Oblivion

  ELYSIUM

  Rin

  …

  Where…?

  Rin awoke to the sight of a cozy tent—hastily assembled, yet warm and inviting. As his gaze wandered, he took in his surroundings: a weathered old carriage, its wood worn down by time; magic-imbued weapons strewn carelessly across the ground; and an inexplicable sense of longing hanging in the air. Something about this scene tugged at his heart—an old memory, perhaps?

  This place… it feels familiar.

  Rin stood in the middle of it all, hands coated in dust and dirt from handling the tent’s fabric. Somehow, try as he might, he had no control over his body. A sense of déjà vu settled deep in his chest—this was a dream. It had to be.

  Then, he heard a voice.

  “Rin!”

  He turned instantly—there she was.

  “Lily?”

  She stood at the edge of the clearing, framed by the dappled light filtering through the leaves. Her silver hair, tousled by the breeze, shimmered in the sunlight. Her eyes—warm and familiar—shone with an eagerness he hadn’t seen in what felt like forever.

  “I just finished up here… are you ready?” she asked, a wide grin spreading across her face.

  The girl proudly held some kind of artifact in her hands—a dim, ethereal glow veiled it like mist. As she toyed with it, the glow intensified, and the wind began to howl as though stirred by the artifact’s power.

  “It took me a while, but this is it!” she shouted, her voice barely carrying over the rising storm.

  That’s… not good.

  Rin stood frozen, watching in horror as chaos unfolded before his eyes, powerless to intervene.

  “With this,” she continued. “We should be able to control the storm that’s been terrorizing the second layer—”

  Crash!

  A torrent of lightning shattered the sky.

  The clouds deepened into a menacing black, the air charged with raw magic. Trees bent and splintered under the force of the wind. The girl braced herself against the onslaught, her figure trembling as the storm howled around her.

  Damn… I knew this would happen!

  “It’s not enough!” she cried, pouring even more mana into the crumbling artifact.

  “It’s not worth it, Lily!” Rin shouted over the roaring winds. “We have to get out of here—”

  But before either could move, the world went dark.

  …

  She’s gone. I lost her again…

  The girl in his dreams, Lily, remained an enigma. Rin often found himself reliving memories of their time together—fragments of a past that had followed him his entire life. Yet, no matter how vivid they seemed in the moment, her name always slipped away upon waking.

  …

  The scene shifted. When Rin opened his eyes, he was met with the scent of grilled meat, the glow of candlelight, and the sound of laughter filling the air.

  Some kind of celebration… though, I don’t remember it.

  “You’re not hungry?”

  The girl appeared before him once more, silver hair cascading past her shoulders, her pure white eyes fixed on Rin. Lily stood there, holding out a plate of food.

  Rin was stunned—this had never happened before. She only ever appeared once a night. Yet, here she was.

  I can hardly believe it… there she is.

  “Well,” she started, a playful glint in her eye. “If you’re not going to eat, how about a swim? The journey must’ve been rough on you… why not take a moment to relax?”

  The celebration was set by a shimmering lake, its surface glowing with an ethereal light—pure mana radiating in gentle waves. They say bathing in a mana pool is not only refreshing but also rejuvenating for the body and soul.

  A mana pool, eh? I don’t know much about those, but I heard it’s one of those things you gotta try at least once.

  “You’re right…” Rin admitted. “Guess I can leave this to the others.”

  …

  Sitting at the edge of the dock, the young girl playfully nudged Rin’s shoulder, a flash of mischief in her eyes.

  “Are you sure the water isn’t too cold?” Rin asked, eyeing her suspiciously. “If you’re lying again…”

  Supposedly, the colder the mana pool, the stronger its effects. But Rin wasn’t considering the rejuvenation—there was simply no way he could say no to that face.

  “Oh…? You scared?” Lily teased, kneeling beside him with a mischievous glint in her eye. “Not very manly of you…”

  Wearing a smug grin, she prodded at his shoulder, clearly enjoying herself. Yet, despite all her taunting, she made no move to test the waters herself.

  “The great hero I know wouldn’t be afraid of a little water,” she chided playfully.

  …great hero?

  “Alright, whatever,” Rin sighed. “You got me.”

