I Can Hear You: Two Worlds Apart

Chapter Fifteen: Echoes of the Past

The cold chamber, bathed in the glow of the runes on the ancient stone tablet, pulsed with a faint hum that seemed to resonate deep inside Lydia's bones. She stood there, mesmerized, her eyes tracing the intricate carvings that twisted across the surface of the tablet, telling stories she could barely comprehend. Every pulse of energy from the stone felt like a heartbeat, aligning with the rhythm of her own.

Ichimarou and Soren stood on either side of her, but their thoughts lingered in the air, louder than the silence that had settled over the room. Lydia hadn't intended to read them, but with the energy of the tablet amplifying her abilities, their thoughts seeped into her mind without effort.

This is just the beginning. Soren's thoughts echoed with urgency. If she unlocks what's in the heart of Solaria, there's no telling what it will do to her. She has to be ready for what's coming. But does she even know how powerful she is?

Lydia's gaze shifted briefly toward Soren, but she remained quiet, not wanting to reveal that she could hear his fears. His calm exterior hid the storm swirling inside him—doubts, concerns, and secrets he still wasn't sharing. And the more she read his mind, the more she realized just how much Soren was keeping from her.

But it was Ichimarou's thoughts that drew her in more sharply. His mind was a mixture of sadness and resolve, his silver eyes fixed on the tablet as if he were seeing something long gone.

She reminds me of them... of the ones who came before. But she's different. She has to be different. If she fails... if Solaria consumes her like the others... we'll lose everything.

A flicker of emotion crossed Ichimarou's face, but he remained silent, his thoughts dark and heavy. There was a weight he carried, one that Lydia could feel even through his stoic demeanor. And then, as if pulled by an invisible thread, her thoughts were drawn into something deeper—fragments of his memories, vivid and sharp.

In her mind, Lydia saw flashes of herself—not as she was now, but different. She was standing in a vast forest, her hair pulled back, her body moving with grace and precision as she notched an arrow into a sleek, wooden bow. She felt the tautness of the string beneath her fingers, the roughness of the bark under her feet as she perched silently in the trees. Below her, a creature—massive and shadowed—prowled the forest floor, unaware of her presence. It was her prey, but there was no malice in her heart, only the steady rhythm of a hunt.

And then, in the distance, she saw him—Ichimarou. He moved through the shadows like a phantom, his katana gleaming at his side, his movements deliberate and silent. There was something about the way he moved, the way he watched her, that made her heart pound. It wasn't just that he was observing her; he seemed to be guiding her, his presence lingering just out of reach.

The dream faded, but its intensity lingered, and Lydia gasped softly, blinking as the chamber came back into focus. The pulse of the tablet echoed in her ears, matching the rhythm of her breath.

"What's happening to me?" Lydia whispered, her voice barely audible, but she knew they heard her. "I'm seeing things... dreams. I was in the forest, hunting. I had a bow, and... Ichimarou, you were there."

Both Soren and Ichimarou stiffened. Soren's eyes narrowed, while Ichimarou's expression remained carefully neutral.

"You've been having these dreams?" Ichimarou asked, his voice low and calm, but Lydia sensed the tension behind it.

Lydia nodded. "It felt real. Like I was someone else, but it was me at the same time. And you were there, watching me."

Ichimarou's gaze darkened, and for the first time, Lydia sensed a flicker of hesitation in his thoughts.

She's seeing the past... or is it the future? Either way, Solaria's power is weaving through her mind faster than I expected. But how much does she really know? How much should I tell her?

Lydia stepped forward, her eyes locking onto Ichimarou's. "I'm seeing something, aren't I? Something about this place, about Solaria's past. Who am I in these dreams?"

Ichimarou glanced at Soren, a silent conversation passing between them. Soren's jaw tightened, but he gave a subtle nod, his inner conflict apparent. Lydia could feel it in his thoughts—he wanted to protect her, but he also knew she needed to know the truth.

Ichimarou sighed, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "The dreams you're having... they're not just dreams, Lydia. They're echoes. Fragments of memories—some from Solaria's past, some from those who came before you. Solaria chooses its champions, and you're not the first. The bow and arrows you see, the hunt... they're all part of what you are meant to become."

Lydia's pulse quickened. "And you've been watching me in those dreams. Why?"

Ichimarou hesitated again, his eyes clouding with something deeper than she could grasp. "Because I've been here before. I've seen what happens when Solaria chooses someone. I've seen them rise, and I've seen them fall."

"Fall?" Lydia's voice shook. "What do you mean?"

Ichimarou's face hardened. "The power of Solaria is not without danger. It tests those it chooses, pushes them to their limits. And if they can't withstand the trials... they're consumed by it. Twisted into something else. Like the creature you saw earlier."

Lydia's stomach turned, her mind spinning as the weight of his words sank in. The dreams, the visions—they weren't just some strange connection to this world. They were part of her fate, part of what Solaria had in store for her.

"And you think I'm going to end up like them?" Lydia asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Ichimarou's expression softened, though his thoughts remained guarded. "I don't know. But I'm here to make sure that doesn't happen. You're different, Lydia. You have something they didn't."

"What?" she asked, her throat tight.

Ichimarou met her gaze, his eyes intense and unwavering. "You have the ability to see beyond the trials. You can read the thoughts of others, feel the forest's pulse in a way no one else can. That's why Solaria chose you. But it's also why you need to be careful."

Soren stepped closer, his presence reassuring despite the tension between them. "We'll figure this out together, Lydia. Whatever you're seeing, whatever these dreams are trying to tell you, we'll face it. You're not alone."

Lydia felt the warmth of Soren's resolve, but Ichimarou's thoughts lingered in the back of her mind—darker, more uncertain. He believed in her, but there was something he wasn't telling her, something about the fate of those who came before her.

The stone tablet behind them pulsed again, and Lydia felt the pull of its energy, stronger now, as if urging her forward.

"What now?" she asked, her voice quiet but steady.

Ichimarou turned to the tablet, his expression unreadable. "Now, we unlock the truth. But be ready, Lydia. The path ahead will only get harder from here."

As he spoke, Lydia felt the weight of her dreams settle over her like a cloak. The bow, the hunt, Ichimarou in the shadows—it was all leading her toward something. Something she wasn't sure she was ready to face, but she knew there was no turning back now. Not with Solaria's will guiding her, pushing her toward the truth.

With a deep breath, she stepped forward, her fingers brushing against the glowing runes of the tablet.

And the past began to unravel before her eyes.