Mika, my past self, was a happy and lively person, even with the childhood traumas that made her run away from home at a young age.
She wandered for years — from the hottest desert to the coldest mountains, living through both abundance and scarcity. One day, her strength gave out. Still, she insisted on continuing her journey.
Until she could walk no more.
She was lost in a vast forest, surrounded by wild beasts, far from any city and close to death. Hunger gnawed at the walls of her stomach, and the constant burning sensation inside her drove her to give up on life. Thirst dried out her throat, and soon she began hallucinating — seeing her father approaching to beat her.
"Please… no!" she tried to scream, but no air shook her vocal cords.
Merchants passed by her, but they all assumed she was already dead, abandoned at the base of a large tree.
They ignored her.
But there was still hope.
A group of eight people was using that route for an assault mission. Only one of them ran toward her with all his strength.
"Hey! Can you hear me?" asked the gentle man, carefully supporting her head. "Get her some food and water, quick!"
He fed her and helped her drink. Then, they placed her in the cart carrying the group's supplies. There, she slept for an entire day.
When she woke, she began eating more than her frail body could handle — a good sign at the start of her recovery.
They had already reached the group's base, near a capital city. It was a large mansion with fifteen rooms — some used as dormitories, others for storing equipment.
In the group, there was another woman who helped Mika bathe in a secluded waterfall. The woman once abandoned was now beautiful again. Her beauty was admired every time she passed through the marketplace streets.
For those who had seen her at death's door, she was unrecognizable.
In truth, the whole group — except for the other woman — had left on a mission: they were fighting a magical dragon haunting a village. That trip lasted two weeks. Meanwhile, Mika remained at the mansion, accompanied only by her caretaker.
Then, they all returned.
When Mika saw the gentle man who had saved her, she ran to embrace him. A smile lit up her face like sunlight.
"I haven't had the chance to ask… what's your name?" she said, tucking her hair behind her ear.
"Yaso, group support. I'm glad to see you've made such a full recovery so quickly," he replied. "And yours?"
"Call me Mika," she said, shaking his hand. "I owe you my life. Thank you… truly."
They looked deeply into each other's eyes.
"You know how to fight, don't you?" Yaso asked. "You've handled a sword before?"
"Yes. I've trained since childhood to protect myself from my father," she replied, a hint of sadness in her voice.
"Great!" he said enthusiastically, leaving her confused about why he seemed so excited. "Come with me for a moment, please."
Yaso led her to a room on the mansion's third floor, cluttered with weapons and miscellaneous items. He waded through the mess and began searching for something.
"What do you want to show me?" Mika asked curiously, wiping dust from a wooden cabinet.
"You'll like it! At least… I hope so," he said, excited.
Then, he pulled back a leather cloth and raised a sword still sheathed. The room was dim — barely anything could be seen.
"Found it!" he shouted, jumping over the clutter toward Mika. "Here. From now on, it's yours."
It was, in theory, just a common sword found in an abandoned dungeon — but it was as beautiful as Mika herself. It shone like gold, with details refined like brush strokes.
"Thank you so much, Yaso," she said, touched, as she received the sword.
When she drew the blade, a beam of light lit up the entire room — even the hallway. Golden particles floated around the sword, rose up Mika's arm, and enveloped her entire body, transforming her simple clothes into a sophisticated suit of war armor.
It looked like the gear of a great general — something forged over years to be perfect.
"What… is this?" Mika asked, now clad in shining metal. "It's simply incredible!"
"Looks like it likes you," Yaso replied with a smile.
"Oh, right," he added, pulling something from his pocket. "Take this."
It was a bracelet bearing a cross symbol.
"Welcome to the Disciples, Mika!" he said warmly.
From that day on, the girl without dreams found a purpose: to remain by Yaso's side forever.
To do that, she had to grow strong. So, she began training her powers every night in a clearing near the mansion.
She didn't trust her own abilities, so she preferred not to show her techniques until they were perfect.
One night, Yaso came out after hearing a sound from the forest. He found Mika performing sacred arts, lighting up the area with every strike.
Fascinated, he began watching her training every night.
"Can't you hide your presence?" Mika asked, noticing him perched on a branch.
Months had passed since her rescue.
"You're too sensitive to others' energy," he said, dropping to the ground. "I've always tried to suppress it, but I can never fully conceal it."
"Your power is so immense you can't even manage the basics?" Mika teased. "Let's duel right here, right now."
Yaso accepted without hesitation. He dropped his equipment and took a combat stance.
"I'm just support," he said, activating a barrier.
"One of the most skilled in the world," Mika added, trying to strike him, only to be blocked by the shield.
He dodged with ease.
"How long ago did you notice me?" Yaso asked, regenerating his energy.
"Yesterday. Your energy felt stronger than usual," she answered, mixing sword strikes and punches.
"You're a bit late, but I'm relieved," he said, unleashing a wind attack that stopped her advance.
He grabbed her sword, pulled it toward him, and gently flicked her forehead.
"Why are you holding back against me?" Mika asked, frustrated. She wanted to be treated as an equal in battle.
"You're still improving," he said, sitting on the grass. "Next time, I promise I won't hold back."
It was late into the night.
"Look how beautiful the sky is tonight!" Yaso said, pointing at the stars.
Mika sat beside him. Together, they watched the northern lights and the bright moon illuminating the cold night.
But… there was no next time.
On the day I planned to confess my feelings to Yaso, we set out on a mission to a dungeon on Mystic Mountain. My plan was to speak with him at sunset, once the mission was over.
Everything was going well.
Our group had become the strongest, with twelve members. The government hired the Disciples to defeat a magical beast.
But the truth was something else entirely: the monster was far more powerful than anything we had ever seen. Not even all our combined abilities left a scratch on it.
I remember the horrifying sight of my companions being slaughtered and beheaded by a knight of light.
I was struck fatally in the chest.
I saw Yaso crawling toward me, holding my hand in the middle of the chaos.
I remember a great book appearing, revealing all the pages of my life — both the sorrowful and joyful ones.
There was a blank page with space for a signature. There, I wrote my name… and Yaso's.
I loved him more than anything.
My eyes closed.
A man appeared beside the book, took the quill from my hand.
My eyes closed forever.
That was my last life. A life with only one dream… and one love.
"It seems you're finally awake," said Sonno, sitting on a chair. We were in one of the academy's medical recovery rooms. "You really had us worried, you know?"
"Who's the best!" exclaimed Akrivís, joyfully holding my hand. "These were the longest hours of my life."
"How sweet of you…" I muttered, pulling an ice pack off my forehead. "It must've been the pressure from battle… or maybe that poison Natsu used."
Something didn't feel right.
Since childhood, I had been diagnosed with a rare heart condition.
"Sonno… I need to talk to you," I said, hesitantly.
I had to tell him everything.