Chapter 6: Shadows of the Past

Arke rested peacefully in the barn, oblivious to the commotion outside. The young lady, now revealed to be Elderwise, greeted the villagers with warmth. They welcomed her with open arms, their faces aglow with joy.

"Welcome back, Elderwise!" they chimed in unison.

Elderwise's golden tresses cascaded down her back like a river of sunset hues. Her sage-like appearance belied an ageless face, smooth and unlined, with an estimated teenage visage that seemed almost otherworldly. Her attire, a blend of traditional and ecclesiastical influences, added to her enigmatic presence.

"Indeed, I have returned, children," Elderwise said, her voice melodious and soothing. "My, how long has it been? Let me check your health…"

With a gentle touch, Elderwise began to examine the villagers, her hands moving with the precision of a skilled healer. She checked their pulses, listened to their breathing, and scrutinized their skin with an expert eye.

One of the children, a curious youngster with a mop of messy hair, asked, "Are you staying with us for a long time again, Elderwise?”

Elderwise's face creased into a warm smile, her eyes twinkling with affection. "We shall see, little one," she replied, her voice dripping with warmth.

As Elderwise continued her task of checking the villagers' health, Kael suddenly jumped into her arms, his face alight with joy.

"You're back!!!" Kael exclaimed, his voice squealing with delight.

Elderwise's eyes widened in surprise as she took in Kael's growth. "My, how much you have grown! And Eiravyn, Echo, you're all looking so well!”

The villagers gathered around, eager to greet Elderwise and share in the celebration. Everyone, that is, except Arke, who remained fast asleep in the barn, exhausted from his hunting session with Kael.

As the villagers prepared for a grand feast, Echo and the others presented Elderwise with a lively performance of music and dance. The atmosphere was filled with laughter and joy, a sense of community and togetherness.

Arke's rest was fitful, his dreams a jarring mix of fragmented memories and disjointed images. A voice, familiar yet distant, echoed in his mind:

"Hey! Where is my report?”

The voice triggered a vision of Arke's past, where he sat hunched over an office desk, surrounded by stacks of papers and files. He wore a crisp, white shirt and a tie, his hair neatly combed. The scene was mundane, yet it filled Arke with a sense of unease.

Another vision emerged, this one from a different time and place. Arke's mother stood before him, her eyes weary, her voice laced with a mix of sadness and resignation:

"We are poor people, Arke. Most of us can barely afford clothing or a proper meal. Be thankful for what you have, son.”

The scene shifted again, and Arke found himself in a desolate, war-torn landscape. He wore a military uniform, the fabric torn and tattered, his face smeared with dirt and sweat.

A voice, harsh and commanding, shouted in his ear:

"Hurry up, soldier! The war is far from over! We must fight against the non-believers!”

Arke's mind recoiled from the memories, his heart racing with a mix of fear and confusion. He sat up, gasping for air, his eyes scanning the unfamiliar surroundings of the barn. The visions had left him shaken, his past and present colliding in a jarring mix of emotions.

Arke rubbed his temples, trying to shake off the vivid dream that still lingered in his mind. "What a strange dream...what was that anyway?" he muttered to himself.

As he stepped out of the barn, he was greeted by the sweet sound of music drifting through the air. His curiosity piqued, he followed the melody to Echo's home, only to find it empty. The music seemed to be coming from the village center, and Arke's feet carried him towards the sound.

As he approached the center, he was struck by the sight of the villagers gathered together, laughing and dancing in joyous abandon. The music was infectious, and Arke found his foot tapping along with the rhythm. Yet, as he scanned the crowd, he couldn't shake off the feeling that he didn't belong. He hung back, observing the celebration from a distance.

Despite the warmth and camaraderie emanating from the group, Arke felt like an outsider. He didn't want to disturb the festive atmosphere, so he sat down on a nearby rock, content to watch and learn. The music and laughter washed over him, and for a moment, he forgot about his strange dream and the unsettling feeling that had been growing inside him.

