The Man Beyond The Map

CHAPTER 22 - THE FIRST NIGHT

The roar beneath the earth faded.

But the ground kept trembling.

I stood completely still.

The creature remained on one knee.

Aria's fingers were still intertwined with mine.

The other Aria watched the jungle.

Nobody spoke.

Then the ground stopped shaking.

Silence returned.

I looked at the creature.

"What was that?"

It raised its head.

"The ocean."

"That's not an answer."

"It is the only answer you are ready to hear."

I hated that sentence.

I hated the way everyone on this island seemed to know something about me except me.

I stepped closer.

"You called me your King."

The creature lowered its eyes.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"You commanded us once."

"Who is us?"

"Those who remember."

My jaw tightened.

"And those who don't?"

The creature looked directly at me.

"They are safer."

A cold sensation moved through my chest.

"Safer from what?"

It didn't answer.

I glanced toward the two women.

"Can you explain why there are two women with the same name?"

The creature looked at them.

For several seconds, its expression remained unreadable.

Then it said:

"There are not two."

The other Aria stiffened.

"What?"

The creature pointed toward the hostess.

"There is one."

Then toward the other woman.

"And there is a memory."

The other Aria's face went white.

"No."

The hostess stared at her.

"What does that mean?"

The creature didn't answer.

Instead, it looked at me.

"You have forgotten more than you understand."

I stepped forward.

"Then help me remember."

Its silver eyes narrowed.

"That is dangerous."

"I don't care."

"You will."

I felt anger rise.

"I've spent my entire life being told what I can and cannot do."

My voice hardened.

"I'm done listening."

The creature bowed its head.

"Then remember carefully."

A sudden pain pierced my skull.

I dropped to one knee.

Images exploded through my mind.

A city.

Not modern.

Not ancient.

Something between both.

Towers rose into a sky filled with enormous floating structures.

People walked beneath them.

Some were human.

Some were not.

I stood at the center.

Wearing black armor.

A crown rested on my head.

Aria stood beside me.

Not the woman I knew now.

The same woman.

But different.

Older.

Her violet eyes were filled with tears.

"You promised."

I heard myself answer.

"I know."

"You said you would stay."

"I tried."

"You always try."

She stepped closer.

Then kissed me.

The memory shattered.

I opened my eyes.

Aria was kneeling beside me.

"Ethan."

I stared at her.

Her face was inches from mine.

"Did you see it?"

She nodded slowly.

"I saw something."

"What?"

"You."

My throat tightened.

"What was I doing?"

She hesitated.

"Standing beside me."

"Where?"

"A city."

Her eyes searched mine.

"You weren't human."

I looked away.

"I know."

She touched my face.

I turned back.

Her thumb brushed my cheek.

"You looked happy."

The words hurt more than they should have.

"I don't remember being happy."

"Maybe that's why you forgot."

I stared at her.

"What do you mean?"

She leaned closer.

"Maybe you weren't running from your past."

Her voice dropped.

"Maybe you were running from what you became."

For a moment, neither of us moved.

Then she kissed me.

This time I didn't hesitate.

My hand settled against her waist.

Her fingers slipped behind my neck.

The kiss was slow.

Careful.

But there was nothing uncertain about it.

It felt familiar.

Too familiar.

Like my body remembered what my mind couldn't.

When we separated, her forehead rested against mine.

"I don't know what you are," she whispered.

"Neither do I."

"But I know what I feel."

I closed my eyes.

"So do I."

She smiled.

"That's enough for tonight."

Behind us, the other Aria cleared her throat.

We separated.

She was standing several feet away.

Her expression was unreadable.

"We need shelter."

I nodded.

"Lead the way."

She turned.

The creature rose.

"Do not follow the northern path."

I looked at it.

"Why?"

"Something hunts there."

"What?"

The creature's silver eyes shifted toward the darkness.

"Something that remembers you."

Then it disappeared into the trees.

We followed the other Aria.

The shelter was less than fifteen minutes away.

A stone structure hidden beneath thick vegetation.

