Recollection of History

Episode 70

The interior of the cave overflowed with a mysterious magic. Gill sat in the center, preparing to enter meditation. It was finally time to confront his future, as well as learn his past. In order to do so, Gill would need to remove the boundary between his mind and body… even if it meant removing the defenses of his mind.

There could only be two possible outcomes. Either Gill would walk out of this cave alive, or Alhama’at would. Gill began meditation and dived deep down into the depths of his consciousness. As soon as he arrived, Gill was immediately disoriented by a feeling of weightlessness. It would seem the world governed by the mind had no pull of gravity to keep one steady. As he found his balance, Alhama’at appeared.

“You’ve the power to commune with me now? As expected of one fit to be my vessel.” Alhama’at commended Gill. “Why… did you try to destroy this world?” Gill asked, getting straight to what he wanted to know. “And if you knew?,” Alhama’at sneered, “What would you do?”

“I just want to prove that I am nothing like you!” “How defiant of you. Let’s see if that defiance lasts.” Alhama’at pointed his finger at Gill, as fragments of memories began to fill the void.

“I’ll show you what you want to know.” 

The fragments began to surge towards Gill, washing over him like a wave. Memories of a history that once was, memories that Gill himself had forgotten, began to pour into his mind. …… Those were the memories of their childhood. Memories of a simpler time when Gill lived in peace with his father, mother, and little brother.

The little brother was the exact opposite of Gill, shy and always chasing after his brothers figure. This introverted child’s name was Lapis. As for the mother, she held a peculiar power, the power to converse with nature itself. Through the magic pendant she kept, nature would respond to her call and take form as leaf-shaped creatures. 

Perhaps as a reflection of the creators personality, these creatures could never be used to attack, but rather served as a catalyst for amplifying her natural-born healing power. The kind-hearted mother would always go out of her way to heal those who were injured. As such, rumor of her healing powers spread throughout the lands, causing various humans, pandas, as well as dragonoids to come visit her for healing.

In contrast, the father was a man with no splendid power to call his own. He was, however, with a stronger sense of justice than any other and firmly believed it was his duty to protect those dear to him. A father’s creed if you will. Of the two children, the only one with signs of inheriting their mother’s ability was Gill, but Lapis showed no signs he minded.

However, peace never lasts long. The mother’s ability was far too remarkable and news of it had spread far too wide. While everyone healed by her was genuinely grateful from the depths of their heart, the ones who heard the rumors secondhand were not obligated to share the sentiment. From amidst those who heard rumors of her power, there appeared those who wished to take it for themselves. 

They plotted to steal the magic pendant she held. In truth, the pendant was no more than a memento that served to amplify magic power slightly, but this fact eluded the would-be thieves. In the dead of night, pandas, dragonoids, humans, and elves, all those who desired power conspired together and attacked Gill’s home. The father bought enough time for the family to escape into the woods, yet the pursuers didn’t relent.

As the thieves drew nearer, the mother decided to act as bait for the children to escape. Thinking the pursuers were after her power, she gave her dearest memento to the children and urged them to flee, before giving herself up to the thieves. And so, Gill and Lapis escaped deeper into the forest, pendant in hand. The mother had blundered. The thieves were after the pendant and continued to chase the children.

Lapis realized what the pursuers were after before Gill could. Perhaps, just as Gill had inherited his mother’s power, Lapis had inherited his father’s spirit to protect those dear to him. Lapis abruptly came to a halt, prompting Gill to do the same. Before Gill could ask what was wrong, Lapis turned to his brother and uttered, “Forgive me, brother.” Using a rock he picked up he hit Gill in the head, knocking him out. 

Then, with the pendant in hand, he left. When Gill awoke, he found his brothers footprints doubling back to their mother. Greeting him at the end of those footsteps were two lifeless bodies huddled together. Gill cried until his consciousness faded. When Gill awoke again, he was in Laurite’s hermitage with no memories of his own.

From then on, Gill stayed with Laurite as his student and learned the ways of magic. Over time, the power he inherited from his mother awakened, gifting him the power of the wind. As Laurite himself was a researcher of wind magic, Gill grew at a marvelous rate. Around the time Laurite took seven new disciples in, Laurite told Gill to go on a journey to expand his horizons.

Gill had learned of the existence of the taboo powers through studying in the underground library and so, curious as he was, decided to visit the Eternal Tower, one of the great taboo locations of the world. There, two priestesses awaited.

“To be able to enter these lands uninvited… just who are you?” the priestess named Ryula inquired. Gill was unable to answer the question, but thought perhaps it had to do with his inborn power. In accordance to the duty they’ve been given, the priestesses offered Gill the great power stored in the Eternal Tower, a reward for finding and entering the tower. 

To accept the power however, Gill would have to make a contract with the priestess named Viola, a contract to never use his powers for malicious reasons. Breaking this contract spelt death. Gill declined the offer. With no need for power nor willingness to take such a life threatening risk, he decided to leave the matter be and left the tower, his curiosity sated.

