Runes • Rifles • Reincarnation
82. Echoes Of The Past

Jin Shu blinked up at the silver-haired, silver-horned figure standing before him. “Did I unlock a new personality?” he asked, half-joking.

The figure, a draconic version of himself with shimmering scales and piercing eyes, chuckled softly. “Unfortunately not. I’m gone—vanished into the river of time. The only reason I’m here is that I sealed a small part of my soul in my fang.”

“Right… I take it you’re the one whose memories I’ve been reliving for the past three years?” Jin Shu asked, fragments of clarity returning as he took in the familiar-yet-foreign presence before him.

“That was me,” the figure confirmed, “but also you—and the others.” His tone grew solemn as he explained. “When I meddled with time, I knew the price would be my death and the impossibility of reincarnation. So, I preemptively fragmented pieces of my soul, scattering them through time and space in a desperate attempt at survival. That’s how you came to exist—one piece as a soul on Earth, and another in this world. When the Jin Shu of Earth died, your souls merged into the one you are now.”

Jin Shu stared at him, his thoughts spinning. “You did all that… with a single Time rune?” he asked wryly, masking his awe with a faint smirk.

The draconic figure smiled faintly. “No. And I won’t explain the full extent of what I did—it would instantly destroy this soul.” He paused, his voice softening. “What you saw in the jumbled timeline was the end result of my meddling. If you recall, I had your memories in that timeline, too. It was chaotic and imperfect… but I saved our mother in the end. That’s what mattered.”

Jin Shu’s chest tightened at the words. “You saved her...” he murmured, his gaze softening as the pieces began to click together.

“Anyway, the reason I’m here is to ask you a favor.”

“You want me to take care of our family,” Jin Shu said, cutting him off.

Long Jinshu blinked, his bright silver eyes momentarily wide with surprise. “Uh, yeah… I didn’t think you’d be so upfront about it. You aren’t me anymore, after all.” He replied, his tone honest.

“I literally just lived through your entire—well, most of your entire life,” Jin Shu said with a dry chuckle. “Which somehow only ended up taking three years. So yeah, I’m okay with taking care of our family.” He paused, tilting his head slightly. “Anyway. Should I go now?”

“No,” Long Jinshu said quickly. “You’d best not. I’m not sure how they’ll react to someone claiming they’re their reincarnated son or brother.”

“Yeah, you’re probably right. That wouldn’t be the smartest thing,” Jin Shu agreed, shaking his head.

Long Jinshu chuckled, a rich sound that echoed faintly in the ethereal space. “You know, you’re taking this whole situation a lot better than I thought you would.”

Jin Shu raised an eyebrow. “How’d you think I’d react?”

“I figured you wouldn’t like being told you’re just a fragment of my soul,” Long Jinshu admitted with a wry smile.

Jin Shu shrugged. “Yeah, I’m not exactly thrilled about it. But it is pretty cool knowing I was a dragon in my first life.” He leaned back slightly, his expression thoughtful. “Honestly, I’m kind of done being surprised. The whole reincarnation thing already used up most of my capacity for shock. Now, everything else feels mundane in comparison.”

“Hmm…” Long Jinshu hummed, his expression growing pensive. After a moment, he said, “If I could offer some advice?”

“Go ahead,” Jin Shu said, waving for him to continue.

“Make sure not to leave any regrets,” Long Jinshu said quietly. “We can never be sure when we—or someone close to us—might leave for good.”

Jin Shu exhaled sharply. “Well, that’s depressing… but fine. I’ll try to live more freely from now on, if it makes you feel better.”

A faint smile played on Long Jinshu’s lips. “It’s not for me. It’s for you.”

“Aren’t we the same? Won’t our souls merge or something?” Jin Shu asked, frowning slightly.

“No,” Long Jinshu replied, shaking his head. “This soul fragment is temporary. In a few years, it will decay into the river of time, lost to the void. And if we were to merge, you’d follow me into oblivion.”

“And there’s no way to save you?” Jin Shu’s voice softened as he asked the question, even though he already suspected the answer.

Long Jinshu shook his head again. “No.”

Jin Shu hesitated, unsure how to respond. After a long pause, he said quietly, “...I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine,” Long Jinshu said, his tone calm but resolute. “I was prepared for this a long time ago. I’d just like to see my family once more. So, if you can, within the next ten years, go and find them. I’d be grateful.”