  He finally relented, bracing himself for what was about to come. The dock towered above the water, a solid five meters of empty space before the lake below. With that daunting height in mind, Rin took a deep breath, then leaped into the shimmering lake.

  …

  Maybe it’s the sheer mana density, but it feels like I’ve frozen, suspended in mid-air…

  Time seemed to slow as Rin descended into the lake, his gaze fixed on something strange below. A massive shadow stirred beneath the water, and the surface itself began to tremble, darkening as though it were alive.

  “Rin, wait!” Lily cried, “There’s something in there!”

  Too late.

  A splash erupted as Rin plunged into the dark, jet-black water.

  What’s… going… on!? I can’t move a muscle, and the water—it’s suffocating me!

  An unnatural force latched onto him, dragging him deeper into the abyss.

  Why… What the hell’s going on? Damn it, I can’t breathe—I’m really going to drown in my own dream…

  A deep chill spread from within, creeping through every inch of his body. The water was unnaturally cold—almost freezing.

  Damn, why does this feel so real—I’m gonna freeze to death! Ugh, and it’s so hard… to move…

  Panic clawed at his chest as he struggled against the current, but the surface only grew further away.

  It’s as if the lake itself is pulling me in, some force won’t let me out… Why is it so… heavy..?

  As he struggled against the tide, a hand extended toward him, though it seemed so far away. A voice, though distant, seemed to call out to him.

  Is that Lily? I can’t reach… She’s just too far away…

  A second splash broke through the surface, and suddenly, she was there.

  “No! Stay away, you-” He realized his words couldn’t get through to her—the lake suffocated his efforts.

  Water filled his lungs, his tears lost in the sea of darkness, as Rin’s vision began to fade.

  Please, this isn’t normal, you have to save yourself…

  Lily swam toward him, arms outstretched, but no matter how hard she tried, she wasn’t getting any closer.

  I can’t, it’s like it’s pulling me in… it hurts…

  He had no strength left to fight, no power to resist the tide’s pull, as a wave of drowsiness began to take over his mind.

  I… I can’t do it. I don’t know why, but I just can’t. I’m… falling asleep…

  Rin’s consciousness slipping away, he gave in to his weakness and sank deeper into the abyss.

  …

  I can't see or hear anything. All that accompanies me is a splitting headache that never seems to fade. I wonder how Lily’s doing... Did she make it out okay? Am I even still alive? I think... I can hear a voice. Someone’s calling my name... I have to respond. I have to…

  …

  “El…”

  Huh..?

  “Rel…”

  What..? Who is that… Why is he so loud…

  …

  “REL!”

  “AGH! What, I’m up, I’m up!” Rin exclaimed, crashing to the floor.

  Ugh… my head. Where am I?

  Rin found himself in a familiar room, laying in an old worn down bed. In one corner of the room, a large oak desk stood, cluttered with an array of magical books, their spines etched with glowing symbols that seemed to shift when not directly looked at. Some of the books had strange, crackling energy emanating from them, while others appeared more mundane, their covers worn from years of use.

  Across from the bed stood a full-length mirror, its silver frame dulled by time and flecked with tarnish. The glass shimmered faintly in the dim light, but Rin only gave it a passing glance, his attention already drifting elsewhere.

  Above the desk, a blade hung on the wall, its blade gleaming with an unnatural shine, despite its age. The hilt was wrapped in leather, engraved with runes that shimmered faintly under the dim light of the room—an enchantment of sorts?

  Rin couldn't help but feel both at ease and out of place in this room, as if it were both a memory and a mystery, familiar yet foreign at the same time.

  He called me Rel… I just can’t seem to remember anything—but that name sounds so familiar.

  “Finally, I thought you’d never wake up!” snapped the mysterious boy, leaning against the door.

  “Huh-”

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  “Breakfast’s still being served,” the boy said. “Better hurry unless you want to miss out again, like last time.”

  The sword at his hip swayed with his movements. Despite his young age, the weapon seemed almost like a part of him—Rin didn’t even think to question it.

  “There, I told you,” he added gruffly, turning to walk out before Rin could respond.

  Looks like somebody doesn’t like me… what gives? Well, in any case, this doesn’t seem to be a dream.

