"Th..ey are.... co..ming"

"It's ... ti..me...fo.r ...dme to..go", dad said struggling to breathe.

His body became paler and paler.

"Dad!! Please don't go!! Please!!!"

"Help! Someone please save him", my vision became blurry with tears.

Gasping for last breath, his senses were fading away. The only thing that was binding him and me was a tiny thread which can break apart anytime soon.

"Don't you dare to leave us. You promised to be with us!!", my painful voice echoed in vain.

I couldn't save my Dad. If only I have an hourglass.

An hour pass by, crying, as I clinged the cold and lifeless body.

A sudden burst inside my heart felt like a thousand needles being plugged. I could feel a strange warmth inside me. Am I dreaming. I asked myself. Something was wrong with me, before I could respond. My eyelids became heavy as someone had injected me with a chloroform.

The next thing I woke up. I heard a serious voice.

"It's time to wake up Echan"

The sudden bright light, completely blinding my vision, approach me. It was none other than. Dad.

What just happen?

"Dad!!" I called him loudly, following him.

He was moving in a graceful way.

"Wait!! Don't go!!", I scream behind him. He never looked back.

"That will be enough to make you realize of who you are", a different voice approach behind me.

I turned back to see only bright golden light.

"Who are you?"I asked anxiously.

"You can think of whatever. I am protector of this mankind."

Is this what they call God.

Realize who Am I? What does it mean.

**

"You have two choice- Chase after your Dad or reverse back the time"

"The choice is yours. Remember where there is a gain, there is a lost. Choice wisely",the voice warned me.

**

I found myself in a couch.

My eyes widened at the sight. Dad has been revived. I couldn't control my tears. I run towards him only to find passing right through him.

Perplexed by this, I tried to touch him again. Only to find that I can't touch him.

My knees wooble at the sudden realization - If there is a gain there is a lost.

"No!" I cried in disbelief.

**

"Fireo Demonicegris", summoning the spirit.

"Yes Master", bowing respect.

"Chalesumtormenuro!",commanding to crowd.

(Roar echoes)

"Alae mi fite", in a loud voice.

(Crowds aligning)

"I m coming back", I thought to myself.

"Master. Are you ready for this?"

"Yes, Cassian. I have been waiting for this moment", I said calmly with hopes littering in my eyes.

Cassian understood and nooded.

The choices had been made. An hourglass has been turned back. As the time runs in its reverse direction. The life of Echan starts to drift to the new beginning. The more she learn about this new life, the more she faced the challenges.

What was awaiting her?

Will she able to defeat her fear?

Day 1: XX-XX-XX

Echan, being notorious, I hided myself under my spacious bed. I heard a pair of foot steps coming towards my bedroom. I knew who it was. I can hear the loud thumping of my heart breaking a complete silence of the room. A sudden long yet tiny hands reaches my hair, grabbing me outside, dragging me towards the door. I can hear a hysterical laugh from the culprit. My younger brother.

"ahhh... Mom. It hurts. I gave up. You won. Let it go!" I scream in a painful voice.

"Within five minutes. Get your *** back down!!"She commanded and left the room.

"ughhh. Whatever", rubbing my head. I let out a deep sigh.

I was more worried about my poor hair, lying on a floor, completely lifeless.

My raging gaze directly went to my brother's direction. He saw that coming. Without hesitation he ran away and me chasing behind him.

We parked a car in our usual spot. It's a family tradition, once a month, to visit a shrine. This never interest me.

I saw my parents bowing to one of the grand warden. They talk for a while then looked towards our direction.

We enter the entrance gate, following with paying respect and bowing. Proceeding towards the main gate, the quiet and tranquility atmosphere seems to be calling out my name. No wonder I lost my track and found myself alone.

Roaming here and there. I saw a familiar figure, Grand Warden, coming towards my direction, his figure was crystal clear. In his late forties, physically in shape and much younger. Wearing a red robes with gold trim, along with white toga drapped around his torso.

His wandering gaze came up to my face and shifted reflectively to my right side as someone was standing there. I turned around to check, his intense gaze never leaving my side. I notice him mumbling something, moving his hands in an empty space. Without saying anything. He left.

What just happen.

Out of curiousity, I chased after him. To my surprise, I overheard the guardian's conversation, messing up my million cells of my brain.

**

~Flashback~

"Rudesia, Kenesia, Jubesia"

"Lure them out into prison house"

"Do you think that child will die?"

~Flashback ends~

**

I couldn't rest. All I could do was recall everything. The last thing I remember was sudden darkness took over me. Fallen asleep.

I was running. I know if I stop right now. I would die. Running for my life from the unknown source. I felt the darkness hovering over me which reminds me of dementors from Harry Potter. A distant unknown voices distracted me, forcing me to move in that direction. Someone was calling me.

"You're One of us",an unfamiliar voice rang in my head

"Who are you?", I asked in a puzzle way.

"We're here", the same voice echoed again, this time more louder.

"Where are you?", I asked earnestly.

"Come here Eleza", a new voice echoed and faded soon.

I wake up abruptly gasping for an air. A nightmare. It was midnight already, all I could hear was sound of my trembling faint heart. My body seems to be numb out of fear.

Days passed by. I never heard that voice again. Things were going smoothly.

