Prologue: Isabel

　　Isabel could only remember two things: the connection to her past lives had nearly been severed, and her brother was in danger. There were also two problems: she couldn`t remember where he was, and she happened to be running for her life.

　　Glimpses of memories ripped through her mind, filling her with events from the past. The first time she held a sword, the first time she stole from the knights, and even when her brother was born. Her entire life felt like shattered glass; she had to pick up the pieces to recall moments and events. Crucial information would be lost, then remembered over and over again. Just like now, she remembered something new. . . A daring escape from the palace, and around her shoulder, a satchel that would save the world.

　　Brisk footsteps carried her through the tunnel. The environment was lit only by a few torches. Light streaked past her. Fire. A river of sewer water lay calmly to her left. When did she enter the sewers? She had been running on the carpet in the palace only one second ago. Was this forgotten, too?

　　Escape. Protect your brother. Isabel scolded herself, holding onto her treasured memories as they slipped from her mind. Everything was wrong. The palace bells faded as she fled. "Stop! Thief!" someone called. Glancing over her shoulder revealed four men in bronze chainmail armor giving chase. The tunnel echoed with their voices. Was there a thief? Should she help?

　　Enemies, a voice said. It was Kellin - her past life. He spoke within her mind. Don`t stop running, darling.

　　Was she a thief? Was she evil? There were no answers.

　　Where`s your brother? The word brother echoed in her mind repeatedly. What horrified her most was that she couldn`t even remember his name. Images passed through her mind; he was so small and only ten or eleven years old. What did he look like? Why couldn`t she remember?

　　Up ahead was a reinforced door. It was made from many steel bars, and past it, a ladder was leading to the surface. Isabel opened it up, dashed through, closed it, and held out her hand.

　　Why am I holding out my hand like this? She thought. Instincts took over. She channeled Kellin - her past life - for answers, for help, as done before, but all she was met with was a blazing pain that ripped through her head. A pressure in her chest burst to life, and with it, white light radiated from her hand and spread through the door. Magic. She had magic. Yes, how could that have been forgotten?

　　The enemies slammed into the door. "Hey! What did she do to the door?" it shouted. No, he shouted. He was a man. He pulled out a mace and smashed the metal, but nothing happened.

　　"She froze it!" another enemy said. He slammed his shield into the door over and over.

　　Keep going, love, said Kellin. You can`t stop now. He was so kind, so comforting. Isabel was overwhelmed with a new memory. She knew Kellin when he was alive; he was her predecessor.

　　She shook her head and, despite the pain, sprinted toward the ladder.

　　A moment later, the corridor echoed with the unsettling sound of a foreboding step. It shook the world, and she froze. Fear creeped out from her heart and spread through every blood vessel. One stomp boomed with the force of a thousand men. She knew, having suddenly remembered. . . she was running from a God.

　　No. The Crown. He was called The Crown. When he revealed his presence, the enemies stopped in place. Isabel backed up slowly, inching her way to freedom, listening to the sweet voice of Kellin all the while.

　　I`ve got to go, be safe darling, said Kellin.

　　"No!" Isabel screamed.

　　Kellin faded from her mind; his voice left her empty and alone. She couldn`t access her past lives as well as before.

　　"It`s Him!" the enemy said, "You`re dead now, slag." He spat on the floor.

　　"Don`t you know who that is?" said another enemy. "We need to run. Let Him kill the girl." He grabbed his companion`s arm and began pulling him toward the sewer river. One of the knights - they were knights, right?

　　Yes, said Yelzar - a different past life. Stay calm, child. You must escape.

　　Isabel shook her head. One knight jumped into the sewer river.

　　"We need to get away!" shouted the enemy knight, "He`s coming! Don`t you hear? It`s Him! We -"

　　The man was cut off when a massive flash of orange light shattered her vision. The gate exploded. The force of the magic threw her to the ground. Her ears rang, and when she could finally open her eyes again, all she saw were the mangled and burnt bodies of the enemy. God had killed them. They were left in a patch of flame and cinder.

　　It is time to go, said Yelzar. Focus now.

　　Isabel jumped to her feet and sprinted for the ladder. The sounds of enormous footsteps came rushing toward her. She yelped in fear. She didn`t have enough time.

　　Use your magic, said Yelzar. Stay calm.

