Arthur dreamt of fog, white fog surrounding him while he floated. Everywhere was white and calm. Breeze Swift past his body.
He felt happy and relieved for the first time.
He looked beneath him; his leg was normal, and he could walk and stand on his own without his cane.
This was what he wanted, the life he had dreamed of.
"Where am I?" Arthur thought aloud, looking around him.
He was the only one here; fog covered everything, and there was no sign of living things.
which scared him more.Is this hell?.
He walked ahead, thinking maybe there might be an exit or something.
He felt good; this was his first time walking freely without limping.
He had not known the feeling before, but now he knew it.
It was freedom, it was good.
"I bet you like it that way," a voice said.
Arthur looked back to see a tall man with a white beard and white hair wearing a robe.
"Who are you, Grim Reaper?" Arthur asked as the man closed down on him.
The man laughed. "Such humor, young boy. I am Eclas, the judge that decides on reincarnation. Actually, I am not a Grim Reaper, nor am I an angel, nor are you in hell."
"Then where am I?"
Arthur didn't understand all this, he was dead, and he was supposed to be in heaven.
"The realm of Fate and Fog" The man said.
"But I am dead, and if you plan on sending me to another world, spare the rebirth. I am done with this world." Arthur pleaded.
He couldn't imagine himself being reincarnated as another helpless human and again being maltreated by the society or even dying.
Eclas sighed. "I know your pain, young boy, or rather, I say, Arthur. you are a gifted soul, heavens are always on your side."
Arthur glared at Eclas.
He had never been so angry before, but seeing Eclas talking about being gifted...
He couldn't bottle it all up anymore.
All his resentment, he wanted to unleash.
"Don't you ever talk about being gifted by the heavens.
"Do not give me that crap, old man. You know nothing about Fate. You gave me a curse. And when I died, You reincarnated me to be a weak human again with that person bearing the name Arthur. Why would you do that?"
Eclas smiled. "I see, that got you worked up, Arthur. You being crippled and also weak makes you angry."
He looked at Arthur's leg.
"Well, I think they are normal here, aren't they?"
Arthur clenched his fist. He ran towards eclas, he delivered him the fury in his punch.
Eclas shifted back, blood sprawling from his mouth.
Arthur had managed to land a blow in his jaw.
"Nice punch you got there," Eclas laughed.
"I never imagined you would be this violent. You have always been the pity box, so this is the real you, I guess. You are improving." Eclas smirked.
Improving what—what had he meant?.
True, since the time he had died. He felt different.
Arthur looked at his palm.
He was sure he was not the one that hit Eclas; something in him that wasn't there before drove him angry.
"What is it? What have you done to me again?"
"It's simple, Arthur." Eclas cleaned his mouth.
"You are special. Well, I couldn't say then, but now something is different about you. You awakened it."
"Stop talking in riddles and tell me why I am here and not dead. Are you planning to torture me again?"
Eclas cleaned his mouth. "Well, the other way round, Arthur.
I know it's hard to believe, but I am breaking the rules for you.
So you should just thank me."
Arthur observed eclas as he waved his hand, and a fog appeared on his palm.
"I am the fog cultivator, creator of smoke. Well, let's say not until you woke me up."
"Cultivator? Woke you up. Were you asleep?"
Eclas laughed. "Yeah, I was asleep for a decade. Well, I can't tell you all. With time you would understand everything about it all. Why you are reincarnated in this world you are and why you are still crippled. Just return for now."
Eclas turned around, but Arthur stopped him.
"Return? What do you mean, Eclas? I am dead; I should rest. I don't want to go to that cruel world anymore."
"Things have changed, boy. The world has changed, and so have you. The moment you died, you awakened a new path, which you should forge and become stronger. Become someone I would be proud of."
Arthur scratched his head. This man sure speaks in riddles.
"The other judges want you dead. And the world you are in is deadly, If you don't tread on it carefully. This might be new, but become stronger, protect your loved ones, and protect her. That was the real Arthur's wish before he sacrificed his body for you."
"The real Arthur sacrificed his body for me?" Arthur asked.
His eyes filled with horror.
"He knew what he had to do. He had called you here. And he has a last wish. Protect the one person who is precious to him, just like you have now."
The old Arthur's mom was the most important to him.
The rest he didn't remember.
He looked at his palms.
In my past life I couldn't protect anyone, and no one could protect me.
But now I want to protect someone. He felt the bond he couldn't feel before between him and Alice, like she was his real mom.
He clenched his fist."I might not have understood the words you had been saying.
But I only understand one thing. To protect Alice, that is Arthur's wish and goal, so it is mine also."
"Become strong, Arthur, for the challenges ahead will be hard."
"I would, I would create a name I didn't in my past life, Eclas. Even if I should walk to the end of the world.
I would become strong and protect Alice. Tell the late Arthur"
Eclas laughed. "I know my decision wasn't in vain then."
He raised his hand.
"It's time to go back to the world you left behind. Evolve yourself, Arthur, so I can have a worthy opponent to battle. We would meet again, kid. But then it is going to be enemies."
Enemies?.
Arthur thought but masked his face. "Then
shall it be,"
he declared. Eclas laughed.
"Trust him, Arthur. He is your partner." He
waved at something beside Arthur, but
Arthur was sure it wasn't him.
"What are you waving at?"
"See you,"
Eclas said, and fog surrounded Arthur, blinding him.
As he was thrust into a white cloud.I have to rise.
I promise.
I will make your dreams come true, Arthur.