Christina's world spun as she fell off the rooftop, her eyes wide open as many thoughts hit her at once.
Am I going to die now that I've finally found reliable friends?
I'm about to start enjoying life after so many years, is this my fate? To die a lonely and loveless life?
Her fall seemed to slow, and the whole world began to shrink out of her sight. She loosened her fist and let go of every thought, letting fate decide her end as she braced herself for whatever may come.
But suddenly, she was enveloped in a dark, winged shadow. She felt a gentle grasp, and her descent halted.
Dazed, she opened her eyes to find herself on the ground, unscathed. Everything had happened in a blink of an eye.
But...what just happened? she thought to herself Had I imagined the wings, the figure?
She rubbed her temples, trying to shake off the haze.
Just then, everything began to flood in; she remembered the monster she had seen earlier on the rooftop.
"An illusion, it had to be," she whispered to herself. Yet, the image lingered, haunting her.
She scanned the area, searching for Mike, but he was nowhere to be seen. She caught sight of Rachael approaching and rushed towards her.
"Where is your brother?" she demanded.
Rachael shrugged. "I just arrived, how do you expect me to know where he is?"
Christina's eyes narrowed, her mind racing. She turned away from Rachael and stared back to the rooftop.
I'm sure I saw someone there. And what kind of costume was that? she thought.
Could it have been real what I saw earlier? A human with wings? And wasn't it Mike who saved me from falling? No! No! No! No! That's bullshit!
She turned around and saw Stefan picking up a torn uniform from the ground. As spotted the fabric, Stefan quickly concealed it behind his back.
"Is that not Mike's uniform? How's it..." her sentence trailed off as her confusion deepened.
Why's Stefan hiding Mike's uniform?
What's he trying to hide?
The implications were staggering.
Stefan shook his head frantically, attempting to deflect Christina's suspicion. "No, it's not his," he insisted.
"Something is not right, did Mike actually..." Christina paused, her eyes scanning the area again. Her gaze landed on Mike's abandoned bag, and her thoughts clicked into place.
"OMG! It's Mike!" she exclaimed under her breath.
Her resolve solidified. She had to know what happened.
She pivoted, her feet carrying her toward the woods.
"Where are you going? Christina!?" she heard Rachael calling out.
"To find out!" Christina replied over her shoulder, not breaking stride.
"Find out what!?" Stefan asked.
"What I saw!" Christina replied as she entered the woods, Rachael and Stefan's voices fading in the distance.
*****
Mike gazed up at the colossal creature, his chiseled physique accentuated by his bare torso. A loincloth made from what appeared to be leopard or cheetah hide wrapped around his waist, forming a makeshift garment that concealed his groin and extended down to his knees.
The creature's rugged body bore scars that testified to a history of battle and fierce combat. His feet were clad in primitive sandals unlike any Mike had ever seen, with long, rope-like laces that wound up his legs, securing the footwear in place and reaching almost to his knees.
Hung from his shoulder was a brown pouch made of animal fur. Mike's confusion deepened. "What do you mean by—"
"You're the Jyuran; the legendary protector of the kingdom of Perebia," Djumara replied, as if stating a fundamental truth.
Mike's expression suddenly shifted to one of shock. "Legendary protector? Kingdom? What are you talking about?"
"You... you don't remember?" Djumara asked. "You're the chosen one, the legendary—"
"Wait! Wait! Wait a moment," Mike urgently interjected, attempting to gather his scattered thoughts amidst the overwhelming influx of information. "Let me understand this correctly. Are you suggesting that I have been selected by this power within me to fulfill the role of a Yuran, or whatever that may entail?"
He let out a deep breath. "Furthermore, you're implying that the entity Perebia, which has frequented in my dreams, is not an individual but a tangible kingdom that exists in our world?"
Djuma, acknowledging Mike's confusion, nodded solemnly as he cautiously stepped closer, his ears twitching alertly as if attuned to the slightest sound of approaching footsteps. "Indeed, Perebia is a kingdom that exists, but not on this planet; it resides on a distant planet," he elaborated.
"Inhabit another planet?" Mike's voice quivered with disbelief, his mind racing through the familiar names of neighboring planets. "Could it be Mars? Jupiter? Uranus? V..."
"Far beyond those realms. Perebia thrives on our home planet, Noan," Djuma clarified, his ears displaying unusual independence, as though monitoring the surroundings for potential eavesdroppers. "Your purpose is to thwart the reign of terror of your son, Dahra."
"Kindly grant me a moment to process this," Mike implored, his hand reaching to steady his swirling thoughts. "My son? How is this conceivable? A son I'm unaware of? And how am I involved with the reign of terror?"
Djumara seemed even more confused than Mike, his brow furrowed. "It seems... your memories are sealed," he concluded. "It was anticipated that you would have unlocked your memories by now; why the delay?"
His twitching ceased, and his long, pointed ears focused intently on Mike.
"Memories?" Mike repeated, perplexed. "What the hell are you talking about?" The sheer volume of unfamiliar information threatened to overwhelm him. "Could you elaborate on these… memories?"
"I'm talking about the memories stored within the Krara, the power that resides within you," Djuma explained. "These memories hold the key to your responsibilities to the kingdom and your connection to Dahra, your son."
"But I don't recall anything," Mike said. "Are you sure I have something like that hidden somewhere in my head?"
Djuma nodded gravely. "I believe so. It must have been suppressed, probably by fear or shock," he replied. "You must unlock them, as they hold the secrets of your past and your destiny."
Mike's eyes widened as realization dawned on him. "Perhaps that's why I've been seeing fragments of these memories in my dreams."
Djuma squinted, even though his eyes were closed. "Dreams?" he said. "I'm unfamiliar with this term. What are dreams?"
"Dreams are visions or experiences that occur during sleep," Mike clarified.
However, Djuma's confusion persisted, indicating a lack of understanding. "You must unlock these memories," he pressed on, "or risk being murdered by your own son."
"What!? Why would anyone want to kill me? I've committed no crimes," Mike said, trembling. "And why do you keep calling him my son? I'm sure whoever you're talking about is a villain. I'm still a virgin; I can't have had a child already at my age."
"I apologize, but certain words you're using are unfamiliar to me," Djuma said. "Your statement is difficult to comprehend."
"How are they difficult to comprehend?" Mike sniffed. "Are you an AI or something?"
"I'm not from this planet; although we share the same language, not all our words are the same," Djuma replied, stepping closer. "In your current state, returning to Perebia would be perilous. I fear you're unaware of the power you possess."
"I'm well aware of my abilities," Mike responded confidently. "I possess speed, super hearing, night vision, super strength, and today I discovered my eagle-like vision. And, as it so happens, today's also my first transformation."
As he spoke, Mike seamlessly shifted back into his human form.
Djuma sighed. "You can't even maintain your Anthropter form."
Djuma sighed. "You can't even maintain your Anthropter form for an extended period," he said. "Are you aware of your healing and regeneration capabilities? Do you realize you're essentially indestructible?"
"What!?" Mike exclaimed in disbelief. "Re...re...what? Regeneration?"
"You still have much to learn, my Jyuran," Djuma said, now serious. "There's a vast chasm of knowledge about yourself that remains unexplored."
"I know your mind is racing with questions," he continued, "but I cannot provide all the answers. As you unlock your memories, the truths will reveal themselves. Our priority now is to ensure you're prepared, for only you can save Perebia."