Chapter 221: Memories of the past
A tableau of memories painted itself in Jaegar's mind – the laughter of childhood, shared secrets, and a bond that time could not erode.
The woman, now identified as his sister, instructed the child to wait while she retrieved her car keys. The child nodded obediently, his innocence mirrored in wide eyes that held a spark of curiosity.
As she disappeared into the house, Jaegar stood frozen, grappling with the unspoken emotions that surged within him.
In that suspended moment, the contours of a forgotten life converged with the fragments of an alternate reality. The reunion, unexpected and surreal, unfolded against the backdrop of a world that had moved on without him.
And in the stillness of that dilapidated street, Jaegar grappled not only with the unravelling threads of his past but also with the uncertain promise of a future interwoven with the echoes of family and a reality that defied explanation.
Jaegar stood rooted to the spot, his eyes trailing after his sister as she disappeared into the house. Flashes of the past, fragmented memories of a sibling relationship, flickered in his mind. Though he doesn't have that many feelings right now.
He realized that the woman he had known as his sister, despite the lack of overtly positive memories, now bore the weight of time gracefully. Aged and transformed, she possessed a different aura, a sense of maturity that transcended the fleeting moments of their shared past.
In the quiet aftermath, the child, the living embodiment of youthful innocence that mirrored his sister's own childhood, caught sight of Jaegar standing across the street.
Driven by the aura around Jaegar, which he didn't notice, the child approached, breaking into a run with unbridled energy. Coming to a stop in front of Jaegar, the child looked up and queried, "Who are you?"
Jaegar, crouching down to meet the child's eyes, observed a striking resemblance to his sister in the youthful features before him. The child's innocence tugged at something within Jaegar, an emotion he had long forgotten.
Unbeknownst to him, traces of primordial chaos still clung to his being, manifesting as a faint purple haze that enveloped him. Unseen and mysterious, this ethereal energy exerted an imperceptible pull, drawing the child closer.
As Jaegar gently caressed the child's cheek, an unconscious exchange occurred. The primordial chaos, dormant yet potent, subtly infiltrated the boy, initiating an otherworldly connection that went unnoticed by both parties.
The child didn't feel anything, as though the chaos energy had entered inside of him.
A voice broke through the quiet moment, calling out "Jagnar."
Jaegar, stunned for a moment, recognized the echo of his former name. His gaze lifted to meet the woman approaching them. She was coming towards them as she called the name. It was Jaegar's previous name here in this world.
A question hung in the air – did she recognize him?
She came towards them and stopped in front of Jaegar. She then said, "Sorry, did he cause you any trouble?"
She then took Jagnar's hand, addressing the boy with a gentle reprimand.
"Jagnar, how many times do I have to tell you not to run around?" she chided, her attention shifting between motherly concern and a polite apology directed at Jaegar.
Jaegar was taken aback a little. She had named her kid his name. He was really surprised and stood frozen there, staring at her.
The weight of the past collided with the present as they stood in that peculiar intersection of memories, leaving Jaegar grappling with the revelation that the life he once knew had left imprints on this world and that he, in a different form, had now become an unexpected presence in the lives of those he had left behind.
With a polite yet hurried apology, the woman acknowledged the unexpected interruption. "Sorry," she uttered, her eyes briefly meeting Jaegar's without a glimmer of recognition.
Time had etched its marks upon Jaegar, and the person he had become bore no resemblance to the one who once shared a life with her. Oblivious to the enigma that stood before her, she swiftly took her son's hand and redirected her attention to the pressing matters of her own reality.
"I'm in a hurry," she explained with a soft smile that carried both warmth and the urgency of a busy schedule.
With her maternal instincts in full swing, she guided the child, affectionately called Jagnar, towards a waiting car parked nearby. The vehicle, a practical symbol of the mundane responsibilities that defined their daily lives, bore no indication of the extraordinary encounter that had just transpired.
The car door opened, revealing the intimate space within. The woman settled into the driver's seat, a routine gesture perfected through countless repetitions. Jagnar, a bundle of youthful energy, occupied the backseat, his curiosity undiminished by the abrupt interruption to their morning routine.
