Samor stood in another world, within a wide stone plateau that stretched beyond, a bowl of rock so wide it went on for miles all around him. It comprised jagged plates of stone, stacked on top of each other like pancakes, filling the bowl with an uneven surface that seemed to rise and fall as it pleased. Samor didn't understand why he was here, and why it felt so real.

  Especially as war waged all around him.

  Lasers laced across the sky, interlacing with the looping trails of rockets. Had he not recognised them, Samor could've imagined them to be some kind of organised fireworks display. Shrapnel-like rock exploded into the air. Creatures screamed and moaned in agony. On one side were bulky, toad-like beings with orange skin and thick armour, while the other side had half-animal, half-mechanical creatures. They were much sleeker, carrying lighter weapons.

  Samor had never seen either of them before.

  What are they? Where am I?

  He'd been travelling to the Citadel of Science with Mya. At least, that's what his memory recalled. Now, he stood, watching this scene unfold, while both races tore each other apart. Blasters or rockets killed some, while others suffered more horrific deaths by either being pierced or shredded by blades. Blunt, heavy weapons crushed those especially unlucky.

  Samor watched with morbid fascination, like a mere witness to this place of violence and pain. The ground shook beneath his feet, while the sky almost seemed to be torn by smoky fissures. Samor was sure he could taste an acidic taste in the back of his throat, almost choking him.

  Then, he remembered perhaps the most important question.

  Where's Mya?

  He looked around, seeing no sign of her anywhere. Samor found himself relieved at that, turning his gaze back towards the war he somehow stood in. On either side of the plateau, he saw small huts that sloped down towards the main area of battle, surrounded by improvised cover and barbed wire. The animal-machine chimeras emerged from both sides, riding down the slopes in strange buggy-like vehicles with turrets on top, bouncing across the surface with ease.

  Meanwhile, the heavy-set toad-like beings descended from giant ships in the sky through smaller gunships. They fought alongside beings that seemed the only ones to represent order. Lined up in disciplined formation in the centre of all the action, they wore heavy golden armour, making their race unrecognisable. They wielded large shields and spears, which they used to repel the half-animal, half-machines. They seemed to handle the battlefield the best, though there were less of them.

  'But why are you all fighting?' Samor wondered aloud, finding himself almost numbed by what was taking place. Everyone seemed to treat him as though he didn't exist.

  Everyone except the presence that stirred deep within his soul, the one Samor now recognised for what it was.

  Reviek.

  Because our descendants failed, Samor, he answered, his voice still harsh, like the grinding of metal. Because the Virtues have become corrupted.

  'Where are you?' Samor asked, looking around, despite already knowing the answer. Reviek smiled within, and Samor turned as someone emerged from the carnage.

  An Odian. Samor understood, turning to face the Guardian who should've prevented this. It was a female Odian, wearing a thin black robe that almost appeared like silk, covered in red text Samor didn't understand. Two glowing crimson eyes regarded him from the shroud of her hood, almost seeming to transfix him as her prey.

  That filled Samor with indignation, anger. For reasons he wasn't sure, he gritted his teeth, stepping towards her while clenching his fists.

  You failed us. You failed this universe. And, you will answer for it…

  A sense of approval and strange inner strength were emerging in Samor from Reviek. It accompanied the faint presence of the other sensation within, the one that seemed to be the glue between himself and Reviek, holding them together. With it, Samor sensed the will to act. He could do something. He could change what was wrong with this universe.

  And that caused him to grin with pure elation, even when he watched the Odian move her arms, unsheathing a long black sword with a crimson blade.

  We will make you answer for what you've done… he thought, the words aligning with Reviek, like they had both thought of them.

  And then the female Odian walked through him.

  Samor frowned, turning back. He noticed two other Odians behind him. A male Odian lay on the floor wearing black organic armour with ruby slits that looked like a puzzle. Tendrils came from those slits, latching onto bodies of the fallen and others alive. Alongside him, another female Odian crawled towards the male. Her armour was crimson with golden etching, along with a crown of fire atop of her head. She appeared to have lost an arm while her blades were broken.

  And she raised her remaining arm towards the approaching Odian who had walked past Samor, as though pleading for her not to harm them. Towards this, Samor sensed another emotion that made little sense to him.

