Alaric stood in a white room with a green board in front of him like a classroom.
He glanced around to see he was surrounded by children. He knew some of them but at the same time he didn't know anyone.
He examined his hands. They were different. It was not the Alaric we know but kid Alaric, probably 5 or 6 years old.
He looked at the green board again. This time a teacher was standing there wearing a blue shirt and black pants.
"Sit down," the man spoke to Alaric.
Alaric automatically sat down without any objection. He wanted to speak but it was like he didn't know how.
The instructor spoke in a high tone. "Today I will tell a story to you. Are you excited?"
"We are!" the children repeated all together except Alaric. He was still not able to say anything.
"I will tell the name of the protagonist at the end of the story, okay?"
"Okay," everyone repeated again except Alaric.
"So let's begin." The man waited for a moment and continued. "A child lived in an orphanage. He didn't know about his past. The only thing he remembered was that the orphanage was his house."
"The boy slowly and gradually grew up. He was still suffering from slight amnesia. When he became an adult he was kicked out of the orphanage because he was no longer a minor."
"The only thing outstanding about him was that he was smart and intelligent. He lived in the eastern sector where only laborers and financially ill people lived. His story was not like zero to hero. It was different."
"He earned his first wage by scamming a businessman and convincing him to give some stock of his company, Red Bamboo."
The teacher paused and eyed Alaric.
"Because of this he was able to enter the western sector where he created his own surname Xyle. The price of Red Bamboo stocks was at its peak when he decided to sell them."
Alaric knew who the speaker was talking about.
The teacher continued. "Through the money he got by selling stocks he created his own company Glow & Shine. It was a company with no competitors because it focused on beauty products."
"Because of the lack of rivalry his company grew well. Once he had enough money to buy more stocks he bought 30% of Red Bamboo."
Before the teacher could continue a girl stood up and spoke. "It's boring sir."
The man looked at the girl. "Don't worry. This is the point where the story will get good. Sit down."
"But he was suffering from constant nightmares."
Alaric was finally able to control himself. He faced the teacher and spoke. "Who really are you?"
The children turned toward Alaric simultaneously.
The teacher briefly acknowledged Alaric and looked back at the other children. "It's time for you to know the protagonist of the story. It's none other than Alaric Xyle."
A boy stood up and spoke. "It's you. How can this little boy have done all this?" Slowly his voice started fading and every other child started fading as well.
It was now only Alaric and the teacher left in the room. "I ask you again. Who the hell are you?"
"Does this matter?"
"It does."
"Does it? If you insist then you can say I am you or you are me."
Alaric walked towards the teacher and peered into his eyes. "You were the one behind the nightmares, weren't you?"
The man's smile widened. "Indeed you are a smart kid."
Anger flowed through Alaric's veins. "What did you do to my body?"
The teacher's figure started to change. His pupils dilated and his skin dissolved into his muscles.
Meanwhile in the St. Order Cathedral, Alaric was standing beside the statue observing the area blankly.
Every person who was present inside the cathedral including the high priest had already left except one.
A tall man with long silver hair and lavender eyes was standing in front of Alaric without any sign of fear.
He examined Alaric for a minute then silently raised his right hand.
Black and red energy particles started forming around his hand, slowly taking the shape of a long sword.
Alaric fixed his gaze on the sword in front of him and suddenly started screaming in his hollow and inhuman voice.
The man was distracted by the sound and covered his ears.
In those moments Alaric moved so fast that he was just a second away from his neck. The man immediately jumped backwards and came into a battle stance.
Alaric somehow conjured a sword just like him but his sword was radiating far more energy.
"It's definitely not intentional."
Alaric was terrified by what just happened.
He saw the man was no longer appearing human.
He was now purplish dark energy. Before Alaric could say anything the figure spoke. "It's time for you to go back."
Meanwhile in the cathedral the sound of swords was echoing.
The man was bleeding from his right hand. Alaric on the other hand was indescribable. Half his face, one hand, and a portion of his lower leg were missing.
Alaric growled in pain. It was like he wanted to be unconscious but was not able to do so
"Experience is more useful than power." The man spoke while coming closer to Alaric's half dead body.
"Well I have never seen this type of shit before but anyways life is all about experiencing something new."
"I don't know who you are but you can definitely use conduit partially."
Alaric suddenly screamed in pain. "It hurts... It hurts very badly"
The man's brow raised and he leaned forward. "I guess his consciousness is back."
The man spoke loud enough so Alaric could hear him. "Don't worry. You are not dead yet."
Alaric watched the man with one eye, his vision half crimson and half blur.
Alaric coughed. "What do you mean by yet? And who are you? And can I continue to live? I don't want to be handicapped."
"Well you can call me Tylor. I am an arcanist just like you. The difference is that you can only use conduit partially and yes you can live as I have not severed your real limbs but these purple energy limbs."
Alaric didn't say anything because he didn't understand anything except the man's name.
"It's not a good time to chitchat. We should go before officials arrive."
Tylor grabbed Alaric's collar, and with a burst of Transportation, the shattered cathedral vanished, replaced by the familiar walls of Alaric's bedroom.