The golden oceans churned beneath him, restless and alive. The bridge of glass shimmered underfoot, stretching infinitely into the unknown. Ochieng's mind reeled from the flood of memories that had crashed into him—echoes of a life he had no recollection of living.
Yet, it was all real.
The woman in silver stood before him, her golden eyes watching him with a quiet intensity. She exuded an aura of authority—one that felt both familiar and terrifying.
"You know who you are now," she said, her voice soft yet commanding.
Ochieng's fists clenched. He wasn't sure if he did. The fragments of memory were too scattered, too overwhelming. He saw flashes of battles fought in forgotten lands, of kingdoms that had long turned to dust, of faces both beloved and betrayed.
But one thing stood out above all else—a promise.
A vow made beneath a dying sun.
"Tell me," he said, his voice hoarse. "Why am I remembering all this now?"
The woman smiled faintly, taking a slow step forward. "Because the time has come."
The bridge hummed beneath her feet. The golden sea raged below.
Ochieng's breath hitched. "Time for what?"
Her eyes locked onto his, and the weight of her gaze was almost unbearable.
"To reclaim what was taken from you."
His heartbeat thundered.
Before he could respond, the world around him shattered.
-
Ochieng gasped awake, his body drenched in sweat. His surroundings had changed again. No more endless sky, no more golden oceans.
He was lying on a cold stone floor, deep underground. The air was damp, the scent of old magic thick in the atmosphere.
He groaned, pushing himself up. His muscles ached, but his mind was sharp.
"Ochieng."
He turned sharply.
Lin Feng stood a few feet away, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. His sword was drawn, its blade gleaming in the dim torchlight.
"You disappeared," Lin Feng said. "One moment you were fighting that… thing, and the next, you were gone. We thought you were dead."
Ochieng exhaled, his pulse still unsteady. "I was… somewhere else."
Lin Feng studied him for a long moment. "You remember something, don't you?"
Ochieng hesitated. The weight of his memories sat heavy on his chest. He could feel it—something inside him had changed.
Something dangerous.
But before he could speak, a low rumble echoed through the chamber.
The ground beneath them trembled. Dust rained down from the stone ceiling.
And then—
A door at the far end of the room creaked open.
Beyond it lay nothing but darkness.
Lin Feng's grip on his sword tightened. "We're not alone."
Ochieng's fingers flexed, his instincts sharper than ever.
The memories, the visions, the golden oceans—none of it mattered right now.
Because something was waiting for them in that darkness.
And it wasn't friendly.