Secret World of Occultists-Chapter 22: Who am I?

The blue-eyed youth limply fell to the ground, his face devoid of emotion and his being devoid of identity.

He wasn't able to lift a finger, or even utter a word as the nameless monster passed him by, moving toward the silver-haired little girl.

Who am I?

Thought the blue-eyed youth, his gaze involuntarily drawn to the moon hanging in the starry night sky.

Who am I?

The question repeated inside his head, yet the answer was nowhere to be found.

He could hear the screams of the little girl as she ran for her life. He could hear the nameless monster snarling as it slowly approached the girl.

Yet, he couldn't do anything about it.

Who am I?

The same question kept repeating over and over again.

Suddenly, the world around him shifted and he found himself floating in a blank white space.

It was different from the mystical world beyond the reflection. This one felt oddly familiar to him—like it was a part of him.

Confused, the blue-eyed youth looked around, wondering where he was. "Where... am I?" He muttered.

As if responding to his question, the blank space suddenly trembled.

In the vast emptiness where there was neither ground nor sky, the first droplet fell.

It landed before the blue-eyed youth without a sound, yet from it, ripples started to spread outward. More droplets followed, pooling together until a thin film of water stretched across the entire space.

Slowly, the mystical liquid deepened, sinking downward and carving an invisible basin into existence.

Then came the towering stone pillars—not built, but formed. It was as if they had always been there, merely waiting to be revealed.

Pillars made from smooth, ancient rock rose from the depths of the water. The following moment, arches curved above, enclosing this vast space and forming a ceiling.

The water grew thicker, its surface like a polished mirror. This was no longer simply a pool, but something far grander.

Deep within the core of the blue-eyed youth, an eternal reservoir of spirit energy took shape, vast and full of mysteries.

The youth stood on the surface of these mystical waters, looking around at this grand structure in confusion.

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But soon, his mind wandered toward the question that had been troubling him the most.

Who am I?

Still, no answer.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of distant footsteps. He turned his head in that direction and saw a figure emerge from the depths of this mysterious space, walking towards him.

It was a teenager with dark blond hair and blue eyes. His cheeks were a little sunken and he had a light stubble covering his jaws.

He wore a black coat, a waistcoat of the same color, and a white shirt underneath with a cravat tied around his neck. He also wore trousers of matching colors and a pair of black boots.

Although this person seemed to be finely dressed, to the fine eye it was evident that the clothes he wore were all second-hand.

When the blue-eyed youth's gaze landed on this person, he seemed to recognize him, but for some reason, he couldn't quite a finger on it.

Puzzled, he saw the blond teenager walking toward him with a faint smile on his face.

"Who are you?" Asked the blue-eyed youth.

The finely dressed teenager stood before him and tipped his hat. "Greetings, Mister."

The blue-eyed youth's brows knitted in confusion. "Do I... know you?" He asked.

Hearing his question, the blond teenager couldn't help but smile. "You wear my skin, use my Hallmark, yet you fail to recognize me."

He paused for a moment before offering a handshake. "I am Abel Bishop."

"...Abel Bishop," the blue-eyed youth murmured in a daze.

"And you are?" Abel asked with a knowing smile.

"I, uh..." The blue-eyed youth frowned as he shook Abel's hand.

He remained silent for a long time, trying to remember his identity. But no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't recall.

He looked at Abel and answered, his tone laced with confusion and melancholy, "I don't know..."

Suddenly, his eyes flashed with hope and he couldn't help but ask, "Abel, do you know who I am?"

Abel intently looked at the blue-eyed youth's face that resembled his own. He then looked into the distance and spoke with fascination, "This place is quite mystical, don't you think?"

The blue-eyed youth looked around. He gazed at the deep waters, the towering stone pillars that supported the arched ceiling, and the boundary that seemed to stretch to infinity.

"I suppose so," he softly said.

Abel suddenly noticed something and he raised his hand and he looked at it. He realized that he was slowly turning incorporeal.

Seeing this, his lips curled up into a bitter smile. "It seems that I do not have much time left. Still, it is a miracle that the remnants of my spirit have endured for this long."

Abel looked at the waters of this mysterious place and continued, "If I had to guess, I would say it is because of this mystical energy that you have awakened."

The blue-eyed youth couldn't understand a thing he said. So, he slipped into silence trying to recall his own identity, beginning to question his very existence.

Abel then glanced at the blue-eyed youth and smiled, "I have witnessed your actions in the Spirit Crucible, and I am glad that it is you who has inherited my body."

The blue-eyed youth remained silent, his gaze distant as he was lost in thought.

Abel placed his hand on the blue-eyed youth's shoulder and gently said, "Do you wish to reclaim your identity?"

The youth's eyes sparkled with light. He hurriedly turned to look at Abel and excitedly answered, "Yes! Yes! Tell me! Do you know who I am?"

Abel's lips curled up into a mysterious smile, "You are me."

The blue-eyed youth felt even more confused. "I... am you?"

Abel nodded. As his body gradually turned more and more incorporeal, his expression turned solemn. "If you wish to reclaim your identity, you must defeat the nameless monster!"

"The nameless monster..." the blue-eyed youth muttered in a daze as the memories of his battle soon surfaced inside his mind.

"Yes," Abel continued. "The First Trial of Ascendance doesn't just reveal your true powers, but it also reveals your true self!"

He paused for a moment, before continuing, "Defeat the nameless monster, climb towards the peak of the mountain, and complete the objective!"

"Defeat the monster..." The blue-eyed youth repeated Abel's words. Fear flashed in his eyes and he couldn't help but speak up, "I tried to defeat it! I really tried my best... But my best wasn't enough."

Abel looked him in the eye and spoke, "No, you did not try your best."

"Then... how do I defeat the monster? Tell me!"

Abel's lips curled up into a smile. "You used my Hallmark. Now use yours."

"Mine?" The blue-eyed youth couldn't help but frown.

Abel nodded. He then realized that his body was on the verge of completely dissipating. He looked at the blue-eyed youth and smiled brightly, "My time has come. Before I leave this world, I wish to tell you some things."

For some reason, the blue-eyed youth's eyes reddened as he saw Abel start to disappear. He didn't know why, but he felt like he was losing a part of himself.

He nodded, silently listening to what Abel had to say.

"First, I would like you to meet Jenny and help her find closure," Abel began, his eyes moistening ever so slightly.

"Second, when you are ready, I want you to meet Tommy. He's the only family, I—no, we—have left in this world!

"Third, you and I... we share the same dream - to travel the world and experience all the wonders it has to offer. So, you must make our dream come true!"

"And lastly..." Abel's expression gradually turned grave.

The last remnants of Abel's spirit finally dissipated into fine motes of light. As these motes of light disappeared out of existence, he left behind his parting words.

"Beware of the coin!"