I took one last look at the red-brick orphanage I had spent my last 20 years in, then ran into the darkness, away into the night.

As my footsteps rang against the concrete, I couldn't help but feel exhilarated. For 50 whole lifetimes, I could suddenly remember... Everything. Jumping over low fences and discarded rubbish cans, the freedom to be young again had never felt so... addictive.

Stumbling over an abandoned mattress, it felt like heaven to have my joints no longer creak or croak with every step I took. My last life was so drab, being queen of an empire was so much more alluring than it actually was, and living to 98 years of age was only needlessly painful. Having lived almost 5000 years worth of lives, you could only imagine how nice it felt to finally remember everything I had experienced. In hindsight, 20 years zipped by rather quickly, even more so as a child.

Why would I wait 20 years? Wasn't it obvious? The whole legality of it would be much more dangerous if I left while a minor. Furthermore, as a '20' year old in a run-down orphanage barely scraping by with government handouts, they wouldn't be bothered to find the kid who had no living relatives anyway. I...

Heh. Time does weird things to your mind. Look at me, speaking to myself now.

I still... No, I now remember the day that old crone had cursed me to live a thousand lives. Foolish me had even thought it to be a blessing at first. Maybe breaking into the 'haunted house' on a full moon was a bad idea.

My footsteps pounded against the asphalt road, the sidewalk now but a distant memory. As the faint light of dim street lamps faded away, the darkness overwhelmed me. A fear of the darkness, one which I had thought forgotten a long, long time ago. Who would have thought getting betrayed by a man you thought was your best friend, then left to starve to death in a dark cellar as he bricked up the entrance would have been traumatising? Certainly not me.

I traced out the familiar oval shape of the "cats' eye", the glowing glyph radiating in the blanketing darkness. Pointing the very pupil of the eye at my own, I watched as the darkness slowly receded as the glyph dissolved in the air, a skill learned from a magic school so long ago.

I kept on running.

As the soles of my feet burned, the golden locket hanging from my neck only felt more and more heavy. Finally, as I approached a particularly patchy stretch of road, I felt my legs give out from under me.

Laying by the side of the road, head facing the great sandy plains of Arizona, the stars never looked brighter. I flipped over onto my back, so my head could get a better look at the celestial constellations above.

A few lives ago, this wouldn't have been surprising. A few more lives ago, they would have been praised as scions of astral gods beyond us. I know what they are. Burning conglomerations of gases so hot they would burn a man's face off. I would know.

But that life was many years ago now, or maybe so many years ahead of this life that this earth... It wouldn't matter anymore. I clutched the golden locket in my hand, lifting it up infront of my face, the faint reflection staring back at me. It smirked, in the sadistic glee of knowing that it was but a youthful mask on an ancient soul.

I opened the locket, staring into the photograph that sat within. A handsome face sat within, a depiction of a great man who once existed, so long ago. My heartbeat began to calm, no longer beating at my seated ribs. The hum of a distant car's engine reminded me of the present reality, snapping me out of a much too distant memory. Shutting the locket, I ran a finger across the ancient emerald adorning its centre, whilst muttering an ancient elven power word.

My fingers and clothes slowly became invisible, just in time for the car's bright headlights to shine right through me. The car trundled on, its presence diminishing as the engine hum slowly faded away. Now, I realise that looking upon the past would not serve me much longer.

What would I even do here? It's been several thousand years since I've been here, with nothing much changing at all, as if a rock in a rushing river, unchanging and unmoving while life past me by.

Perhaps... Yes... Heh, lets see if that old crone still lives there. With that, I disapperated.

Out of all these lives, I will finally understand revenge.

Maybe it was a blessing after all.

Edit: I need to run some errands so TBC

Edit 2: It's finished, for now :)

"Yo Mitch? Mitch? Mitchell Kim, are you there?"

I woke up. I was Mitchell... Kim right? Oh right, I was on set, acting in the new Blockbuster Return of the Dragon. I started to look around, but memories started flooding back to me, of thousands of years, dozens of lifetimes.

I felt my arm get grabbed, and I realised was on the floor. The director, exasperated, grabbed my arm and pulled me to one side.

"Look Mitch, I'm gonna be blunt; We got you because you've got a pretty face, and you're a dead ringer of the Dragon's statue... its a bit creepy actually... anyway, you've still gotta pay attention man. You were made for this role, now act like it!"

He held my face and in his hands and made me look into his eyes.

"Repeat after me: 'I am the Dragon'"

"I am the Dragon?" I said

Wasn't I Mitch? Yeah, I'm Mitch, but... wasn't I also the Dragon?

