"No...!" I pounced up and out of sleep.
My breath was ragged and heavy. My chest rose and dropped like I just took a marathon. Sweat covered my entire face. My eyes widened and a mixture of emotions swirled all over my face.
Emma and the two Ranbrandt brothers came rushing into the room.
Emma slowly got up. I awoke her when I jumped up. She pulled off her hands which were around me.
"Hey, are you okay? It looks like you had a nightmare or something." Emma asked walking closer. Her voice was followed by some sorts of echoes.
The sun had risen, and the rays stung my eyes when I turned to the thir direction.
"Atticus, are you listening to me?" She called out to me again. This time she was clear. I simply nodded and covered my eyes.
What I needed was a moment of silence to organise my thoughts.
"I'm good, I just... felt a little dizy." I said and looked around the room. My racing mind and pounding heart had calmed down.
"Good morning." Kendal spoke sitting up.
"Good morning Ken." I responded to her with a warm smile.
"Waait a minute. What was that?" Leon Ranbrandt said in an accusing tone -the older brother.
"What are you thinking Leon. I think you should get that head of your put of the gutter." I simply responded to him and jumped out of bed.
My head felt a little dizzy and I halted movements to avoid staggering.
"Are you sure you're okay? You don't really look well." Emma enquired once more. I didn't answer her but just shook my head.
I dressed up and left the room. Of course, everyone came followed. My body was still a little exhausted from yesterday's training. My energy was restored and helped to alleviate my exhaustion.
As for the problem I had when I woke up, it was my dreams again. Or rather I should say, it was the nightmares of my memories.
I didn't dream them this time. I saw them, the horrendous experiences that even led to my shift in perspective.
But that alter or vestige of myself had shown me parts of said memories. I wasn't able to fully see them.
My first life as a man in a world highly developed in something called technology. Other memories were from world's filled with magic like this one. There I was reincarnated as a hero.
I battled forces of evil as some.kind of herald. I served and had good trusted allies. Or rather, I'd like to think so.
My servitude to the devine was great. But I kept losing something. I had to keep dying as soon as evil was vanquished.
I left my loved ones. I only gained more power and gained more knowledge. But I was becoming a tool. Divinity was now treating me like a worthless piece meant to bow and follow them without a question.
I may have not minded. But a man can stay silent to that for a limited time. I just did my part and acted like I didn't notice I was getting diminished.
Besides the Deity that killed me and the betrayals I saw. Besides everything I saw and the influx of emotions I felt, something else caught my attention.
It was in one of the myriad worlds. In one of those words, I saw something.
I saw someone who affected me. I felt the knot tighten in my gut from the sight of him.
"Who was that man?" I muttered to myself.
"What are you talking about?" Kendal pulled me out of my thoughts.
"Nothing. I was just thinking about my training and all." I said and avoided direct topics. At this moment we're sitting down on the veranda of my home.
Leon, Allen- his little brother, Emma, Kendal and myself.
"I don't know. But you've been acting kind of weird today. A bit suspicious if I have to say." Emma said in a probing manner.
"Tell me about it. Did you something happen between you and my Kendal?" Leon suggested again, still accusing me.
"My Kendal, you say? If you ask me, you're the suspicious one. We all know she's my Kendal. Unless Allen takes her from me." I said in a challenging and accusing manner too.
Allen snapped in my direction but I didn't lock eyes. I directly avoided his gaze.
"Boys will always be boys." Emma said and hugged Kendal closely. I couldn't help but chuckle.
Somehow, I felt a little sentimental right now. I don't know why. The memories I got weren't clear to me. It was like I was scheming through a book.
But they awoke something from within me. That alone made me wish to hold this moment and keep it frozen in time.
"Step..."
Step..."
"Step.."
Footsteps echoed coming from the side. And as I turned to that direction, I felt like disappear, running, vanishing. Anything, as long as I want here.
"Oh shit...!" I cursed without realising.
The one who approached was my devil of a trainer. He locked eyes on me as he slowly approached us. His footsteps halted just a metre from us.
"Master Atticus, it's time for your training." He said in a serious tone as usual.
I stood up as if I was being taken to jail by my warden. But before we went far, I halted and turned to the others that remained with smiling expressions behind me.
"Excuse me but, weren't you guys told to join me in training today." I said simply.
The man halted and turned to them. The group all snapped in my direction with threatening looks.
"Atticus Von Radars, you wouldn't dare do that." They all threatened inwardly. And their eyes relayed that message all too clearly.
"Come on now. It's time for training. We can't waste time here." I repeated and turned to them.
My unspoken answer to them was this "sorry guys, but friends should always stick by each other's side."