THE PRICE OF WAR [Taka x Reader]

XVIII. Breakthrough

The deer's steps led you to the meadow where Duymir had passed away the night before. He kept leaping forward, until in the distance two unknown figures appeared and the two of you stopped dead.

"What happened?" Ryota asked.

The deer looked at you and then ran to the right. It was too fast to follow, so you stood still as the two figures kept closing in on you. They looked like a woman and a man, both with a crown on their heads. They stopped several steps away in front of you while the others tried to find out why you had stopped in the middle of the field.

"You are ..." you murmured looking at the woman.

She was the same one you had come across you in the Hayltel forest, although her appearance was slightly more different. She wore a very luxurious long dress. Also, her long black hair fell to her waist and she had a mole next to her mouth. The other man was totally unknown to you. He wore an armor and a sword.

"Who are you? What do you want?" you asked.

Your innocent reaction made them smile. A feeling of anguish invaded you.

"Are you my mother...?" you asked the woman.

"So many questions!" she laughed.

Her voice was much sharper and sweeter than in your dreams.

"We wanted to show you something" the man pronounced "Come with me"

"Who is she talking to?" Tomoya asked.

"Shut up!" Toru whispered to him.

The man turned slowly and after several seconds you decided to follow him. You both walked several steps and your friends followed you. The man stood up and extended his hand. An elegant quill magically appeared in his hand as you stared at him in wonder.

"It's time to know who you are" he pronounced as a warm smile peeked out from behind his thick mustache.

"What? I don't understand anything..."

Your friends stared at each other, wishing they'd know who you were speaking to.

"Take this" he asked you.

You picked up the quill delicately and looked at it closely. Both the feather and the hilt were golden. It looked overly expensive.

"Concentrate and write it down" he ordered.

"Write what?"

"Your name"

You gasped.

"My name?"

He nodded.

"But ... I don't know which one it is"

"Now you will know. Just focus and write it down"

"But where? I have neither ink nor paper!"

"You don't need any of that" he laughed "Close your eyes and focus. Come on"

You looked at the pen again and closed your eyes.

"Concentrate on your name. Ask the quill to write it down"

You closed your eyes even tighter and after several seconds, the quill moved as if by magic and began to write in the air.

"Hold it tight and don't open your eyes!"

The quill drew isolated letters in the air, but you were so focused on the moment that you were unable to make out any of them. You just let yourself go with the movement of the quill while holding it decisively. When it finished writing, it melted into a fine golden powder and the man in armor said softly:

"Open your eyes"

Tears began to flow from your eyes. Your name was floating in the air in glittering gold letters, as if it were written in fire.

"Of course..." Yrion said with a smile, even though he couldn't see the letters. Kyria looked at him, confirming her suspicion and chuckling.

"What's going on?" Taka asked Yrion worriedly.

Yrion looked at him and answered in his language and a marked accent:

"Name"

Taka and the others looked at him puzzled. Meanwhile, you took a step back to admire your newly discovered name and put your hands to your chest.

"Delighted to greet you... Aalyn, wielder of the Great Power" said both the man and the woman accompanying their words with a bow.

His gesture overwhelmed you, even though it also made you feel powerful for a moment.

"Don't forget its meaning" the woman said as she approached you "Always keep it in mind"

Aalyn had a very special meaning within your language. It came from a disused verb that referred to determination and victory.

"I will" you replied as you wiped away your tears.

"It's time to say goodbye" said the man at the same time that you noticed the sad look of the woman.

"Who are you? Please, tell me" you begged them.

"Fight" the woman told you, reminding you of the same word she spoke in your first dream.

"Yumiko!" you heard someone scream in the background.

You turned around and saw all your friends looking at you worriedly. You turned again but there was no trace left of the woman or the man or your name written in the air. Kyria approached slowly.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes..." you mumbled as if you had woken up from a dream.

"What's your name?" Yrion asked you in an exciting voice.

You looked at the rest and a huge smile appeared on your face.