"Hey did you hear that he was found near the Soul Tree?"

  "Yeah. I heard he was found by the Lost Aegis’ Vanguard."

  I could hear people talking about someone being found. I couldn't tell who it was, but I had a feeling it was me. They must be the caretakers of wherever I am, and from the sound of it, they were all females.

  "They say he was found unconscious under the Soul Tree."

  "Really!!?."

  I opened my eyes and I saw myself in a well lit room. The room looked well organised. The walls were finely polished. There were two symbols on the wall opposite me. I knew one to be the Terrakan symbol, but I had no idea what the other was.

  "Urrgh." I groaned as I got off the bed.

  I stretched and waved my limbs.

  "I feel… much more alive. Why?" I asked myself.

  I heard giggles outside and the caretakers continued their discussion. I moved closer to the door to listen in.

  "I also heard he was quite cute too," the first caretaker said.

  "Did you hear the rumours though?" the second asked.

  "What rumours?" the third followed up.

  She answered. "The rumour that he's actually a demon. I mean think about it, no normal person can survive in the Dark Forest, let alone remain intact after being unconscious near the Soul Tree."

  "Ish, that's a good take."

  "Yeah, I guess..."

  They all came to an agreement. At that point I was already tired of listening to them and decided to walk out.

  "You know— you shouldn't be talking about your patient that way, especially if you are next to their room."

  "Eeiikk!!!!" They all shrieked.

  Way to ruin my ears on the first day of wherever this place is.

  "I-I'm going to let the head know that h-he's awake." The second caretaker said and left in a hurry.

  Sooo I was left with two of them now.

  It was a really awkward atmosphere of just staring at each other. I mean the last person I spoke with was the Dragon of Nymirel, Nyseria.

  "Hi-" I said.

  "H-h-hi"the first caretaker replied.

  "H-hello S-Sir" the third one also.

  'Hmm... They seem a bit stiff, let's try introductions' I thought.

  I took a deep breath.

  "I am Zandren, I have absolutely no idea where I am, and I really hope I haven't been kidnapped..."

  They giggled softly, then stepped forward.

  "I-I am Alyssia, the first daughter of Daeona" The first caretaker introduced herself.

  "And I am Alya, Daeona's youngest daughter." The third caretaker said quite cheerfully.

  'Ok that was easier than I thought. Alright, now that I have their names, let's figure out where the heck this place is.'

  "So Alyssia, Alya, can you please tell me what this place is and where?" I asked.

  Alyssia looked a bit hesitant to answer but Alya spoke up.

  "You are currently in the Capital of Terraka, specifically the Terraspire Citadel". Alya said with admiration in her eyes

  "A citadel uhn..." I said with a blank stare.

  "A citadel is a fortified stronghold and also the strongest line of defense in Terraka." Alya blurred.

  "And our mother, Daeona, is the Castellan. She's really strong… just so you know." Alyssia chipped in, eyeing me, as if trying to tell me not to try anything funny.

  "Yeah, she's also in charge of handling experiments on dark forest mons—"

  "Alya!!! Husssshhh.” Alyssia interrupted her. she continued. "Please don't mind her, she can't ever keep her mouth shut".

  I laughed.

  An approaching footstep could be heard, and it belonged to the second caretaker.

  She walked up to me. "H-hi, I am Alryn, the second daughter of Daeona." She continued. "Mother said I should call for you, please follow me. You two too".

  ****

  I followed the three sisters closely, and listened to their conversation as we made our way to meet their mother..

  The three sisters were having a conversation amongst themselves. They seemed to be discussing a "Lost Aegis".

  I moved closer to them."Who is the Lost Aegis?"

  "The Lost Aegis is the 3rd Captain amongst the ten Vanguards of Terraka, and also the strongest dual blessing bearer." Alyssia Answered.

  "S-She's also a victim of the Nymirel war, where she was first discovered." Alryn added.

  "Yeah I learnt she was found orphaned by the Supreme Commander after the hordes were pushed back." Alya concluded.

  We discussed more about topics related to Lost Aegis and the Nymirel war, but any time I asked for deeper details relating to it, the girls changed the topic.

  We arrived at an entrance and walked out of the corridor leading to the ward and into a Loggia and I was greeted by a very beautiful Garden. It felt like heaven, with a lot of colourful flowers, birds and little strange but cute looking animals.

  Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.

  We walked a little bit more till we arrived at the door on the far end of the loggia.

  "We have arrived, please you can go in" Alyssia gestured to the door.

  I knocked on the door, I received a "come in" reply shortly after.

  I opened the door slowly feeling a bit nervous and walked in. In the room was a woman probably in her forties sitting at her table and attending to some paperwork. She raised her head up after hearing the door close, and she has the most motherly look I've ever seen.

  "Hi, my name is Daeona. Come, sit down." she gestured to a chair.

  I walked to the chair while taking in the view of her office. It was bright and sunny inside due to the glass roof over her office. Her office had so many herbs and plants and even birds flew freely in her office. She felt more like a mother of the citadel than a Castellan.

  "How are you feeling now, any soreness or headaches?" She asked.

  I settled into my seat and gave a reply. "Yes I feel fully recovered now"

  "That's great news," she replied cheerfully. "You healed up pretty fast. I was expecting you to be out for a few more days." She chuckled.

  She packed up the paper she was working on and placed it neatly on the side of the table. She then turned to me.

  "So, I'm gonna get straight to the point here. The reason I asked to see you is to ask why you were at that tree." she asked with a bit of seriousness now.

  Looking a bit puzzled and confused by the question she asked.

  "What tree?" I asked.

  "The Tree of souls, or what we now call the Soul Tree." she replied with a more serious look and tone. It was almost frightening.

  "The tree of souls" I whispered.

  I stared blankly. 'I do remember a Tree when I was in the spirit world but I have never seen it in the physical world.'

  "I can't remember anything, I'm sorry" I said slowly lowering my head.

  "Well the good news is that the Lost Aegis Vanguard found you on their way back from an expedition in the Dark Forest.". She said while moving her hand, guiding a vine which coiled around a pretty jug, like a servant obeying a silent command, pouring the contents into a cup and bringing it to me.

  "How did you get there though?" She asked with a more concerned look.

  "I-I can't remember, all I can remember was me waking up in a room which happened to be a room here.". I replied before taking a sip out of the cup and the contents was an herbal drink, it wasn't bitter, and drinking it filled me with energy.

  "Alright. I already informed Captain Eimira that you are now awake. She should be making her way to the citadel now." She said.

  Wondering who Eimira was, I asked. "Do you mind me asking who Eimira is?"

  "Oh you don't know her? Oh wait you obviously don't... sorry." She laughed. "She's famously regarded as the "Lost Aegis"." She answered.

  'It was.. her all along?, I thought the Lost Aegis was a guy.. so that means the girl I saw when I first arrived back to the physical world was her.' I thought, as I remembered how much she looked like Nyseria.

  The door opened and Alya announced that the Captain had arrived at the Sanctuary and was now making her way to Daeona's office.

  ****

  A few minutes earlier, at the entrance of the sanctuary.

  "Oh Captain, you are back. Seems word about the strayer you found regaining consciousness has gotten to you" Eimira vice captain said, as she stood up from where she was sitting.

  "Yes.. it has Feona. I'm heading to the castellan's office now." Eimira replied.

  "That guy was kinda handsome" Feona paused then started grinning. "Hehehe... You took a good look at him didn't you, to the point the frost from your cold gaze woke him up" Feona teased Eimira.

  Smack!!!.

  Eimira smacked the back of her neck."He just looked familiar to me even though I have never seen him before." She said as she also slowly rubs the place she just smacked.

  'Why did he look so familiar? My soul felt... Happy to see him but I don't know why. Sigh this is such a hassle'. Eimira thought.

  ****

  Daeona told me about how I would be following The Captain and her vice, Feona, for a few days. So we would be staying in the Citadel until the Captain decides it's time to go.

  As I and Daeona were discussing plants and animals a knock came on the door.

  "Come in." Daeona responded.

  The door opened and two Females with light Body armour came in.

  One was taller than the other. She was brunette, with a slender body and a playful appearance, a tattoo on her neck which ran into her clothes and short flowing hair. Her bow was mounted on her back along with the quiver. Her eyes were light green and they screamed freedom and carefree.

  "It's obvious she isn't Eimira." I whispered to myself.

  "And the other—". I froze as I saw her.