　　Her head ripped itself in half. Pain rippled outward through her body, and the pressure in her chest grew heavier. An invisible force threw her skyward. She burst from the sewer grate and into the city. It was pitch black.

　　She hovered in the air momentarily before another invisible force threw her forward. Blue and white sparks rippled around her, and she landed on a flat rooftop. The city was too dark to see, and Isabel couldn`t even remember what it looked like.

　　Escape God, she thought, find brother, what was his name?

　　She jumped and landed on another rooftop. The pressure in her chest grew and began to hurt as her magical energy was exerted. She flew from building to building. What was her magic called again? Memories ripped through her. Moonlight. Life energy. Her magic was her life.

　　A flash of light lit up the area she was about to land on. An enormous flame exploded, sending her crumpling onto the pathway below. She landed hard on her arm and certainly heard it snap.

　　"Oh god, oh no, no, no."

　　Stay calm, child; you`ll make it out. Yelzar`s voice was fuzzy. It`ll heal with your magic. Just keep running.

　　God was still chasing her.

　　Make it to the forest. Your brother is in the forest, Isabel thought.

　　She jumped to her feet and narrowly escaped another explosion from behind her. Flames licked her skin as she took off toward the city`s main gate. Her past life was correct. Her wound healed quickly.

　　She couldn`t see, it was so dark. She needed to see!

　　I can help with that, said Yelzar, his voice so quiet. The world lit up around her. She could see perfectly in the blackness of night. The pressure in her chest grew. What was that sensation?

　　She glanced back and was met with fear incarnate. The eyes of red, of death. He moved slowly, hunting her like prey. Each step shook the world. He wore black plated armor with red adornments in the shape of dragons crawling around his body. His helmet covered his face and had distinctive curved horns protruding from it. He held a large mace with a spearhead on the top of it. Flaming orbs erupted from the weapon, and he launched them at her.

　　Save the world, said a new voice. Renna - another past life. Bring back the sun. Save the world.

　　"What?" Isabel said out loud. How could she possibly save the world?

　　In front of her was a large metal portcullis, and it was closing quickly - the gate to exit the city. Two enemies shouted in front of her and held out their bladed maces. Could she fight? Did she even remember how to?

　　Let me help, said Renna. A second later, Isabel`s arms and legs were no longer under her control. Renna had seeped into her skin and began using her body. She pulled a dagger from her belt that she didn`t even know she had. With deadly accuracy, she threw it, and the weapon plunged directly into one enemy`s heart. An invisible force sent the man flying into the wall behind him. It knocked a torch down, and Renna - no Isabel - caught it midair and dashed underneath the gate just as it closed.

　　There you go, said Renna. Now, keep running. You have no time for questions.

　　But Isabel had thousands of questions. The world darkened around her, but the pressure in her chest felt better. Renna was helping her conserve her magic, her life.

　　Take the satchel to the river. Let the current take it away. That will save the world, said Renna.

　　"But what about my brother?" Isabel shouted.

　　What about him?

　　She no longer liked to hear from Renna.

　　Isabel dashed out into a white forest. Why was it white? Forests are supposed to be green. She recalled the existence of snow a moment later. All her surroundings became a blur. The menacing footsteps echoed quickly behind her. He was running. God was going to kill her.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

　　How did she forget about the chase? Why couldn`t she remember anything? Did she have friends? Was that who Renna, Kellin, or Yelzar were? No, she had other friends. What were their names. . . what was her name again?

　　"Izzy! It`s Izzy!" shouted Izzy. She spoke out loud to keep her memories close. "Hide the satchel! Protect the brother!"

　　Save the world, said Renna.

　　"That too!"

　　Her vision was streaking. She was moving way too fast. The torch snuffed into nothing, and she channeled Yelzar; the world lit up around her once more. Her magic was helpful, so helpful. Light radiated out from her silhouette, and this mysterious pressure in her chest grew. It ached horribly.

　　She dashed into a clearing and then nearly stopped running. It was beautiful, why was she running? She couldn`t even remember.

　　Keep going, said Renna. Get the satchel to safety.

　　Izzy was blasted with memories and pushed forward, the unsettling steps eerily approaching from behind. She stopped at the river. It was rushing furiously downstream, and she knew the satchel would be safe underwater.

　　She pulled the strap off her shoulder and bent down to her knees. "This will save Elutia - the world," she said, "bring back the Sun." She kissed it, and part of her felt its presence linger in her mind. She could feel its location. It dropped into the river and sped downstream.

