My eyes wander around as I am observing Pharos's study room and found it interesting. Especially the globes. There were four of them actually. Z, on the other hand, is resting on my head while yawning. "Intriguing isn't it?" Pharos begin.
"Huh??" I look at him.
"The globes," his finger points upwards. I look back at the globes, "What does it representing?" I finally ask.
"Universes," Pharos pause, "Your universe." I glance at Pharos again but with surprise. "Universes?" Pharos nod.
Still, in a confused state, I glance up again. 'My universe? Is one of them my universe?' I stare at the globes hard. Pharos got up from his seat and pull down a globe with orange markings on it. All sorts of markings and notes were stuck on the globe. "What does that mean?" I question him, getting on to my feet and examine the globe.
"Lemme take a look," Z volunteer herself and begin circling the globe. Pharos step aside as he let the succubus flies around the earth. After her work had done a smirk appears on her face, "Hoho, looks like someone was stalking you," she states before flies back towards me, resting on my head.
"What?!?" I shriek. I turn at Pharos with a disbelieving pair of eyes as our eyes lock together. Pharos sigh. "It is called observing. Not stalking." He then pushes the globe back up. Z huff, disapprove with Pharos's statement. We go back to our seats and I continue, "Soooo, about my memories..."
Pharos examine me from top to bottom. "Looks like they really didn't want you to have those memories," Pharos interrupting me, crossing his leg while resting his back.
"It's more of 'She-is-dangerous-so-we-better-let-her-forget-about-everything' kind of thing," Z state once more before resting herself on my lap. "Huh? The what now?" I glance at Z.
"Let me ask you this, do you remember anything that relates to magic or any extraordinary events?" Pharos begin to question me while entwining his fingers together. Searching through my data memories, it seems like I can't recall anything from the past. I shook my head, "I can't remember anything."
"Are you familiar with these names; Aizah, Nanoha and Diana?" he continued.
"Aizah, Nanoha and Diana...." I repeat. 'Why does it sounds familiar?' I thought and gaze at the floor.
Four girls, including me, are in a living room together. Not knowing who they are and planning not to, I turned around and faced the exit.
"Woahhhh, another us!!!" One of them greeted me. I jumped before looking back at her direction. She had a pair of energetic, dark purple eyes. She seems friendly at first glance but I can't simply conclude that she's friendly.
"Do we look alike?" Another one spoke before pulling me towards a standing mirror as we were now facing it. She had a pair of kind, chestnut eyes. And I can't take my eyes off from her. Her smile is soothing like an innocent girl.
"Yeah, we all do." The remaining one chuckled after she grabbed my shoulder. I faced towards her direction and was awed by her energetic, electric blue eyes. Her eyes were so mesmerizing I kept on looking at her.
"This is going to be epic!" The girl with energetic dark purple eyes cheered and made me realized I stared at this electric blue girl for too long.
Snap back to the present, I was holding my head low. A sudden memory flashed into my mind and had made me panting. That piece of memory showed three girls which the three of them had the same shoulder-length hair just like me but the differences were two of them were jet black while the other was fluffy white.
'Who.... are they?' I question myself. Then, a sharp pain manages to crawl into my head and made me yelp for a second. I was panting and sweating. My heart keeps on pounding and I keep on thinking who exactly are they. Why do we look alike? And most of all, where am I at that time?
"Do you remember?" Pharos ask. I look up only to find a worried Pharos. I nod slowly. "The spell that had been cast on you was quite powerful and hard to nullify. Fortunately, you managed to cancel it," Pharos grin.
"Meaning?"
"You broke the spell without any help! Oh, that's totally wicked!!" Z cheer. I look at my hands afterwards. 'Why?'
"Is everything fine?" Pharos ask, concern. I looked at him again, "I-I can't tell you whether I'm fine or not. It's just... It's hard to explain," I finally confess.