  The fear of loss and a strong desire to save them.

  But why? Who are they? Why do I care?

  Even stranger, the sensation within almost reminded him of how he had felt before his mother and father died. The dismay. The complete and utter powerlessness.

  And the rage.

  Samor stepped towards her, his sense of power growing along with his anger. Though a part of him didn't understand why, he couldn't let the black female Odian harm the others. He wouldn't allow it.

  No, I will not let you take them away from me!

  His body changed then, power filling him. With each step he made towards the black female Odian, he grew in height, his steps almost rumbling the ground beneath him. It was enough to make the female Odian turn, as though acknowledging his existence within the scene.

  That made Samor's grin turn feverish.

  'That's right, you won't ignore me…' he growled, still hearing Reviek's voice aligned with his own. He then watched as the female Odian seemed to regard him, stunned. It filled Samor with immense satisfaction.

  He glanced down at his hands and saw that they were Reviek's.

  Samor's eyes widened, seeing that his arms and hands had formed into a contortion of blades fused together. They were joined to the shoulders by upper arms that comprised ethereal neon green flames, a burning fire that Samor knew could never be extinguished. He looked towards the rest of his body, seeing how it was of the same metal carapace, colossal, imperious. Terrifying.

  Samor smiled in satisfaction, realising at that moment that his body hadn't shifted into that of Reviek.

  He had become Reviek.

  'I will unleash bloodshed…' he said, turning his gaze back towards the Odians. All three now were cowering before him. In fact, the entire world seemed to cower in fear, ceasing their pointless fighting, all turning to regard him with awe and terror. This was his domain now. He was eternal. He was death.

  'I… am Reviek…'

  'Samor?' Mya's voice spoke, slicing through the vision. Samor returned to reality. He went from the chaos to a peaceful white marble staircase with flowers, a waterfall, and a beautiful white stone building beyond.

  The Citadel of Science.

  The main building comprised an imperious white cathedral, rounded at the top with arches. On either side were large rectangular buildings that stretched towards other ornate towers in a great square. The towers had white marble bridges connecting them in a pentagon shape to four other towers that were the same size as the main building. Each tower was said to represent a different speciality in the sciences.

  A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

  And Samor dreamed, wishing he could become one of the many Osirin students that surrounded him.

  'Are you alright?' Mya asked, snapping his attention back to the subject at hand.

  Samor made himself smile, nodding at her. Even then, she didn't seem to be fooled, fixing him with a stare. She stared for a few seconds and then ran up the marble staircase towards the first tower of the Citadel, passing amused students.

  He still had doubts, especially as he looked at the students in long robes that covered everything except their heads and a sash from shoulder to hip. Yes, he could see himself wearing something similar.

  But such things were idle dreams. Homeless were never meant to dream.

  Samor sighed, looking up to see Mya hugging one plant ahead, caressing a giant white flower with pink inner petals. The plant seemed to hug her back.

  'Mya, be careful,' Samor said. 'We don't know what it is.'

  'But if it's dangerous, why would it be here?' Mya replied, causing Samor to fix her with a look. It was a fair question, one he found himself unable to argue with. He regarded the waterfall next to them and followed it up to the top of the staircase.

  'Let's go,' he said instead, before resuming their ascent.

  'Okay!' Mya said, releasing the plant from her embrace before running up alongside him, taking his right hand. 'Why are we here again?'

  Because I want to understand who's inside me, Samor almost replied, even if he knew it wouldn't make sense. It would only gain more attention than they'd want, especially when it was a strange sight already to see them as they were, blatantly poor, with ragged and dirty clothes. The fact no adults accompanied them either would add questions the many well-dressed students and tutors would have around them.

  'I want to ask someone about the Odians,' Samor answered instead, knowing it was better than a lie, but that it wasn't exactly the truth, either. He wasn't ready to talk about Reviek yet either.

  Hey Mya, I've recently discovered that a scary monster Odian has chosen me, and I wanna understand him better… Samor thought, hearing how ridiculous such words would be.

  Upon reaching the top of the staircase, they crossed an ornate marble floor, heading towards a doorway into the first main building. Samor found only Osirins wandering, their footsteps echoing all around them.

