THE SHADOWVERSE

Reminiscence

Unbeknownst to them, Sonovan had stealthily unlocked his door. Standing in the dark corridor, he inspected them and their attire curiously. These . . . children? How could they possibly be so important, he thought. "Who are you?" he whispered. His voice was drenched with suspicion.

They all jolted in beautiful synchrony and whipped around to stare at him. "Who are you?" retorted Johnny defiantly.

Narrowing his eyes, Sonovan answered quietly, "I am Sonovan Lung . . ."

"I figured it was you," Ryan said.

Jane smiled at Sonovan. "You saved us. Just like how he told you to."

As he took a step closer, the team could see his face properly now—his human face. No longer was it concealed by the dark, almost cyan, shroud. He looked like he was of Mongolian or Japanese descent—tall, with a firm build mostly hidden by his maroon-colored long-sleeved shirt. A blue-gray garment covered the rest of him. Though his appearance was Asian, Sonovan's eyes seemed different somehow.

Sonovan sat on a chair, pondering the events that had transpired. "Who are you?" he repeated. "Where are you from?"

"We are from Earth," Johnny replied.

This surprised Sonovan, who placed a finger on his chin in contemplation. "That is a word I have not heard in a horribly long time."

"Are you human?" Ryan asked.

"Indeed," Sonovan answered.

"How did you save us?" Johnny asked.

"Every one of you has such a grand destiny," Sonovan said. "How about you grab a chair and listen?"

"To what?" Sam replied.

Ignoring his comment, Sonovan sat on a round piece of furniture that clearly saw better days. His eyes were all of a sudden light-years away. "Once, I was a samurai, but a haughty one at that," he started. "After I abandoned my fellow men, I spent my days wandering the hills. During this time spent as an itinerant man, I discovered a cave. Inside it I found a portal, which I have come to know as the Xun. In my rebellious state of mind, I broke through the Xun and the energy inside it erupted, opening a portal to another realm: the Shadowverse. That outburst granted me immortality, but also released an army of beings."

Sonovan now stood, staring out at the window, looking out at the mountainous view, thousands of feet above the ground. The planet's parent star was setting in the west, its rays shining through the clouds. The downpour had finally ceased. "In my effort to destroy the intruders and rid the planet of their presence, their master, Titan, took my fiancé Aiko. Worse yet . . . we had already planned to go through ren'ai."

"Wait, you had a fiancé?" asked Jane.

"Yes. She and I grew up near each other and, in time, she was delighted to become a fellow samurai with me. But after arriving in the other world, Aiko was taken from me by Asterion, the previous Voir to Titan . . . before Solis. Some time passed until I encountered another Voir, named Solace. I did not know at first, but Solace was Aiko. Titan had taken over her mind, and she only did his bidding."

"Just like Rose," Ryan interrupted, turning to the others.

"Who?" Sonovan asked.

"Rose," Ryan explained. "She is our friend. Titan tricked us and took her, just like he did with your fiancée. Now, only this 'Justice' remains, I guess."

Sonovan's eyes fixated on the horizon beyond the mountains. "It is happening all over again, then."

"Finish your story, please," Jane begged gently.