Book One: The Rise of the Blue-Haired Devil.

      When I blinked after the abrupt change of scene, while regaining my senses, I found Morgana sitting in front of me. Her eyes, which had vertically elongated pupils of blue colour, were looking at me with sparkle and interest. She had long, straight, snow-white hair, which she always kept loose. She had grown, but her height was still less than mine, and her face had taken on some predatory features, giving her a certain special charm. The girl was in no hurry to start a dialogue with me, just waiting for me to start talking.       - What's going on? - I asked the most logical question in this situation, because even though my mind had returned to normal, I had no understanding of what had happened.       - Did you really not understand anything? - With a sly smile she answered with a question for a question.       - What was I supposed to understand? That the cradle had my name written on it? Or something else? - I added, frankly showing my displeasure.       - Okay, okay..." she said, raising her hands in a conciliatory gesture, seeing my mood in her eyes and voice. - It's your memories. More precisely, what you should not have remembered, because you were not yet aware of the world around you, but against all laws of logic your brain kept a residual image of it all, though not showing it to you, because in it you could not get a hold of someone or something familiar to you. - She made the situation clear to me without any of her wiggles. She was serious now. It was probably the first time I'd ever seen her like that.       - But I still don't understand how that's possible. - I said with a tiredness in my voice, sitting down on the nearest chair. I covered my eyes for just a second to try and shake off the fatigue, but Morgana surprised me again. She was quickly at my back, placing her petite hands on my shoulders, starting to massage my back. At first I wanted to object, but her voice sobered me.       - Calm down. You need to relax. I know what you've been through, because I've felt all the same things you have. Don't worry, your fiancée won't know about it. - the demoness said in a charming voice, literally testing me. And yes, I relaxed, not bothering her. I really did feel bad about what I was seeing. My brains started working on their own.       - Which bride are you talking about? - I asked her again, triggering the neurons in my brain to start analysing what I'd seen.       - Huh?" the one with the sparkling eyes asked in amazement. I didn't see it, but I could feel it. We've been talking too much.... something's going to happen. She likes to get nasty at times like this. - Don't you remember your statement in Senju's office? - She said, smiling with a predatory smile.       - Statement? No. It was just a joke," I dismissed her words.       - Ah-ah-ah-ah-ah..." she laughed, even going down on one knee, but still massaging my back. Oh... this is not good... What am I missing? I just can't think of anything.       - You still don't get it? - Morgana whispered through tears of laughter, looking over my shoulder into my eyes. - I don't think you do. And you think you're so clever. - The demoness continued to mock me, still laughing madly. I did not answer her, and did not want to. I have long ago realised that to argue this creature is simply impossible. She simply ignores my arguments, turning them into nothing. Not to waste time, the nuts in my head had already started spinning, analysing my new memory. The fight between the spirit and the blue-skinned mage was very short, but even so I can draw a very simple conclusion - I'd better not face either of them, or it will be very bad. One opponent has very strong magic spells, and the other..... the other, or whatever you want to call this monster. it has incredible speed and I have great doubts about it being able to do damage with physical attacks. But their fight doesn't matter. What matters is not how, but what they fought for.... That flying balloon... what is it?       - So you guessed it? - I heard the voice of Morgana, who had already calmed down.       - Yes, there is some kind of magical sphere of unknown origin inside me. We need to find it and study it. That magician said I've been chosen to be a guardian. What does that mean? And yes, you're very good at finding that memory. It could be very valuable. - I told her my thoughts on what I'd seen.       - Uh," she said with a kind of confusion. - I wasn't asking about that. This sphere is one of the World runes. It's also the Rune of Inspiration. It gave you the opportunity to be reborn. But you're wrong about one thing. I didn't dig into your head to find that memory. It was all your evolution, which was predetermined, apparently not only by me, but by that artefact. I don't feel it in your body. At least not in the literal sense of the word. - I've told you everything I know, Morgana.       - Stop, stop, stop!" I resisted her words. By this time, the girl was standing in front of me, looking straight into my eyes. She liked to make dialogues like that, but that wasn't the point. - World runes are too ancient and powerful artefacts. They're beyond the control of ordinary people. Not all mages can control their power. - I blurted it out in one breath. Well, I just couldn't believe that I had an artefact of unprecedented strength and power inside me all my past conscious life.       - You're wrong. Every artefact has a limit to its capabilities, and the worst part is that they always have a creator. It's not the object that we should fear, but the being behind its creation. Obviously, all worlds have such beings or artefacts that create a balance of being that even I do not understand. In your world, it is the World Runes. In this world, it's the Tailed Beasts. Don't ask me how I know this. It's very difficult to explain. - Morgana said with a serious face that made me cringe. I took a few seconds to process the information I had received. It sounded too complicated.       - How do you know that? - I asked, because the facts weren't adding up in my head. - Eh..." she sighed languidly, sitting down on the chair next to me. Her gaze faded. It was as if she was no longer here, delving into her past.       - I lived in a world similar to yours, but we didn't have technology. Everyone else was pretty good at magic, so it wasn't a big deal. I don't remember the names of the artefacts that brought only pain and suffering in my world, but I do remember that anyone who asked wanted them at all costs. Then one of the strongest warlocks decided to destroy these artefacts. I don't know how, but he managed to do it. He sacrificed his life before doing so, yet his words we remembered to the end. "They were already on the brink... Run from this world, fools..."-that's what he told us before his death. Many didn't take his words properly, simply thinking him a madman, but his words proved to be true. First the world was struck by natural disasters that killed the weakest of us, and then they came. Hordes of monsters who weren't afraid of magic. They were just invulnerable to it, and we'd already forgotten our melee skills. That's how my world died, but before I died, I managed to send a piece of my soul out into the universe. And thanks to you, I was able to fully restore my soul. - Morgana told her story.       - Are you saying that the World Runes contain a limited supply of energy that keeps these monsters at bay? - I asked her with my pupils dilated from shock, already beginning to realise how bad it was.       - Yes, the artefacts in your world are already on the verge. No, they're not. From your memories, I can estimate the power of the artefact that was once inside you. Even then, the Rune of Inspiration was severely weakened... even then it was ten times weaker than any of the artefacts of my world. -she started to explain, but I interrupted her.       - Don't tell me that... Shit, shit, this can't be happening. - I spoke in a panic, literally jumping up from my seat and grabbing my head with both hands. I finally had an epiphany.       - Yeah, you figured it out. - Morgana shook her head with a sad grin. - Your old world has probably already been destroyed. After all, you have entered the new world and it was not my power that helped you, which means that it was the World Rune that saved you from destruction. I don't think it could withstand such a thing. Either it was destroyed then or later, because there was no energy left in it at all. - She added with sympathy in her voice as she approached me. I didn't pay attention to her right away, but as soon as she hugged me, I stopped.       - Jace is a brilliant scientist. He must have figured something out. - I spoke my thoughts out loud, nervously reasoning and believing in a better outcome.       - You're depressed and upset. You need to accept that you have a new home now. Forget about your old life. And why Jace? Are you so worried about him? - she tried to reassure me.       - He's my friend. I can't leave him in the lurch. - I said in all seriousness, looking her straight in the eye.       - Are you even sane? That pompous narcissist has been pretending to be your friend for a long time to get in your way, steal your technology, and take advantage of your position. And when he took almost everything he could from you, he threw you out of his habitat like an unwanted toy. So don't say he's your friend. He's a complete bastard! - Morgana made her point. She was furious and angry at my words. I could feel it under her hard stare and pressurising aura.       I bowed my head to the floor, like a kitten who'd made a mess on a new rug. I know the real world is cruel and unfair, but then I've been alone my whole life. And for what? Because of my unconventional approach to solving problems and genius, although in the latter I already highly doubt, because it is unknown what gave me this World Rune. Perhaps I haven't even realised a percentage of its power... I'm so insignificant..... A sharp slap brought me to my senses. It was Morgana who slapped me.       - Don't you dare think badly of yourself. You're not a hero, but you're not a villain. Your friends will say bad things about you and your enemies will say good things about you. That's reality. I'm the only one who can insult you, so you don't get conceited. - she said emotionally, reading my thoughts from my facial expression. She pressed her whole body against me, hugging me around the waist. I involuntarily hugged her back, starting to feel the moisture on her breasts.... she was crying. I don't know why... but she was crying. The worst part for me was the lack of understanding and now I was in shock and depression for a few seconds, not realising what I was doing. I just started stroking her hair, trying to calm the sobbing sorceress. I didn't realise she was so emotional. It's hard for me to understand these girls...eh.....       We stood like that for a few minutes until she calmed down.       - Did you remember your joke? - She jumped away from me, putting on that sly smirk. I was dumbfounded by her words for a few seconds, and then I answered, pulling myself together.       - There's nothing wrong with it. It's just a joke. - I answered her, shrugging my shoulders in a sign of incomprehension. - No, it's not. - She said with a grin that really scared me. - You don't know shit about girls, Mi. - She sighed, sitting back in her chair.       - I'm not hiding it. - I said with a smile on my face. Morgana just shook her head.       - Do you realise she didn't react to your joke? - She started asking questions, stressing me out.       - Well, how was she supposed to react to it? - I asked her a counter question, still not understanding what she was getting at.       - Any girl in her position would have said something, reacted somehow. Like, "I'm not your fiancée," or "Okay, honey." But it was neither, which means she wanted to hear you say those words. Either I'm full of shit or she didn't have time to just say anything, although I doubt it. - she made the whole problem clear to me. My eyes widened at that. I'm not gonna make jokes like that again. I don't know what those girls will think in their heads about me. I don't even want to think about it.       - All right, fiancé. They're waiting for you. Get out of here. - Morgana said with a nasty smile, just kicking me out of my... damn it.... my subconscious. I'll have to find out how she does it, it's starting to get annoying....