One Year Later

  A full year has passed since the day I awakened to powers I could neither understand nor control. The once-dormant force within me has grown, sharpening and evolving with each passing moment. I’ve leveled up, inching closer to unlocking the overwhelming potential of the memories coursing through me. Yet for all my progress, I remain adrift a boy lost in a sea of questions that seem to have no answers.

  My brothers moved on, leaving behind the small, quiet territory of our youth. They’ve joined the prestigious Light Empire, the most prosperous of the four empires that dominate our divided world. As much as it hurts to see them go, I cannot deny the pride swelling within me when I hear of their accomplishments. One now command as a Knight Captain, his strength and honor celebrated throughout the land. The other has found his calling in the intricate web of finance and development, shaping the economic future of the empire.

  They were always the destined ones gifted, brilliant, bound for greatness. And I? I remain the boy they left behind, the one still searching for his place.

  The Four Empires

  The world is fractured, its power divided among four empires. Each of them bears its own identity, its own virtues and vices:

  These empires are giants upon the world stage, each bearing secrets and strengths that hold them apart. But for all their might, no one can explain the anomaly that is me. I am not bound by the singularity of their powers; I hold the potential of all seven memory vaults. At present, I can wield only three, but the truth remains: I am different. I am something else entirely. And the deeper I search for answers, the more I find myself retreating from the need to understand.

  The Small Territory Without Its Heir

  The day Sophie approached me, her steps heavy with purpose, I knew the tide was about to shift.

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  “You’ve heard the news about them, haven’t you?” she asked softly, her voice uncharacteristically hesitant.

  I nodded; my gaze fixed on the dirt beneath my boots. “They’re doing well,” I murmured, the words hitching in my throat. As proud as I was of my brothers, I couldn’t shake the gnawing ache of being left behind, a piece of this territory that felt increasingly distant.

  Sophie placed a hand on my shoulder, grounding me with touch. “Father’s health is failing,” she said, her voice quieter now, almost fragile. “And I’ve decided…” She hesitated, searching my face as though bracing for my reaction. “I’m leaving. There’s something I need to prepare for. Something bigger than this.”

  Her words hit me like a blow. “What do you mean, ‘leave’?” I asked, struggling to mask the tremor in my voice.

  Her eyes met mine, steady and unflinching. “It means you will become the patriarch of our territory.”

  The title alone made my chest tighten. “What? No. I can’t—”

  “It’s the only way,” Sophie interrupted. Her tone was firm, though I caught the glimmer of sadness behind her resolve. “Father’s condition worsens by the day, and someone must step in. You’ll be the 68th Patriarch of our family. It must be you.”

  “Sophie, I’m only fourteen!” I cried, the desperation in my voice spilling over. “I don’t want this I can’t do it. I’m not like them.” I clenched my fists. “I’m not strong enough.”

  Sophie’s lips quirked into a faint, knowing smile. “You’ve always said that” she mused, her tone light yet tinged with nostalgia. “Even when we were kids, you’d cry and beg me to fix everything for you. Some things never change.”

  Her words stung, but the sincerity in her eyes left me unable to protest. She sat beside me, her presence steady, her hand clasping mine. “I’m not asking you to be perfect,” she said softly. “I’m asking you to try. For the sake of our people.”

  Her plea settled like a weight in my chest. “But... don’t leave like they did. Please don’t abandon us.”

  Sophie’s expression softened, and she cupped my cheek gently. “I’ll come back,” she promised. “Not for the territory. For you.”

  I wanted to believe her, to hold onto the warmth of her words. But the growing storm within me made everything feel so uncertain.

  “Promise me one thing,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “Promise me you won’t use your power not the one within you. If you do, they’ll find out.”

  Sophie stilled, her eyes widening briefly before she composed herself. “I won’t,” she said with a reassuring smile. “Don’t worry about me. Worry about what’s ahead of you.” She rose, her presence lingering even as she walked away.

  The mantle of responsibility she left in her wake felt impossibly heavy. But for the first time, I wasn’t sure whether the weight I carried came from my family, my power, or the person I was trying so desperately to become.