"No, No, NO! Not like that, say it with more authority!"

I am not just Mitch, or the Dragon. I was Snithar, Prince of Thieves. I was Boudua, the Duchess of Marcais. I was Jonathan, the Northern Warden of the Empire.

I was Danny, a cripple in Jundo. I was Mina, a concubine of a wealthy merchant. I was Maxamillian, the young Count of Vern. I was Miao, daughter of a tavern owner.

I am Mitch.

"I am the Dragon."

However, all those lives, no matter who I was, no matter what I did, no matter the mark I left on history, all ended the same way.

By betrayal.

"Better, much better, but its missing... impact!"

I was Snithar, Prince of Thieves, poisoned by the love of my life as she begged for my forgiveness, her younger sister taken hostage. I was Bouda, the Duchess of Marcais, stabbed in the back by my Brother when I'd heeded his Call to Arms. I was Jonathon, Northern Warden of the Empire, assassinated when I kept my blades pointed North, not South, during the Succession Wars.

I was Danny, a cripple in Jundo, killed for the silver coin a pitying noble had given to me. I was Mina, a concubine of a wealthy merchant, killed in punishment for being raped by his business partner. I was Maxamillian, the young Count of Vern, who never grew old after being killed by my ambitious Uncle. I was Miao, daughter of a tavern owner, killed by father when trying to shield my puppy A'Bao from one of his drunken rages.

I am Mitchell Kim, the orphan with no parents, sponsored to being an actor due my looks, not Betrayed as of yet.

I am Ruthar Vendrian, Unifier of the East, Conquorer of the West. Leader of the 12 Companions. Slayer of Vesial, Demon Prince of Corruption. Slayer of Kastiel, Demon Prince of Hate. Slayer of Sareal, Demoness of Lies. The Bane of Ishan, the Demon King.

"I am the Dragon."

..who was sacrificed by my Companions, When the Karmic Debt incurred by the taboo of the God's direct act of sealing Ishan needed to be paid, I was forced to bear it... alone.

Cursed to a destiny filled with suffering, where any happiness in life was but a stepping stone to a greater fall... why was I awake? Why was I aware?

How come I remember?

"Now thats more like it! Nice job Mitch, just remember, 'You are the Dragon'!"

End of Part 1

“I curse thee and your life

Even in death may you find only strife

Until what you have done has been made right

Shall you again see this sun’s light”

Those were the last words she spoke to me before she passed. I still hear them now ringing in my ear as I look out over my surroundings. Those words and the death her money gave me are all I remember about my past life. The terrifying feeling as the convulsions started and I lost control over my own body. Those feelings pale compared to the terror I feel now. As I arrived a sword was thrust into my hand, and I was sent to the frontline of a war I know not. I see my foes facing me and know truly what terror is. That terror only lasts for a moment though as my body is painfully dissolved in acid spat from a demon across the range. I still remember it taking hours for me to fully die.

The second was better at least in this world they gave me a spear and my foes were humans. Still, that didn’t help me when a great sword cut my spear in half and then my belly in the next moment. My entrails spilling out and boots stamping over me are not memories I can ever forget.

And so, it went for me. Almost always wars and almost always gruesome deaths. Sometimes it was adventuring parties where I was sold as monster bait. Sometimes I was made to be a meat shield while wizards cast spells buying them just a few seconds as my corpse was devoured by all kinds of beasts. Every time it happened the pain of those deaths stuck with me; I can still feel every sword in my body. Every gnawed at bone aches. This time though I finally, after 49 deaths each as gruesome as the last, did it right. I smile and look over at the woman sleeping next to me giving her belly just now starting to bulge a hearty rub. The high general of this world’s premier army. When she saw me broken and shattered, she gave me comfort not pity. She held me as I screamed at invisible things. She was there as I scratched at scars I did not have. She cried with me as the pain I did not have became overwhelming. She was there for me when no other was. Smiling I cuddle in tight and close my eyes.

I feel something shaking me awake. Confused I lash out at the unshaped beings above me. They quickly back off and I feel something long in my arm. As I pull the needle out, I hear the familiar voice of my dealer above me offering platitudes for the trouble. All I can think of though is what has been lost and I begin to cry true and honest tears that I have not wept before. I can still remember the life I had lost even if it may not be real, I know what it has taught me. So, with the dealers protest behind me I walk out the door with a swiftness I should not have, a shirt that should have been loose on my body now pressed tight, and memories of a life I have not lived. Forward to a better tomorrow.