　　She touched her lip. It was bloody. Why?

　　Moonlight is life energy, said Yelzar. Use too much, and you die.

　　And then God was here. The footsteps stopped. She glanced back. Trees fell, and The Crown cleaved through the world and invaded the clearing. He glared at her with the red eyes of death.

　　"I`m going to die."

　　He took a step forward. Izzy was frozen in fear.

　　If you die, said Renna, who will be your successor? Who will you choose? Where is Elena? Where is Solaris?

　　"Who is Elena?" she shouted.

　　God began to move again. He opened his hand and released a ball of fire in her direction.

　　Run. said Renna, Kellin, and Yelzar all at the same time.

　　Pain ripped through Izzy`s head again, and she dove into the water. Could she swim? Does she know how? The current ripped her soul from her body and sent her tumbling downstream. She escaped The Crown; God would not kill her today. The pressure in her chest burned with agony unlike anything else.

　　Who will be your successor? asked Renna.

　　Izzy shattered; she couldn`t remember her friends.

　　Don`t worry about that, darling, said Kellin, you`ll stay alive.

　　The water was so cold. It spun around and weaved through her bones.

　　Darkness took hold moments later.

　　* * *

　　When she opened her eyes, her memories had not returned. Light waves crashed against the beach nearby. She was lying on her back in the sand. It was so dark, and any semblance of light spun in circles around her.

　　The pressure in her chest flared to life, and the environment lit up. Izzy had nearly forgotten. . . she had magic.

　　"What happened to me?" she said out loud, hoping a past life would answer.

　　You were attacked, darling, Kellin said, your memory is in shambles. You`ve been seriously injured. You need to move, love, and help your brother.

　　We can`t help you very much, said Renna.

　　Izzy got to her feet, glancing at her surroundings. The river had drained into the ocean, and she was lucky to have been washed ashore. The sea sprawled out only a few feet before hitting a wall.

　　"The edge of the world," said Izzy.

　　In front of her was an enormous wall of storm clouds. Lightning pulsed through the gray and black swirling tempest. It stretched as far as the eye could see, surrounding all the lands in a torrent of disdain.

　　"This is it, isn`t it?" she asked.

　　Yes, darling, said Kellin. This is the curse you are going to break. Hurry now; your brother still needs you.

　　That memory had slipped her mind once more. Once she gained her bearings, she took off in a run toward the city. The direction wasn`t obvious, but her past lives guided her carefully. They weren`t cut off completely, but she could tell they were fragile.

　　I need to get home. I need to protect Caden.

　　She gasped, and a smile spread across her face. Izzy remembered her brother`s name. Caden. He was tiny scared, and she needed to get back to him. Small, curious, kind. He must be protected, and he needed to be safe.

　　The crimson clouds above began to produce light as it took many hours to walk back to the city. She walked through a field, climbed a cliff, and traveled through a forest. Finally, just as she thought about giving up, she saw the city wall in the distance.

　　"Get to the city. Find my brother," Izzy repeated it over and over to herself, forgetting why she was saying it but knowing it was necessary.

　　The city wall was a massive formation of well-constructed stone that stretched into a large square and surrounded the city. She touched it, dragging her fingers along the cold surface. The light from the clouds cascaded down from above, and she no longer needed her magic to see.

　　"Where is the gate?" Izzy asked.

　　The sound of fingers snapping sent one thousand memories coursing through her all at once. She instinctively pulled herself out of the way with an invisible force of Moonlight. It was like someone had pushed her, yet nobody did. Blood fell from her nose. The wall exploded into flames and cinder. A hole had been ripped through it. She was being attacked.

　　Smoke found her lungs and constricted her breathing. Help. She thought, wondering why the smoke hurt so desperately.

　　Pull yourself together, said Renna. Her voice was cruel. You`re under attack. You need to fight.

　　Izzy jumped to her feet and pulled out her second dagger. How long had that been on her belt? She didn`t remember. She met eyes with her adversary. He was not God. He was a different man. She couldn`t see his face, why? Her memories were like glass. They were shattering.

　　"You are Isabel Arkell," said the enemy - the man. "Correct?" He wore a red scarf; that had to signify something, right?

　　"No," said Izzy. "My name is Izzy. Who are you? Why are you attacking me?"