The engine hummed to life, and with a final glance towards Jaegar – an unintentional farewell to a stranger whose presence had momentarily intersected with their lives – she steered the car onto the quiet morning street.
As the vehicle gradually receded into the distance, the ordinary sounds of a mundane world gradually swallowed up the echoes of the extraordinary encounter. The rhythmic purr of the engine, the distant hum of city life, and the subtle rustle of leaves in the morning breeze wove a mundane tapestry over the mystical undercurrents that lingered in Jaegar's wake.
In the car, unaware of who he was, she thought about Jaegar and said, "Is he an actor or model? He sure is an eye candy."
"What is an eye candy, mommy?" The boy from the back seat asked innocently. His mother smiled and replied, "Eye candy is a term used to describe someone who is very attractive to look at, like Jaegar. People often use it to compliment someone's appearance." Curious, the boy nodded and continued gazing out the window, his young mind pondering the concept of beauty.
Back on the street,
Left alone on the now tranquil street, Jaegar pondered the transient nature of his return. The reunion, however brief and unacknowledged, had unravelled another layer of the enigma that connected his past and present selves.
As the car faded into the distance, Jaegar found himself lost in contemplation.
His sister, now a grown woman with a child of her own, had just sped away into the mundane rhythm of daily life. His thoughts then veered towards another figure from his past – his mother.
Gazing at the familiar house, memories resurfaced, and Jaegar pondered the whereabouts of his mother.
And almost as if responding to the silent inquiries echoing in his mind, the door swung open once more. Two figures emerged, engaged in lively conversation. They walked towards the road as they talked.
They shared an affectionate kiss before embarking on separate journeys in their respective cars. His parents, now living a life seemingly untouched by the passage of nearly two decades since his demise, appeared prosperous and content.
His mother, adorned in office attire, suggested a life shaped by routines and responsibilities. Jaegar couldn't fathom how much their lives had evolved; it was as if they had moved on and left behind the memory of their lost son.
Standing there, a spectator to the lives that continued without him, a surge of conflicting emotions welled up within Jaegar. Anger flickered momentarily as he observed their seemingly carefree smiles, but a resigned sigh followed.
There was a poignant realization that intervening now was futile. As he grappled with these emotions, the primordial chaos that surrounded him emitted an unsettling shriek, echoing the turbulence within.
In the midst of this emotional maelstrom, a disturbance in the space around him heralded the appearance of a familiar figure – the same individual Jaegar had encountered after his death.
Cloaked in regal attire that revealed both arms and a bare chest, the figure addressed Jaegar with a stern tone. "What are you doing here, disturbing the cycle, you impudent human?"
His tone told Jaegar that he was annoyed with him.
Jaegar, frowning, retorted, "What are you talking about?"
The figure grumbled, insisted, "You shouldn't be here, this is not your world," and commanded him to return, "You should go back."
The reason he said so was because of the faint purple haze around Jaegar, he could tell it belonged to one entity, the indestructible force, the chaos entity. He didn't dare do anything to Jaegar and just wanted Jaegar out of this world.
Jaegar sighed, admitting his ignorance about how he arrived, and questioned, "I don't even know how I got here in the first place, and how would I go back?"
Hearing him, he thought for a moment, then said, "I will send you back, but don't attempt such intrusions again. The consequences will be severe," intoned the regal figure sternly.
His true identity was that of Yntarr, the god of death. Yntarr had descended upon this realm upon sensing the disturbance in its regular cycle, a disturbance caused by Jaegar's unexpected arrival and the previous night had witnessed a ripple effect across the world, all stemming from Jaegar's presence.
Now, Yntarr, who was a Deity, stood determined to restore the equilibrium.
As Yntarr delivered this ominous warning, Jaegar found himself bereft of any chance to respond. His consciousness began to blur, the fabric of his existence unravelling as he was inexorably drawn back from whence he came. In the blink of an eye, Yntarr also faded from view, leaving behind the echoes of his divine proclamation and the fading spectre of Jaegar's transient sojourn in this realm.