The Reincarnation of Glory Witch

Chapter 3: A New Life, Where Is It?

(Three centuries later.)

Cold, dark, silent, torture-like pain radiated through the body, and the muscles seemed to be locked rigidly.

Niff did not understand what he felt now. His ears were ringing loudly from pressure from both sides. There was no part of his body that could be moved.

Just sick. It hurts so much—and it can't be resisted even though Niff's brain has already sent signals to his body to move.

Niff's body floated slowly higher and higher. No, it's not floating, more precisely floating. The pain from the pressure on his whole body made him numb, cold to the skin—in fact, it felt many times more stabbing than the hot feeling of a burn blistering the skin.

Both eyes could not be opened. I don't know what moved his body now. The more it floats up, the more pressure it feels on it. In silence Niff wanted to cry, but his facial muscles didn't even react to form an expression.

He heard no sound except for a painful hum.

Is this the death that is told from the tales of ancient books?

The death of a four-and-a-half century old white magician destined for immortality?

"Your immortality will not be lost. Live in the testimony of destruction, live to live the destruction…"

It's really weird. There was a voice echoing in his ears—not from outside, but inside! What kind of sentence is that? Who said it?

"Live in holiness that is on the verge of dying. Live to be that holiness… live to be that holiness!"

The resounding voice that was originally smooth became high. He was taken aback, but still couldn't react. In a closed position and the body seems to be floating upwards regularly, Zevana tries hard to flex the muscles of his body.

"Live you, live from death…."

Along with those whispered words, Niff suddenly shook violently because his body was sticking out to the surface of the water. His eyelids fluttered open. His mouth gasped as he felt the weight of the body. His body almost couldn't keep his balance, sinking into the water.

Niff immediately changed his body position to rise to the surface again. His head emerged from under the water, but he had trouble keeping his body against the current.

"H-help!" Niff cried out with difficulty, reaching out both hands to the surface of the water. Gives a signal asking for help. “W-who…anyoneee…”

As hard as possible Niff tried to swim towards the river bank. Unfortunately Niff was in a river that stretched wide. His brain was stuck to find a way how to reach the river's edge.

But when Niff was tired of trying to fight against the current, Niff remembered that the power of water will be greater if it is resisted.

So Niff finally relaxed, letting his body follow the flow of water. His eyes were fixed on one of the large rocks that had an abandoned tree trunk stretching out into the middle of the river.

Niff started getting ready. With all his strength his body was slightly directed so he could reach the abandoned tree trunk. Getting closer, one hand began to stretch out ready to grab the tree trunk.

"One… two…" Niff expended energy to push the swimming body forward. "Three, I got you!"

HAP!

Niff groaned as his hands clutched the tree trunk. Meanwhile, the current of the river was swift enough to make him lose his balance.

"Hold on, hold on, come on up," muttered Niff while pulling his body from the current of the river water. His hands grew stronger gripping the tree trunk. "Come on, up!"

"Hey! Grab this!"

Someone's voice from the side, not far away, caught Niff's attention. There was a man the same age who had extended a rope to Niff. Behind him was a grown man with a worried expression on his face.

Because only thinking about his own safety, Niff grabbed the rope that was stretched to the tree trunk. After Zevana broke away from the tree trunk and gripped the rope, the young man and the adult man immediately pulled on the rope.

"Try pushing your body against the current!" The young man called out in between pulling the strings.

"I am trying!" replied Niff.

Luckily, in just a matter of seconds, the power of the two strangers and Niff was able to lift Niff's body from the water. Niff painstakingly climbed to the river bank.

"You are okay?" The grown man approached, helping Niff.

Now Niff's body is on the mainland. Niff coughed for a few moments, suddenly felt tight as if his body was full of water.

"You reckless woman." A strange young man stood beside Niff pulling his rope from the river. "Are you crazy to drown yourself?"

Niff raised his head, looked at the young man with blonde hair and annoying looking eyes.

"You think… I want to die?" Niff answered no less curtly.

The young foreign man just shrugged his shoulders indifferently. The rope finished winding, then the young man walked away to where the bag was.

While the adult man beside Niff sighed. "That's just how he acts. You must be annoyed, right?"

