I Refused To Be Reincarnated

Now that he had a moment to think calmly, helplessness and profound sadness washed over his heart. For a long year, the Ashford duchy had plotted for Julius' capture, acting like vipers coiled in the shadows and waiting for the perfect moment to strike... but he could do nothing to help except rely on others.

'Hold on, boy. Shepard will surely find and rescue you.'

Upon thinking about the arcanist, a glimmer of hope illuminated his dark thoughts. Shepard would most likely discover the abduction attempt as long as Julius stalled the two teachers. At least, he believed it. Even if the man's tastes were questionable, he was trustworthy and a force they could count on when danger lurked. He knew it... He hoped...n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

A deep furrow creased his brow a second later as a memory surfaced, draining the color from his face. 'He missed us when we escaped from Belloria...'

Unfortunately, his few minutes of peace ended abruptly, shattered by a sudden tremor. The white space shuddered violently for a second before calm returned.

Icy dread wrapped around him. His pupils trembled as he gazed at his copy, only to see black lines covering his face. Despite the determined look, he noticed his trembling legs, too.

This prideful prick's fears resonated with him, morphing into an awful presentiment clawing at his mind. Was the mastermind responsible for his ghostly life finally awakening?

A tense silence filled the air for the next minute as his mind raced. Was he a man, a woman or a magical beast? Or would he see the magus himself appear before them with a mocking smirk? He didn't know. But a voice soon echoed behind the giant gate, drawing his tormented mind.

"Ahem. Good job, Adam one and two. You carried your respective... cough... missions flawlessly... cough."

All his apprehension disappeared as the feeble voice resonated in his ears. Instead, more questions popped up. Since when did he have a mission? And when did he carry it? But more importantly, what was wrong with the names? His face darkened as he sized his alter-ego.

'He is number two.'

Despite the situation, he found solace in believing he was better than the dying prick who stole his possessions and dared to lie to him.

"I know what you think! You are number two! Stupid animal, how can you even think about that in this situation?"

The copy's rage made him grin.

Then, he walked behind the gate, his steps slow and hesitant, until he saw a sitting man leaning against the construct. Somehow, he looked like him, but not entirely. His black hair, long and matted, hung like tangled vines over his sunken eyes, and his bones protruded from his cheeks... or the place his cheeks should have been.

His body was rickety as if he hadn't fed himself for months, and fat was a luxury he never tasted. He looked older, too, but he couldn't be sure since the man's frame was a mess.

'Not really the menacing figure I expected to see.'

A wry smile stretched his lips as his earlier concerns sounded like a poor joke. In fact, he believed that blowing on the man was all it would take to end his life.

Reassured by the man's sickly appearance, he took the lead in the conversation, using a firm and confident tone.

"Who are you?"

"Me? In a sense... cough... your father?"

The man raised his brow as he answered, his feeble voice cut by uncontrollable fits of coughs.

"..."

Adam's brows twitched, a wave of annoyance washing over him. He was so close to resolving everything. Yet, what kind of answer was that? He might as well have said nothing!

"My father, your head! What is your goal? Why am I a ghost? What is the mission? And why do you want to force me to reincarnate into Julius' body?"

As his angry words lingered, the man's eyes scanned his body, causing an icy shiver to run down his spine. Regardless, he glared back, unwilling to lose a battle of words or this opportunity to learn the truth.

A moment later, the man's sunken eyes shifted to the copy, his frown deepening.

"You didn't tell him?"

"Why would I?! You cursed me with that knowledge! Do you know how hard it was to endure thirteen years knowing how shitty our end was? No! I won't say a word! I don't want to remember!

And before I forget! PTUI!"

The copy clenched his fists, his rage melding with madness in a horrifying vortex as he spat before the man. Now, he could disappear without regret... Well, he would have liked to see his sunshine safe, though.

A tear threatened to roll down his cheeks as his shoulders trembled. Sadly, the man didn't offer him the reaction he wanted.

Instead, the air cracked with tension as he raised his head. Shadows danced ominously on his face for a moment, contrasting with his terribly weak appearance.

Then, he refocused on Adam and pointed at the copy with a shaky finger.

"He was tasked with protecting the boy's soul from within and sharing his knowledge with you. Meanwhile, you had to protect him from outside threats and educate him."

His words thundered in Adam's mind, deafening his suspicious thoughts. His face blanked, and his lips quivered. How did it make any sense to protect Julius when he pushed him into stealing his body? And why was the copy in such turmoil when he thought about the man's knowledge?

Even if he didn't know the answer to the second question, the theories forming in his tumultuous mind to answer the first caused his terror to intensify. 'Were we tools to set the stage for HIS reincarnation?'

However, the man didn't give him time to ponder, cutting his forming thoughts like a blade with his shocking revelations and leaving his emotions in chaos.

"Each time your passions spilt dangerously, I watched over you, using the system. The communication method was rudimentary... but allowed me to push you in the right direction when your mind threatened to break."

The corner of his lips rose as he lingered, catching his ragged breath before continuing despite Adam's crumbling face.