Chapter 20
Hoku lay motionless, shivering subtly as a pervasive cold closed in around him.
His fingers twitched, grazing a hard surface beneath him. When he forced his eyes open, dizziness overtook him at once.
Blinking, he squinted at the cracked ceiling above. Moments ago, he was in a dense forest; now, he found himself inside a dilapidated room.
His breath hitched, but he exhaled slowly, regaining composure before sitting up slowly and taking in the worn walls.
Each of the walls bore enormous cracks and was entwined with creeping vines.
A harsh light streamed through a partially open door, casting unusual shadows.
Hoku glanced down at his clothes and realized they had been replaced again with his original ones.
They clung to him, completely soaked through.
"Where am I?" he muttered, running a hand through his wet hair.
The air carried a heavy loam scent.
'It's way too quiet,' he thought, anxiously tucking his hands under his arms.
He swallowed, trying to settle his breathing, but the silence was nearly crushing.
No wind, no rustle of leaves, no distant murmur of life.
Just . . .
Suddenly, a familiar voice invaded the stillness. "You have quite an unpredictable nature."
His heart pulsed in his ears, as his eyes darted around the empty room. "You— Who are you?"
The voice sounded almost sincere. "We've spoken before, though never alone."
"Where am I? Have I died?"
A soft chuckle echoed. "No, you're not dead. This is a space within your mind that grants you immunity. Perhaps even a waiting room of sorts, reflecting your memories."
"Immunity from what, exactly?" Hoku's brow furrowed in perplexity. He hesitated briefly, then asserted, "In that case, I want to leave."
The voice disregarded his subsequent remark, addressing his initial inquiry. "The 'tax' others pay when traversing epochs doesn't affect you. This realm shields your memories, cloaking them in illusion to guard against alteration."
Hoku frowned. "If this is a dream, why is it so empty?"
"Your guilt manifests this barren room. We perceive different atmospheres here."
"What do you see?"
"The tragedy that sealed your memories in your first sequence."
Hoku's expression instantly changed.
"You know what happened before my accident?" Desperation laced his voice as he pleaded, "Tell me how I can see what you see!"
"Lie down if you want to leave. Otherwise, I cannot tell you, nor will you receive an answer."
His legs felt leaden as if he were being dragged down by an invisible weight.
Puzzled but otherwise compliant, he knelt into the water and lay down.
Soft red flowers sprouted from the vines on the walls and spread around him.
His eyes grew heavy as their petals brushed his skin, slowly enveloping his figure.
Following a long pause, Hoku managed to utter a narrowly tangible question, "Will... my memories come back?"
Their words carried through the space, reaching his ears. "To restore the original sequence, you must traverse the epochs chosen by its mysterious architect. This Sequel has always been intricately bound to your very essence."
Hoku's lips twitched as he slipped further from the 'dream.'
The flowers continued to climb, consuming the space under a veil of red that eventually layered into black.
Simultaneously, pressure surged from within his body and swelled until it encompassed him.
In the darkness behind his eyelids, distant 'stars' glimmered like refracted light beneath the waves.
For an instant, fear intruded on his thoughts, making it harder to draw air into his lungs.
Then pain flared across his cheek, pulling him back. Only then did Hoku recognize that he was not in his uncle's library, nor the manor.
The Memoir Chapter 18
To Whom It May Concern,
This is to address 'Patient' 0000. An official death certificate has been issued for the witness who fled the facility, and it is presumed they drowned after their body was recovered twenty-three miles from RedQuadrant in Phanes. We have redirected most of our resources to Aion to preserve evidence for the successful formulas I intend to integrate into the Timestream.
Regardless of whether we come under investigation, we must proceed with code white. I will allow two days for your response; if I do not receive any communication by then, I will instruct the staff from YellowQuadrant to humanely euthanize the remaining patients.
If all goes according to plan and we successfully manipulate a sequence, this will merely mark our first trial.
Weather Ann Mare.
To: "The Abundant Creator"
Rule 22
The Navigator insists he hears a voice that speaks to him at random instants. 'Reader', please don't be alarmed; we've ruled out any signs of psychosis. It seems to be a spectator who feeds off your presence in dreams. This ability is exclusive to the Sequels. Since Feiyu is a sequence, he cannot escape the erosion of his memories. I struggle to comprehend why you differ from... well, your former self, but it may be linked to why 'Zhou Fang' is hiding you from the Creator. While his methods are somewhat—harsh—they might be preferable to enduring another eighty thousand centuries of imprisonment.
Exchange trust and create a bond with the entity while you still can, because its sacrifice may become an imperative alternative in the future.
-The Second Quota's end-
To be continued…