As the memories faded, Isaac's eyes opened slowly.
With a groan, he bent his knees and planted his feet firmly on the ground. His shaking hands pressed against the earth as he forced himself upright, using every ounce of strength left in him.
"You are broken, but not weak. You fought when others would have given up. You stood when the world tried to crush you."
Looking down at his hands, he moved his fingers slowly, testing them. "You were betrayed by love, by power, by fate itself. And now... you are mine."
He clenched his fists, feeling Isaac's will mixing with his own. "Through me, your story will not end. Your enemies are now mine, and they will fall."
He paused. "Rest in peace, young man."
Although he was still in pain, he forced himself to stand. "But I cannot promise that I can be as kind as you."
As he took his first steps, he felt the limits of the human body. Pain throbbed from broken ribs, bruises ached with every movement, and the cold from the river clung to his skin. Hunger and exhaustion gnawed at him, sensations he had long forgotten.
"This body is so fragile," he muttered. Every step sent sharp pain through his limbs, his muscles weak and stiff.
After thousands of years, he finally stepped out of the cave. He inhaled deeply, closing his eyes for a moment. The scent of wet earth, the crispness of the wind, the distant hum of life, it was all so familiar.
A slow exhale left his lips. "I missed this."
A faint glow flickered in his vision, like a screen appearing in his mind.
[System Integration Progress: 10%.]
His expression darkened, frustration tightening his face. "So, this body rejects me for now?"
Each step felt like a huge effort, and the sharp pain reminded him that, despite his strong essence, he was bound by human weakness.
Drawing a deep, shaky breath, he felt the air fill Isaac's lungs. The feeling was strange, unnecessary to his true nature, yet needed in this form.
Each breath burned, and each exhale brought a bit of relief. Slowly, he curled his fingers into fists, testing his new limits.
Stumbling forward, he moved over the rough ground. It felt unsteady under his feet, his broken body dragging him down with every step.
[System Integration Progress: 12%.]
The message flickered faintly, taunting him with its slowness. His frustration grew, but his body was not ready to push further.
After a few painful minutes, his legs gave way. He fell to the ground, breathing heavily. The faint light of the system flickered again, then went out completely.
His vision dimmed, and his eyelids grew heavy. The body, still weak and unfinished in its recovery, could go no further. He slipped into unconsciousness.
In the distance, a group of men walked through the forest. One of them spotted Isaac lying on the ground and quickly ran toward him.
"Over here!" the man shouted. The others rushed over, their footsteps crunching against the forest floor.
"Is he alive?" one of them asked, crouching beside Isaac.
"Barely," another replied, checking for a pulse.
"Whoever he is, it's a miracle he's alive in a place like this," said the first man. Carefully, he lifted Isaac. "Let's take him to the camp. Elder Peter will know what to do."
As they carried Isaac back to their village, one of the men noticed the deep wounds covering his body. He stopped for a moment, staring at the faint shimmer around the injuries.
"No one should've survived this," he said quietly, his voice in disbelief.
—-------
Meanwhile, in Carreon Palace, Princess Mikaela stood near the large window in her room, staring out at the distant horizon. Her heart felt heavy as thoughts of Isaac filled her mind. She had chosen her duty over him, but the guilt hadn't gone away.
She heard footsteps and voices coming from the hall. Curious, Mikaela moved closer to the door, she heard her father speaking with his general.
"It's done," the general said. "The farm boy is dead. Our men made sure of it."
Mikaela's world suddenly crumbled with what she heard, her hands began to shake. She leaned against the doorframe, "Isaac is dead? No... this can't be true."
"Good," King Belmont replied. "The boy was a threat to her future. Now my daughter can focus on her role without distractions."
Mikaela couldn't stay silent any longer. She burst into the room, her voice loud and full of anger.
"Isn't it enough that I already left him? I gave him up because you wanted me to! And now you've had him killed?"
King Belmont turned to face her, his expression calm. "I did what was necessary. That boy would have been a problem. I made sure he could never interfere with your life again."
Tears filled Mikaela's eyes as her hands clenched into fists. "He wasn't a problem! He never did anything to deserve this!"
King Belmont's eyes locked onto hers with an unbending gaze. "You are a princess. You can't waste your emotions on a boy like him. He was nothing. Focus on your duties. Focus on your future marriage to the Velcro King."
Mikaela's chest ached with guilt. Her father's words cut deep, and the thought of Isaac being gone because of her choice was too much. Without another word, she ran out of the room.
She reached the stables and quickly prepared her horse. Her hands shook as she tightened the straps and climbed into the saddle. "Please let this be a mistake. Let him be alive," she thought.
She rode out of the palace gates, her heart pounding. She needed to get to Isaac's village. She needed to know the truth.
Behind her, the sound of guards yelling made her look back.
"Stop her!" one of the guards shouted as they mounted their horses.
Mikaela didn't stop. She leaned forward and urged her horse to go faster. She couldn't let them catch her.
After hours of riding, Mikaela finally reached the village.
She was shocked by what she saw.
Lifeless bodies were scattered everywhere, with various parts of human bodies strewn about. The stench of blood filled the air, and houses smoked from recent fires. Her stomach twisted, but she forced herself to stay steady.
What happened here? Her mind raced to Isaac and his parents. Were they safe? Despite her worry, hoping to find a glimmer of hope, she quickly headed to their home.
When she arrived, she saw the door was ajar. Her heart pounded loudly. Despite hesitating, she went inside, her breath trembling.
The table and chairs were overturned, broken items scattered on the floor, and her worst fear was confirmed by the blood splattered around. She continued to scan the whole house, hoping to find a sign of life.
"This can't be..." she whispered.
Her hands shook as she searched each corner, softly calling their names. But the silence told her that there was nothing left there.
Her chest tightened, but she refused to lose hope. Maybe they had fled. Maybe they were hiding.
As she left the house, her hope remained. However, her feet led her to the backyard, where the old oak tree stood. It had been their spot, hers and Isaac, where they always sat and talked.
She froze as her eyes landed on the ground beneath the tree. The soil was freshly dug, darker than the rest.
Her breath caught in her throat. "No..." Her knees buckled. Her fingers brushed over the loose dirt. She didn't need a marker or sign to understand.
Isaac buried them. He must have found them like this. The thought hit her like a blow, and her chest felt heavy, like she couldn't breathe. He had buried them before they could take him too.
Her hands clenched the soil as guilt washed over her. "If only I hadn't dragged him into this. None of this would've happened if it weren't for me."
Her vision blurred, but she blinked back the tears. The guilt pressed harder down on her, making her shoulders shake as the reality set in.
"I'm sorry, Isaac," she whispered, her voice cracking. "I'm so, so sorry."
As her tears fell, the soil beneath her hands seemed to get wetter than it should, almost as if it was responding to her sadness.