Inside were beds.

Food.

Water.

Medical equipment.

Weapons.

A working generator.

It looked like someone had been preparing for us.

The hostess walked inside slowly.

"This place..."

She touched the wall.

"Why does it feel familiar?"

The other Aria looked at her.

"Because you've been here."

"When?"

"I don't know."

"You're not helping."

"I know."

I closed the door behind us.

For the first time since the ocean swallowed us, I felt safe.

Or as safe as anyone could feel on this island.

The other Aria checked the windows.

The hostess removed my jacket.

She folded it carefully and placed it beside me.

"Thank you."

"For the jacket?"

"For everything."

I looked at her.

She stepped closer.

"You saved my life."

"You saved mine."

She smiled.

"Then we're even."

"Not even close."

She looked at my lips.

"Maybe we don't have to keep score."

My pulse quickened.

She stepped closer.

Close enough that I could feel her warmth.

Her hand touched my chest.

Right over the mark.

It glowed faintly beneath her fingers.

She gasped.

"What?"

"It reacted to me."

I covered her hand with mine.

The mark became brighter.

She stared.

"Ethan..."

"I know."

The room seemed to disappear around us.

She lifted her eyes.

There was fear there.

And something else.

Something warmer.

"I've known you for one day."

"I know."

"But it feels like..."

She couldn't finish.

"I know."

She smiled.

"You keep saying that."

"Because I feel it too."

Her fingers tightened around mine.

Then she kissed me again.

Longer this time.

I held her gently.

The world outside could wait.

For a few moments, there was no island.

No ocean.

No mysterious woman.

No memories.

Only the warmth of her against me.

When we finally separated, she whispered:

"Stay."

I looked into her eyes.

"I will."

"Promise?"

The word struck me.

A memory surfaced.

A woman beneath three moons.

The same question.

The same eyes.

The same hand in mine.

Promise?

I swallowed.

"Yes."

Her expression changed.

Like she'd heard the answer before.

Then she whispered:

"That's what you said last time."

I froze.

"What?"

She stepped backward.

Her eyes widened.

"I don't know why I said that."

The lights went out.

Total darkness.

The generator had stopped.

The other Aria immediately reached for her weapon.

"Nobody move."

I listened.

Something scratched against the outside wall.

Slowly.

Three times.

Scratch.

Scratch.

Scratch.

The hostess moved toward me.

I caught her hand.

"Stay behind me."

The scratching stopped.

Then came a knock.

Three slow knocks.

The same rhythm as the impossible door.

My blood went cold.

The other Aria whispered:

"Don't answer."

A voice came from outside.

A woman's voice.

Soft.

Familiar.

"Aria."

The hostess stopped breathing.

The voice came again.

"Open the door."

She squeezed my hand.

"I know that voice."

"Who is it?"

Her eyes filled with tears.

"My mother."

The other Aria turned sharply.

"Your mother is dead."

"I know."

The voice outside laughed softly.

Then—

"Ethan."

I froze.

The voice changed.

Now it was Elena's.

My stomach dropped.

"Let me in."

The hostess looked at me.

"Who is Elena?"

I couldn't answer.

The voice outside whispered again.

"You left me."

My jaw tightened.

The other Aria raised her weapon.

"Don't listen."

The voice laughed.

Then it became my own.

"You're still running, Ethan."

The door handle began to turn.

Slowly.

I raised my weapon.

The hostess stood behind me.

The other Aria stood beside me.

The handle stopped.

Silence.

Then a whisper came through the door.

"You think you came here to escape."

A pause.

"You didn't."

The door exploded inward.

I fired.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Nothing stood beyond the doorway.

Only darkness.

Then I saw the ground.

Fresh footprints.

Bare feet.

Leading into the shelter.

Not away from it.

Toward us.

I slowly lowered my weapon.

The hostess whispered:

"Ethan..."

I turned.

There were wet footprints on the floor.

They stopped directly behind me.

I felt something breathe against my neck.

And a woman's voice whispered into my ear

"You promised you'd remember me."