No answer. Now Niff thinks about himself. Why is it in the river? Since when was he there?

"Oh, what's your name? Are you lost?" the grown man asked.

The question confused Niff even more. Because… he doesn't know what his name is! Nothing crossed his mind even though Niff tried to think hard.

"I don't know," answered Niff. "I don't know what my name is."

-----

The sound of sparks from the fireplace in the living room of the cottage fills the silence.

In front of the fireplace, Niff sat with a grown man with several points of gray hair. Meanwhile, the sound of laughter of children playing was heard from behind him.

Niff's gaze was stunned at the sparks a few steps in front of him. He was still hugging himself wrapped in cloth. But Niff did not feel calm from the warmth of the fire. Niff imagined when he somehow managed to float in the river.

Suddenly from the side came the sound of glass from a tree trunk being placed. A strange foreign smell made Niff's nose twitch. Like a potion.

"Hey nameless man, drink this." Someone said from the side.

Niff only glanced at the tree trunk glass on the table. Showed no interest at all.

Seeing Niff's reaction, which for Arres—the man was younger and the same age—was rude, Arres chuckled. He pushed the glass filled with Eggmos leaf potion closer to Niff.

"I made it. Drink it."

"I don't want anything."

Arres frowned, while the grown man stopped his movements. The sound of the spear being sharpened instantly disappeared.

"Hey, strange man, you really don't understand about manners, aren't you? We don't know who you are, but why are you behaving like this?"

"Shhh, Arres. Never mind," said the grown man, seeing Arres' annoyance.

Arres finally let out a heavy breath while relaxing both shoulders. Looking away, he shook his head in embarrassment, as if he was reluctant to have anything to do with Niff anymore. Especially seeing Niff's indifference—which, really, is annoying.

The adult man's attention was diverted to Niff.

"Actually, who are you?" he asked Niff. Quieter than Arres.

Niff didn't answer.

From the look in Niff's eyes, the adult man caught fear and confusion. For some reason, after a while, Arres, who also realized that look, felt pity.

"You really don't remember your name?"

To that question, Niff's head nodded in response.

"Who are you?" Niffj asked softly without looking at the grown man.

"John. My name is John." John, the grown man, then placed the spear into the ceramic. "I found your power orb. Arres, give it."

Arres, lazily, picked up the cream-coloured Agyss—a ball of power. The ball was given to Niff who was already looking at her sobbing.

"It's annoying. Why are you sadly looking at your agyss?" Arres asked in embarrassment.

Niff reached out to receive his Agyss ball. But when Niff's cloth was accidentally pulled up, Arres saw a mark on Niff's hand.

The small wind wave symbol is located near the elbow area.

"Wait." Arres held Niff's hand, paying close attention to the symbol. His eyes narrowed. "What symbol is this?"

Niff's eyes followed Arres's gaze, then paid attention to the symbol on his own hand.

"What?" asked Niff.

"John, come here," Arres ordered without looking away. "Are you familiar with this symbol?"

Interested in Arres' talk, John then left. His two feet approached the whereabouts of Niff and Arres.

"What's wrong…" John's sentence hangs for a moment after bowing.

Realizing John was silent, Arres lifted his head. His brow furrowed at John's reaction. John's eyes changed to radiate surprise at seeing Niff's hand symbol.

"What's wrong, John?" asked Arres who felt there was something behind John's reaction.

John was still unmoved. Slowly straightening his body again. But John's eyes did not leave Niff's hand symbol. Like dumbfounded after seeing something very valuable.

"Nothing," John finally answered, sounding low.

Unfortunately Arres did not believe it. He was sure that John was hiding something about the symbol on Niff's hand. But John seemed reluctant to say something.

"What are you doing!" Niff suddenly jerked his hand away, releasing Arres's grip.

Arres was surprised and suddenly turned his head. Seeing Niff who looked at him worried and annoyed at the same time.

"I want to go to bed."

Niff stood up from his seat and walked away. Not even bothering to drink the potion from Arres. As if confirming his disinterest in drinking it.

Arres burst out laughing. He grinned at Niff's arrogant demeanor.

"You! I should have just let you die in the river!"