As Gill returned from the Eternal Tower, he felt a compulsion to walk into the nearby forest. It felt as if a familiar voice were calling for him, guiding him deeper into the interior of the forest. Eventually a small clearing revealed itself, with a grave standing in the middle. Dangling from the grave, a lone pendant hung. As Gill touched the pendant, it began to shimmer with a brilliant light. 

Memories took form in Gill’s mind, as the pendant’s magic began to resonate with Gill’s own. The memories of his past returned, as well as the memories of the fateful night his family was murdered. Laurite. The very man Gill owed his life to, was a member of the group that killed Gill’s family. Possessed by the desire to explore the extremes of wind magic, Laurite became interested in researching the mother’s power. 

With the condition of not killing her, Laurite colluded with the thieves. However the condition proved hard to uphold. No, perhaps there were some who never intended to uphold it in the first place. Things went awry early on as the father resisted, letting the mother and children escape. 

Seeing their prize slip away, a dragonoid grew desperate and thrust his sword through the father’s heart, killing him instantly. By the time Laurite caught up with the rest of the group he was too late. The mother and Lapis laid dead. He was immediately assailed by a feeling of remorse. While he had no part in their deaths, he felt equally guilty as a accomplice.

His associates observed the pendant for a bit, then threw it to the side after realizing it was worthless. Laurite picked up the pendant, then returned to where the mother and Lapis laid. When he returned, Gill laid there unconscious, having cried himself to sleep. Laurite created a grave for the family and left the pendant to hang. 

He picked up Gill and cast a spell on him to make him forget all the horrible memories, allowing him a new start at life. The Gill of this time became overwhelmed with grief and didn’t think to quell his desire for vengeance. Laurite had sent Gill on a journey hoping that his encounters with others kindness would rub off on him, which then Laurite would finally tell Gill the truth, 

but this Gill had no such impactful encounters. Gill returned to the Eternal Tower and bound the contract with Viola. In their first meeting, Gill felt a vulnerability in the priestess’ heart, a longing to be liberated from her duty in this prison of a tower. Using that vulnerability, Gill struck a deal with Viola. 

In exchange for a slight reinterpreting of the contract, Viola would be released from her duties and Gill free to use his power as he pleased. “I swear to never use this power in ways Viola deems malicious.” While the conditions never changed, now the judgement of what broke the contract laid with Viola, who Gill had earned the loyalty of.

With his new found power, Gill returned home and killed his master Laurite. Gill proceeded to subjugate the seven disciples and Rachel, the library’s researcher. 

Gill then began to hunt down his family’s killers, determined to get revenge at any cost. In the process he found allies who would join him. The researcher of time phenomenon, Alisaris; the slave girl with the power of the dragons, Sylvia; as well as the atrocious leader of the thief brigade, Blazer.

Soon enough, Gill came to defeat the heroes known as Taegrus, Kirik, and Shaela, and became the uncontested ultimate being of the world. It was then he donned the name Alhama’at. Alhama’at created a city atop a floating island and began his research. 

The Eternal Tower was hidden deep within the earth, alongside the dragonoid girl named Flute. The girl held the power to alter time, a power Alhama’at was deeply interested in yet cautious of. While he had already obtained all the taboo powers of the world, including those lying within the Sacred Temple, the Floating Island, the Ultra Dragons’ den, and the Lightning Caverns, he dared not try and obtain time magic for himself.

Alhama’at researched for a way to call back the soul, particularly the soul of his brother Lapis. 

Alhama’at created Lapis’ body out of arcane dust and began the ritual necessary for the soul to return to the body. Yet, perhaps because the vessel created was to powerful, or perhaps it had been impossible for Lapis’ soul to return in the first place, whichever it may be, the soul called forth was Ragnarok’s, a powerful soul that ruled another dimension.

After some time, Ragnarok’s soul awoke while Alhama’at was away. In Ragnarok’s mind was the belief that he was Alhama’at’s son and an unconscious desire to seek out his true body. He took Alisaris who had been waiting nearby and made him his underling, then used Alisaris’ power to speed up time to send Alhama’at and his floating city far into the future. 

Accompanied by Alisaris, Silvia, and Blazer, Lapis then left this world in search of his true form. Such is how Alhama’at came to arrive in the world ten thousand years in the future. …… Memories of Alhama’at’s past continued to flow into Gill’s mind. “Abandon everything… loathe this world. 

If you can’t do that you have no chance of defeating the Witch… Now choose. Obey or die.” Alhama’at towered over Gill as he commanded him to make a choice. The warriors that once served under Alhama’at began to manifest from the memories, drawing closer towards gill with their weapons drawn.

“I’m sure we both loved our family… Yet, unlike you… I have friends who’d be sad to see me go! For their sake…” Gill looked Alhama’at dead in the eyes. The world began to tremble. “I can’t falter here!” Gill bellowed. As Gill said those words, the spirit world began to shatter like a mirror. And then...