whole demeanor portraying a kingly aura.

"It's time, right?" He asked, going back to his assignment.

"You're smart, old man," said the female, eyeing the figure on the bed.

"I…"

Not minding him, she rushed off to the bedside, holding the boy's hand intimately.

Twitch

"Is this what you came for?" He asked in exasperation, dropping the files on hand.

"What else?!" Answered the female, glaring at the old man.

Twitch

"This is not the time for…" 

Cutting him off. "It doesn't matter anyway." Shrugging. "We need you above."

Taking a short glance at the figure, she stood up. "I'll be starting the process."

Picking up the figure as if he were a weightless being. She walked to a giant pod that was connected to all the smaller pods and other scientific instruments.

"Are you sure about this?" The old man said as he eyed the figure in her arms.

"I thought it was perfect?!" Glaring at the man as if to choke him.

Sweat dripped off his face as he looked for a suitable answer to present. "We are humans… so, perfection is a hard goal to achieve," he said, sounding convincing.

"It's too late." She said, continuing her motion. "He'll die… no! We'll all die if this fails."

Reaching the pod, she placed him inside, taking one last close look at him, before shutting it.

As if predetermined, the content of the other pods and equipment rushed in, soaking the male body deep inside.

As the content increased, its color changed with every second affecting the body contained in it.

"We'll have to hold on… haa."

"For our dreams."

Saying these last words, they both vanished from the vicinity, leaving the body of the male, soaked deeply into the solution.