"Ahhh shit here we go again." I said getting to my feet.

"Let's see if they got anything fixed while I was gone." I said to myself heading north until I came across a road and followed it to town.

Looking around the town and seeing everyone stressed and unhappy I sighed and said "looks like leadership didn't do jack shit..."

"Well looks like they are gonna get a rude awaking when I show everyone how lazy they have been." I said cracking my knuckles and walking thru town as I waved my hands causing potholes to rewind back to their complete state. A snap of my fingers cause the lawns and plant life to grow and bloom. And with a clap of my hands I blew away all the dread, dispare and fear.

"One down and a few million more to go...." I said catching my breath after the exertion of will. " I am gonna need to train up some apprentices, I do not want to do all this by myself."

"We kind of need you to do that though." A voice said from both my shoulders.

Turning my head side to side I could see the Visage of a demon on one shoulder and an angel on the other.

The figures then began speaking in turns in their own voices but as one continuous speech.

"Those with powers like ours must be used only to maintain balance. "

"My job is to scare away the dark so the light can shine out of people" said the angel.

"My job is to scare away the light so the light can be guided to those who need it most" said the devil.

"Wait aren't your sides supposed to be at war?" I said not quite understanding.

"No no no, that's my brother from another mother why would I do that." Said the angel.

"Seriously I love my sisters even though we walk opposite paths." Confirmed the Devil.

With that they both appeared to freeze in place then start to gently rock back and forth.

In one voice they said "humanity was always meant to find the balance for all."

"Soooooo I'm not supposed to find apprentices?" I asked surprised.

"Nope you just need to shine when you need and reflect when they need. That is how they will find you." They said with smiles. "Now let's get to work we have alot to do."

At one point, everything had become a game for me. I don't know when that happened but after some time the concept of death had become something familiar yet unfamiliar in a way that a protagonist has plot armour. So when I woke up back at the riverbank where I had felt myself dying, I did know what to think.

I remembered that in previous world, I had defeated the opposing forces and died in the Commander ship of the enemy as the General of Oysyseum Army and I blew up in the middle of space. I remembered that I had impaled my spear into her chest and held a final conversation as she bled out and I counted down the seconds until we both died. And when the moment arrived, I had only seen a bright flash of light before everything went dark.

So then, why was I back here? In the same body that I had been born in? In same place where people like me only knew oppression?

"Check this area! The kid is bound be around here somewhere," I heard a rough, heavy voice yell along with running sound of footsteps. "The current was strong. There's a chance that we'll only find a corpse."

I quickly got up and jumped back into the water. I wasn't thinking about whether I would die again or not. I only followed my instincts and hoped for the best. And when I finally saw my legs turning into scales and tail, I knew for sure. I had retained all my powers from my last birth.

Without wasting another second, I swam away against the current. The government soldiers wouldn't be able to find me now. And with these powers, I guess winning the war would be much easier than it was before.

Darkness. Complete darkness. Then another bright white light. It was time again. I wondered what world I would be in this time. Dragons? Mermaids? Zombie apocalypse? I'd done them all.

"Zo! Zo! Zo, wake up!" A familiar voice called. Familiar. This hadn't happened before, I thought I had imagined it.

"Wh- What?" I mumbled, only just opening my eyes.

"You passed out, come on! We gotta go, and quick!"

Slowly, I pulled myself up and felt something rough on my back. My hand subconsciously moved behind me and clasped around what felt like stone. A stone.

"Are you coming or what?" "Yeah, yeah, gimme a minute."

Shaking, I stumbled to my feet and looked around. It was! My first life, the one I was cursed in. It still echoes in my ears but I push it away every time. A hand extended in front of my face as I finally looked at who it was. My old best friend, Clara, but more battered. Her usual spotless face covered in blood and bruises and her what was once long black hair had become a short, tangled mess with a substance that looked suspiciously like pink goo entangled in with it all.

A dark cloud rose above the two of us as it started to rain. It wasn't just any rain, but a golden, sharp rain that stung if it hit you. As it caught my shoulder, I looked down and saw a scorched patch in the sleeve that looked much older than this. Perhaps centuries, or millenia. I couldn't quite put a pin on the exact number. Fazed memories came back to me, being drowned by sirens, mutilated by zombies or eaten by vampires. As they all came flooding back I could feel a surge of sharp pain through my chest, causing me to grip it and collapse again.

"Zo!" Clara called out, rushing to my side. "Are you alright!" I couldn't muster a response, the seething pain taking over my whole body. It felt like a heart attack turned to the max, like someone stabbed me for every year I had lived. Green beams erupted from the ground, sending dirt and rubble flying everywhere, then met by black shards of glass rising from the underworld, as big as mountains and needle-sharp.

