The Shapeshifter

Memories were flooding into my brain.

At this moment, my mind was wandering elsewhere. I knew that I was in a life and death battle with someone a moment ago, but everything seems blurry.

There were faint sounds of dull thuds entering my ears. It seems that there really is an on-going battle.

I could vaguely guess that I landed pretty hard, considering that I was in a crater. Although my body was numbed, I wasn't robbed of my senses. Then darkness was slowly starting to fill up my entire vision, as I stared at the dome-like ceiling blankly.

I was completely engrossed with the memories. My memories, of when I was on Earth.

I don't really know if this was my real memory or not. I knew for sure that I am a human of Earth, but that was all I knew.

Living on Terra for fifteen years, I already had the mind of an eighteen year old man when I 'came out' into this place. Learning so much from such a 'young age' filled my head with so much knowledge.

Naturally I shouldn't have forgotten my life on Earth. Adding my experiences on Earth to the years that I have on Terra, it only sums up to more or less thirty three years.

The memories were both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. I knew for sure that the Great Imp can mess with my mind. It already did the same thing to the group earlier. But now it seems that it was solely casted to me. So it can probably do this much.

There were tons of memories and I wasn't able to completely process everything. There were still the Shield Bearer holding off the Great Imp, I cannot let him wait for so long.

Then suddenly, a memory regarding my family back on Earth floated in my thoughts. I was intrigued and did a quick check. Although I think that I'm still inside the spell of the Great Imp, everything was just so real.

I don't care anymore! No matter how long it would take me, I need to see this now. This felt really important for me.

It wasn't really hard to stimulate the memories in my brain.

In the memory, I had a good-looking father. He was probably in his forties. Next was my mother, she was really beautiful considering her age to be the same as my father. However the passage of time affected her face and traces of wrinkles could be seen.

I also have a little sister and a younger brother! It's like on Terra where I have two siblings, but an older brother instead of a younger brother.

My little sister has her similarities with Mari in the way that they act. Both of them are like cute little bunnies hopping around the house and they looked to be of the same age. If fate allows it, then I hope they would meet. They could be the best of friends.

Next was my younger brother. Upon seeing his face, I was dumbstrucked!

This!

He looks like the Shield Bearer! So that's why he looked overly familiar! They have the same face, body build, everything!

However his personality, doesn't seem to be the same as my brother's. My brother's not cold, he's definitely a happy and cheerful person. If both of them were seen together, people would think that they are twins.

Since he looks just like my brother from Earth, I'll be sure to protect him. I tried breaking out of the spell that was casted on me and it proved to be easy.

I'm already back in the dungeon.

My ears were ringing and I could feel my body regaining its strength as my consciousness started returning to me.

The moment that I regained my senses, a pain that came from the back of my head emerged and it caused me to flinch.

Was I struck here? I wondered as I touched the back of my head to check if I was injured in any way. I took back my hand and found that there were neither bumps nor blood from my head.

Hmmm. None? Then good for me.

I sat down and looked around the room, I could see many small craters, fresh blood, cracked floor, burnt ground and some broken pillars.

I think the only place that hasn't been damaged was the throne. Everything was in a mess, like it was some kind of warzone.

The Great Imp and Shield Bearer were currently fighting near me, like only a few meters away from me. They were currently on a standoff, both of them just looked at each other.

I couldn't really see Shield Bearer's face as his back was facing me. As for the Great Imp, it was smiling mischievously or more like a triumphant smile.

Come to think of it, the only place that hasn't been damaged was the throne and the area around me!

That was aside from the mini crater I was in of course.

Has he been protecting me all this time? He was fighting here, while I was indulging myself in the memories made by the spell!

This is unforgivable! I need to help him now!

I tried forcing myself to stand up, but even my arms are shivering from only helping me stand.

No! This won't do!

"Hoh! You're quite fast in breaking away from my spell! Most people would've been in coma for a few days or so. Yet you're quite remarkable."

"What magic did you cast?" I asked. I was only trying to buy some time for Shield Bearer by asking this question.

"What magic, you say? Hmmm. I only opened up a sealed memory in your brain. Hehe. If I recall correctly, most sealed memories are unpleasant ones. Hehe. Did you have a good time?"

What!? So there's a chance that this Shield Bearer is my brother? Considering that I was summoned to Terra, was he summoned somewhere too?

No, no, no! He may look like my brother but he's completely different from him.

Seeing my sour expression, the Great Imp followed and said "You think you're clever enough and brought your precious friend some time? Hahaha! Humans are really idiots! You didn't brought him time, but you made his body lax! And you know what that means? That means death!"

Upon hearing this, both me and the Shield Bearer flinched.

Did it saw Shield Bearer become lax or did it guess? I think it knew.

I watched in horror as I it leaped towards Shield Bearer with its right hand raised up high! Its speed wasn't really fast at this point. As I was able to see its claws emerging as its hand was going down.

Shield Bearer looked at me meaningfully then smiled. I knew that smile! He's my brother, Victor!

I was snapped out of my thoughts as there was a clear sound of metal breaking. I saw its hand cleaving the indestructible shield of my brother into two.

It then used its left hand and held unto Victor's neck and pulled him up the ground. "You did good kid, but not good enough!" After saying his piece, he mercilessly slammed my brother into the ground!

He continuously slammed him as if my brother was some kind of broken toy. My brother wasn't really able to do a thing. He has overexerted his strength trying to protect me.

No! No! This can't be happening! I don't care if this is all under the effect of Gaia's fruit or something!

Stop! Please don't hurt him anymore! He's not even fighting back! Please!

I called out to the Great Imp and he stopped for a second and looked at me.

"With your words alone? You think that, will make me stop!? Huh!?" the Great Imp uttered in a mocking and arrogant tone as it continued to slam my brother.

My eyes became blurry and I know that it was because of the formation of tears.

No! Please! Stop! I whimpered.

Move! I gotta move! I used my hand and slammed it against my t.h.i.g.hs as if doing this would empower me to move.

Unfortunately, I really can't.

I started shivering non-stop. I could feel my left eye's lower eyelid twitching in sync with my shivers.

No! No! No! No! No! Ahhhhhhhhh! I bellowed madly!

I don't know if it was just me or the room temperature has suddenly gone down. I could clearly see the Great Imp trembling. And then I spoke in a very low and cold tone that I never knew that I can.

"You think you're strong enough slamming my brother mercilessly? You better open your f*cking eyes as I shatter your limbs to smithereens!"