COMPLETED Remembrance of Self | Fantasy | LGBTQ

Chapter 29 - Part 1

Swift darkness fell over Haiden's consciousness as he opened his eyes just moments after to the sound of a whistling. He recognized the sound immediately. Being drawn to it like an insect to light, his feet and body moved on its own. He had a strange feeling in the pit of his stomach, everything around him was wrong, but he could not place it. He moved through a modest house, moving through the main corridor he opened the very last door that lead into a room full of toys.

Inside a woman cradled her son, the whistle's tune was melodic and calming.

"You look beautiful, Pam." Haiden said with an unfamiliar voice.

"Oh, you!" The woman said bashful. "Our son is beautiful, look at him. He's perfect." She raised the child, allowing him to see his wrinkly red face.

"Of course he is, he is our son. Haiden." Haiden replied, again, his voice was not his own."Pam - I need to talk -"

"Are you being deployed again?" The woman cut him off.

"Yes, this time I cannot say no, Pam. I'm sorry." He felt terrible pain in his heart, a fearsome loneliness that gutted him.

"Da-" The woman began but was cut of by a looming shadow that darkened everything around him.

Haiden blinked again and he found himself in a different location. Instead of the simple home he saw rubble.that lit ablaze Fallen walls exposing the inside of the structure. He had seen that house before. Haiden felt insurmountable rage and anguish. The shock of the sight wore off in moments before his legs moved on their own quickly, his body plunging through the flame. They all died the moment he stepped on the broken tiles. He rushed to the last door in the corridor and flung open the door. The burning handle imprinting on his hand like brand.

Inside he saw two burnt bodies. The room was no longer filled with toys but books, the furniture had changed as well as the color of the walls which was darkened by the flames. At the bottom of a bed, there were two piles of dark ash in the form of two bodies. A woman and a child.

Haiden's heart stopped for what seemed like eternity. Tears flowed endlessly on his cheeks as he screamed at everything he could think of. Creators, the Emperor, Ameral, the list continued.

The sun set slowly, but his screams continued till his voice was but a whisper.

Finally he turned to the pile of ash and whispered. "Haiden, I'm sorry."

Darkness enveloped Haiden again, the raw emotions he had been feeling were stripped away, as if he had left them all in the last location. Confused at what he had just witnessed he drifted away through darkness. The child that had died was named Haiden. But, I am Haiden. He said to himself.

You are. Screech replied.

Then who was that? Am I remembering?

Screech took a moment to answer but he finally said. Yes. But they are not your knowings. They are different.

If they weren't mine, then whose?

Danil. His knowings came with when he gave back your knowings.

Danil has a child!? Haiden said in disbelief.

Had. Screech corrected.

Oh, right. Haiden was embarrassed. He felt like he had just seen something incredibly private. He had just violated Danil with his prying gaze into his memories. We had the same name. He repeated before wondering what would follow next.

Haiden opened his eyes again to see that he was now transported somewhere else. Everywhere around him were dirt houses of shades of sun-burnt clay mud that were extremely tall.Wide doorways and windows.. People just as big dressed in rags, they were unwashed and extremely malnourished. They lazed around wherever they could, uncaring for anything else.