Styx: The Third Spirit

Our training match was interrupted with an abrupt call. But the backlash of the battle surfaced.

Sweat, all over the body. So, before answering the call, we decided to take a quick bath.

We returned to our rooms to fetch clean clothes. I arrived at the bathhouse first and stood before the mirror.

Staring back at me was the body of an eight-year-old cub. But inside, I had lived for over two decades. Such strange events had happened in the past years that I was forced to restart everything, not only once but twice. 

And to my utter relief, it stopped at 'twice'. Thank God.

Soon after, brother appeared behind me in the reflection, smiling.

The next moment I blinked, I saw him... unreadable.

 Amberocule in hand, poised to cut my throat in one single strike. It launched.

I ducked in response as quickly as my instincts ordered.

"Are you alright, Basil? How did you fall? There isn't even water around here."

His voice laced with concern. It snapped me back to reality and I turned back only to discover his usual sincere face.

"Yeah, I am alright. I just... drew Styx's water glider for a moment," I mumbled. I tried to explain the event in an embarrassed manner.

He laughed. "You're really something. Now let's hurry up and rinse off this stink."

We entered together to save the time.

While letting my muscles at ease with the warmth of the hot water, I leaned back, staring at the ceiling. Then I shut my eyes.

This was the seventh time I'd had seen that same vision. The moment when brother tried to awaken Vulcan through that feint. The fear still lingered deep within me, the fear of betrayal. And...

Being in the body of a man who was betrayed and finally killed... sure did affect me.

***

The second time I became a child was... nothing like the previous one.

With a suspicion in my heart about my death... or my reborn, a confusion about that entity that died in betrayal, I gazed at the same room and scenery, heard the same dialogues of the midwife, father, and mother. Everything played out like a perfect replay, until...

"Please, come in brothe—I mean… Your Majesty."

Uncle entered the room. Alone. Lady Temina wasn't there. She was absent.

And yet she appeared on my first birthday during my ascension to the throne. This appeared to be highly strange.

I didn't even know what happened to that second spirit that inhabited me. It could be inside me, or perhaps... before it even got the chance to dwell within me, I was dragged into that dark room. The latter seemed to be the most accurate speculation. Because it explained how I was still able to live with Vulcan inside me all along.

And as huge as my subconscious was, followed by the little time to concentrate to reach there, also with the faint meditating ability of that little body... I could never find Vulcan again, to seek the reason behind all these. I could access my fire ability due to the contract though, but it was useless in this situation of mine. All I could was... just bear with everything and drool.

When she began the ritual again, I wasn't sure what would come from this. I thought of that dark room again as I began to glow.

Maybe I'll go there and be reborn again. Then once again, after one year, the same thing will happen. I felt nothing... only despair caught me as I found myself in an infinite loop.

"I, the seventh guardian of the spirit realm, Temina, bestow upon you, Styx, to inhabit this little boy! Help him in his long journey through life!"

So it is Styx this time. Well, that doesn't matter. As the glow faded, I shut my eyes and waited for them to open on their own. Again. Like last time.

But they took a long time to open. So I opened them this time to encounter the current circumstances.

It wasn't that dark room. It was the celebration hall. Still... the celebration hall. 

Father held me, silent. In front of me were Lady Temina and the King. The whole hall was quiet, surprised by the spirit inheriting of a mixed-blood. I wasn't dead, I wasn't in someone else's body.

I widened my eyes in disbelief.

I was there in the lap of my family... inside the palace... within Beaster... in Elarothen. Relief overwhelmed me.

But it didn’t last long. 

Right after the party concluded and the guests left, something worse emerged.

I was placed on a chair while the others engaged themselves in tidying the hall.

Then—

Huh! What is this? What's happening to me?

A strange sensation twisted inside me.
Something was stirring. Rapidly.
I was too little to express this sensation, but fear swelled as the tense feeling increased.

Suddenly, a burst of flood occurred around me. In an instant, I was within a hydro bubble, water particles circled around it. My grey mane floated like a majestic being. So did my whole body. My thoughts were suffocated, My consciousness only remained... faintly.

An unexpected disturbance was caused outside. But the commotion could not be heard from there. I just looked in front of me.

The world looked marvelous from the mythical looking aqueous sphere. But amidst it, father and mother was trying to break the liquid orb from outside.

Soon the King came to the spot. Lady Temina too. Uncle tried using Terris's rock-spikes, but no effect. And there remained indifferent Lady Temina, with her cold and distinct eyes gazing at me.

And there I was...
...slowly drowning inside the shimmering droplet.

My eyelids grew heavier and heavier, then at last they drifted shut.

Darkness. Void. Endless.

I was there...
...inside my subconscious.

Afar, there stirred a faint light. I departed there.

As the distance decreased, it became clearer. The light... that wasn't just any ordinary glow.

It was the flames of Vulcan. Burning hot.

I can't express how much I felt at ease discovering Vulcan with such coincidence. I ran toward it. Hoping to finally get some information about my current status.

I called for him, "VULCAN!"

He did not turn around to greet me with his scorching echoing voice; instead, it felt like his flames were fading away.

No... No! Don't go!

I sprinted faster, finally catching up with him.

But there was something very unexpected. Truly unexpected.

He... he wasn't alone there.

Vulcan's flames ignited around him... almost faintly. Before him, stood an ocean's wrathful beauty. Alike his fires, a flood surged behind her, creating her august magnificence more simmering. The glistening light reflected so brightly from her two aqueous hydrospheres, which were sustained over her both palms, made it hard to believe my subconscious was filled with darkness without any edge.

My mouth moved without thought.
"Styx."
I didn’t know how I knew. I just did.

Looking at both spirits, it appeared to be they were clashing where Vulcan was struggling. He was almost terminated by the cascades she summoned.

My presence made them halt.

I took the chance to rush toward Vulcan.
"Vulcan," I said with a worried face and tone, "Are you alright?"

"I am... fine," his voice rumbled and a little faltered with the aftermath of their combat. "I saw everything, Basalin. She... She is here to... end it all."

"She sure does. It is my fault for becoming a vessel of two spirits. Sorry to mix you up with this, Vucan."

Then—

Her voice was heard for the first time, Styx's voice. It reverberated across the whole area, fierce yet elegant. "You are correct. We spirits can't stay like this. One must go."

"We can... For Basalin is capable... I have been," Vulcan continued with his murmuring, echoing voice.

What!

"What are you talking about? How?" I raised my tone in reflex with confusion.

"Explain yourself, for I won't tolerate such intrigue." Her eyes were ordering, merciless.

"You can wander... everywhere... This entire area... is his spirit-zone..." I kept my gaze on Vulcan as he added, "We won't... get in each other's way."

I knew the fact about my spirit-zone, but I never thought of it in such a way.

"Even if what you say is true, one should not have this much strength. It contradicts the very rules of our existence."

I turned to Styx and asked, "I never sought any other than Vulcan, it all happened out of fate. I am just a one-year-old beast-kin, who can't even talk..."

I don't know how, but when I am in my subconscious, I take the same look as my twelve-year self. Even after becoming an infant twice, this hasn't changed. This could have added misunderstanding for Styx about my intentions.

So I added, "Is there any way to save Vulcan? He has nothing to do with all this. He just got intertwined with me."

"To save that pathetic one, also receiving my abilities—you're asking for too much. Prove yourself worthy if you truly mean it."

"I never intended to be bestowed more than one spirit, so gaining your prowess is a surprise for me. But, if I can save him... that's all I need."

Then turning to Vulcan, I continued, "After all, I can't abandon my only friend who suffered everything, staying by my side."

"Show me that lesser fire fiend is even capable of my mercy."