Time in the Reverse Time Illusion moved swiftly, almost unnaturally. Days passed three times faster than normal. This time, Heka didn't encounter Ansel, just as he had hoped. He also didn't have the acute insomnia that had plagued him in the human realm.
At afternoon, Heka exited the New Haven Free Public Library. He made his way from the parking lot. His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts, all centered on the Reverse Time Illusion and its strange, relentless flow. Though he hoped find something in library.
In a few days later, Stacy's wedding was to take place. The ceremony was held in the same place as in the human realm.
Yet the lines between reality and illusion blurred once more. Heka wondered anxiously whether this time he would lose his parents or the illusion would give him different vibe.
The uncertainty gnawed at him. He was desperate for answers but had no idea what he was supposed to do to prevent the inevitable. The thought of death, of losing those he loved, was the most terrifying prospect he had ever faced.
But there was one thing Heka most hoped. As he stood beneath the heavy sky, his eyes tracing the dark clouds above. He made a hope through the heaven.
"Am I going to meet Marchio too? But, I wish I do." He wondered silently. He clinged into a fragile hope that his fate in this world would never have the tragic ending he had endured in the human realm.
Lost in his thoughts, the world around him suddenly shifted. The once quiet space became chaotic, screams echoed, and hurried footsteps pounded against the parking lot. And the crowd surged like a restless tide.
Yet, Heka remained calm. He walking steadily through the turmoil. But sometimes unexpectedly happened. Suddenly, someone bumped into him from behind.
"Sorry..." The stranger muttered hurriedly before darting away into the crowd.
Heka's mind raced. "Who is he?"
The sensation was strange, almost foreign, yet oddly familiar. It was the peculiar nature of the Reverse Time Illusion.
The vibe made memories and reality intertwined in confusing ways.
He recalled a woman, an elusive figure who caused of his relentless insomnia and torment. But the man who had just collided with him was a complete mystery. In fact, this was the first time Heka had laid eyes on him.
Curiosity compelled Heka to watch the man closely, trying to etch his face into memory. However, before he could grasp any details, the man disappeared into the crowd.
Then, a sudden realization struck Heka. He thought. "Was he the same one who led me in Kiervant Sky?"
Apperently, he was unclear at all. Previously, he hadn't look his face yet.
As this thought settled, Heka's steps faltered. His body froze suddenly.
He felt like he was controlled by an unseen force. The only movement he could command by himself was his head, which slowly turned to look behind him. Seeking for someone who controled him.
His hands moved involuntarily. The palms extended to cover his face. And then, pointer finger pointed sharply backwards.
He glanced over his shoulder, but the space behind him was empty.
"It's empty. How could everything just disappear?" He wondered, bewildered. They had been in a busy car park moments ago, with people bustling about, and heading to their vehicles. Now, not a single soul remained.
Turning back to face forward, Heka's pointer finger still pointed insistently at something unseen. He had no idea what it was, but a weird compulsion urged him to wait.
"Maybe I should be waiting." Heka glanced over his shoulder again and waited for someone to appear from behind him. Somehow he hoped somebody appeared to help him break free.
Moments later, a woman appeared from behind. Her presence was suddenly and unsettling.
"Who is she?" Heka questioned silently. His heart raced quickly. The fear increased.
This woman seemed unfamiliar, strange and enigmatic. He watched her from a distance as her pace quickened.
At first, her pace was slow, almost hesitant, as if she was weighing her options. But gradually, her steps quickened, turning into a determined run.
She was running toward him. Her expression looked fierce and determined.
A cold shiver ran down Heka's spine. An unshakable feeling of dread settled in his chest. He didn't have idea what the woman intended.
However, there was something unsettling about her. An aura of menace that prickled the hairs on the back of his neck. He didn't recognize her at all, yet instinct screamed that her intentions were far from benign.
Panic surged through Heka's veins. He wanted to flee, to put as much distance as possible between himself and the approaching threat.
But to his horror, his body refused to obey. It was as if invisible chains halted him in place, rendering him utterly immobile. Time seemed to run faster. Each heartbeat echoed loudly in his ears as the woman closed the gap between them.
Suddenly, she was upon him. Before he could react, a sharp, searing pain exploded in his back. The woman's sword had found its mark, piercing deep into his flesh.
The ordeal was immediate and overwhelming. A fiery lance that stole his breath and blurred his vision. Blood welled up around the wound, warm and sticky. It dripped down his clothes and pooled on the ground beneath him.
Heka's eyes darted around, desperate to catch a glimpse of his attacker. But she was gone, vanished as swiftly and mysteriously as she had appeared.
The silence that followed was deafening. It broke only by the ragged sound of his own breathing and the steady drip of blood.
Though the pain was excruciating, Heka's body finally responded. He could manage to move. But the sword remained lodged deep within him, stubborn and unyielding.
He knew pulling it out would only worsen the damage. Perhaps it would tear through vital organs, hastening his demise. The realization settled over him like a dark cloud: this wound might be fatal.