I created my own system

{Comeback once you have gathered more}

The hooden man added and with a snap of his finger my eyes opened and there I found myself lying on my bed.

"What the" I could only say noticing how sweat had drenched my body.

The warmth of the quilt still lingered over me, yet the chill in my spine persisted. That dream and memory, wait was it even a memory? Still the events danced vividly in my mind. The girl's voice, the man in the library, and the golden lights. They weren't just weird things you see in dreams.

And the voice that said, "Come back once you have gathered more..."

That man, now I had idea who he was.

He was the real Apollo

I realized now since the one I just saw was the same hooded man in the book that Alicia showed me, it was him. The one that constantly visits my dreams.

"Did you had a bad dream?"

"!?"

My body suddenly jolted and strung up to see the source of the voice. There siting on a chair right beside my bed Alicia sat quietly, eyes resting on me. Seeing her there I immediately asked.

"Alicia? What are you doing here?"

"Watching you sleep"

"What?! And why are you so normal with it"

I panicked for a second, I didn't even sense her because my mind was too occupied and for some reason I don't want her too see me being weak. I looked at her again wanting to hear an explanation but all I see was her face showing great concern.

"Are you worried?"

She just nodded then she asked again, "Did you have a nightmare?"

I shook my head I cant really say it was a nightmare more like a vision.

"I saw him"

Alicia doesn't look surprise instead she just nodded.

"Your expression tells me you anticipated this"

"I did m research and found out that the more fragments you gathered the more you become assimilated with them, sharing all the memories and emotions within the fragments"

"Isn't that dangerous"

"It is that is why I came to see you. I wanted to see if there is other things you are feeling. More of the real Apollo will leak to you if you gather more of the pieces of his soul"

So the girl was a part of his memory? And the sense of familiarity, was it because of his fragments?

I felt confused now whether the emotions I felt during my sleep were genuinely mine or just influence by him.

"You don't need to be confused"

Alicia seems to try to comfort me but I know deep inside that my emotions and even decision are being influence of that fragment.

"The fragments doesn't need to be gathered by you, as long as you don't absorb anymore of 'Him' you wont be affected anymore"

That got me thinking yes she was corre2i don't really need to do it however I fear that something will happen if I don't.

"Alicia what's happens if I don't gather the fragments? Will it cause something?"

She fist nodded her head as if agreeing with me she further explain. "There are consequences st you feared, without someone taking in those souls they remain drifting from one place to the another. And once they posses vessesl wether that vessel uses the power for good or not is up to them"

"Then how about if it became an object, what if the vessel is an object?"

"Then it will become something devine like the sacred weapons of the dukes and the emperor, but if by any chance the vessels gathers more of the fragments it might cause an ego creation, leading for the soul to completely swallowed its vessel. Whether the assimilation will cause good or bad its up to probability and luck. The mixture of both the vessel and the ego of the fragment will create an entirely different personality than the original Apollo and the vessel"

"Sigh"

I knew it, so problematic. Why is everything so problematic?

I sat up properly and looked at Alicia. Morning had yet to fully arrive; the dim hue of blue twilight lingered beyond the curtains. It was quiet—too quiet. Even Jeremiah remained still, almost as if he too was digesting the flow of what had just occurred.

"What happened to your sleep what did you see?"

"Ah..well let me tell you"

.

.

.

"So you dream about a girl then felt like you were summoned by the guy on the picture I showed you yesterday"

"Yes"

"So you met him, does that mean you have gather a significant amount of his soul?"

"I believe that would be the case, unless of course it might be due to your book as well"

Alicia put her hand on her chin as if in deep thought

"That was not a dream. It was a convergence. The fragment inside you reacted to something—or perhaps the book I showed you caused the resonance of the sleeping fragments inside you"

"The one I saw was him right, I cant be wrong?"

"Perhaps. But he knew you. That much is clear yet confusing at the same time"

"Should I just ignore everything you revealed to me Alicia?"

"You see no benefit of doing the task as Apollo"

I just nodded liking how she understood me, indeed I still don't see the need of me to interfere and as for now I don't see any kind of emergency nor threatening event aside from Nero"

Alicia didnt seem disappointed at my reasoning however as I gather my thoughts about my descision I suddenly felt a sudden pain.

I pressed my palm against my chest, over the place where the fragment shimmered in my soul. "What is going on now" I felt a pain, its as if someone punch straight into my chest.

"What now" I mumbled turning pale as the pain increase.

"Apollo?"

Alicia suddenly strung from her sit and immediately touch the hand that is clenching my chest.

"What are you feeling?"

I gritted my teeth no being able answer this cause for Alicia and Jeremiah to take action.

[An anomaly has been detected, stablizers has been launch]

"Hold on I will help"

I felt a sudden warmth from the palm of Alicia's hand it spread to my chest while the system used something cool and icy to col down my tensing nerves. Two polar opposite energy envelope my body like a blancket however despite being different their objective was the same, to help.

For a couple of seconds I struggle to breath but soon the pain subsided and was replaced by warmth.

"It seems you are okay"

"I really want to know what is happening to me, any information from your magical book Alicia?"

"I don't know about this either there wasn't any record about the pain you are suffering with. Its the first time I have encounter it"

"It could be because I am denying tha task that was supposed to be done by Apollo"

"I will leave for a moment there should be a way for you to gather the fragments without storing it in your body. There should be an artifact to help you"

"How long will you gone?"

"For a day, for now don't think about the fragments focus on resting, these past events keep taking a tool on you. As for Nero I will deal with him so if he makes a move tell me. I will come rushing here to see you'

I was surprised that she is becoming more strict with me but now I felt like I am in house arrest.

[Its best to obey here you wont want her to get right?]

"Yeah messing with her will definitely cause some trouble"

"Apollo" she called it seems while I ma having a conversation with Jeremiah she just remained still observing me.

"Tell me if you ever felt something is happening in your body don't hesitate to call me"

"I will don't worry in return if you found something, you should tell me immediately"

"Dont worry I will"

With a nod she disappear in my room leaving me to embrace the morning. For the first time in a while a I felt tired and decided to sleep again, the world wont fall if I just sleep a little more. I just pray I that those disturbing memories wont bother me, I don't to see her again.

I thought so as I closed my eyes but as I was about to fall a sleep I suddenly wonder.

"Who is she?"

I just mumble until the drowsiness swallowed me and I'm down asleep.

.

.

.

In the darkness which once hall of great light and brilliance a man was standing there in silence. As he flip the pages of the book he began to think of what transpire earlier.

"It finally began, again its time to harvest"

He muse as he keep reading the book on his hand.

"Hmmmm....it seems I have a visitor"

Soon the sound of footstep echo at the dark corridor, revealing the girl with black hair and Ruby like eyes.

"What is the ancient empress doing here"

He just asked not looking away from the book.

"My friend, he needs help"