Revealing The Past

--Sky's Perspective--

---FOUR HUNDRED YEARS AGO---

I opened my eyes as if I was just waking up on the beach after a long period of time. I scanned the room, watching all around me. There were wires everywhere... and a ton of machines that looked big enough to hold people. In the corner of the room was a man who looked like Shike working on a girl that looked like Faith.

I walked in, right through the blurry illusion of my current body, and I sat down in the chair next to Shike while sliding closer to the machine that was holding Faith.

"This girl... she'll share your DNA, just like you wanted... but, she might refer to you as her father, is that okay?" Shike asked me.

I watched in confusion, slowly walking around the room to get a better look at myself from four hundred years ago.

"She is my daughter, after all... the one I was supposed to have with Illya..." I said. I sort of disgusted myself when I said that out loud... I guess she wasn't lying when she said that we were married.

"I know... but, she's more than that, you know? This girl is a powerhouse. She has pieces of Avie, Umbra, and Hikari's abilities all installed into her System... may I ask why you requested that?" Shike asked the old me.

"Why I wanted to give her part of their abilities...? It's because I have them too, and I want her to be strong like me. You don't get it, that girl is going to be even more powerful than me... long after I'm gone. You know, they're hunting me now, right?" The old me told Shike. He nodded, turning a screwdriver on the machine while looking at a monitor.

"I put Belle and Alexia in The First Trial, just as you told me to... and I'll be going there shortly... but wiping my own memories? I never thought I'd let you convince me. Must be part of that odd ability you have, isn't it...? What did you call it again... The Gaze of Wrath?" Shike asked the old me.

"I would never use that on an unsuspecting person. You know that makes people fall to their knees... I just made a good point, I think that's why you listened to me," The old me clarified, putting his hand on Shike's shoulder. As he did, I noticed he had Umbra's Gauntlets, but not Hikari's Pistol.

"Killing you is the only way that Carl and the others get to live... killing you ensures that you'll be reincarnated in the future... remind me, why was that the case again?" Shike asked me. The old me chuckled, pointing toward the monitor.

"Faith here... she'll live. She'll live until the time for me to reincarnate is right... and she'll use it... [System Annihilation], [System Afterimage], [System Evaporate], [System Logout], and [System Incinerate]. After she uses those, I'll remember everything. Even this moment... that's just my control of Strands, that's what they're capable of," The old me clarified.

"And those names... how did you come up with them?" Shike hit another rapid-fire question, and I got close to him, watching him observe the old me and the way I answered.

"It's just a silly acronym that's been spread out. The letters those words start with... All Arkians Eventually Lose to Ichor. You know, what you call Strands?" The old me revealed.

"So... those words will activate memories that will be restored to you, and you'll suddenly know what to do? You know, thoughts and memories aren't tied together after you've lost them... so, how will you transmit the message?" Shike asked the older version of me. He turned around and stared me down. It was like he could actually see me... creepy...

"The one who calls himself Sky Asterio... he's here, and he's listening, somewhere... Strands can capture memories... traveling through time to tell somebody what they need to hear... so... if my theories are right, then Sky Asterio is here, waiting for instructions after Faith's been pushed to a certain point," The old me said to Shike.

"Then, tell him what you need to, I'm intrigued to see what it is you have for him," Shike replied, turning in his chair while stopping his work on Faith.

"Faith will be an eccentric girl... one who makes rash decisions... I can already see it. She will create this opportunity for you, without you asking for it... and these memories will be returned to whoever she wants to see them. If that person is Sky Asterio, then I want you to listen carefully... if you're in a situation Faith sees that you will not win, you will be sent here for instructions on how to win... the truth is..." The old me paused while staring into my eyes again. He still couldn't see me, but I felt that he was personally talking to me.

"Mom and Dad are gone. Cynthia is gone... everybody I've ever loved is gone... and I will be gone soon too... those memories, they're deep within you, locked away and not fit for your viewing... that's because of their deaths, their departures... that's what made me strong, not you. The secret is in the past, somewhere that other people can't find and take advantage of you... the power you're looking for is remembering who you are fighting for, what you are fighting for... and of course, a special weapon from a special A.I., Avie Asterio," The old me said.

He looked at another machine, covered in blue strands that were wildly swirling all around. As I noticed it, I saw the mess of strands that belonged to Avie's body come up beside me. She was nothing but a face outlined in blue strands, but she and I were staring at each other within my memories.

"She will have what you are looking for... and Avie is my little baby, one that Shike made to contain my speed... but that speed isn't yours, Sky Asterio. It belongs to Avie and only Avie... Avie, if you're here too... I know you're capable of becoming your own A.I., one with her own body... so show that foe who the real winner is of the fight, and take them down swiftly," The old me said. More of Avie's body started to come to fruition as the old me turned back to look at me.