For a long moment, neither spoke.
The older version of the child taller, lean, with faint scars running along his arms and neck stared back with that same golden gaze. But it was different now. Dimmer. Tired.
The boy narrowed his eyes.
"Explain."
Older Him walked to the window of the tower chamber. The moonlight caught the edge of his jaw sharp, worn. A man who had seen too much.
"I'm not from your future," he said quietly. "I'm from a possible one."
The child blinked. "…a timeline?"
The older him nodded. "One where you live past seven. Where you master the Voidflame. Where the gods declare war… and I answer it."
A long silence.
"Did you win?"
The older man didn't respond immediately. Instead, he pulled up his sleeve revealing a brand scorched deep into his forearm. A divine sigil, twisted and burned.
"Let's just say I lived long enough to regret trying."
The boy crossed his arms. "So why are you here now?"
"To stop you from making the same mistake."
"What mistake?"
The older version finally turned, expression grim.
"Trusting them."
"Them?"
"The ones who say they're on your side. The ones who 'protect' you. The dragons. The royals. The rebels. Even the one who brought you here."
The boy's eyes flashed. "You know who it was?"
"I do."
"…then tell me."
The older him stepped forward, stopping just in front of the boy.
"I'll tell you. But first, you need to understand something. This world… isn't just afraid of you. It remembers you. Somewhere, buried deep in the soul of this realm, is the memory of what we did."
"We?"
"You. Me. All the versions of us across all the threads that never finished."
He leaned down slightly.
"We're the reason the gods sealed the Voidflame. Not because it was evil. But because it couldn't be controlled."
The boy nodded slowly. "Makes sense."
The older him smiled faintly. "You're taking this better than I did."
"Cool power, secret war, evil gods. I mean, this is peak anime arc."
That made the older him actually laugh.
"…Goddayum, I forgot how annoying I was."
Meanwhile, in the Great Temple of the Thirteenth Star…A golden orb pulsed atop a tower carved from celestial crystal. Around it, thirteen statues stood faceless, massive, divine.
One of them cracked.
A voice boomed across the void.
"He has made contact with his echo."
Another statue spoke, voice like rusted steel.
"Impossible. That thread was erased."
"It survived. Fragmented. Burned, but intact."
"If he learns the truth"
"Then we end him."
Lightning crackled between the statues. Runes shattered. The Pantheon was no longer patient.
Back in the tower chamberThe older version of the child sat down on a stone bench, exhaling deeply.
"You've got maybe six years before they try to erase you. Maybe less, now that I'm here."
"Why are you here though? Really."
"I was pulled in by something… someone. A last remnant of the magic we used to escape. I don't have much time, I'm burning up this body just by existing here."
The child frowned. "Can you teach me?"
"I can try. But you have to promise me something."
"What?"
The older him leaned forward.
"Don't become me."
The boy stared.
"You think I want to be like this?" the man said, gesturing to himself. "Half god, half corpse, hunted by everyone even the people I loved? No. You fight smarter. You make alliances. You live."
The boy looked down at his hands. "And if I still burn everything down?"
The older version of him smiled faintly.
"Then make it beautiful."
Suddenly, his body flickered once, twice.
"No, not yet" he growled.
The tower shook slightly.
"Time's up. You'll remember this, but it'll feel like a dream."
He leaned in one last time, whispering:
"You were brought here by a woman of ash and stars. Her name is sealed. But you'll know her by the scent of burnt jasmine… and the trail of dead gods she leaves behind."
And then ….fwoom …he vanished in a column of golden black flame.
The child was alone again.
But not afraid.
He looked down at his palm. Voidflame flickered there, silent and waiting.
He was starting to remember.
And far below, the ancient dragon Sraverjek opened both eyes.
"So… it begins again."