I screamed. And screamed. It must've lasted at least an hour before falling to my knees, my heart racing and red tears streaming down my face. "Zo, can you hear me?" Clara asked, more concerned than ever. She was still here. After all that. She was such a great friend. "Yeah..yeah.. I'm good." I laughed, not feeling it at all.

This had never happened before. Every new life was just normal. I'd grow up from infancy and die a gruesome death. But this was different. Something was wrong.

"We need to go to the library." I sighed, looking up again. After finally standing up again, I held onto a purple branched tree to steady myself. "Of course- Of course. Let's go." Clara walked over and wrapped her arm around my neck, steadying me.

A long sword and bow appeared in my hand. Now this was really weird. Clara didn't seem to notice or care as she lead me away from the forest and towards the once-overpopulated village, now an abandoned wasteland.

In the centre of all the old buildings was a huge castle looking centre. The library. Back in this world, the library was almost like a holy temple, taken care of as if a God itself had blessed its walls. Nothing. Nobody was here. In a way it was peaceful, but also pretty terrifying.

Clara pulled me up the broken staircase, pushing open the double doors with seemingly no effort whatsoever. She smiled as I magically became able to walk steadily again, all my pain from earlier dissolved within the first few steps.

I took a moment to admire this place once more. It was beautiful. Long, tall rows of bookshelves and sitting chairs lined up in the same orderly way the last time I was here. Cautiously, I placed the weapons down on the floor and took a step closer. My heart was racing again.

"Hey, Clara, do you see that over there?" I pointed to a gap between rows C and D. All I got in response was a head shake. She seemed transfixed by something in the corner of the room.

I made a terrible decision and decided to look over where she was. A holograph-style illusion of the two of us appeared, however not how I remembered it at all.

Child-Me was running through the village, bumping into crowds of all different types of people, aliens, vampires, witches. It seemed to be a jump off point to other worlds. Then child-me stopped. A large storm cloud was rolling over the hills as a green glow appeared from the mist. It flew down to ground level, although not quite touching the floor. This is where my memory went blank, although it continued playing.

Child-Me looked up in wonder, amazement almost, as the green glow became human. Well, as close to human as a glowing orb could get. It was disfigured and slightly off putting, but still resembled a normal person.

I turned away from the vision after seeing the same dark hair and green eyes I so recognised. Clara. My whole mind was going crazy, so many questions.

Clara had entered the gap between the two rows I was staring at before, picking up a book and flicking through. When she stopped, she looked straight at me, right into my soul, and screamed. Such a loud, shrill scream that shattered all the windows in the library.

The same storm cloud appeared from the vision, except this time it was on the floor. Rising and rising, until the whole library was covered in grey clouds and mist. Then another scream. And another. Soon, all you could hear was screams, some higher than others. Finally, the cloud passed and I saw what was in front of me.

Thousands upon thousands of skeletons. All moving awkwardly with their mouths agape and eye sockets glowing green. "You! You! You!" They all chanted, coming closer and closer, pointing their boney fingers right at my chest, which began pulsating a green glow.

Clara appeared above them all, her whole body glowing. She smiled, but there was no teeth. She laughed, but there was no mouth. She cried, but there was no tears.

"All of this was YOU!" She screamed, causing the skeletons to go completely silent. "This is YOUR fault, Zophea!"

"What?" I looked up, eyebrows furrowed.

"That day I first came here. You killed her."

"Killed who?"

"You." Clara wailed, her cries booming through the halls.

I stared at her, utterly confused. But I was here?

"You died. But I brought you back. Until you weren't quite you. You went on a rampage and killed everyone. So I cursed you to live a thousand lives, each one dying as gruesome of a death as everyone you hurt."

All I could do was blink. I had no memory of any of this.

"Since the day you were born, you were destined for this. I just made it happen," Clara pulled out a sword and threw it at me, it barely missing by mere inches, "Read the transcript."

Nervously, I looked down at the sword. 'Be prepared. Be ready. For I will take my revenge.'

"Your revenge," Clara sighed, "Was us. This was always going to happen."

I moved my hand closer to the handle, almost instinctively, until it just grazed my fingertips. A bright light erupted the room. Darkness. Complete darkness. Then another bright white light. It was time again.

"Zo! Zo! Zo, wake up!" A familiar voice called.

Welcome to the Prompt! All top-level comments must be a story or poem. Reply here for other comments.

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