The passageway was dimly lit, and yet I could see clearly. Chalking it up to the stream of potion, I mentally thanked it again as I moved forward, swaying.

I wish I had more potion because, to be honest, I was in pretty bad shape but a strong sense of danger, and the fact that I would likely faint if I summoned as much as a drop of the potion, meant that I had to hold back the pain and sharpen my senses as far as they could go.

Then I heard a sound in the winding passage.

Again, it sounded out.

It seemed like footsteps?

On guard again, I steadied myself and made my breath as shallow as possible - which wasn’t hard given my condition - and I crept forward silently.

Only to watch, stunned, as I saw myself walking alongside Paul heading in the same direction I was with their backs to me.

Bewildered, I scanned the boy who was beside Paul and it was the hair and the clothes that he wore that confirmed that he was me!

Following along, I watched with a bad feeling as they took a turn, and realizing what was going to happen, I ran into the turn only for my body to freeze mid-run.

Eyes wide, I stared at the events as they unfolded.

I watched as Paul shrank back toward me as two thuggish soldiers materialized facing towards my replica, who turned and his eyes narrowed as he jumped back, the dagger slicing a trail of blood on his cheek.

I watched as my replica twisted around and kicked the middle soldier of the charging group, creating a space in the middle that he sailed into using a turn and an outstretched leg to generate momentum from the original attacker.

Then I watched as he crouched and faced the soldiers, paul, and...me?

But he didn’t see me, I could tell. If I hadn’t experienced what I did in Saber’s life, I would’ve wondered if my replica was blind, but I could tell that I was once again removed from the events that were happening.

I watched as my replica decided on a plan and charged toward the point soldier, dodging his blow and then dodging the next soldier’s blow too but taking the third one’s dagger stab directly on his shoulder in exchange for throwing him and distracting one of the last remaining soldiers standing guard at the entrance right in front of where I was frozen.

Then he grabbed Paul, and I wanted to shout out, “Don’t” but he couldn’t hear me and continuing his shoulder charge, he triggered his warforce and knocked the last soldier away before running straight at me.

Knowing what was going to happen, I watched as Paul stabbed him in the side and he fell to one knee. I watched as he caught the dagger that would’ve ended his life and viciously head-butted Paul, who fell unconscious. I watched as he stared past me and then turned with a bitter smile towards the lunging soldiers and I cried out as he took wounds after wounds, carving a path through the soldiers to the opposite side of the dead end.

I shouted to warn him about what was coming, but again, he couldn’t hear me and I saw him pushing himself up from his kneeling position, turning and facing Sia-no, Deianira.

I saw him watch horror-struck as his ‘Sia’ killed each of the soldiers - one after the other.

I screamed in pain as he punched ‘Sia’ and then was blasted away by her retaliation.

Past the haze of pain that I too was feeling, I urged him to get up and fight again. I urged him to blow the horn of Valor.

And he did.

He blew the horn of valor and he straightened his back and went toe to toe with a silver rank while his warforce healed his wounds.

I counted the seconds.

16.

17.

18.

And then I relaxed as I seemed to see my Father’s form in front of my replica.

Only to stiffen in horror as my father didn’t appear and ‘Sia’ ran her sword through me and leaned close before pushing me lightly away.

The replica screamed, I screamed, He was me - I was him.

Then we slumped over, blood staining the ground and our life force flowing out with every moment and looked bitterly at the sky - burning every detail into our mind - and then we fell and our eyes closed... forever.

Deep in the darkness, I came to with a gasp - only to find myself again frozen mid-run while the first soldier started his attack.

I watched as the same events repeated and I felt the pain of death yet again.

Crying out in agony, Tears wanting to fall and my nose feeling clogged, I endured death over and over again.

Then a strange calmness took over me.

I could watch dispassionately as I was run through by the blade. I could watch myself and the replica twitching in agony, and I felt all the pain and none of it.

I watched as the light of life faded from my replica at the same time it faded from mine.

Then I began to understand why I was frozen here.

So I observed.

I observed, and I thought, and I mentally decried my past self.

My replica’s movements were powerful, yet sloppy. He knew he was walking into a trap and yet when the trap was sprung, he still trusted Paul.

