9. Can You Change Your Destiny?

Mal's consciousness returned with such a strong jolt that he simply sat up. His breath hitched with his heart pounding fast. Mal's mind instantly went blank. The strong pressure in the head that had not faded made Mal's surroundings seem to spin.

Finally Mal closed his eyes while giving small massages on his forehead. Mal lowered his head while trying to maintain calm. He felt like he had just had an unsettling nightmare.

'What just happened to me?' thought Mal as he tried to replay his memories before his consciousness faded away.

Mal repeatedly took a deep breath and then exhaled deeply. But the feeling is not calm. There is a piece of memory that pops up for a split second.

"You will die in another life if you die in this life of yours."

Instantly, Mal opened her eyes and raised her head. Mal looked around. The walls of the room show the impression of an old building. The room he was in now had only a small light, which rested on several torches aligned atop each of the wooden beds.

Mal counted each bed, six in total. There were three other beds occupied, including the bed next to him.

Oldeen was in the bed beside him.

That means... Mal wasn't dreaming before she woke up.

He really is in this old building, aka his other life.

Mal let out a rough sigh. Mal looked down while rubbing her face repeatedly. Though Mal hopes that what happened before he woke up now is a dream.

But, wait, why could Mal be unconscious?

"Mal? Are you awake?" Someone's voice from the side was heard.

Mal turned to find Oldeen sitting on the bed and looking at him worriedly.

"How are you?" Oldeen asked again.

Mal's small grin was heard because the dizziness was still felt. But Mall shook his head.

"A little better," Mal replied. Her voice is very soft. "You too ..."

Oldeen's eyebrows shot up. Oldeen waited for Mal to continue, predicting what his friend was going to say.

"What?" Oldeen didn't seem to understand.

"You're also unconscious?"

"Faint like you, you mean?" Oldeen corrected, and got a head nod in response from Mal. "Ah, no. Me and those two didn't pass out. It's just you."

"How could that be?" asked Mal.

Oldeen looked at Mal in surprise. "You don't even remember why you fainted?"

Mall shook his head again. "Not at all."

Sighing softly, Oldeen scratched the back of his neck. "I don't know how to explain because I don't understand what Valkery did to you."

"Valkery?" Surprise mall.

"Yes, Valkery." Oldeen paused for a few seconds. “He just did...” Awkwardly, Oldeen made a gesture: he brought a hand slowly forward, then twisted and landed on his own left shoulder. "Like this. His hand goes up for a few seconds behind your back, and suddenly you freeze."

Mall didn't answer. He watched Oldeen very seriously.

"Then he grabbed your shoulder and his mouth was muttering like a spell," Oldeen continued to explain.

Again Mal could not answer. His mind was still trying to guess the last memory before losing consciousness. Unfortunately, Mal only vaguely remembers someone's face—which even before Oldeen explained, he didn't realize that person was Valkery.

"I don't remember at all," Mal complained with a sigh at the end of his sentence.

Oldeen doesn't even trust Mal. "I don't know why you forgot."

Because he felt the air was stuffy and his mood was not getting better, Mal finally stood up from the bed.

"I want to breathe fresh air first. It's really tight," said Mal.

Just when Mal was about to take a step, suddenly someone appeared and pushed aside the curtains of this room. Mal and Oldeen's attention shifted to the figure of Valkery who was looking at Mal with calm eyes.

"As I thought, you've come to your senses," said Valkery. "Would you like to go out with me?"

Mal confused. On the other hand, Oldeen persuades Mal not to agree to Valkery's offer. Unfortunately, the feeling of being bored and the limited air in this room made Mal unable to hold himself back.

"Yes, I'll come with you," Mal answered confidently.

"Mal!" Oldeen hissed in annoyance.

Mal gave the code through a stare to Oldeen. As if to say: I'll be fine.

Then, Mal stepped closer to Valkery.

"Where are you taking me to?" asked Mal. "Didn't you say it would be dangerous outside the building?"

