Chapter 26 - Who we are

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Chapter 26

Who we are

Marianne was lying on a comfortable bed in a cabin. This was located in the largest of Alexander Alcazar's three airships.
The rightful king.
It sounded so strange.
The three ships were hidden in a safe zone behind mountains.
Everyone was on the ships. Also Glenervan and Astaroth, who lay on deck and slept, recovering from his injuries.
Betrayal hurt. He had felt that.
They were all resting. The next day, Alexander wanted to talk to everyone.
Marianne sighed.
She saw the sun slowly setting on the horizon through the small window.
She sobbed. It was all too much. Why her, why?
What had she done to be hunted?
Most of the time she had always been alone. Cautious and reserved.
Just as she had come to know it with the Aranasera.
Tiredness won out in the end.

When she opened her eyes, she was standing on a large wide meadow.
Rays of sunlight tickled her face and butterflies flew all around her.
Marianne smiled.
It felt so great, so free.
She stretched out her arms and turned in circles.
She was a bit cocky and stumbled.
She fell ... and was caught.
She looked into a friendly face.
More than that. It seemed familiar. Very familiar.
Slowly he carefully put her back on her feet.
He pointed in one direction.
Marianne looked.

2 children, a boy and a girl, ran laughing across the meadow.
They romped together, let themselves fall on the grass and laughed happily.
A smile flitted across Marianne's face.
She looked at the man again.
He pointed in a different direction.
There Marianne saw 2 teenagers. They sat on a large cloth and nibbled on a cake.
It was the 2 children, only older.
She turned again and saw the two of them again.
The two had become a little older again.
She sat weeping on a rock and held her knee.
It was bleeding.

The young man put a bandage on her.
Then he stroked her cheek comfortingly.
She pressed herself against him.
Marianne turned again.
This time she faced him again.
She looked at him gently.
His smile warmed her heart.
This familiarity, this absolute familiarity.
Slowly she touched his cheek and stroked it.
"Whoever ... are... You?" she whispered.
He took her hand from his cheek and squeezed it gently.
"I am your past."
Marianne put his hand to her cheek.
"What do you mean?"

He stroked her cheek.

"I am also your presence."
She enjoyed the touch.
"I don't understand."
He loosened his hand.
"I am also a part of your future."
He took a step back.
"And I am close to you."
He began to transform.
Marianne's eyes widened.
When the transformation was complete, Ascendary stood in front of her.

Marianne jumped up from her bed.
"Quiet, everything's fine," said a woman's voice.
"Athena?" Marianne looked at her Aranasera instructor.
"Yes, it's me." Athena and Marianne fell into each other's arms.
"How come you're here?" Marianne looked at Athena in amazement.
"I accompany Alexander Alcazar. The ship is my home now," Athena smiled.
Marianne was happy and then held her head.
"I had a strange dream."
Athena shook her head.
"Not a dream. The truth."
Marianne was confused.
"What do you mean?"
Athena took Marianne's hands.
"I gave you what you saw as a dream. A truth. Your past, present and future.
The man was very familiar to you, wasn't he?"
Marianne nodded.

Athena took a breath.
"He was very close to you. You were inseparable. But then fate decided differently and he left us. That had hit you so hard,
that we decided to take away your memory for your protection and give it back to you when you feel better."
Marianne shook her head.
"What do you mean?"
Athena held Marianne's hands.
"When he left, he didn't leave completely. A part stayed here to help you. The moment he left, his soul went into a body that was just born." Athena smiled and pointed to Ascendary, who was standing quietly in the room the whole time, looking at both of them.
Marianne felt how slowly memories came back.
Wonderful memories of wonderful moments.
Times that both had gone through thick and thin.
2 people, one unit.
Marianne got out of bed and tears ran down her cheek, because she felt his soul in Ascendary.
She pressed herself tightly against him.

"Brother."