"In that case, I don't have much time, after this I will give you the Reverse Time Illusion. Are you ready?" Marchio's voice was calm. But it carried an unmistakable weight of urgency.
His eyes searched Heka's face. He ensured that he truly understood the gravity of what Heka was about to face. An endless illusion where time itself would fold back on itself. A realm where reality in the past and future blurred.
Heka nodded firmly, his resolve unwavering. This was the one thing he had prepared for. The only chance he had been waiting for.
"Hmmm..." Heka murmured softly, a mixture of anticipation and quiet determination in his tone.
Marchio's gaze hardened slightly as he reminded him. The weight of his words hung heavily in the air. His voice was low but firm, carrying the gravity of a warning that was not easily forgotten.
"But remember one thing. Whether life or death, it depends on you. Can you accept reality or not? Don't get me wrong about what will happen to you!" He said. His eyes locked onto Heka's with an intensity that brooked no argument.
The surrounding room was dimly lit. A shadow flickered against the stone walls as a cold wind whispered through the cracks. The tension was palpable. As if the very air held its breath in anticipation. Marchio's words were not just a caution. They were a challenge, a test of resolve.
Heka's eyes met Marchio with steady confidence. His eyes met Marchio's without a flicker of doubt. There was a calm certainty in his gaze. A quiet strength that seemed to anchor him amidst the storm of uncertainty.
"Don't worry, it is my own way. I will accept whatever comes." He replied steadily and unwaveringly.
There was a solemn finality in his words. This time, the stakes were higher than ever.
If he failed to return, he had already left a message for Clancy. A journal that would explain everything.
There was no room for regret, no turning back.
For a moment, the two men stood in silence. The unspoken understanding between them was deeper than any conversation could convey.
Heka's acceptance was not born of resignation but of conviction. A readiness to face whatever fate had in store, unflinching and resolute.
Marchio's expression softened just a fraction. He knew Heka's path ahead would be perilous. Yet, at that moment, he saw not fear but a warrior's heart, prepared to embrace the harsh truths of reality.
Marchio took a deep breath and commanded. "Close your eyes!!!"
Heka obeyed without hesitation. As his eyelids shut, a profound calmness washed over him. The world around him seemed quiet, the noise of reality fading into a distant hum. Then, Marchio's voice echoed softly in the silence.
"Now ... open your eyes!!!"
When Heka opened them, the scene before him was breathtakingly vivid. Standing there were his parents, their faces radiant with warmth and love. His heart surged with joy.
Finally, a chance to see them again, to hold onto a fragment of the past he had longed for.
"Heka!!!" His parents called out in unison. Their smiles were wide and genuine, lighting up the surrounding space.
He glanced back at Marchio, who smiled and gestured for him to approach. Without hesitation, Heka stepped forward, closing the distance between himself and the figures he had missed so dearly.
Tears welled up in his eyes, but it was tears of happiness. For this moment, he was at the peak of happiness he had ever been.
Yet, beneath the joy, a quiet voice in his mind reminded him. This was just an illusion, a fragile dream suspended in time. He savoured every second, knowing that the price of this happiness might be his permanent absence from the human realm.
He embraced his parents tightly. His voice was trembling with emotion. "Mom, Dad, I'm sorry for being a useless child."
His father's voice was gentle but firm. "It's time to go."
Heka turned his gaze back to Marchio, searching for any sign of what was to come.
"Is this the last time he would see him?" The thought was heavy, but gratitude filled his heart.
Marchio had given him a gift beyond measure.
Marchio waved softly, his expression both encouraging and bittersweet. "Go...enjoy your time."
Heka responded with a gentle smile. His heart swelled with a simple yet profound desire: All he wanted was to stay with them, his parents.
As the illusion began to shift, Heka held onto the warmth of his parents' embrace. Hence he was ready to face whatever fate awaited him. Whether he would return or be lost forever. He knew he had chosen his path. And in that choice, he found peace.
Before him, a door materialized, shimmering faintly with an ethereal glow. His father stepped forward and opened it, releasing a dazzling white light that spilled out like a river of purity and hope.
With a deep breath, Heka stepped through the door. The brilliance faded, and suddenly, the world around him sharpened into focus.
He found himself in the middle of a bustling crowd, the noise and movement swirling like a storm. But something was wrong, he was utterly alone. His parents, who had been so vivid moments ago, had vanished without a trace.
His eyes darted frantically. He scanned the sea of faces, searching for the familiar warmth of his mother and father. But there was nothing. No sign of them anywhere. A cold knot of confusion and fear tightened in his chest.
"What happened? Why did they disappear?" He whispered to himself. His voice was trembling with uncertainty.
Then, a flicker of recognition sparked in his mind. He had been here before. This place is the front yard of a supermarket. The sign above read clearly. "Caraluzzi Newton Market. But why had Marchio brought me here? What was the meaning behind this sudden shift?"
Before he could ponder further, a small voice broke through the chaos. "Heka, let's go to the toy store."
He looked down and saw Navi, a child's figure who was clutching his hand tightly. The confusion deepened. Why was he holding Navi? How was this possible? Yet, amidst the bewilderment, one thing was clear. He had to confirm one simple truth.