Darkness had completely enveloped me. I couldn't move or feel anything. The only sensation present was the dull pressure from my body pressing into the mattress of my parent's bed.

It felt heavy, but weightless at the same time. Before long It started to feel like I was sinking into a river. The water surrounded me like a soft blanket, but also compressing me as I sank deeper and deeper, eventually losing all sense of awareness.

Suddenly I felt a rush of wind blow through my hair and my eyes shot open, rapidly taking in my new surroundings.

A grassy field stretched out before me, bordered by ice and snow. It was real, too real to be just a dream. I could feel the air sifting between my fingers as goosebumps appeared on my skin under my soft new clothes. Any sign of injury or illness was gone.

My hands felt weak. As I looked down I began to stumble, having to catch my balance. 'Somethings… Different…'

I looked down at my clothes to see a familiar orange sweatshirt with sleeves that were just a little too long, hanging down past my palms. Bringing my hand closer to my eyes, I could see the cuffs worn from tugging.

The pockets of my cargo pants had a similarly familiar red trim and I felt the soft warmth from the lining. 'Fur pockets...' The realization slowly set in that I was wearing my favorite clothes from my past life.

I took a strand of my long black hair and began twirling it with my slender fingers. 'Not just my clothes, but my body too?'

At first, I was unsure, but my thoughts were far too clear and coherent for it to be a dream. The beautiful scenery and the sun in the sky were both far too detailed as well. Not to mention… I didn't have dreams. Sleep was either nothingness or a nightmare.

'Is it possible that I died again? What would have killed me though? There's no way I'm allergic to healing magic right?' My eyes shot to the side as I slumped forward. 'Although… It's not entirely out of the question…'

I pulled up my hood and pushed back my hair, gathering it on one side as my eyes shifted back and forth, examining the area around me. Tall lush grass gently swayed in the wind. Only one thing interrupted my vision as I scanned from one side to the other. A gazebo of pure white marble, dead ahead.

The floor and seats were the same as the rest of it, pearly white marble. As I drew closer I began to make out sparkling gold lines. They were so thin they added only a subtle detail, swirling together and thickening as they got closer to the table at the center which had a large line of gold that looked like a lightning strike cracking straight through it.

I stepped inside, turning to see a boy sitting on one of the benches, sipping tea from a delicate cup. "You haven't given up, have you?" he asked. It seemed like his voice should have startled me, but instead, it was somehow comforting. Without so much as turning to look at me he spoke, and as if the wind carried his words straight to my ears I could hear his soft slightly childish voice echo in my head.

It was so calming and peaceful that I had trouble responding at first. Just hearing it filled me with the same joy I would get when listening to a beautiful song. My mind went completely blank as goosebumps formed down my arms as he continued. "We can… talk about it… if you think it would help."

His gold and white hair blew in the wind as he turned to face me. He had the delicate face of a child, sharply contrasting his masculine physique. His eyes were a bright gleaming silver that made me think of a dancing fire, and his clothes made up a similar color palette with the addition of a dark green.

"If not that's ok too." The wind continued to blow, but his eyes stayed wide open with an intense stare. To say he looked otherworldly would have been an understatement. Even his clothes, although simple looking in design, were just as unique and elegant.

His baggy white pants failed to hide the size of his muscular legs as the fabric gently shifted in the breeze, being held to him by the tight cuffs at his ankles. His sandals were painted with a moving black, as if looking into a black hole, or stars shifting in space.

He raised his hand, moving it back and forth. "You there?"

I could feel my eyes dilating and struggling to focus.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

"I-I'm…" I wanted to respond, but my brain wasn't even rendering anything he had said, I was drawing a complete blank.

The elbow-length sleeves of his loose jacket fluttered as he moved his hands to his hips, exposing his tight shirt underneath. He smirked and shook his head before gesturing towards the table. "I thought you'd be better at this by now. Is my appearance truly worthy of such a response?"

Like coming out of a trance, suddenly I was sitting across from him, slowly regaining my line of thought. 'Give up… talk about…? Better at?' I looked up to him. "So… Am I dead?"

He slowly lowered his teacup to its saucer and gently placed it on the table. "Ahh. I see you've finally gained full consciousness."

Before I could get an answer, my rapid train of thought shot through my mind and I just continued asking more questions. "Who are you, and where are we?"

'That really took me off guard… I wasn't ogling him for that long, was I? I hope not…''

I thought back to the several times he tried to grab my attention while I stared at him, mesmerized. 'Fairy dust…' I muttered to myself in disappointment.

"Straight to the point. It amazes me how you never change." He said softly. "Ok. From what I understand, you stopped repressing your memories when your brain got reset due to a certain near-death experience. I'm sure your memories of me will return eventually, so for now let's focus on the things that won't. Your powers are awakening now that your brain has developed enough physically." His wispy voice carried through the wind like magic, resonating all around me.

