Nyxir who was still watching the middle-aged man with his confusion growing by the second, jolted slightly as a name surfaced in his head.
"Old Lu," he called out slowly, and he watched the man's expression ease slightly.
"You remember me now huh?" Old Lu waved his hand and pulled gently towards Nyxir his face turning serious. "Did you get it?"
Nyxir looked dumbstruck again but quickly hid it. Old Lu had mentioned being sent on an errand for the whole day, but he did not even know what he was looking for, as he had just reincarnated and did not seem to have gained the memory of the previous host.
"No..... I did not," he shook his head slowly, trying not to show any abnormalities with himself. He did not know the behavior of the previous host and did not know how close his family recognized him so pretending to be the other party will be quite challenging.
Old Lu's expression changed again upon hearing that and he looked at Nyxir with a questioning gaze.
"Why did you take so long if you did not get it?" He waved his stubby hand at Nyxir and turned around heading towards the direction he came from." We will settle this at home. "
Nyxir watched the middle-aged man walking away and quietly followed behind him, trying to appear normal.
' Old Lu is a junior brother to Nyxir's father.... Not me, the previous Nyxir, but I guess I am Nyxir now, which makes him my father's brother. '
He rummaged through the memory that surfaced in his mind as he trudged behind old Lu who walked forward with his figure slightly bent over.
' The only thing I remember is Old Lu, it might be because I see him. This might mean I could identify someone I know when I see the person. '
' What was he sent to get in the bush then?
Why did he die? '
' Why was my head throbbing in pain when I awoke? '
' Did the previous host fall to his death from a tree, or was he attacked? '
' I did not even check my head injury '
His mind thrummed with questions as he followed quietly behind Old Lu, neither of them breaking the silence, causing a suffocating air to loom over the surroundings.
' If I am asked what happened to me, what should I say?
Should I just say I was attached and died and have no idea who attacked me? '
' This boy should be sixteen this year, maybe he has yet to attempt the awakening ceremony. '
' I should ask around once I get to the house.'
' What kind of dream was that? It felt real, like I was going through the anguish and pain, like my mind was severed and pulled in a million directions. '
He was still immersed in his thoughts, unaware that the clustered trees had silently become fewer until they completely disappeared, unveiling a small expanse of land with buildings clustered together. The buildings are small, rectangular, and are scattered all around, totaling up to seven. They look like a small dormitory used by campers in the forest, but are older and dilapidated, like worn-out dormitories.
Mosses could be seen growing from the cracks in the dorm and the roof looked like it had numerous holes punctured in it like a sieve.
As they approached the clusters of buildings from afar, the slightly crooked door of the middle one creaked open, and a girl of about sixteen years walked out, her eyes brightened as she saw the two people walking in from a distance, and she hurried towards them.
Nyxir watched the girl dressed in an old laced black free gown patched in various places, hurried towards them causing her black wavy hair to sway with her every stride. She approached the duo with brightened eyes giving more radiance to her round face.
"What happened that made you so late? We were all worried about you." She squealed as she drew near them.
Nyxir observed her neat appearance, which contrasted with the environment, and as expected, a name surfaced in his head. 'Olivia'
Before he could respond, he heard old Lu grumble and faced Olivia "I saw him walking around dazed in the bush, he did not even get what he went for"
"Why are you walking around dazed? What happened in the slush?"
He did not even have the time to retort when the question he had been dreading was thrown straight at him.
"I was attacked..." he blurted out suddenly, causing silence to descend once again in the surroundings.
Caught off guard, he did not know how to respond to that question, and the only answer that he blurted out was part of his conjectures, which in a way isn't lying.
"By whom? Where? How?" The silence did but last long as another flurry of questions was thrown at him, and Olivia moved towards him, concern evident in her light brown eyes.
"I.... I don't know" he replied sheepishly
Old Lu stood rooted to the spot looking at Nyxir with a bewildered expression. "Why did you not tell me you were attacked?"
