The journey back from the Codex of Realm was a blur. Null, still exhausted from the battle with the Echo and the vision of his future self, felt the weight of the prophecy press down on him with every step. He didn't speak a word to his friends. His thoughts were a maelstrom of confusion and dread, a silent storm he couldn't share. They returned to the world they knew, a world of classrooms and mundane routines, but for Null, everything had changed.
That night, he fell into a deep, dreamless sleep, the kind of heavy unconsciousness that comes after immense physical and emotional trauma. But soon, the darkness was replaced by a strange, ethereal light. He was standing in a serene field of vibrant green grass, a soft wind rustling through it. The sky above was a gentle, impossible blue, and a warm, golden sun hung suspended in the air.
A man stood before him. He was tall and powerfully built, with broad shoulders and a muscular frame that spoke of a life spent in battle. His hair was a brilliant yellow, like spun gold, and his eyes were a steady, calm grey. He had a kind smile that seemed to erase all of Null's anxiety. But Null's mind, still clouded by his amnesia, couldn't place him. He felt a deep sense of familiarity, a pull of recognition he couldn't explain.
"I know you don't remember me, son," the man said, his voice a low, melodic sound that soothed the sharp edges of Null's grief. "But I've been waiting to talk to you for a long time."
Null's mind reeled. Son? The word hit him with a profound impact. He felt the sting of tears, an ache he didn't know he could feel. "I... I don't have parents. I've never known them."
The man's smile softened with a profound sadness. "I am your father. My name is Asuka Asura."
A cascade of memories, fragmented and painful, flashed through Null's mind. A strong hand ruffling his hair. A laugh that sounded just like the man's. The feeling of being loved. He had no clear images, no perfect recollections, but he had the feeling, the emotion. And that was enough.
Asuka Asura stepped closer, his form radiating a gentle light. "I know it's hard to believe. The man you knew as Soren was you, before you had your memories stolen. You were just a boy, a wind stone user. But the Umbros power, my power, was too much for a normal human to contain. It corrupted your stone, turning you into a different kind of weapon."
The revelation hit Null like a lightning bolt. He wasn't meant to be a dark being. He was meant to be a wind user, like his father. The Umbros power, the source of his dark strength, was a corrupted legacy.
"I was the original Unwritten King," Asuka continued, his voice filled with a quiet pride. "The one who wielded the power of Umbros and Asura in perfect balance. I was a hero, an ex-military man who fought to protect the innocent. I even managed to cut off one of the King of Stones' arms, a blow he has never recovered from. I died a hero, passing my abilities on to you in a final act of love."
Null felt the tears come, hot and fast, a torrent of grief he had never been able to experience. He wasn't crying for himself, or for the pain of his past. He was crying for his father, for the hero who had sacrificed everything. The tears were a release, a validation of a family he had never known. The memories weren't there, but the love was.
"The war will break you," Asuka said, his voice now tinged with a solemn warning. "It will test you in ways you can't imagine. But I believe in you. I gave you my powers because I knew you could carry this burden. You are my son, the true Unwritten King."
With those words, his father's form began to fade, his warm smile the last thing to disappear. Null was left alone in the serene field, the weight of his legacy heavy on his shoulders. He finally understood. His life wasn't a mistake; it was an inheritance.
He woke up with a gasp, the tears still fresh on his cheeks. But for the first time in a long time, he felt something he hadn't felt before: a profound sense of peace. He got up, walked to his closet, and chose a clean, crisp shirt. He went to school with a small smile on his face, a secret in his heart, and a purpose that now felt clearer than ever before. He had parents. He had a legacy. And he was going to honor it.
What would you like to happen in the next chapter? Perhaps Null's new sense of purpose is tested by a new challenge, or maybe his friends notice a change in him and question him about it.
The bell for first period rang, but the sound barely registered with Null. He was seated at his desk, his mind a quiet ocean where the storm had finally passed. The weight of his father's legacy, once a crushing burden, now felt like a firm hand on his shoulder. He looked around the classroom, at the familiar faces of his peers, and for the first time, they felt truly real to him. They were not just background characters in his personal struggle; they were people with their own lives and futures. This was the world his father had died to protect, and the prophecy of loss, though still a chilling whisper, felt less like a curse and more like a challenge to overcome.
At lunch, Null sat with Kai, Sooji, and Ashley. He ate his sandwich with a calm focus, a simple act that felt monumental after weeks of life-or-death battles and cosmic revelations. The chatter around him, the small talk about tests and weekend plans, was a welcome relief from the weighty silence of the Codex of Realm.
"You're different," Sooji said, her voice soft but direct. She was always the most perceptive of the group. "Your eyes... they're not as haunted as they were yesterday."
Null smiled, a genuine, easy smile that reached his eyes. "Maybe I just got a good night's sleep."
Just then, a flash of red and gold zipped out from his bag. It was a tiny, scaled creature, a miniature dragon no bigger than his hand. Its wings, like a hummingbird's, beat with incredible speed, and it had a mischievous grin on its reptilian face. It was Fang, in his spiritual form, carrying a small, half-eaten piece of bread he had apparently pilfered.
"A good night's sleep, you say?" Fang chirped, his voice a tiny, high-pitched version of his usual baritone. He hovered in front of Null's face, his little golden eyes glinting with a mischievous joy. "My King, you've been boring me to death. If you're not going to fight anyone, at least share your food."
The group stared, a mix of surprise and amusement on their faces. They had seen Fang in his powerful, commanding form, but this was a common sight during their downtime. Everyone knew Fang as a legendary troll, and his appearance was more of an amusing interruption than a shocking event. Null let out a quiet laugh, a sound his friends hadn't heard in a long time. "Fang, what are you doing?"
"My duties as a loyal commander, of course," Fang replied, taking a small, dramatic bite of the bread. "I'm ensuring my King is well-fed and entertained. Also, this bread is delicious. It's much better than the spiritual sustenance you've been providing me."
Null gently pushed a piece of his sandwich towards the little creature, a silent agreement to share. Fang accepted it with a triumphant flourish and zipped back into Null's bag.
"That's not it," Kai said, after a moment of stunned silence. "You have a purpose in your step, a focus I haven't seen since you first started training. What happened?"
Null hesitated. The dream of his father, the legacy of Asuka Asura, felt too sacred and too personal to share so casually. He couldn't just drop the news that he had a legendary, hero-ex-military father who was the original Unwritten King. The words would sound insane in the context of a school cafeteria.
"I found a piece of myself," Null said, choosing his words carefully. "A very important piece. It helped me understand why I'm here. Why we're doing this."
Ashley leaned forward, her expression full of concern. "Is this about the Echo? Did it tell you something?"
"In a way," Null replied, a subtle sadness touching his tone. "It wasn't a monster, not really. It was a person, a part of my past that was twisted into a weapon. Now that I know that, I can't look at the future the same way."
The group fell silent, digesting his words. They didn't fully understand, but they saw the change in him. The amnesiac king was gone, replaced by a leader who was now grounded in his own history. His purpose wasn't a mystery anymore; it was a legacy.
As the day came to an end, Null felt a sense of clarity he hadn't known since before his memories were stolen. He had a past, he had a father, and he had a mission. The prophecy of loss was still there, a dark cloud on the horizon, but for the first time, Null felt ready to face it. He walked out of the school, the evening sun warm on his face, a hero's son with a war to win.
End of chapter 40
See you again