"That's right," Valkery replied. "But I didn't ask you out of the building. I took you to a corner of this building."

Mal frown. Haven't had time to get an answer yet, Valkery has gone step by step. Finally Mal was forced to follow Valkery with such strong curiosity.

***

Mal was just dumbfounded when he saw the holes in the wall in front of him.

Moments ago, Mal took Valkery to a room which was located at the very back of the building and hidden inside a wall. Even Mal needs to go through a secret staircase to an empty basement, then open a door disguised as a wall.

"What's this?" asked Mal in between her confusion.

Valkery took a deep breath. "I shouldn't have told you in the first place like this," he said. "But I have to show you a very important part of the Amapherald World."

Mal was silent, waiting for Valkery's words.

"The empty holes here are for twelve jewels, twelve diamonds, and twelve black swords."

Valkery then changed hands while giving Mal the code to back off. As Mal retreated, slowly suddenly objects appeared to close the hole in the wall.

In the hole on the far left, gems appear. Hole in the middle, diamond pops out. Then the long holes numbered twelve, a black sword appeared.

Mal needs to blink her eyes repeatedly while shaking her head. Hardly could believe what he was witnessing now.

"I gave you this memory wall a hundred years ago." Valkery finished casting a magic spell. “This is what the things the Dark Clan lost and destroyed looked like.”

On the other hand, Mal was still dumbfounded without being able to say anything. However his consciousness returned shortly after when he discovered something.

"What did you just do? Give me a memory?"

Valkyrie nodded. "Every place and corner in this world has its own memories. Even if it's a wall, it also retains memories of things that were with it through the years."

"And I just brought up a memory to tell you what's in here. So you won't think I'm lying or making something up."

Mal was unsure for a split second, then sighed heavily. "Then what do you want?"

“These items are extremely important to the World of Amapherald. They are an indispensable source of life. After the incident of their destruction, the World of Amapherald was divided. All the races and kingdoms are not as united as they used to be…”

Valkery's tone sounded so serious that it made Mal feel a little pity. Unfortunately, half-hearted Mal didn't want to get too carried away. Mal is still trying to restrain herself from interfering.

"If the power of the Dark Clan rises and reigns supreme, then innocent beings will sacrifice their lives. And our only hope is The Seekers."

Mal already guessed where this conversation was going.

"I know it's hard for you—"

"Didn't I tell Chief Yuro?" cut Mal with a tone that does not accept. "I am not someone who deserves to be The Seeker and bear the burden of bringing back the glory of the Amapherald World."

Valkery looked at Mal through her calm eyes. He curved a small smile.

"But that's your fate," Valkery replied. "No one can escape fate."

"There are fates that can be changed," argued Mal.

"Are you going to try to change it?" Valkery asked very calmly, but implied something. As if intentionally fishing Mal.

Mal immediately laughed sarcastically while looking away. "No. You're completely wrong—"

"There's nothing wrong with fate, Mal," Valkery replied, a little firmer now. "All living things are above their own destiny. Are you going to try to change your destiny? Go ahead. But my question is, will you be able to change your destiny?"

Mal fell silent. Valkery's last question stabbed his ego in the heart. Even though Mal already knows that not all destinies can be changed, why does it feel like he still can't accept his destiny now?

"You have to do what you have to live, Mal." Valkery gave a hint of threatening tone in her words. "If you really want to change it, that's fine. Unfortunately tomorrow, under the red full moon, we will be having the dedication ceremony."

"Then I will not participate in the ceremony," said Mal, who remained stubborn.

"It's fine," Valkery replied. "But you must bear the risk that your life in another dimension will be threatened. Didn't you come with that purpose?"

Mal froze for a moment. Honestly he had forgotten the reason why he could wake up in this world. But after hearing Valkery's words, Mal's memory seemed to be hit by a memory.

'Does my destiny really have to be here?' thought Mal who began to feel confused.