' Maybe because I was still making it up '
"I....I don't know"
Not knowing what to do, he decided to pretend like he was still scared by the incident and only repeated the same phrase like someone suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
"Are you hurt? You must have been so scared" and just like the memory about Olivia, she hurriedly assisted him by holding his arm and leading him towards the dormitory.
" It is no wonder you look so dirty, let me get water for your bath." She helped him sit on the old bare pavement and walked around the house to fetch a bucket of water.
"You were really attacked in the slush?" A deep voice sounded beside him, prompting him to look at old Lu, who had arrived beside him silently at some point in time.
"Yes, but I don't know who would attack me, that is why I am shocked as well." he feigned a pained look and shook his head slowly.
' Who knew I was also a talented actor. He snickered inside to ease his nerves, careful not to let his hard work collapse. '
"It must have been Segan, he must know something about this." Old Lu was silent for some time before speaking up.
"Segan? Why would he attack me?" Nyxir asked with a serious expression as a face surfaced in his head.
This is someone who could murder the previous host. What if he thought he had not died and tried to silence him again?
"Why do you say that? What do you think you were asked to get from the slush?" Old Lu gritted his teeth and clenched his fist his face scrunched up as he faced Nyxir.
' That is exactly what I also want to know '
He wanted to ask what it was but he thought it might sound weird as he did not know how much of an understanding the previous host had of the item he was sent to get, and feigning memory loss is out of the question as he might be examined more closely and he risks giving himself up.
Since I can remember Segan by hearing his name, maybe I can also remember the item I am supposed to get by getting a hint. '
' How do I ask now? I can't keep saying that item as it would sound suspicious. '
Both of them remain silent, each person sorting their own thoughts, before old Lu breaks the silence.
"Keep this between us, I will ask Segan what he knew about your attack."
"Yes, Old Lu," Nyxir replied, nodding gently.
" The water is ready," a light voice sounded from the far end of the dormitory like a wind chime, and Nyxir saw Olivia walking over, her light brown eyes shimmering under the orange glow of the setting sun.
Nyxir got up and walked towards Olivia. " Thanks, Liv," he nodded and walked past her, rounding the dilapidated dormitory and heading for the bathroom.
Olivia was Old Lu's daughter, who was given birth to the same day as the previous Nyxir. Her mother passed away from fever when she was just eight leaving her and her father alone to fend for themselves. She continues to sell farm products just like her mother had done while Old Lu and Nyxir worked on the small farm they own located some distance away from their dormitory.
Nyxir has been with them since he was five years old. His parents had gone for a ceremony on the outskirts of Warren, where they lived, and had mysteriously disappeared. They had searched for months before giving up, and Old Lu decided to adopt Nyxir, which made Olivia very happy as she would now have someone to play with.
Nyxir has also fitted well into the family and always helped Old Lu on the farm. This also made Olivia a diligent worker on the farm as she was always looking for chances to play with Nyxir. They sometimes follow Olivia's mother, Mrs Marian, to the small market outside Warren and enjoy playing with the rest of the children.
They had put the tragedy behind them quite well until three years later when Mrs Marian suddenly fell ill and died three days later.
Old Lu had been silent for a week before finally getting up to head to the farm calling Nyxir and Olivia along.
'This boy sure is pathetic, after all the suffering he still ended up dead '
Nyxir was still immersed in the memory surfacing on his head when he approached the hand-made bathroom.
The bathroom was crudely made with palm fronds and sturdy sticks, making a small rectangular space isolated by the palm fronds. The door stood open, and Nyxir could see a small black bucket containing clean water located by the side.
I still did not get the memory of his encounter in the slush or what he was there for. '
Nyxir grumbled as he entered the bathroom.
He removed his blue top and examined his small frame, which looked skinny, and shook his head.
"What is this?" His brow furrowed as he looked at his left chest. His head suddenly jolted and deep fear surfaced in his deep brown eyes.