  'Samor, look,' Mya said, gesturing above their heads. Samor found his gaze following her pointing finger. He almost gawked, understanding at once what she was referring to. The ceiling had art depicting galaxies, mythological figures, and famous Osirins. Naturally, Samor didn't know or understand any of it, but he allowed himself to be filled with wonder and surprise.

  Yeah, I like this place…

  Samor shook his head, allowing reality to return. He saw a desk on the opposite side, flanked by two enormous staircases. Two Osirin women tended to it. Samor tugged at Mya to follow him, causing her to look towards him and smiling, before allowing herself to be pulled along. Samor cleared his throat, noting how the Osirin women seemed to tend to some kind of holographic projections, engrossed. As they reached the desk, failing to gain their attention, Samor realised at once he would have to speak.

  'Erm… Excuse me,' he said, gaining a response, with the secretaries looking up before they both frowned. It dawned on Samor that they had expected to see a student standing there. He cleared his throat once again.

  'Down here,' he said, as both secretaries looked down towards them. Their frowns grew, even to the point Samor was sure they almost turned their noses up at them. Samor ignored his sense of frustration towards them, knowing he needed to speak with confidence now.

  'I'm looking for someone who knows about the Odians,' he said.

  The two secretaries looked at each other before the one on the right turned to regard them.

  'Why?' she asked. 'If you don't mind me saying, you both appear a little… young.'

  'I just have some questions,' Samor said.

  The secretaries looked at each other again, as if thinking of a way out of this, especially without causing a scene. An idea came to Samor, but he waited until he saw their response.

  'I'm sorry,' the secretary on the right said, rising to her feet. 'But we cannot allow you to wander the Citadel as you wish.'

  'But—' Samor began.

  'I'm sorry,' she repeated. 'But children cannot wander the Citadel, especially—'

  She cut herself off, as though realising her next words. Unfortunately for her, that was what Samor had been waiting for. He glanced towards his sister, giving a wink that he hoped would indicate to her to go along with what he was about to do. Samor turned his face into a scowl then, fixing his gaze back on the secretary.

  'Especially what?' he spat, raising his voice on purpose. 'Children that are poor? Homeless?'

  At once, the secretary cringed, shifting. That was the exact response Samor had wanted, as he balled his free hand into a fist, before tugging Mya towards him as though in indignation.

  'How do you think we can change that?!' he retorted, raising his voice even higher, knowing it would gain everyone's attention around them. He felt a little pull from Mya.

  'Samor…' she said.

  That's perfect, Mya.

  'No, Mya!' Samor snapped, before turning his gaze back to the secretary. 'How can we change anything if nobody will help us?!'

  'Please, sir, just calm down,' the secretary said, raising her hands as though trying to calm him. Uncomfortable murmurs sounded around him, and that was what Samor had been waiting for. He tightened his grip on Mya's hand, preparing her.

  'No! I won't!' he yelled at the secretary. 'If none of you will help us, then we'll just help ourselves!'

  Samor pulled Mya towards the right corridor, and they rushed through a group of students. Shouting erupted behind them, but Samor ignored it, hearing Mya giggle alongside him.

  He headed into another doorway.

  They entered another series of wide corridors, which surrounded an open courtyard that was full of students. To their right, a line of large wooden doors stood, leading to the classrooms of this section of the Citadel. As they ran, more shouting sounded from behind, distant. No one around tried to stop them. It probably surprised them to see two kids running around, being chased by the secretaries. As Samor and Mya reached the first corner of the corridor, they rounded it and found another line of wooden doors.

  But Samor heard Mya laughing, and that made him smile despite the adrenaline of the chase. They chose a door in the middle of the second corridor. Samor threw the door open, dragging Mya through it before slamming the door shut behind them.

  Samor and Mya threw their backs against the door, hoping that the secretaries wouldn't find them there. Even as they both gasped for air, Samor glanced towards Mya, seeing the biggest smile on her face.

  'That… was… so much fun,' she said, before grinning at Samor. It was then they both giggled.

  And then Samor and Mya saw an old Osirin frowning at them from a desk in the lecture room.

  'Well… this is indeed peculiar…' he said, before a smile emerged on his face. 'It would seem that I've returned to my days as a schoolteacher.'