Trying to remember the feelings I had before, I recalled that when I was crouching, the thought that Paul had been pulled into an assassination trap meant for me had gone through my head.

I remembered thinking that even if he and Harold were in cahoots, what could they possibly do, and now that he’s involved in something much more dangerous, it’s my responsibility to get him out.

That and the guilt that attacked me. The guilt of jumping away and saving myself while forgetting about Paul beside me.

Mentally shaking my head, I laughed at how naïve I was.

Then I began thinking about what I would do differently.

The moment I thought that - the scene in front of me suddenly rewound back to the moment when the Soldier was lunging at my head with his dagger while my back was turned to him.

And I was myself again, and I could move.

For a long moment, I was frozen again as feeling returned to my limbs.

Then I turned and caught the hand of the soldier, who looked at me, bewildered.

I gazed at him before turning my attention to myself and I cursed mentally because I had taken my replica’s place but in the state of my current tattered armor and shredded body.

Without thinking, I quickly pushed the dagger away with my left hand, and then with a right roundhouse punch, I took out the first soldier and using the momentum; I dropped down into a low kick, both dodging Paul's attack and sweeping Paul off his feet.

Coming back to my original standing position after a full turn, I used the last of my momentum to thunder a fist into the second soldier, whose eyes had widened as he watched things unfold.

Then, cracking my neck and my knuckles, I turned to the remaining soldiers, who stopped their charge in shock.

Looking at them, I felt they were smaller than what I remembered. Also, weaker.

I waited for them to resume their charge, but seeing as they didn’t, I shrugged and charged at them myself.

A few moments later, I was standing at the end of the alley, Back straight and a thoughtful expression on my face as I thought back to the... fight. If it could be called that.

A few moments of contemplation on how I could improve on the fight that just took place, and I turned, only to freeze again. This time, in shock.

For the downed soldiers were getting up with no trace of injury on them and they seemed angry, very angry.

Rushing at them again, I passed through their numbers like a vicious wind that felled them like trees.

Stopping at the beginning of the alley this time, I slowly turned back before I watched, incredulously as the soldiers again began rising.

Something was wrong. I could feel it.

I thought this experience was about fixing the mistakes I had committed, but it seemed like I had made another mistake.

I didn’t have time to think about it though, as the soldiers charged at me again.

Dodging their blows with the smallest margin and redirecting their blows against each other, I thought desperately as my broken body began losing strength slowly.

Finally, my thoughts snapped to what lay ahead, and I chilled.

If this went on, then wouldn’t Deianira appear too?

The moment I thought that - the sense of uneasiness within me grew exponentially and suddenly angry, I bellowed at the sky, “Why? Why would you do this?”

Knocking away the soldiers closest to me, I stood, fists clenched as I heaved in deep breaths while staring at the soldiers, who looked at me cautiously.

Then I bowed down deeply and shouted out, “I’m sorry.”, and sorrow filling my eyes, I held out my hand and my dagger appeared in it.

With a flash, I weaved my way through the soldiers and then stopped at the end of the alley as I turned to see them clutching their throats and slowly falling to their knees.

Heaving a sigh of relief mixed with sorrow, I was about to unsummon the dagger when I watched in horror as the soldiers - their necks still spurting out crimson blood - stood and picked up their weapons.

The metallic scent of blood filled the air, and confusion flooded my mind.

Then all thoughts were banished as combat was initiated again.

In the brief moments of reprieve that I had before the soldiers - with more wounds on them - rose, I thought desperately, and then I remembered the square cave with the fire and the ghosts of these very same soldiers.

I remembered the words that I spoke and realization struck me.

Turning to them, I bowed one last time and said, “I’m sorry, but I will live. You will die. However, I promise you that I will carry on your hopes and wishes as best as I can.”

Standing straight with a peaceful look in my eyes now, I charged one more time at the soldiers and laid them to rest.

Eternal rest.

For it was the last time and they would rise no more.

Turning, I looked on - peacefully this time - as a figure came into view.

Deianira.

Last time I lasted 18 seconds against her while triggering my warforce and with the boost from the horn of Valor.

This time, I had no warforce, and neither did I have my warforce potion. My body was broken and as for my armor?

Unsummoning the scraps of it, I stood in a loose shirt and pants as I raised my hand provocatively at the woman.

“Come.”