• Missing Memory

After Merisset returned from her meeting with Grengo, she drilled Thorin, Cerene and then Akemi in their own combat training.

Thorin displayed why he was the Avatar with the highest level in the group by expertly defeating the holograms using raw skill and also his powers.

Cerene wasn't much of a strength person. In fact, she couldn't throw a punch to save her life. But it was all made up by the fact that she could control her element so easily and used it to fight off the holograms.

As for Akemi, her powers intrigued Spheris. The red energy she produced with her arms created small force fields, amplifying her strikes and shielding her. She was the most athletic amongst the Royals, probably more athletic than Spheris. And when she was done defeating the illusions, he believed that she had the most interesting powers in the group.

However, throughout the rest of the day, something else worried Spheris. And that was the thought of what had happened the night he slept on the floor. What was he missing? Why did it feel like there was a blank hole in his memory?

Grengo announced to the Avatars that tomorrow will be an important day, as it is the last day before the Convergence Ceremony, then he left. Dinner was quiet as usual. No one was really comfortable conversing with the stern Ardion and crazy Merisset seating on the table.

Spheris didn't care for conversation. He was still trying to make himself remember. It had never happened to him before—losing his memory. And so the feeling that he might have done something or something was done to him and he couldn't remember ached him.

He was on his way to his room after dinner when Merisset's door swung open and she came out. Spheris paused, gazing at her and wondering what she wanted. She, on the other hand, continued to glare him down, scrutinizing him for some reason.

Spheris ignored her and continued to his room.

"Oi!" she called.

He stopped in his tracks once again and glanced back at her.

"Come here."

He sighed inwardly. 'What does she even want?' And then turned around and approached her.

"Let me guess, you don't like me at all, do you?" she asked dryly.

"Uh... " Spheris gazed at her, confused by the question. "I don't have a problem with you."

"Speak up when you're talking to me!"

"I said I don't have a problem with you."

Merisset's glower was still as stern as she folded her arms. "But that's not what I asked you, was it?"

"I don't... know what you want me t—"

"Hey, my eyes are up here!" she roared.

"What?" Spheris squeezed his face at her. "What are you talking about, I wasn't looking... "

"At what?" she cocked her head. "You weren't looking at what?"

Spheris was completely unsure of what to think or say. "You're... crazy," he muttered regrettably.

"What did you say?"

"Uh... Nothing," he quickly replied. They both got into another stare off as she gave him the once-over that almost every curious person did.

"You might think that I'm being harder on you than the rest of the Avatars," she said. "If that's what you think... then you're right."

Spheris raised a brow.

"They've been training for this their whole life. Every twenty-five years, a child from each duke in the Continent is given the Essence of their Celestial and sent into the Abyss in an attempt to destroy it. A true honor." She then glared at him. "You know what hasn't happened before? A commoner having the Essence of a Celestial, even worse, a Heathian. You have no single idea what you have become a part of, and I want to make sure that you know that."

Spheris joined her and folded his arms. "What if I already do know that?"

"You don't." she imposed. "The rest of the Avatars, they've got nothing to prove, you on the other hand, you have to prove that you deserve this power. To be the Temple of the god of the First Wing is not an easy task.

"Obsidian is the first Celestial, he demands the most respect! It is out of place for a Heathian to be his Temple." Then she sighed, as though she remembered something. "But for whatever reason, my father thinks that this is a good thing. That you are going to 'usher us into a new era.' I don't care what he says. Because the moment you start hearing those voices in your head, telling you to use Obsidian's power for personal gain, I will be the one to end you."

Something the female Mage said struck him. His mind immediately began to jumble and he tried to reorganize her words in his head. "What was that you said? Something about Obsidian and voices."

"What?" she scowled. "I didn't say anything about Obsidian and voices! I said once you start hearing voices in your head—"

"Yes that!" Spheris exclaimed. "Voices in my head."

Merisset gaped at him like he was a lunatic. "Are you having a mental breakdown?"

He glanced at her. "I have to go," his voice came in a whisper, but his thoughts were elsewhere. "I just thought of something."

"What?!"

Spheris scurried into his room and stood frozen, his thoughts scrambling as he forced himself to remember.

Obsidian. Voices. Head.

Obsidian. Voice. Head.

Voices in my head.

Obsidian. Voice. Head.

Then it clicked. 'Obsidian's voice in my head!' And in the next second, the dark flash came again and all too familiar vision reoccurred. The same vision of destruction and darkness. Obsidian's own thoughts.

Spheris opened his eyes and now he could remember everything. Every single thing.

"Obsidian?" he whispered. "Obsidian?"

No response. It seemed the God of Darkness did not want to play with him tonight.

"Oh, so now you stay quiet?" Spheris taunted. "Obsidian?"

Still no response. Surprising. He seemed like the talkative type, so why was he not speaking? Was he busy?

Ha! Busy doing what? He's a Celestial. He sits on his throne all day doing nothing at all.

"What are you trying to hide, huh?" Spheris asked the silent god. "You don't want me seeing your thoughts? These visions? And so you try to make me forget, is that it?"

No response.

"Answer me!"

The god remained silent. Now Spheris could feel the frustration building up inside him. He hated this! He couldn't stand that a Celestial could speak in his thoughts, but to know that he can alter his memory as well angered and frightened him.

"I said answer me!" Spheris stomped to his table and kicked it over in rage. "Obsidian!"