"What a peculiar timeline..." a feminine vaoice spoke from seemingly nowhere, "This isn’t the first alternative history of this universe, but it is the first to deviate so far."

"There were bound to be changes from the main history, albeit insignificant. Some people look a little different, an event happens a day earlier, a teacher says words in a slightly different manner, a girl wears yellow instead of red, and a school may not have a uniform when in other histories it does. Everything was inevitably going to end the same with him as the key player."

"And yet... That small choice that the Talen boy made, one out of a desperation of a better future... that was the first major change of this timeline."

"It caused the events to shift a little, and my vision of the future had to correct itself. A different boy with a heavy secret arrives instead of the other. Things would’ve largely ended the same, until the next change... The Talen never opened his book."

"Instead, an unrelated girl wields it, the power not intended for her bloodline. Again, the universe was forced to correct itself, with her fulfilling his role, and with him fulfilling hers. Rules slightly bent to ensure this was so."

"Then, the most recent change. The girl’s friend became her loyal undead instead of the Talen boy’s friend. Who will wield the black sword now?"

"The Talens... they are the only ones who can change fate. This I know from the original history, and the girl’s end in that history was not a pleasant one. If the major events of the original history are to remain true, then how will this affect the future if that Talen boy were to share her intended fate?"

"... This will be troublesome."

"I will watch and see how everything will play out, but for now, the other boy with a heavy secret... His fate will soon be set into stone."

—

On earth, there was a tropical island far away from any known civilization, and on that island was a giant stone tablet, as well as a small village, and a castle.

This castle had a gray stone brick look to it, and in it, there was a singular boy sitting in his room reading yet another ability book. He was tall, pale skinned with swept back yellow blonde hair, green eyes and dark circles under them.

He was sitting in his bedroom, a place that had large windows on one side, bookshelves lining the walls, and a VR pod in a corner. The room was lit with the setting sun on the horizon, casting a warm orange glow.

As he flipped to another page, he absentmindedly scratched at a pink colored scar on his arm. His body had multiple of these, all different shapes and colors, all the result of his grandpa trying to unlock something in him.

Despite being the only physical body in the room, the boy could never be truly alone as he had 3 separate souls within him.

Inside his mind was a dark space with no major discerning features aside from a chair, and in that space was where the 3 souls resided.

"How many times have we read this damn book?" A boy standing to the side of the chair complained.

This boy was named Raten, and he had an orange yellow tint to his spirit. His hair always looked like there was an attempt of being groomed, but stray strands kept falling out of place. His posture was casual, always leaning on whatever was nearby.

The boy in the chair closed the book and sighed. His spirit color was a true yellow, and his hair was actually well kept compared to Raten’s. His name was Vorden, and he always sat upright in the chair unlike the others. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

"Would you rather we do nothing until grandfather calls for us again?" Vorden scoffed.

Raten shrank a little at the mention of his grandfather, "Shush! I thought you were supposed to be the smart one of us, don’t mention him around... the little one."

The two boys glanced behind the chair to see another figure with a greenish yellow tint to his spirit. He was on the ground, perpetually in a cradling position. If Raten’s hair was considered unkept, then his would’ve been a rat’s nest in comparison.

"...I’m afraid he’s not going to last much longer," Vorden quietly spoke, "Even though I take the brunt of it, grandfather’s training still affects him. He’s barely responsive now."

That was when they heard a knock on their door, and the body instinctively flinched.

The door creaked open, and a blonde servant spoke softly to Vorden.

"The head of the family would like to meet with you once again."

Closing the book with a sigh, Vorden took his time to put it away in the correct spot of the shelf, then slowly walked with the servant through the halls of the castle.

The place had red carpet with yellow detailing on them, as well as wall lights made with a black metal. Lining the walls were ornaments on tables, heads of beasts mounted on boards, and painted portraits of people long from the past. Despite how regal the castle’s decorations were, he was used to it. It was what he had grown up with, and was all he had ever known.

The servant took him to a room with a large wooden door, and bowed before quickly leaving.

"Why don’t you let me take control today. Who knows, maybe I’ll actually land a scratch on that old bastard," Raten spoke inside of their mind.

Vorden remained silent and opened the door with shaking hands.

Inside was a large man, stretching his arms as he warmed up for a fight. Wrinkles lined his eyes and mouth, his hair was fully gray hair, and he had a bushy beard. This man looked to be in his 60s, but even despite his age, frail was not a word Vorden would use to describe him. His arms were as thick as tree trunks, muscles visibly tensing as he closed his fists, and threw it at a punching bag.

The bag nearly flung off of its hook, but before it could fully swing back, the man punched the bag several more times. Throwing swings, jabs, and more, nearly too fast for Vorden to catch up with.

Then, the man wound up a fist, and sent a devastating punch, immediately ripping the punching bag off of its hook.

The punching bag crashed next to Vorden, sand pouring out of its side, and he gulped. Sweat formed before he even fully entered the room. He knew that these punching bags were made using an old technique that made them more durable than the ones made off island, and yet, his grandfather had tore into it as a warmup.

"Vorden, you’ve finally arrived!" Hilston shouted in his cheery loud voice, "Well, I assume its you anyways."

Hilston held his arms wide open, as if expecting a hug. Vorden’s body shivered as he allowed himself to be taken into an embrace by the man he galled grandfather. His grip was tight, and after an uncomfortable minute, Hilston let go, and Vorden took a few steps back.

Internally, the little one’s soul shifted, and a singular sob was heard.

"So, has there been any signs he’s been getting better?" Hilston asked.

"I think so," Vorden lied, then shifted his feet. He could try asking for something.

"But... I think he just needs... Some rest."

Hilston stared at Vorden, his face neither showing signs of anger, nor dismissal, as if he was deep in thought.

"Are you sure this isn’t an excuse to miss out on training?" Hilston spoke before giving out a hearty chuckle, "If after today, he still doesn’t come out, then we’ll see about sending him to the temple."

Instantly, Vorden’s heart dropped, and both Raten and the little one shifted uncomfortably next to him. For a fraction of a second, images of blood and pain flashed in their mind before disappearing again.

"The... Temple?" Vorden whispered, sending his body into a state of shock.

"That is, if nothing improves," Hilston said before grabbing a trident off the wall.

He tossed it over to Vorden, to which he barely caught.

"Now, let’s see if being pushed to life or death will bring him out."