The words were like a blow to my head, hard and sudden. "What? Why?" I questioned suspiciously, feeling uncomfortable.

I heard a dramatised sigh. "Your beloved city is the strongest civilisation of this world. Obviously the best move is to take out the strong before the weak."

I didn't want to allow the City to be destroyed. I lived there most of my life, and to know that it perished because I did not do nothing would be too much.

I thought back to the times where the books boasted about the City's indestructible walls of reinforced obsidian, how countless attempts to break in ended in failure. The image of the walls crumbling as the people cried for help scared me.

"So... you want me to work together with you... to save the world?"

"That's beneath me, but yes," the voice said disdainfully.

Should I even consider it? I thought, hesitating. No matter what it says... I shouldn't trust it, but-

"I need more time to think about it," I decided. "I... can't trust you at the moment."

"Fine," the voice huffed as I heard a clicking sound.

"Just a gentle reminder that the longer you decide, the sooner the City falls."

~~~~

That kept me up that night. Unable to sleep, I pulled myself to a sitting position and glanced at the starry sky.

"Can't sleep?"

I blinked, noticing a familiar figure. Half hidden by the darkness of his cloak, the mage sat down calmly.

"I... have been thinking about many things," I said quietly.

"You finally found out, didn't you?" he asked sorrowfully. "That the catalyst resides in you."

I gave a small nod. "How did you know?"

"I was there when it happened, all those years ago."

"What do you mean?" I asked, bewildered.

The mage sighed. "Allow me to tell the tale that was lost to history. Hundred of years ago, this world was strickened with war. Fight or die - that was the unspoken rule of life."

I listened intently as his voice grew serious.

"One day, the catalyst was created, but it was unable to fulfil its purpose without a host. Hence, the dark lord took advantage of the war, setting his sights on the strongest warrior of the army. However..."

The mage glanced at me.

"... it did not went as planned. Instead of hitting that warrior, another intercepted it. You are the reincarnation of that person, bearing the same name."

"You mean the visions, the dreams I had... were their memories?"

"Yes. I'm sorry... when we made that decision of reincarnation, we never expected the catalyst to be attached to your soul. By doing so, we may have caused our world's demise," the mage whispered remorsefully. "We did all we could, but I'm afraid that it may be all too late."

That was when I realised that the mage was slowly fading. He gave me one last look before speaking. "Don't worry. It's my time to go. The truth is that I died many years ago, and I was called back to assist you as much as possible. I wish I have done more... now I bid you farewell."

In a blink of an eye, the mage disappeared. I swallowed the words at the tip of my tongue, which only left a growing lump of fear in my throat.

If only I know what to do...

Minutes stretched to hours, but I finally made my decision. Only then I was able to sleep.

~~~~

At first light, I went over to Hailbert's house and knocked on the door until he answered it.

"Why are you here so early?" he stifled a yawn as he spoke.

"We need to go to the City immediately," I responded urgently, not pausing for a moment to let him respond. "There's someone who wants to destroy it in order to conquer the world."

"The... City?" Hailbert muttered, still half asleep. "Isn't that where you came from?"

"Yes, but if we don't there soon, there will be no city," I said in frustration. "Come on!"

"Alright, I'm coming. Give me a moment," he said, trying to blink away his tiredness.

"Meet me at the gate," I said, running off. "I need to settle some things first."

I arrived at the castle and walked past the guards, ignoring their questions. Before they could stop me, I entered a room. Rose was doing her usual morning routine of feeding the rabbits before doing administrative things.

She looked surprised when she spotted me. "Frost? Is something wrong?"

"I need a favour to ask of you." As I said those words, I felt a pang of guilt, but I shook it off. "Could you help me take care of Ender and the others? I need to go back to the City. There's a disaster that I need to stop."

"Yes, I can," Rose replied, though she sounded puzzled.

I took a deep breath. No matter how hard it was for me to say it, I had to do it. "If... I don't make it back alive... I want you to continue taking care of them."

"Frost..."

I did not catch the rest of her words as I turned to leave. I had made my choice, and there was no turning back.