Chapter 2

The Observation Ward’s waiting room had benches lined up against white walls, the room was empty except for a single nurse in pink scrubs, she looked up nervously as three of the most powerful people on the base made their way towards her.

“Have there been any changes, Clarice?” asked Ivan kindly.

“N-Nothing, sir,” replied Clarice promptly.

“Make sure we aren’t disturbed,” said Ivan with a pat on Clarice’s shoulder.

As they walked into a bright room with sky blue walls, they all paused for a second, sizing up the boy in the room, he wasn’t particularly big in size and was on the thin side, but that was the case with everyone when they just came out of the simulation. The medical staff did their best to keep the patients muscles stimulated so that atrophy wouldn’t set in, but people weren’t meant to stay in simulations for years, as such every candidate that completed the simulation successfully had to undergo a long rehabilitation process.

The boy had long black hair held in place with a hairband, Clarice had probably done that for him, she had also tried to tidy his beard but failed at it, as it still looked unkempt. He would have looked handsome with his dark brown eyes and skin, if not for the sickly look his skin had and gaunt face which made him look underfed.

The room was totally silent except for periodic beeping from the medical machines that were plugged into the patient lying on the bed in the middle of the room. He sat up alert as the three heads walked into his room.

“Easy there, Ravendra, we’re not here to hurt you. My name is Zacharias,” said Zacharias holding up both hands to show that he was not carrying any weapons.

“Would you believe that in my situation?” said Ravendra angrily.

“We understand that you are emotional right now, you have just lost your wife. We are deeply sorry for your loss,” said Ivan sympathetically, “but there are some things you need to know about your situation. Please call me Ivan, I’ll be your doctor from now on.”

“Call me Ravi. Have you noticed anything different about yourself?” asked Ravi tentatively.

Ravendra nodded slowly but said nothing.

“Now we are going to take this slow. The last thing you should remember, is that you, the Azure Knight, defeated Rayleigh after many years at great personal cost to yourself. Now what you need to understand is that you are not the first Ravendra, there have been many with that name before you, but our hope is that you will be the last to carry this name,” said Ravi slowly.

“That is the stupidest thing I have heard,” said Ravendra.

“I would think the same if I were you. But hear us out, and if you want to leave after that, we won’t stop you,” said Ivan placatingly, “give us a chance.”

“You have me outnumbered, unarmed and completely defenseless, doesn’t really invite confidence,” said Ravendra as he looked around trying to find a way to even the odds.

“I agree, trust is important. Come, let us show you we speak the truth. If you’re still worried, remember this, if we wished you harm, we would not have waited until you woke up,” said Zacharias as he walked out of the room.

Ravendra paused for a moment, looking from Ravi to Ivan, trying to read their expressions.

“In my experience, a wheelchair is useful for someone that has just woken up, I humbly suggest you humor us and use it,” said Ivan as he moved the wheelchair closer to Ravendra.

“A chair with wheels?”

“Ah yes, you have never seen one before, I always forget that. They are very useful for moving people around. Let me unplug you from these vitals monitors and we can be on our way,” said Ivan.

“Vitals monitors?”

“We can get back to that later,” said Ivan soothingly.

Ivan gently pushed Ravendra along a long hallway with Ravi and Zacharias following closely behind. The simulation room was located on a lower floor but was connected to the Medical Ward by an elevator. Ravendra looked up from the wheelchair at Ivan with a raised eyebrow when the elevator doors closed and it started moving down but refrained from asking any questions.

The doors opened to a brightly lit room with several cylindrical tanks in it. A spiderweb of wires flowed from each tank to the center of the room where they connected to two large screens resting on a large desk. Next to the screen sat an overweight man with glasses and a bored look on his face. He stood up and stretched as he saw people approaching.

“Didn’t expect to see all of you down here so soon. Hi Ravendra, you don’t know me, but I have been keeping watch over you for years now, you could say that I am one of your biggest fans!”

“Vikram is in charge of making sure everything runs smoothly down here,” said Ravi.

“Most things are automated so there isn’t a lot to do, but I have to run periodic system checks to make sure everything is running optimally. Best part of the job is getting to follow the progress of people like you firsthand. Although, I have to say that the others still in the simulation have their work cut out for them, it won’t be easy to beat your score,” said Vikram.

“Stop confusing him with unnecessary information and stick to protocol,” said Ravi sternly.

“Fine, let’s be boring and uncreative. So, this scene is probably something you remember quite well, it’s the first time you used your powers,” said Vikram as he played a video from his data archive, “it’s from your perspective so naturally you can’t see yourself, but you should remember the surroundings.”

Ravendra’s eyes locked onto the screen and his mouth hung open as he stared at everything happening in front of him. He vividly remembered the surge of power through his body when he had used his gift for the first time, he had been desperate, on his knees trying to stop a sword swinging towards him, defiant and not willing to die until he had killed the man that had killed his sister before his very eyes. He had been as shocked as the soldier trying to kill him when the sword stopped and flew backwards.

“What sorcery is this?” exclaimed Ravendra.

“Not sorcery, this is technology!” said Vikram.

“The life you have lived so far was not your own, you and many others like you were chosen to live the life of King Ravendra. Everything you have experienced so far wasn’t real, think of it as an illusion,” said Ivan solemnly.

“Lies! I don’t know how you have done this, but I know what I have been through and experienced.”

“Show him,” said Zacharias.

“I always hate this part,” said Vikram as he opened a hidden compartment on his desk and pressed a blue button.

The once silent room burst into activity. Cogs turned and red lights started blazed all around as the cylinders around the room started opening to reveal people floating in a clear liquid.

“What is this? What have you done to these people? Are they even alive?” asked Ravendra as he stumbled out of the wheelchair and made his way to the nearest cylindrical container where a young child floated.

“They are all alive, every single one of them. They are merely in a very deep sleep, and while they sleep, they are living the life of King Ravendra, the same life you lived until you woke up,” said Ivan with an apologetic tone.

“You’re lying, this isn’t possible!” exclaimed Ravendra.

“It definitely isn’t possible if you think about it logically, especially if you’re thinking according to the time you’ve been living in. Do you remember what year it is?” asked Vikram.

“1523” said Ravendra, sounding unsure.

“Yes, that is the year the simulation ended for you. In reality though, the year is 3148. So, you’ve moved forward in time by approximately 1600 years,” said Vikram as he pushed his glasses back.

“That can’t be, it simply can’t be,” said Ravendra as he fell to his knees, “you can’t tell me that my whole life was a lie, everything I felt and loved, friends I lost, none of it was real? My Vassillissa, she wasn’t real? I don’t believe you, this is magic, some kind of illusion cast by a magician!” shouted Ravendra as he pointed accusingly at Vikram.

“I would be offended if that was the first time, I had heard that line. My part is over, I think it’s time you moved onto the next step of the protocol,” shrugged Vikram.

“He’s right, I am guessing you two informed Natalie and arranged for her to meet him?” asked Zacharias with raised eyebrows.

“I don’t want to meet anyone else! I know all of this is an illusion!” shouted Ravendra.

“I think should meet Natalie,” said Ravi as he smoothed out a wrinkle on his lab coat.

“And why would I want to meet another one of you liars,” said Ravendra.

“Because Natalie was in one of those cylinders just like you,” said Ravi.

What's this, a double update? Yup, that is exactly what it is. Since the chapters were kind of short I decided a double release was warranted. Enjoy!

Anderoth