[Year 582 AL]
(Aeron's POV — Future Lyria)
The gates of Solaris District rose ahead, tall metal slabs reinforced with glowing barriers. Soldiers in battered armor stood guard at the entrance, rifles raised and eyes sharp. The moment they recognized him, their expressions broke into shock, then relief.
"Commander Raven!" one soldier shouted.
"Sir, you're alive!"
Aeron stiffened.
Commander Raven.
They were calling him Raven because of the body he wore but every time he heard the name, it felt heavier than armor.
Two soldiers rushed forward, saluting sharply.
"Sir, we thought the Behemoth took you down!" one said breathlessly.
"We were preparing for the worst," another added. "Without the Protector… and without you… things have been hell."
At the mention of the Protector, the squad's faces darkened.
Aeron swallowed.
He wanted to ask about the Protector…
about the man who died protecting him…His last word echoed through his mind.
Protector: Aeron Run!
but he forced himself to stay silent.
He couldn't risk revealing ignorance.
The soldier leading the group lowered his head.
"Since the Protector fell, we've barely managed to hold this district."
He clenched his fists.
"He was the strongest warrior we ever had… and after we lost him, morale nearly collapsed."
Another soldier nodded sadly.
"They called him a ghost. A one-man army. We were sure we'd never see anyone like him again."
The soldier looked directly into Aeron's eyes Raven's eyes.
"But when you showed up today, Commander… for the first time in months… we felt hope."
Aeron's heart pounded painfully.
He didn't deserve their hope.
He wasn't Raven.
He was a boy from a peaceful past, trapped in a nightmare he didn't understand.
But he forced Raven's voice out of his throat.
"…I'm here now."
The squad visibly straightened, energized by his presence.
"Commander Raven!"
"Sir, welcome back!"
"It's good to see you alive!"
Aeron tried not to flinch at the praise.
As they escorted him inside, the harsh truth hit him:
He was living the legacy of two legends.
Raven the elite soldier feared and respected.
Protector the masked hero who died protecting him.
Because of him they lost both.
His hands trembled slightly.
Aeron: Raven… they keep calling me your rank… and they keep talking about the Protector. I don't know how to be you.
Raven (through link): Just stay quiet and nod. They'll fill in the details themselves.
Aeron: But why… do they look at me like a hero?
A silent pause.
Raven: Because you're me ones of the best soldior trained under the protector.
Aeron's stomach twisted.
He was walking through the future built on the sacrifice of the protector….
And he didn't know how to honor that legacy.
---
They arrived at the Solaris command building a tall structure reinforced with metal plates and glowing runes. Several officers saluted him as he entered.
"Commander Raven," one officer said, "reporting the current situation."
A holographic map flickered to life, showing zones of red and orange — areas under heavy monster infestation.
"We've been losing ground since the Protector fell," the officer said grimly. "But with you here, sir… we might finally be able to stabilize Sector 3."
Sector numbers, combat fronts, weapon statuses everything flew over Aeron's head.
He nodded slowly, pretending to understand.
Through the soul-link, he whispered:
Aeron: Raven… what do I do? They're asking for battle plans!
Raven: I'll guide you. Just repeat what I say.
Aeron: This feels wrong. I'm lying to them.
Raven: If you don't, they die. If you do, they live. Choose which one matters.
Aeron clenched Raven's fists.
He repeated Raven's instructions, sounding calm and precise — not because he was confident, but because Raven fed him the exact tactical lines.
The soldiers nodded in awe.
"Commander Raven is back to form…"
"His strategic sense hasn't dulled at all…"
"Maybe… maybe we still have a chance."
Aeron's chest tightened painfully.
He wasn't the one they admired.
He wasn't the one they believed in.
He was standing in the shadow of two men:
The real Raven
And the Protector the previous-timeline Raven, trapped in Aeron's body
He didn't know how to carry their weight.
But he had no choice.
Solaris needed a commander.
Aeron whispered to himself:
"I'll try… to be what they need. Even if I'm not him."
Outside, explosions echoed in the distance.
The future was still burning.
And now Aeron had to become a hero in a world that wasn't his.