AUDEL EMPORIO
Lady Lyra, now inhabiting the body of my childhood friend, stood before me, her gaze piercing through my very being. Stretching her arms, she let out a sigh before murmuring,
"I am expending a great deal of karma to maintain this form. I don't have much time, mortal, so heed my words."
I swallowed hard, my eyes locked onto her. Yet, despite the gravity of her presence, I couldn't help but notice how her lustrous attire shifted in the dim light, momentarily pulling my attention away.
"The Diviners have taken notice of your… unexpected arrival," she continued, her voice carrying an eerie weight.
Then she corrected herself.
"Not reincarnation, exactly. Just your emergence from the future. But here's the good news—" she paused deliberately, letting her words settle, "—they don't know your vessel. Right now, the Diviners are ordering their monarchs to issue a worldwide search for the variables."
She fixed her gaze on me, her next words deliberate.
"The variables you've created."
A dull ache formed in my temples. My thoughts scrambled between confusion and realization.
"This… isn't helping," I muttered, frustration slipping into my tone. "I don't have enough information—or maybe I'm drowning in too much all at once. Why don't you start from the beginning?"
She frowned, clearly impatient. "I don't have the luxury of time," she admitted. Then, as if reconsidering, a small smirk formed on her lips.
"But I am here to stop my kind from claiming you and your power—" she leaned in, her breath ghosting over my skin, "—your potential power."
I tensed as she stepped closer.
"I am betraying my race for you." Her voice dipped into something almost seductive. "You should be grateful and accept my bargain without hesitation."
I met her gaze, unflinching.
"What do you want? And how do I benefit?"
She took a step back, her attention shifting to the mirror on the dresser. Watching her own reflection, she spoke,
"I will accompany you on your journey, keeping the Diviners distracted while you train to reclaim your past—well, technically, your future powers."
"And?" I pushed, greed slipping into my tone.
She smirked, rolling on her heels as she admired her temporary human form.
"Naturally, you'll regain your memories and experiences—" she paused, "—both the joyful and the traumatic. But…"
Her expression darkened.
The air grew heavy.
An overwhelming mana pressure crashed over me, forcing my knees to buckle slightly. I clenched my jaw, willing myself to stand firm.
"The memories won't be pleasant," she warned, her voice laced with something almost cruel. "They will be a dire testament to what you once endured. They are not for nostalgia, but for your survival. Do you understand, mortal?"
I forced myself upright, my expression as composed as I could manage. "And what do you gain from this, Diviner Lyra?"
The weight lifted. I exhaled sharply, rolling my shoulders as the air grew lighter.
"Insight," she said simply. "Nothing more."
Her fingers grazed her forearm as her skin pulsed with radiant light.
"My time is up," she murmured, glancing at me. "I'll take your silence as agreement."
I gave a small nod, knowing I had far more to gain than to lose.
"Good," she said, satisfied. But before the light consumed her, she added, "Don't tell your mentor, Vestiron. It will only make things worse."
Then, she was gone.
Maria remained standing, her eyes vacant, her body still. Then, in a sudden jolt, her consciousness snapped back.
"Wh—where am I?" Her gaze flickered to the mirror.
Then—
"AUDEL! YOU PERVERT!"
Before I could react, objects from the dresser came flying at me.
I barely managed a hasty, half-hearted apology before launching myself out the window.
As I sat on the grass, I let out a deep sigh, trying to ease the tension coiling within me.
The Diviners. What could those heavenly beings possibly want from me? And for Lady Lyra herself to pay me a visit… Just what had I done in my past—no, my future life?
I turned my palm upward, studying it as if the answers lay hidden within its lines. A worldwide search… That alone was alarming. If the Diviners were mobilizing like this, it could only mean one thing—war was on the horizon.
Not all Diviners stand on the same side. They serve their monarchs, not out of duty, but out of self-interest. Each has their own agendas and schemes. If they were to engage directly in this world, the consequences would be catastrophic. And if they turned their swords on each other…
This world would become a battlefield of gods.
Humanity—mere collateral in their conflict—would be reduced to nothing. Our cities turned to rubble, our bones left to fertilize the fields of their war-torn domain.
I clenched my fist, a quiet resolve settling within me.
"I'll become stronger… but before that," I whispered, then corrected myself in thought—
I will piece together the fragments of my future self to gain true sight.