“Yeah,” Jin Shu said, nodding slowly. “We just need to figure out a way that won’t make me look insane—or anger them.”

“Actually, the hardest part will be finding the Dragon Clan,” Long Jinshu said, crossing his arms.

“Why? Don’t you know where your home is?” Jin Shu asked, puzzled.

“I don’t know for sure,” Long Jinshu admitted. “But since you’ve never heard of the Dragon Clan, and humans seem to be the dominant species now, I’d wager the clan has secluded themselves for some reason.”

“Why would they seclude themselves?”

Long Jinshu shrugged lightly. “I don’t know. I’ve been dead for at least a thousand years.”

“A thousand years?” Jin Shu repeated, his eyes widening slightly.

“At least,” Long Jinshu said nonchalantly, as if it were no big deal. “Well, regardless, I'm sure we'll find out eventually.”

“So, what now?” Jin Shu asked, crossing his arms.

“Now,” Long Jinshu said with a small smile, “it’s been three years. You’ve got some catching up to do. Spend some time with your family and friends.”

Jin Shu nodded but raised a brow when Long Jinshu continued, “Oh, but before you go, let me teach you something.”

Floating closer, Long Jinshu reached out and tapped the center of Jin Shu’s forehead with a clawed finger.

Jin Shu blinked, momentarily confused. “What was that? I don’t feel any different.”

“I cemented the knowledge of runic formations in your mind,” Long Jinshu explained, his silver eyes glinting. “I also erased the knowledge of the Time rune so you wouldn’t get any strange ideas.”

Jin Shu furrowed his brows, concentrating. Images and patterns from his dreams—or rather Long Jinshu’s memories—surged to the forefront of his mind, crystal clear now. There were even formations he didn’t recall from the visions.

“Thank you,” he said sincerely, glancing back up at Long Jinshu.

But Long Jinshu was no longer in front of him. Jin Shu’s eyes darted around until he spotted the dragon man hovering near the tornado of Wind and the pool of Water.

Long Jinshu glanced back over his shoulder. “It’s fine. You would have remembered it all eventually anyway.” He turned his attention back to the swirling elements.

Jin Shu hesitated, then joined him. After a moment of quiet, Long Jinshu spoke. “You know, in my first timeline, I never learned Ripple Walk from Aunt Zui.”

“Really? Why not?” Jin Shu asked, curious.

“Because I didn’t have these,” Long Jinshu said, gesturing toward the elemental sources.

“Huh? Why’s that?” Jin Shu asked.

“Well, for starters, the Wind element came from that little tiger daughter of yours,” Long Jinshu explained with a smirk. “And as for the Water element… somehow, you gained it from an epiphany, even though you should be closer to Metal or Fire.”

Jin Shu snorted softly. “Yin’er’s not really my daughter, you know. I just hatched her.”

“She sees you as her father, and you seem fine with the role,” Long Jinshu said, raising a brow. “Besides, the bond you share with her is as good as blood.”

Jin Shu chuckled. “Yeah, I guess that’s true. Still, it’s wild to think she gave me an element.”

“Spirit beasts tied to elemental laws can have a strong influence, especially when they share a bond as close as yours. She’s a special one,” Long Jinshu said, his tone shifting to something more reflective.

“Special and heavy,” Jin Shu muttered, rubbing his chest at the memory of her earlier pounce. “But most of all, cute.”

Long Jinshu laughed. “You’ll need to toughen up if you’re going to keep up with her.” His hand rested firmly on Jin Shu’s shoulder, the warmth of his grip grounding. “It’s time for you to go. If you need me, I’ll be here. But for now, focus on practicing those runes and take some time to enjoy your family. You’ve earned it.”

Jin Shu nodded. “Right.” With a final glance at Long Jinshu, he vanished from the soul space, leaving his counterpart floating alone amidst the swirling tornado winds and calm pool of water.

Long Jinshu’s gaze lingered on the Wind and Water forces, a contemplative look softening his sharp, silver eyes. “Make the most of this time,” he whispered, his voice barely audible against the quiet hum of the space. “It may be one of the last chances you'll get for a long while.”

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