By the time, I was on my way to home. I saw a familiar figure standing exactly across to me. That freaks me out. What are you? A teleporting machine. My inner heart scream me to run away, but my brain stopped me. I took all the courage to ask him but before I could ask anything.

"Follow me", he said in a serious tone.

He can speak. I thought myself.

Without saying anything. My tremble feet starts to follow him.

Something was strange this time. While I was taking a one step. Everything around me seems to stop. I looked around to find myself in a whole new different world. I was astonished by what I was seeing.

Is this for real?

"Don't worry"

I was standing there dumbfoundedly.

The massive aligned circles, lie within, is gigantic mushroom tree shedding like a canopy covering the whole floating island.

Mesmerized by this beauty. I try to collect myself, not believing with my own eyes.

"Isn't this beautiful?", he asked in a plain voice.

Firstly, you freak me out. Secondly, you brought me here and third you are asking about my opinion in these chaos. You old Jerk. I thought myself.

"umm..", I replied back, occupied myself in my thoughts.

"Let's go", he said.

Suddenly asking me to go. Now where? Before I could open my mouth. Just like an illusion, I saw my surroundings changing into a terrible scenerio. I try to catch up with him but he was nowhere to be found. I felt something behind me. Turning back was only choice. The numbness started to hover over my whole body as soon as I realized, this is not some fantasy world.

Run. My heart scream.

Without looking back. I started to run over the dead living corpses, covered in a thick sticky blood.

"HELP! SOMEONE HELP ME", I scream my head out.

There were no Knights in armour to save me. All those freaking TV dramas and novels. Whole my life was a lie.

I was surrounded by the dead living creatures that remind me of Resident Evil. The only thing I can do was wait for everything to turn pitch black.

**

"waku!" , someone was shouting.

Who

"Haglei" , I heard someone speaking foreign language.

The bright rays falling down from the canopy brought my eyelids to open a bit. I was completely surrounded by two young boys in their teenager. One being so close to my face that I can count his thick eyelashes. His baby looking face reminds me of cabbage patch. Big brown shiny eyes and chubby round face. The other one, standing distant from me. His eyes never showing interest but a look of disgust. His menacing aura was enough to kill me.

When they saw me waking up. The baby face boy looks excited as he tried to come near to me but he was being pulled away by that ignorant brat ,who looks terrified, already in protective position. I tried to have a friendly conversation yet shown hostility towards me. What did I do?

I looked around. The place seems unfamiliar.

Few minutes passed. It was a relief that there were no sign of the mad corpses. I got stuck with two weird boys. I don't know where am I. As soon as I started to get up.

"Kanpes", the arrogant brat shouted, pointing his sharp sword towards my neck.

What the heck now. I try to wave my hands to calm him. How am I supposed to talk. I don't understand what they were saying. All I know was, if I move one single inch, my throat will be sliced. Thinking about that, I was paralyzed at the spot. Gulping down. I took two small steps backwards and lay down. His stern eyes never leaving me.

"Tazou! Tazou!", the baby boy face yelled at him. His eyes full of tears as he was stopping him from something.

"Alczer..", the arrogant brat drawn his sword slowly away from me.

I took a deep sigh, keenly observing them. They were fighting over something. I guess. Before that arrogant boy took off, he glared me with a murderous look. Murmuring something, maybe it's for me.

I steady my breath and calm myself.

I heard a faint steps moving towards me. No I don't want to die alone. Please save me.

Kneeling before him, appealing for mercy and forgiveness is the only thing.

"O Dear Lord! Have MERCY! MERCY!", I started to chant, not wanting to die. It was cut short by hysterical laughs with tears running down from his face.

"You are hilarious", he threw back his head and let out a laugh. His knees buckled taking him rolled over the ground.

"eh.. Ehhhhhh...", I was in shocked and disbelief. He can speak my language.

"You...", I was puzzled, pointing at him.

Crossing his arms over his stomach in an attempt to catch his breath, he slowly reaches my face.

"Yes, I can understand you. Sorry for before", his breath touching my face, making me shiver and blush. He was too close.

His large brown eyes twinkling, cute little nose, full lips making him look younger than he appears. I was captive by his attractive face that I didn't realize. I was touching his hair. It was soft and silky.

"ahh ..", I pull back my hand. It was an awkward moment.

"ahmm.. What's your name?", he asked in a soft voice. His ear turning red.

"Echan Lannraig", I looked up to see him nervous.

"I am Alczer", he introduced himself.

"Where am I?", I asked him politely.

"This is Kuimanrio Kingdom, right now you are in Dereris, northern most part of the floating kingdom".

I try to recollect myself. Everything seems like a fantasy yet it was real. I wanted to ask so many things. How he can understand me? Where is that freaking old man? How is this place can even exist?

Before I could say anything, I was being sucked by an invisible force. Not again please. I was struggling. Alczer try to grab me, but it was too late.

"It's time to get back.."

I remember that annoying voice. I might kill him now.

"If only I can kick his ***", I mumbled myself.

"With your frail body, you won't be able to touch my strand of hair", he sounded mockingly.

Damn. Someone give me a scissor.

Within next seconds. I was on a same street to my way to home. The time seems stuck as nothing happened here.

"Be prepare yourself. Next time It won't be the same", his serious tone driving me crazy.

Now what. What was awaiting.