My eyes wander again before spotting something very unusual at the corner of my eye. A page with my name written on it that scattered beside the foot of the chair that I was currently sitting. I pick it up and begin to examine. Scanning from top to bottom, I gape open before covering my mouth, shocked. The page had my name, Aizah, Nanoha and Diana in a form of a cycle followed by a big red circle encircled my name and a word 'LINKED' which written underneath. "You are very special, young lady," Pharos says. Looking at Pharos with displeasing I hold up the page, "What is the meaning of this?!!"
"You were linked with your other selves from another universe. Not one but three other universes," Pharos begin again. "It is almost impossible to find people who can actually link with their other selves from different universes. Not to mention, without creating any paradoxes or altering timelines. So far, I'd met someone just like you but she can only peer through them, 'through the possibilities' she said. But I have no doubt, she was powerful," Pharos crack a smile, a sad smile.
"Who is this 'someone' you mentioned?" I ask, lowering the page.
"The Ancient One if I'm not mistaken," he states. My eyes widen and my heart skips a beat. "Oh no," Pharos got up, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you."
"No, no it's fine," I lie, "I never met her before." And my mind reminds me, 'But I watched her.'
Pharos sit back and speak, "She was the reason the book was in Kamar-Taj." I look back at him. "She was?" Z asks, interested.
Pharos nod. "We shared and exchanged our knowledge together. Knowledge from her universe and mine...." Pharos pause and he was lost in his thoughts. Hinting that he was upset, I immediately change the subject. "Can you by any chance access my memories?" I request.
Pharos gaze at me and chuckle. "Are you trying to change the subject?"
"Umm, yes," I whisper, embarrassed.
"Although I'm a soul, it is really important for you to know what I'm capable of," Pharos tells with a chuckle. I sigh in defeat, "Fine."
"The Ancient One and I were quite close until she told me something," Pharos pause for the second time. Z and I lean forward, curious for his next words. "She told me that she will be having an amazing student but that is not the highlight. The highlight is, she saw the possibilities in him and one of them is he having an apprentice. An apprentice who had the same magic as me, as the phoenixes. My request to drop the book into Kamar-taj was granted so that the apprentice, which is you-" he points at me, "-to read it, to master our magic."
"Woaaah," I whisper in amazement. "But you said you were torn apart, scattered around and divided. How can you still communicate with her?" I ask.
"True, I was divided. Despite that, I'm actually the last bits of his magic. The remaining fragment of his magic," he tells before producing a small firebird on his palm. "I still had my consciousness during that time till my magic drained away little by little. So I decided to travel to the astral dimension where I can contain my magic. One of the reasons I lived in the astral dimension was I can meet you, to teach you about something before I was gone, forever. I don't have much time and magic left," he got onto his feet and march towards me, "Whatever happens, don't let the darkness consume you. And most importantly, don't let them take Phoenix away from you," his amber eyes stare straight into my soul.
I nod slowly. Curling my left hand into a fist while my right hand hold the page tightly, I can feel the responsibility hanging heavily on my shoulder. I glance back at the page. "What about Phoenix's life cycle?" I ask as I stare back at him.
"Before I get to that point, there is something I need to show you." He utter. Pharos parts away and went to the small window from before. "We are interdimensional creatures," he begins again, "and we lived between realities." Pharos then snaps his fingers. The ceiling above us begins to make some noises before fades away. And we were greeted by clouds which were drifting slowly above us.
"Although we lived between realities, our empire was much greater than humans," he continues. I look at him, "Was?"
Pharos points at the sky and I follow the direction his finger pointed at. Thunderstruck, I cover my mouth. Clouds that were drifting earlier had vanished and were replaced. Above us right now was a city, an upturned city. "Is that, is that a freaking city?!?!" I exclaim and still looking up.
"The remains of the city," Pharos explains.
"How?" I ask him briefly before facing him. Pharos took a deep breathe, "A war took place here millennia ago and what remains are only these ruins."
Trying to understand the past, I question him again, "If phoenixes lived between realities and there is only one way to get in here, then who started the attack?"
"Shurds or some might call them shadow creatures," Pharos then stare at Z.
"Shadow creatures?! I thought they were imprisoned in the shadow dimension," Z interrupts with her screech.
