Identity (Editing)

Chapter 25

I jolt up from the bed, staring in between the two of them. Everything is spinning and my mind is whirling a mile a minute.

W-what was that..?" I demand, still shaking slightly. Goosebumps line my arms as I rub them.

"That was the truth of your past." Irsa says calmly and I see Duke sigh from the corner of my eye.

"I-I don't understand..." I stammer, trying to make sense of everything. There is a sudden, slight pressure on my hand and I look down to see Duke with his hand over mine, his thumb moving in comforting circles over my knuckles. Can this man really be my brother? Both of the memories coincide with each other and it would explain why I feel so close to him, but... It's hard to just openly accept.

"I understand how hard this must be for you," he murmurs softly, "but I will do whatever I can to help you through this." A small smile crosses his lips and I notice the distinct lack of laugh lines. Had he really been stone faced for his entire life? It's horrible to think about.

"I-I just need time." I take a deep breath and my gaze settles on Irsa. "But, that girl..."

"She was, is, you." She sighs softly and her golden eyes glimmer with a barely recognisable sadness. "Do you remember when you came to my court for the verdict on whether or not you could stay with that village?" I bite my lip and nod, not wanting to think about what happened to them.

"We were attacked by humans on that day." She looks into my eyes, trying to assess how much I remember from that day eight years ago. "The second the first tree caught on fire, you collapsed to the ground. I at first thought it was fear and you simply fainted, but... As more of the forest burned, the worse off you became. I knew then who you are."

"And... Who am I..?" I ask cautiously, not sure if I want to know the answer.

"It's more of what are you." She answers honestly in her powerful voice. "That ritual you saw with the monks really happened. You were created in order to protect this world."

"Protect it from what?" I demand. "Humans? People like Segas? There's no way I can do something like that." I feel the panic rising in my chest and my body tenses. Two pairs of worried eyes turn to look at me and I feel my cheeks burn in embarrassment.

"There is another problem that expands much beyond the human populace and this Segas, as you call him." Obviously she has never met the man.

"Then what is it..?" What could be more of a danger to this planet than humans and Segas? The ideas that pop into my head scare me to my core.

"As you have seen, the Seelie court poses a threat to the balance of nature. Mandala," she says his name in complete disgust, "has found a way to remove the magic of this world. The planet is slowly dying." Her voice is calm despite the horrid news and I stare at her in shock.

"But... Does the world survive on magic?" I ask, instantly feeling like an idiot with the frustrated look that she gives me.

"Everything survives on magic, even humans despite their fear of it. Without magic, this world would crumble and life would cease to exist." Fear flickers in her eyes, but her expression remains composed, just like Duke's. "If Mandala succeeds..."

"Why would he want to succeed?" I ask, not meaning to cut her off so rudely. "If he destroys the world, then he dies as well." Irsa nods and shifts her gaze towards the window, the sky outside impressively darker than it was when they first came in. Just how much time has passed?

"Mandala sees humans and many other creatures as parasites to the Earth. In his mindset, he can reset everything and let this world be born anew, free from human filth."