"Can't you wake them up faster…"

He stood up and wistfully looked out over the edge of the mountain. "You need to decide whether or not you want to live, because if the answer is no, your current condition will kill you."

I froze. He was so close to me that I wanted to take a step back, but somehow I felt like even that subtle movement could make him fall. "But… My father used magic, I should be healed."

"You have a sickness called the reaping. It plagues your mind, and can't be cured with magic. Actually, it's characterized by your body lacking energy, both magical and physical."

'Guess the wounds were worse than I thought, is it possible he healed me too late? Is this like a new thing? Or… I guess none of that matters…' I sighed. "The cure?"

"It's actually rather simple. All you need is a will to live that is stronger than that of sickness. Magic is powered by your own mind, so if your will to live is strong, then your body will naturally recover enough magical energy that you will be fine."

"So all I need to do is want to live?"

"Do you not?"

His eyes pierced straight through me as he turned toward me, his gaze wide and unrelenting, hitting me like an arrow and making me step back. "It's not that I want to die… It's more like… Both seem pretty meaningless." I looked out over the horizon past him. "I mean, even the people that would mourn me wouldn't be sad for too long, and soon their lives would probably all be better for it… Of course, if I lived I wouldn't be against that either. I might not like my life, but it's not like I ever really tried to kill myself either. Then again if there is a round three it might just be better to skip straight to that… Although, if I end up going to the bad place, well…"

Looking back at him, vivid memories flashed through my mind. I could see his face, and with it came old words from a lifetime ago. 'Will you help me? The unfortunate soul who has been through so much, Rise up and take the banner of command.'

Without realising it I had been stepping closer until suddenly I froze. With how close he was, I wanted to step back, but suddenly it felt like we were old friends and his closeness was almost relaxing in a way.

'He was the one that gave me a second life. He wanted me to help him… He told me I was the only one that could. Sweet words from a sweet face… Does that count as seduction?' I groaned, turning to the side. 'Maybe I really do have to be careful around him, why else would I agree to be reborn like this?'

"I suppose that face means you remember? That's right, we have met before," he said softly as if reading my mind. "I called you my secret weapon, my beautiful Golden Bear. You were more mischievous back then, although I suppose you've been through a lot. It would be unreasonable of me to expect you not to change even a little bit. I asked you a question, do you remember?"

"You asked if I would help you… Although I'm not sure why I accepted… Agis…"

He chuckled softly, his wistful eyes locking onto mine and making me shudder and quickly turn away. 'Would it be weird to call a man beautiful?'

I cleared my throat. "You want me to change this world… So, do you think that's a good enough reason to keep going? Will that give me the will to live that I need? I really don't see a purpose to any of this…"

He sighed, and somehow I felt my heart break slightly from the sound of his disappointment… As if it was just one more person I was letting down…

"You tell me…" He said, his face softening as his calm voice reached out to me. "Ultimately it's up to you. You can try and change the world, or even leave it as is and set off on your own, trying to find what it is you're longing for. In the end, it's all up to you. The purpose of my bringing you to this place was to "Fix" my old kingdom, as you put it once… But as you've also said… No kingdom lasts forever… And maybe it would be better for something new to take its place… Of course, we are both here, so you know my opinion on the matter. You have plenty of options, and you're smart enough. I'm sure you will figure out something to make life worthwhile if you try."

I couldn't help but smile, looking back up at him. 'I'll figure it out huh…' When he saw my face he just shook his head. "You know you're smart, does it really make you that happy to hear someone else say it?"

A strong heat rose up in my face as I turned away and stepped back. "It's not that… It's just…" I paused. 'Wait… No… I haven't received a single good job from anyone for as long as I can remember. Even after slaying a monster, all I got was called stupid… so hearing someone say something good about me, however small, really…' "It really does make me happy…" I muttered, nervously looking up at him. "Wait… What's wrong with that anyway?"

His eyes widened and for the first time, I saw him blink as he flinched slightly back. I slowly turned to the side again to try and hide my face, thinking it must still be red. 'Words from a complete stranger… I really am easy to please, aren't I… But it's not like I can help it…'

"Well… Regardless… A choice lies before you…" the gazebo vanished like ash in the wind, the same gust blowing in a marble staircase leading up over the cliff edge, and at the top were two massive gates. "

Through one gate, I could see my family, my limp body lying in bed all alone. Through the other, I could see myself from my previous life. I was standing next to my parents and my sister. We were all smiling in front of a huge mansion. It brought a tear to my eyes. I had forgotten their faces, and to be able to see them again was something I could have never imagined. "Explain…"

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