The memories came flooding back, triggered by the sound of laughter and music. Arke's head throbbed with a sharp, stabbing pain, as if his mind was rebelling against the recollections.

"What is this feeling...again..." Arke muttered, clutching his head in agony. He stumbled back towards the barn, desperate to escape the overwhelming sensations.

As he lay down in the hay, closing his eyes, another memory burst forth, unbidden and unwelcome. He was back in the midst of a battlefield, surrounded by the stench of mud and blood. Countless dead bodies lay scattered around him, some dismembered, others frozen in perpetual screams.

Arke's hands instinctively tightened around the rifle and bayonet he had once wielded. The sounds of war assaulted his senses: the shrieks of the wounded, the rat-a-tat of gunfire, and the roar of flames consuming everything in their path.

The memories were all too real, and Arke knew that he had indeed been a soldier, fighting in a war that had left him scarred and haunted. The flashbacks were a stark reminder of the traumas he had endured, and the memories he had tried to bury.

The fragments of memories swirled in Arke's mind, threatening to consume him. He felt an overwhelming urge to escape, to walk away from the village and its secrets. Yet, deep down, he knew he couldn't leave. The dangers that lurked outside the village's borders were too great, and he felt a responsibility to protect the people he had grown to care for.

But the memories wouldn't let him be. Another flashback hit him like a tidal wave:

"This is a mission, you need to survive..." a woman's voice echoed in his mind.

"Survive, son..." his mother's voice whispered, and tears began to flow from Arke's eyes.

"Fight!!! Don't lose hope!!!" someone shouted, but Arke couldn't take it anymore.

"Please stop this, it's too painful..." he begged, but the memories kept coming. He tried to control them, but it was no use. The pain and the anguish became too much, and Arke's world went dark. He fainted, plummeting into a deep sleep.

In his dreams, Arke found himself in a different world. He stood on a windswept cliff, overlooking a breathtaking plain filled with vibrant flowers that swayed gently in the breeze. A winding pathway beckoned him, lined with bushes and overhanging trees that cast dappled shadows on the ground. The air was alive with the songs of birds and the rustling of leaves.

As Arke walked along the pathway, he felt a sense of peace wash over him. The animals he encountered seemed tame, and they watched him with curious eyes. The pathway opened up onto the plain, and Arke's heart skipped a beat as he saw a figure waiting for him.

It was a beautiful girl with long, flowing hair the color of honey. Her eyes sparkled with warmth, and her smile was radiant. She reached out a hand to Arke, and he felt a jolt of recognition.

"Beautiful, right...this place...aren't ya Adam?" she said, her voice like music.

Arke stood frozen, unable to utter a word. The mysterious girl's eyes sparkled with a hint of sadness as she continued:

"You know that project...I really hope we could meet again, Adam.”

Arke's mind reeled as he tried to process the girl's words. What project was she talking about? And why did she call him Adam?

As he turned to leave, his gaze fell upon a sprawling facility in the distance. Its sleek, modern architecture seemed out of place in the serene landscape. Arke's curiosity was piqued - what was the purpose of this facility, and why was it located next to a pristine beach?

The sound of waves gently lapping against the shore filled the air, and Arke felt an inexplicable sense of longing. He knew he had to uncover the secrets of this facility, and the mysterious girl's words had only added to the mystery.

Arke's eyes snapped open, and he was met with the sound of music drifting from the village center. But this time, he felt an overwhelming urge to leave. He couldn't shake the feeling that he knew the place he had seen in his dreams, and he was determined to find it.

Without making a sound, Arke slipped out of the village, his spear and bow at the ready. He moved swiftly, his senses on high alert as he navigated the darkness. The moon cast an eerie glow over the landscape, illuminating the path ahead.

As he walked, the village lights grew fainter, and the stars shone brighter in the night sky. Arke estimated he was about a kilometer away from the village when he caught sight of the beach. His heart skipped a beat as he recognized the cliff from his dreams.