"They were but their leader managed to escape and gather his army so he can feast on phoenixes." Pharos now facing away from the window and step closer towards me. I gaze up at his tall and huge figure. "Now, he might be on the move and he will find you no matter what," he looks into my eyes again. I gulp, "W-Why does he feast on phoenixes?"
"So he can get stronger, travel to other realities and take over them." Pharos then hold my shoulder.
"I think he already on the move." Z intercepts between Pharos and me. "I saw him back in the shadow dimension and his spies managed to kidnap me," Z tells her tale.
"How did you escaped?" Pharos went back to his seat, curious.
"I rather keep it as a secret than telling you the story. And because I don't like to tell it in front of her." Z points at me and adds a wink. "Hey!" I exclaim while puffing my cheeks. Z shrugs and giggles.
"Z is it? This might offend you but are you really a succubus?" Pharos ask her a question.
"I don't really know." She shrugs before resting herself on my head again.
"Because I think I might know what you are," Pharos smirk was visible.
"YOU DO?!!!" She shrieks. Pharos gave the succubus a nod. "Then what is it?" She then flies straight at Pharos.
"You are a succubus but an immature one." He pokes Z's cheek.
"HEY!! Only Izzah can do that!" She puffs her cheeks.
"But I think you are also not a pure succubus either," Pharos adds.
"I am?" Z tilt her head to the side.
"Tell me, how did she enter your life?" Pharos look at me.
"I'm not 100% remember but I guess after I had a rough day and it took me about 3 days to cool down," I reply.
"Fascinating." Pharos exclaim.
"Are you going to run some experiment on me?" She growls. Pharos shook his head indicating he won't run any experiments on her, "I never met an alter ego before. And I might also add that she is the personification of your behaviour," he added after he looks at me. My mouth gap open.
"Okay, I agree with the fact that she is my alter ego but an immature succubus? Is she?" I turn to Z. "I do hate boys like Phoenix, Niel, Morufu and even the sorcerer, can't deny that," she shrugged again.
"You know that succubus loves men, right?" Pharos eye me. I gave him two nods.
"Well, I guess Z is better than having a mature succubus by my side," I admit although still couldn't believe that Z is a personification of my bad behaviour.
"Fun fact about me, I can consume her bad experiences and memories," Z states proudly though Pharos seems to ignore the fact.
"Yeah, totally helped me in my moody days," I add next while beckoning her to come over. I stroke her hair with my finger, relieved to have her by my side. When I was busy playing with Z, the door suddenly burst opened. "MASTER!!" A familiar voice called, his breath was uncontrollable because of running. We both looked at the door.
"Phoenix!" I stand onto my feet and lung towards him. He did the same by lunging himself towards me and not long we were both hugging each other. "Ho-How did you get up here?" He asks between his breath which tickled my ears.
"I met Pharos," I simply reply.
I was about to break the hug to see Pharos but Phoenix wouldn't let me. He hugs me again, this time tighter. My heart skips a beat. 'Phoenix?'
"Let it be a little longer," he whispers. Only letting the two of us hear his words. Understood, I return the hug.
"Ahem..."
"...."
"Aheeeemmmm..."
"....."
"AHEMM...."
"....."
"Urghhhh..." We hear someone grumble and annoyed with something and not long, something pulls us apart. "Huuhh?"
"Ehh?"
Both of us were confused. Black tentacles were wrapping around us and squeezing us gently, not to harm us that's for sure. "I don't know what had got into you but I extremely against you hugging her in public." Z huff while floating beside me.
Phoenix and I didn't show any sign of struggling as we look at Z.
"You did this?" Phoenix ask.
"Duhhh who else?" she replies with a death stare.
Phoenix and I looked at each other before bursting into laughter. It was a short laugh because we know Z might be sulking afterwards.
"Nawww, Z, I let you hug me once we head back. I promise," I told her. "And Z, could you at least let us go?" Phoenix making a request while trying his best not to laugh again.
The tentacles then unwrap us, freeing us from its grasps. "Thank you."