  “Dream…” he muttered. “My dream… that girl…”

  All of his dreams had finally converged. It was as if a key had been turned in a vault, and the final dream acted as the crucial piece, unlocking the entire truth for Rin as he awoke from the last vision.

  Suddenly, he realized.

  His face flushed with fervor as his mind raced with fragments of memories—flashes of the girl, her bright smile, the way her eyes had sparkled with mischief.

  “I can’t believe it… this isn’t a dream, right?” he whispered, tears welling up.

  The mere thought of her name crossing his mind filled him with a surge of joy—he couldn't contain his excitement.

  “IT WAS LILY!” he cried, jumping out of bed, his heart racing with newfound clarity.

  I remembered… I finally remembered!

  “Dante,” the boy corrected. He had peeked his head through the doorway—he looked concerned.

  “Why are you yelling?” he asked. “You’re going to be late, you know.”

  Thought he left.

  The boy sighed as he closed the door behind him.

  “This room…” Rin mumbled, his gaze sweeping across the familiar space.

  His surroundings called to him like the warm embrace of an old friend. As he took in the smaller details, fragments of his life outside the dreams began to resurface. His memories hazy, he slowly pieced together what he could remember—it seemed his sudden recollection had come at a cost.

  That’s right… I’m back at the orphanage. This is my room, I think.

  “But then… that doesn’t make any sense…” he mumbled under his breath, barely audible.

  Rel… my name—but Lily always called me Rin. A different person? Could it be…?

  Let’s put a pin on that.

  Sighing in relief, Rel buried his face in his palms, the weight of his revelation pressing down on him like an anvil. He needed a moment to collect himself.

  Well, whatever. I’ve gotta gather my thoughts…

  “What’s going on…? I mean, I think I recognized that kid earlier, but I didn’t even remember his name,” he muttered. “Dante, he said…”

  Rel sat back on his bed, his mind spinning as he tried to piece together the fragments of his situation

  …

  Nothing. Maybe something in here would spark a memory…

  “That’s right... the mirror,” he muttered, standing up again.

  He turned his gaze toward the mirror. The glass reflected his image—familiar yet distant, like a person he should know but couldn’t quite place. He stared at it for a moment, his eyes scanning his reflection.

  His long, curly hair cascaded to his shoulders, messier than he expected. His violet eyes, glowing dimly with an otherworldly light, seemed to pierce through the haze of his confusion. His clothes were simple, a sharp contrast to the dream-like world he had just left behind.

  He barely recognized himself in the mirror, yet something in his eyes seemed to call out to him, as if his very reflection was trying to pull him toward a forgotten past. He could almost feel the weight of memories, elusive and just out of reach, teasing him like fragments of a dream slipping through his fingers.

  “There's something about those eyes... can't say they're not unsettling,” he mumbled worriedly. “Maybe I should look into getting some colored contacts…”

  With a sigh, Rel turned away from the mirror, pushing past the unease it stirred in him. Whatever had been forgotten, it would come back in time. Right now, he needed to follow the kid’s advice—eat, get his bearings, and figure out what to do next.

  “Who are you talking to?” a voice interrupted his thoughts, slicing through his mind like a sharp arrow.

  Dante? No…

  This time, the voice came from a young girl, cross armed, standing by the door.

  I didn’t realize I’d said that out loud…

  “Hello? You got ears?” she questioned, clearly impatient.

  “Woah, sorry, I was lost in thought,” Rel muttered, stumbling a bit. “I just woke up, and that kid was so loud, he gave me a headache…”

  The girl, like the young boy before her, wore a short sword at her hip. She held a magic-infused book in her right arm, its pages flipped open to a random spot—the book emitted a soft glow, though Rin paid it no mind.

  This girl’s name is Yumi—not sure why I know that.

  “Of course you did,” she said, looking rather disappointed. “That’s why I told him to be extra loud today, or you’d never wake up.”

  We friends or something? Did I ask her to wake me up?

  “Oh, so that was you… Thanks, I guess,” Rel said, exhausted.

  There gonna be any more visitors? I’m getting hungry.

  “You look dead,” she said. “Go wash your face before the old man yells at you again.”

