The Remnant

Chapter 15

"I don't know what you're talking about," I replied.

I willed away any trace of doubt or fear from my eyes, desperate to maintain a semblance of control. But beneath the mask, panic gnawed at my core, threatening to unravel everything I had painstakingly built.

This can't be happening... Did she figure it out?!

A flicker of irritation danced in Dahlia's eyes as she straightened her back, a regal posture befitting her status. The weight of her gaze bore down on me, unyielding and perceptive.

"Lying is futile, my dear," Dahlia declared, her voice carrying an air of certainty. "I have long suspected, and now I am sure. You are a Remnant."

A Remnant?!

A jolt of trepidation shot through me as Dahlia's words hung in the air. How had she discovered the truth? I was sure I'd been careful, and meticulous in concealing my identity. The thought of everything I had worked for collapsing in an instant threatened to overwhelm me.

Despite the storm of emotions swirling in my mind, I noticed something strange. In Dahlia's gaze, I detected not malice, but a knowing understanding, a recognition of the complexities that defined my existence. There was zero indication that she was up to something bad. All I sensed from her was an air of genuine curiosity.

Instead of going behind my back, she decided to confront me personally. Maybe she's not after me. Maybe I can use this as an opportunity...

As the world around me wavered, I steadied myself, determined not to crumble under the weight of her words.

I guess I'm going to have to roll a dice on this... I can't give her my full name, but I can give her something...

"I... I used to be called Vick," I confessed, my voice barely above a whisper.

I held my breath, waiting anxiously for Dahlia's response, uncertain of how she would receive this revelation. Would she reject me? Or perhaps treat me differently?

For a moment, Dahlia's expression remained inscrutable, her gaze locked with mine. I couldn't decipher the thoughts that raced behind those unreadable gray eyes. But then, a glimmer of relief shimmered within her gaze, as if she had unearthed a long-sought answer.

Dahlia's lips curved into a soft smile as she bowed respectfully. "Vick, I thank you for sharing your true name with me."

"I prefer to go by Lucian these days."

"Lucian it is."

The tension that had filled the air slowly dissipated, replaced by a newfound sense of trust and understanding.

Seizing the opportunity, I mustered the courage to ask the question that had been gnawing at the corners of my mind. "Dahlia, what exactly is a 'Remnant'?"

I'd just heard her mention the term a few seconds ago. It was the first time I ever heard of it.

A flicker of contemplation passed across Dahlia's features, her gaze momentarily distant as she sought the right words to explain. "A Remnant is someone who has reincarnated and carries memories of their past lives within them."

Dahlia cleared her throat. "When I was young, I used to hear stories of people who never lost their memories, even as they traversed the cycle of life and death. I was told the Gods chose them to bear witness to the tapestry of existence."

My heart quickened at her words, my mind racing to grasp the implications of this revelation. Did that mean that I was not alone in this extraordinary phenomenon? Were there others, like me, that carried the weight of their past lives?