Reborn: Drowned to Hydratera

Home, Pain and a Promise

    Sam found himself inside his room on earth together with Luminae. Sam was so surprised of how much he missed his messy little room. On his bed was his cat Shadow lying and was staring at him like Shadow saw a ghost. Shadow didn't bother and suddenly jumped from Sam's bed to his greet back his master. But to Sam's surprise as Shadow jumped unto Sam's open hands Shadow only went through him like he was made out of thin air. Shadow landed on his feet and meowed from disappointment. "Wha-what...? Why? I mean what was that?", Sam turned back to Luminae.

    "We are only here as thought projections, only animals such as your feline pet, can only see or sense our presence and that our consciousness is here not our actual bodies.", Luminae said sadly. "I do not have enough power to bring you back here yet because the Ancient Magic which created me has the will to do so." Luminae continued. "How do I get back home then?", Sam asked feeling angry and sad at the same time. "Only when you save our world from the peril of The Void will you be able to come home as the Ancient Magic do so." "But what if I can't save your world? Does that mean I can't return home?", Sam exclaimed frustratingly. "That my child, I do not know, only the Ancient Magic knows but I'm afraid if the Ancient Magic perils then you may become trapped within our world or left alone die like the rest of us in Hydratera.", Luminae answered again but this time with much grief and sadness in her voice. "But until then, we will do our best to train you from the challenges you may face in saving our world from the Void.", Luminae said shaking off the anxiousness in her voice and trying to sound reassuring and hopeful. 

     Sam looked down but then he looked around his room again trying to divert his attention from Luminae's words. Then suddenly Sam had the urge to go out of his room and look for his parents. "Go ahead and see for yourself", Luminae said as if knowing Sam's thoughts and feelings. Sam slowly opened his door and went to the direction of his parents' room.  His heart was pounding as he grabbed the knob of his parents' door. He slowly turned the knob and when he opened the door he saw his parents' back towards him. He saw his father holding his mother and he heard soft sobs coming from her. 

    "Mom? Dad? What's wrong? What ha-", Sam went in front of his parents and stopped mid-sentence. Sam saw his mother holding a picture frame with his photo in it. Sam just stood there and trying to internalized what he was seeing. "You died Sam, while saving the girl don't you remember?", Luminae asked Sam. "So I did die.", was the only thing Sam could say, trying to fight off the tears that was about to fall from his eyes. 

    Sam could feel that his chest was getting heavier and the pain was unbearable to see the sadness and grief that he is seeing from his parents faces. Sam clenched his hands as he stood there unable to do anything to ease his parents pains. "Why? Is this the punishment that we should endure for our mistakes?", Sam's mother Daisy looked up at Sam's father, Rey. Her mother's face was red from crying too much. There were slight wrinkles around her eyes and  mouth area but she still looks young despite her age. She has black wavy hair which was only shoulder's length and she has greyish brown eyes of her age and yet beautiful and charismatic with a sense of youthfulness in her eyes. She was in her early 40's and she has a good average body built of her age. Rey, Sam's dad has greyish black hair and he was already in his early 50's, 10 years gap from Sam's mother. He was also average in body built and he has greyish brown eyes as well for his age with obvious wrinkles around his eyes, nose area, and mouth but he still looks like late 40's despite his age. 

    "I know we were not good parents and we were over in our heads, but never did I thought losing two of our children would made us realize how we needed each other and how much I love you and our family.", Rey said to Daisy. Daisy looked up at Rey and she cupped a hand at Rey's face. "I knew from the very beginning that you truly love me, and I too love you so much. Even though we've had our differences we made it work for the past years we've been together as a family and even though we had very serious fights and even having the topic of divorce in front of our children, they were always there to remind us that they were the fruit of our love for each other. But now... But now both of them are gone because we've both been blind by our pride and selfishness. I don't even know if we were even good parents. I don't even know if I was ever a good mother to both of them at all. I failed them, I failed you and I failed myself.", Daisy said in-between sobs. 

    "Hey.. hey... You were never a bad mother honey, if you were, your daughter wouldn't have been the bravest and the most strong willed person she was and how she was always there for our dear Sammy. She was just like you, from the very first time I met you until now. And if you weren't, you would no longer be here with me. Am I not right?", Rey said to Daisy cuffing Daisy's face in his hands. "Ye-yeah", Daisy managed to say. "Besides you should be proud that our Sammy saved a little girl from drowning. Did that show you being a bad mother? I know myself that even I was not the best father for them and a husband to you I know myself that I will always love you and our children. And right now I just want you to know that I will never ever leave your side now that we only have ourselves to take care each other. I know both our children wouldn't want that right?", Sam's father managed to give a heart warming smile to her mother. "I know honey, thank you for staying.", Sam's mother finally smiled with hope in her eyes. 

    Sam couldn't help himself and suddenly tears were falling from his eyes. He got out of his parents' room and went back to his room with Luminae who was silently observing Sam. Sam sat down his bed and he felt that a heavy weight got lifted off of his chest. "Why did you bring me here?", Sam said looking down at the floor. "I brought you here to let you know how your parents are doing and that you still have a chance to come home if you dedicate yourself enough to defeat the Void, which threatens both of our world's existence.", Luminae said. 

    Sam got up from his bed. The next thing he knew they were suddenly back at Luminae's garden. "Luminae?", Sam said looking serious. "Yes child?", Luminae said in response. Sam paused for a while and looked ahead at the garden's view. 

    "I've finally decided. I promise that I will do what it takes to save Hydratera and my world. I will return to my home.", Sam said sternly and whole-heartedly and when he looked back to see Luminae, she was smiling teasingly. "What?", Sam asked. "Well then, you better get going. You are already late for your first day of training." And with that Sam stood up with eyes wide open. "I'll be on my way then. Sersi's gonna kill me.", Sam said while he was rushing out Luminae's garden. "Oh... and Luminae?", Sam said peaking his head back at the door. "Yes child?", Luminae responded. 

    "Thank you", and with that Sam sped down the hall towards the training grounds to meet Sersi.