  Not too far off the mark there.

  “I’ll do that, thanks,” Rel replied.

  Who’s this old man she’s talking about? So many questions…

  The girl gave Rel a sympathetic look before turning to leave.

  “Well, I’ll be heading back now. Don’t take too long, okay?” she said, shutting the door.

  …

  She almost looked concerned for me… what was that about?

  Rel stumbled over to the desk, letting out a heavy sigh. The boy had completely lost his memories, yet his surroundings seemed to stir fragments of what had been lost. Perhaps, in time, they would all come back to him.

  “I guess I should follow her advice. Sitting here doing nothing won’t get me anywhere…” he mumbled, reflexively grabbing his sword off the wall as if it were second nature.

  Ah.

  Well, Yumi also carried one of these—the other kid, too. I forget why, though. I’m sure if I could just remember…

  The headache struck once more, acting as a ward of some kind.

  “Yeah, I get it, relax. I’m going,” he muttered, rubbing his temple.

  Rel decided he’d wasted enough time and set off after her– only after washing his face, of course.

  …

  The door opened to an echoing hallway, lined with doors that seemed to lead to different rooms. Strangely, the hallway remained dead silent—he could even hear his own breath.

  As he walked down the long hallway, he stole glances at every door he passed by—they all seemed to be uniquely decorated, as if they had each belonged to different people.

  These kids sure are creative. Thinking back, my door was pretty plain looking… What's with that? All it had on it was my name.

  A few of the doors were left slightly open. Rel considered sneaking a peek, but ultimately decided against it.

  I wouldn’t want anybody looking at my room, at least… Let's keep it respectful.

  …

  As Rel approached the end of the hallway, he grew more and more anxious.

  Before him stood a tall, weathered wooden door—worn by time but still sturdy. Rel grasped the handle firmly, but the door refused to budge.

  Uhh… what?

  He tried again and again, using more and more force every time, but nothing.

  Is this door locked? Broken? What’s going on!?

  “You dolt!” He heard a voice call out behind him.

  That’s not very nice… where are your parents?

  A younger boy had been walking behind him for a good minute, and had finally closed the distance.

  Wait… he’s an orphan.

  “Don’t you know you’re supposed to imbue mana into the handle…” The boy’s voice drifted off as he got a better look at Rel.

  Mana? Like, magic?

  “You were saying?” Rel said, tiredly.

  “Oh,” he stumbled, “Rel… sorry, I was just heading to the mess hall…” The boy hurried past and opened the door himself.

  The handle gave off a soft hum as it released the lock, along with a slight glow.

  Convenient.

  …

  The tall door opened into a room far larger than he had anticipated. A bright, lively atmosphere filled the space as hearty laughter and loud voices echoed throughout the chamber.

  “This must be the mess hall that kid earlier mentioned…” Rel mumbled to himself, in awe.

  An assortment of tables filled the hall, resembling a cafeteria. Upon closer inspection, he noticed weapons and books—similar to the ones on his desk—scattered across the floor and tables. Many paintings and other works of art covered the walls from top to bottom.

  On his right, Rel noticed a line forming—it looked like a lunch line. Several kids were holding the same types of weapons he’d seen all day, though some differed slightly from the rest—like his own, some of their weapons appeared to be enchanted.

  Down the center stood a towering double door, pulsing with mana. The large doors loomed over the hall, as if warning that only the worthy may pass—surely, it led to a place of great importance, likely off-limits to most.

  I feel like I've been there before—but when…?

  “Rel, hey! Over here!”

  So loud…

  Across the room, someone was waving at him, trying to catch his attention.

  Is that…

  A familiar face called him over, grinning from ear to ear.

  Yeah, it’s definitely her—the girl from earlier. Yumi, right? I guess I’ll see what she wants.

  Yumi was sitting with the boy from earlier— the one who had woken Rel up. He seemed to be preoccupied with his sword.

  “So,” she began. “What brings you to the mess hall?”

  What?

  “I mean, I know I told you to, but you never listen, haha,” she teased. “What changed your mind? Was it my irresistible charm?”

  She can’t be serious…

  “I was hungry,” he said simply.