　　Run, darling, he`s not your friend, said Kellin.

　　"You are wanted by The Crown," he said, "Come with me peacefully, and there will be no bloodshed." He took off his hood, he looked a little bit younger than Izzy.

　　How old am I?

　　Questions for later, said Renna.

　　"You attacked me! With an entire fireball! What if I had died?" Renna used Izzy`s voice to speak, "You`re really stupid. Are you bad at your job?"

　　The man stuttered his way into an answer. "What? No I. . ." he paused and composed himself, "Come with me, I won`t ask again."

　　"Hey," Izzy said, still channeling Renna, "Why am I wanted?"

　　The man raised an eyebrow. "What?"

　　"You said I`m a criminal. I demand to know why."

　　Renna`s memories ripped through her mind; it was like she was Renna, and Renna was her. Were her past lives coming back to her?

　　"You. . . broke into the palace."

　　"I did?"

　　His jaw dropped.

　　"I`m just as confused as you are!"

　　The enemy attacked. Renna took the reins of her bones and began to defend. Izzy only recalled glimpses of the battle that ensued. Her body moved on its own. The man took the offensive and struck wildly with a bladed mace. She parried and dodged attacks, but her magic was running dangerously low. The pressure in her chest caused the pain to boil over. . . every heartbeat surged with pain. She`d be unable to keep this up forever.

　　The next piece of glass she looked into was full of blinding agony. She was slammed in the side, and the bladed mace ripped her flesh. Blood spilled onto the grass as Izzy tumbled over.

　　She needed help. She screamed for help from her past lives, from anyone.

　　Someone answered. Isabel answered. She reached her hands out toward the man.

　　The world exploded. White light soared through the air in the shape of an enormous orb. It slammed into the man, leaving a spiraling trail in its wake. White and blue sparks scattered, and popping sounds burst through the air. Blood spilled from her eyes, nose, and mouth. Her magic was killing her.

　　Her enemy was thrown backward with incredible force. She didn`t even look to see if he was alive; she just rose to her feet and tumbled away. She tripped, fell, rose, and continued moving. With quick steps, she jumped through the hole in the city wall and began to traverse the inner alleyways of the kingdom.

　　Her past lives were silent for a moment.

　　Find Caden, she thought through jaded breaths, my brother. Find him, make sure he`s okay.

　　Izzy recalled more glimpses and events of her memories as she moved. Her side was still bleeding life itself. Everything was being ripped away as soon as she recalled it. She was beginning to feel empty.

　　What was her name again?

　　You need a successor, said Yelzar. Who was he?

　　I`ll help her, said Kellin.

　　Elena, Luna, Solaris, Caden, Darwin, Terrance. Names fluttered in her mind and vanished as quickly as they came. Who does she pick? Just someone at random?

　　She wandered aimlessly through the city, passing buildings and stone structures she could hardly recognize. Her one and only thought was finding her brother and bringing him to safety. Her magic didn`t heal her, and she didn`t stop bleeding.

　　She collapsed onto her back in a random alleyway.

　　I was supposed to save the world. Izzy thought.

　　I`m sorry darling, said Kellin, his voice breaking, Sometimes. . . people fail.

　　"But I don`t want to fail," she said out loud. "I want to help my brother."

　　I`m sure you`ll find a way. . . said Kellin, and she knew he was lying.

　　The world spun around her. She blinked. It looked like every light source was streaking, and her environment was rotating in circles. She was so dizzy, but she knew she wasn`t moving. Her side didn`t hurt anymore; in fact, nothing hurt anymore.

　　She opened her eyes, and someone stood over her. A figure she knew but couldn`t remember. They were speaking, but she couldn`t hear them.

　　Is that my brother? She thought. The pain came back. I need to protect him. Get up. . . help him. Her muscles wouldn`t listen. She didn`t move. The mysterious person was on top of her, helping her, screaming at her. Why? What were they saying? She couldn`t hear.

　　Her vision was filled with a bright orange light. She was surrounded by fire. She had failed. All was lost. Darkness covered her completely. There was something else she was supposed to remember. Her last memory, the last possible thing she could feel or latch onto. . .

　　Farewell, darling.

　　Goodbye.

　　You`ll be joining us soon.

　　Her past lives whispered to her.

　　It hit her harshly, the very last thing she felt. . . rage. Why?

　　And then, there was nothing.