But as he drew closer, his excitement turned to dismay. The landscape before him was desolate and barren, a far cry from the lush, vibrant plain he had seen in his dreams. Yet, as he gazed out at the wasteland, flashes of memory assaulted him, superimposing images of a thriving facility and a bustling beachside community over the bleak reality.

Arke's eyes narrowed as he pressed on, his determination to uncover the truth driving him forward. He estimated he was about three kilometers away from the village when he crested a hill and saw the ruins of a building in the distance. His heart sank as he realized that this must be the place he had seen in his dreams.

But what had happened to it? Why was it reduced to nothing more than a crumbling foundation?

As Arke ventured deeper into the overgrown weeds, he stumbled upon remnants of a once-grand civilization. The crumbling mansion loomed before him, its walls covered in ivy and moss. Memories came flooding back, and Arke saw himself as a young boy, playing with a girl in the very same mansion.

The girl's laughter echoed in his mind, and Arke's heart swelled with nostalgia. He realized that this must have been his home, or at least a place that held great significance to him.

As he explored the mansion, Arke's footsteps echoed through the empty halls. He stumbled upon a hidden garden, and amidst the weeds, he saw a plaque rising from the ground. It was a tombstone, weathered and worn, but the inscription was still legible:

"Here lies Lila Rose...friend, lover, and wife to Adam Bin Roslan”

Arke's eyes widened in shock as he read the inscription. The name Adam Bin Roslan was his own, or at least, the name he had concluded was his.

Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes as he remembered the girl. He saw her standing before him, her honey-colored hair cascading down her back, her blue eyes sparkling like water. She was dressed in a simple white gown, but her beauty shone through despite the plain attire.

"Love ya..." Lila Rose whispered, her voice barely audible, as she gazed up at Arke with a tender smile.

Arke's heart ached as he remembered the love they shared. He felt a deep sense of loss and longing, as if he had been reunited with a part of himself that he thought was lost forever.

Arke felt a sense of peace wash over him as he gazed at the tombstone. Despite the fragments of his memories, he was grateful to have uncovered a piece of his past. The realization that not all his memories were bad was a comforting thought, and he felt a sense of hope that he might finally uncover the truth about his past.

But his mind was also filled with questions. Who was the girl who had been his wife? What had happened to her? And who was the woman who had betrayed him?

As Arke reached out to touch the tombstone, another flashback hit him. He saw a vision of a funeral, with people gathered around a grave. The image was fleeting, but the pain that followed was intense. Arke's head throbbed with a sharp, stabbing pain.

His memories jumbled together in a confusing mess of images and emotions. Arke stumbled backwards, disoriented and confused. When he looked up, he saw the woman again. She was standing in front of him, a gentle smile on her face.

Lila said to him, "You came back...I'm glad.”

Arke's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly. "I'm at a loss...I don't remember anything.”

Lila's smile faltered for a moment before she replied, "Well, you did freeze in time...and you are now in the future that you will never know.”

Arke's eyes widened in confusion. "What do you mean?" he asked, his mind racing with questions.

Lila's eyes sparkled with a knowing glint as she said, "In time, you will find out, but for now, just keep going...because you are heading for an adventure...of a lifetime.”

She pointed behind Arke, and he turned to see a breathtaking sunrise unfolding before his eyes. The sky was ablaze with hues of pink, orange, and purple, and the air was filled with an otherworldly light.

But as Arke gazed in wonder, the scene shifted and the sun dipped below the horizon. Night descended, and the stars twinkled like diamonds in the dark sky.

Arke spun around, but Lila was nowhere to be found. It was as if she had vanished into thin air.

Arke's mind reeled as he stumbled backwards, his eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of Lila. "What's happening?" he asked aloud, his voice shaking with confusion. "Am I hallucinating? Have I gone insane?”

Despite his growing unease, Arke steeled himself and turned towards the ancient ruins of the mansion. He began to explore the crumbling halls, searching for any clues that might explain the strange occurrences.

As he ventured deeper into the ruins, the silence was oppressive, and the shadows seemed to writhe and twist around him. Arke's heart pounded in his chest, but he pressed on, driven by a growing sense of determination.

To be continued