  I immediately knew she was Eimira. A wave of emotions came flowing in. My heart was beating fast. She looked a lot like Nyseria, just younger. Her hair was white just like Nyseria, and with the blue shades towards the end of it. Her hair flowing from the slight breeze in Daeona's office. Her Blue eyes came in contact with mine and we ended up staring at each other for a while.

  "Ahem. If you are going to marry him, you should say so." Feona teased, grinning maniacally.

  Smack!!!

  "Ow!!" Feona yelled and immediately clutched the back of her neck.

  "Hahaha" Daeona chuckled softly.

  "I heard you woke up not quite long ago, and you also said you can't remember anything up until the point of you waking up" Eimira spoke with a calm tone.

  "Yes, and I also don't know what the tree of soul is." I replied.

  "Hmm alright, May I ask your name?" She asked.

  "My name is Zandren, nice to meet you."

  "Sure...". She replied.

  'how blunt' I thought.

  "I am Eimira, Family of Aevorah, that's all you need to know for now. More details about me will come naturally since you are under my watch." She said with a cold gaze.

  I turned to Daeona, teary eyed. "I'm being sold, aren't I?."

  "Warm up your gaze a bit Ei, you are scaring him." Daeona said, chuckling softly.

  "With the way she keeps looking at him, they are both gonna be warm together, hehe." Feona teased.

  Smack!!

  "Oh my, why do your hands hurt so much?" Feona let out a small cry.

  I thought about Eimira's family name. “Wait did you say Aevor—”

  At that moment the daughters of Daeona walked in to greet Eimira and they ended up discussing. They seemed close and chatty with each other. They asked me some questions about my family but I had no answer to provide.

  After a while of chatting, it was time to leave, and I was being taken to my room by Feona and Eimira. I ended up forgetting what I was gonna ask her.

  It was in the evening and the three of us were walking to where we would stay in the Citadel for the next few days. I was in the middle of Feona and Eimira.

  I could feel Eimira's cold gaze on me. It felt like I would actually freeze up from her gaze like Feona said.

  "Terraka to Eimira... You are staring again haha" Feona said

  Eimira crossed her arms, her cold gaze still fixed on me.She didn't speak right away. I could tell she was observing me— studying me like I was some ancient relic freshly unearthed.

  "Zandren... was it?" she asked.

  I nodded slowly.

  "Do you always look at people like that?" I asked, trying to sound casual.

  She blinked, surprised. "...Like what?"

  "Like you're trying to see through their soul and freeze it up at the same time." I replied.

  There was a pause.

  Then Feona burst out laughing behind her. "Hah! He's got you there, Captain."

  Smack!!!

  Another hit landed on Feona's neck.

  "Aiissshh..." Feona rubbed her neck. "Seriously, what is with you and neck smacks?" Feona complained.

  Eimira sighed. "I just... You just look familiar. That's all."

  That line again. I'd heard it before

  "I get that a lot," I joked.

  "Do you remember anything about how you got into the Dark Forest?" Eimira asked, voice low.

  I shook my head. "No, like I had said earlier."I said with a slight pause." I only know my name, and it was like that till I met a woman named Nyseria." I blurted.

  I saw a flicker of something in her eyes. Like she knew who Nyseria was

  "...Nyseria?" she echoed softly.

  For a moment, her cold expression faltered. But only for a moment. Then it returned, like nothing had happened.

  We got to the Living area of the Citadel where we would be staying. I was shown to my room by Eimira and Feona.

  They entered the room with me to explain how things in the room work since I was a "Strayer".

  "What is a strayer?" I asked out of curiosity.

  Feona took a seat on the bed, beside me before replying. "Strayers are people found in the Dark Forest. A place no average person could survive in for long. And the Soul Tree is frequented by monsters and entities since soldiers tend to rest there, like a kind of check point. So seeing you passed out there in one piece is still much of a shock.".

  Eimira stood at the corner of the room, still observing me. We made eye contact as a result of her trying to observe me and me trying to take a glimpse of her.

  Eimira turned away slightly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.

  Feona noticed this. "Come Mira, come take a sit"

  "I'll take over from here," she said to Feona. "I'd like to be alone with him."

  Feona froze.

  Feona stared at her. "Wait... You want what?"

  "Out. Now."

  Reluctantly, Feona obeyed, though not without a curious glance my way. As the door clicked shut behind her.

  I was left alone in the room, with Eimira.

  “Oh boy.” I sighed.