  Dante chuckled, setting his sword down and fixing his gaze on Rel.

  “You? Coming to the mess hall just because you’re hungry? Rich,” he laughed. “You hit your head or something?”

  Rude.

  Yumi gave him a swift smack on the head, then turned back to Rel.

  “Don’t mind him.”

  Scary.

  “What he meant to say was that it’s a little out of character,” she corrected. “I mean, I can’t even remember the last time you showed up to the cafeteria… were you really that hungry?”

  Dante, still fiddling with his sword, nodded in agreement.

  I get it now…

  “Well, yeah… that’s part of it,” Rel muttered, awkwardly scratching the back of his neck. “I’d probably come more often, but I don’t really like being around a lot of people. Just kind of how I am, I guess…”

  “We know,” Dante grinned, rubbing his head. “The whole time you’ve been here, you’ve only really talked to us—and the old man, of course.”

  The old man again…

  “So why’s this time any different?” Yumi asked, a hint of concern in her eye.

  Rel leaned back in his seat, burying his face in his hands. He exhaled slowly, then looked up at Yumi, a bead of sweat tracing a path down his cheek. The anxiety was catching up to him—he needed help, and these two were his best bet.

  “…listen,” he started. “I’m in deep trouble.”

  I don’t know how they’ll take it, but I have to try.

  By now, Dante had put down his blade—he sensed something was wrong.

  “What… What do you mean? Did you mess up?” Yumi asked, worry lacing her voice. “If you just tell the old man—”

  “No!” He winced. “Ah—sorry. It’s just… he can’t know. This is something I can only trust you two with… I hope.”

  “I hope…?” Dante mumbled under his breath.

  I can’t tell anybody else about this, but I can’t just keep it to myself, either.

  “You see, I’ve lost my memories,” he explained. “I don’t remember a thing… hell, I didn’t even remember Dante’s name until he mentioned it this morning.”

  Rel’s confession was met with two blank stares, leaving the table heavy with silence. Dante had reverted to fiddling with his sheath strap, clearly lost in thought. Yumi, still unsure how to process his words, finally broke the quiet with a simple, confused question.

  “What do you mean?” she asked, her brow furrowing in concern.

  What more can I say?

  “Exactly what it sounds like,” Rel said. “I need to figure out how to get my memories back.”

  This is my only chance—my sole opportunity.

  “I was just planning on going along with things, pretending like everything’s fine, but it looks like I can trust you two,” he admitted. “I was hoping you’d help me out with this.”

  Dante, who had nearly torn off his sheath strap, suddenly snapped back to reality. He recalled an old legend, one of many told at the orphanage—this one in particular held a special place in his heart.

  “I remembered something…” Dante began. “A story the old man used to tell, back when he was in good health.”

  An old story…?

  “It spoke of the Great Sage of the first hero’s party—a mage that wielded Radiant magic,” he explained. “Supposedly, she was able to restore lost memories with her magic—though, Radiance is a lost art now…”

  Dante slumped back in his seat, his brief glimmer of hope fading as quickly as it had appeared.

  “But wait… we could just find a light magic user, right?” Yumi chimed. “Surely, they’d have some kind of spell similar to the one from the legend.”

  Rel watched in awe as they bickered back and forth, tossing around ideas to restore his fractured memory. He had almost resigned himself to walking this path alone, but the two in front of him didn’t hesitate to jump to his side.

  “Well?” Yumi asked. “Does that sound good to you?”

  Wha…? Huh?

  “Sorry… I didn’t get any of that,” Rel confessed. “I was lost in thought…”

  “Pfft, you dummy! I said, we’re gonna find a light mage one day,” she explained, rolling her eyes. “But until then, we act natural—you don’t want anybody finding out, right? So until the day we set out on our own…”

  I see… these two…

  “Alright. Sounds good,” Rel said. “When do we head out?”

  The two exchanged a quick glance, then turned back to him.

  “That’s up to you,” they said in unison.

  Woah.

  “Gotcha, haha.” Rel couldn’t help but laugh—something about the two of them syncing up felt so right, though he couldn’t quite place why.

  Until then… I’ll have to get stronger. I can’t head out blind, after all.

  Wait for me, Lily.