Rebellion: Prince of Dawn

Chapter 15.1: Distant Dreamers

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ILIAS VAN PAYNE

An entire world of nothing but white.

My mind was so dazed that any thoughts I tried to form simply ceased. But soon after, I understood my situation—Gilead had been devoured by a beam of light and I along with it.

I floated in a void of white, contemplating what just happened.

"I just started to enjoy my new life too," I said to myself. "I wasn't expecting it to end so soon."

"Your life ended?" a voice wondered. "I don't think so."

Was that the voice in my head?

"I'm not the voice in your head," the familiar young voice corrected. "I'm right here."

I turned around and found a bare handsome boy with dark golden hair and rosy cheeks sitting cross-legged. He had light tan skin, his eyes were made of polished jade, and there were three tiny moles at the edge of his left eye that, when connected, made a triangle with only two even sides.

He raised a hand and smiled. "What's up?"

And that face... that face was also very familiar.

Wait! This boy is me!

"Yes," my body said. "I'm the boy named Ilias Van Payne."

"Wait, you said earlier that I wasn't dead. Is that the truth?"

"Of course, why would I lie to you?"

"If that light didn't kill me, then why am I here? And what was that light? What happened after?"

"Those questions will be answered soon enough."

"What is this place?"

Ilias tilted his head. "This place is your soul."

"Why is it so bare and blank? And why am I looking at my own body?"

"Your body?" he said. "This is your body?"

"I see my face at least once every single day. I know what I look like."

"Who are you?"

At this point, I was getting irritated by all the rhetorical questions. "I'm Ilias Van Payne."

"Is that who you really are?"

"Yes, who else can I be—"

Just then, it felt like a poisoned arrow struck me in the heart and the poison was realization.

"No, I'm..." I glanced at my arms and found that it didn't belong to that of a boy. It was veiny and calloused. These hands belonged to a seasoned warrior.

"Here." Ilias tapped the space in between us which transformed into a mirror. "Is that better?"

I walked up to my reflection and found a young man with short blond hair, sapphire eyes, and a lean body.

"Let's do this again," Ilias leaned back, relaxing his posture. "Who are you?"

Me. Who am I?

"Decan," I answered. "Decan Lancaster."

"I see." Ilias smiled wide. "I think this is enough time. We'll meet again."

"Huh? Wait, what does that mean?"

Suddenly, my vision began to fade.

"You will find yourself here three times." Ilias waved goodbye. "This was the first."