1 come home

The beginning was far, far away.

The demon Farges, who stood at the very top of the world found the ancient relic Guv at the end of a bloody battlefield. For years he held it safe, unable to make up his mind about using it. And finally, when the world was at the end but he was still far from it, he brought it out. Guv had the appearance of a fist sized inconspicuous rock that could be found anywhere, but it felt very different from a rock. Only one who held sufficient power could feel Guv's power and recognise it for what it was. Farges pushed a strand of his internal energy into Guv, and it shuddered to life.

"Will you make the sacrifice?"

The voice came from within Guv, but it sounded directly in Farges' mind. It was a deep, inhuman voice, crackling with frightening power. But how could a demon like Farges be frightened, even in the face of power that was many, many times greater than his? He smiled and nodded.

Guv was quiet a while before it spoke again.

"The words must be spoken."

Farges was stunned. And amused. He smiled for the first time in a very long time.

"You can't see?"

It was almost as if he could feel Guv's admonishment.

"Will you make the sacrifice?" Guv repeated, as if it didn't hear Farges' question.

"So, you can't," Farges murmured. "Of course, you have no eyes. Are all of you ancient relics the same? Blind to the world? I know, you won't answer. Fine. The sacrifice. Yeah, I am willing. But first, explain."

Guv answered readily.

"As long as it concerns time, you can wish."

Few words could say so much more than many words. Language was strange like that. Farges burst out laughing. Guv was patient, remaining still in Farges' hand.

"Take me back," Farges said in the end. "Before it all began. The war. The end. Before I became me."

"The price is your everything," Guv said monotonously.

"I am willing," Farges answered before the question came.

The next moment, Guv buzzed like a bee. And darkness descended.

That was the beginning at the end.

Farges woke in a strange bed, in a strange room, feeling very strange. The alarm by the side was crooning loudly and uglily. He silenced it, and sat up. Took a few good, long breaths, and felt his body. The flesh was soft and clean, not a shadow of a scar anywhere. The bones were young and soft and mellow. There wasn't a wisp of strength in the body. But he didn't feel weak. It was almost as if all his internal energy was contained in his soul and all of it was intact. In fact, he felt stronger. As if his internal strength had multiplied, and his soul was many times larger.

"Guv?" He asked furtively.

There was no answer. And that was an answer in itself.

"So you can only send me back but cannot come back yourself. Thank you."

He was happy and excited, but he didn't forget gratitude. In his long life, he had witnessed many mystical events, many terrifying scenes. His heart was hardened. Reincarnation couldn't stump him.

He rose to his feet and began inspecting his new life. He felt young, so he knew he came back. But he didn't feel like himself. It was as if there was thin mist over his eyes. He felt his body, and it was much too different. Was it weak? Was that it? He wasn't sure if he had ever been this weak, this different.

Then, he looked around. He didn't recognise the small flat. He didn't need a scale. He knew the flat had an area of ninety two square metres. The flat was one big room that served as bedroom with the bed in the corner by the balcony, and an open kitchen on the opposite corner. And there was a closed bathroom. The thin balcony was walled out by a thick glass wall and a sliding glass door. Even though the glass would darken and lighten at the push of a button, curtains were hung that slid to cover the entire wall. There wasn't anything beyond the essentials in the house. Most importantly, a clear mirror stood against the wall next to the bed, reaching for the ceiling from the ground. He stood in front of the mirror and looked at himself.

He was stunned. The handsome face in the mirror definitely wasn't his. The wiry frame wasn't his. That cloud of sensuality wrapping him, definitely wasn't him. But he had to admit, even he was smitten.

"Damn," he swore. "Is this me? So handsome. Maybe, I can allow myself the dream. A very different life, of leisure and joy."

— Sure you can. I'm just that handsome. No, now that we're a we. We're just that handsome.

Farges froze. That voice felt so familiar, even though he didn't recognise it. And it sounded in his head.

"Guv?"

— Oh no, I'm not Guv. That's the relic that sent you back. It ceased to exist after. That's how the relics work. Single use items with unimaginable power. That's what makes them so amazing.

"Who're you then?"

— I'm me. I don't know. I think I made a deal with a relic too. I don't remember. That was the price, I guess. I lose all memories. You're going to ask how I know all this then. Aren't you? I retained all knowledge. Guess the relic can distinguish between memories and knowledge.

"So, this body is yours? And we're intertwined, like a single life. Two souls as one."

— Exactly. It's like we're living a fantasy novel. Won't this be such an exciting adventure.

The shock quickly dissipated, and Farges quickly accepted the new reality. He was more than one person now, he was they. Before anything else, he had to learn who they were.

He saw the corner by the bed that had been converted into a tiny library. A short table stood as the roof over the books resting under, and ground for the open notebook and pens and ink on top. The empty backpack was crumpled by the side. He walked over and found an id.

Vesper Eeve. Sixteen. First year of high school at Scholars Academy.

— I like our name. Vesper. Means an unbreakable vine. Suits us. Don't you agree?

"Sure," Farges agreed. "Vesper sounds good."

And that was the start of the first fay of Vesper.