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Callum blinked his eyes to get the sleep away. A wooden ceiling met him. The faint smell of scrolls and ink made him nostalgic. Wanting to stay here longer, he threw the soft blanket over himself, cocooning himself.
After a few minutes, the door opened and someone walked in. The person chuckled when they saw his state and gently sat on the bed. “Come on, my prince. It’s past noon.”
It was a woman’s voice. A gentle and familiar voice that he wished to hear again. He wished to stay here, but he could already feel his consciousness slip away. “Your world is beautiful.”
“Oh? Is your’s not?” the woman asked, patting the blanket where his head should be underneath.
“No, mine is cruel and dark. You are gone and I’m half missing with the other half dead and broken beyond repair.”
She hummed. “I’m very sorry to hear that.”
“You will live happily here. That’s all that matters. Mine is dead, you know.” He said, sighing as his mind went black.
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“Callum?” an elf girl appeared in his sight. “Are you alright? You look a bit pale.”
Instead of answering, he looked around. He was in the Moonshadow elves’ village, lying by the fountain with his head on the elf’s lap. The chatter of other villagers sounded so distant yet so close.
The elf had her white hair loosely tied behind her. Her light, grayish violet eyes held worry. Those pairs shouldn’t carry those feelings. It was good enough for just one version of her to carry.
Because of him
“Should I bring you to the healer?” the girl asked.
Right, he was an elf here. The elves were happily separated from the humans. No fights, assassination, or war. No King of Dragon was killed. It felt strange but interesting.
But still, it wasn’t his.
“I just need to shut my eyes for a bit.” he managed to tell her. His voice was the same but wrong, very wrong.
“You sure?” Callum nodded. “Ok then. Good night, Callum.”
He hummed as his mind went black again.
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Callum blinked as the book in his hands was yanked out of his hands by an older boy. A boy that was supposed to be younger in his mind. But it seemed this world worked differently.
“I thought I said no books when you’re sick.” the boy said, putting the book aside.
They were in a library. It seemed like he sneaked in here when he wasn’t supposed to. When he was sick, which seemed normal in this situation.
“If you were bored, you could’ve called me.” the boy pouted. The body was older but his action still said otherwise. “Dad would’ve let me out and I would’ve been able to come to play with you.”
Callum hummed. It was so strange to be talked to as a younger person by someone who he should be taking care of.
But you didn’t
“You ok? I seriously can’t tell if you’re just zoning out or sick.” he said, his voice full of concern.
“You aren’t a king.” Callum blurted out, which made the other laugh. He was glad that the other laughed. He knew that he wouldn’t be able to hear that from his. He gave a small smile before it went dark.
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He grinned as he knocked the blond man down. They were sparring and it seemed like he won. The blond huffed but still gave him that carefree smile.
“Finally I won!” Callum exclaimed, helping the other up.
“Hey! I was going easy on you, mage.” the blond huffed. “Don’t want our fighter mage injured.”
“Sure, if that’s what helps you sleep.” he laughed as he dodged the slap from the other. “How are things going around here?”
The man stopped trying to slap him and gave him a gentle yet heartwrenching smile. “Good, what about your’s?”
Callum shrugged as he magically put back their wooden swords for sparring purposes only. The sky looked clear and blue. But he knew that was just an illusion put up by the mages to keep the citizens’ mood up. At least they lived happily without any wars or fights.
“You can’t keep visiting.” the blond’s voice slowly transitioned to someone he hated the most but didn’t at the same time. “It’s not good for you or them.”
Callum gave no response, favouring to watch the small clouds lazily float around.
“It’s time to come back.” The voice that he hated so much said to him. Callum hated that it was right.
He desperately wanted to keep visiting. But that would break apart the other worlds due to his magic. He didn’t want that. He wished for these worlds to be happy and peaceful. Unlike his own.
Of course that would mean that he would have to suffer for the other worlds. But that was a price he was willing to pay to make sure that the Callum in the other worlds could keep their world fairly peaceful, safe, and happy.
Sighing, he let the darkness consume his mind again but this time, he knew where he was going. Callum ignored how the darkness clawed towards him, trying to yank him to them.
Today’s visiting hour was over