"I have come to give you a warning," Gustav''s hologram said to Emil. "The Austro-Hungarian Empire will collapse following a great war. This is inevitable."


    Emil looked at Camilla. She was still passed out. He looked back at Gustav''s hologram, and took a deep breath. He tried to fathom what he was seeing and what he was hearing. He wanted to make sense of it with common logic, but he could not. He could only accept it for what it was.


    Emil felt sick with anxiety. "Am I hallucinating? The voices . . . now this, how can any of it be real?"


    "That voice you heard earlier was merely a test. I was communicating to you audibly through the origin point, as I am now in a more complete manifestation—one only you can see and hear. The voice you heard was not heard by Camilla, and this apparition before you cannot be seen by her either. Even if I wanted my daughter to see me like this, there appear to be some symptoms which are triggered by the presence of my hologram. Too bad."


    "Hm, yes," Emil said, feeling overwhelmingly nauseous. "So, this origin point you discovered allows you to project your voice and your image? And you can predict the future? Is that correct?"


    The hologram flickered like a bolt of lightning and said, "Yes. You were skeptical at first, but now you must put that skepticism aside and act."


    "Herr Silber, I don''t know how I may proceed. I feel unwell. Physically, mentally, emotionally."


    Emil sat beside Camilla. Her head turned, and Emil heard a faint groan. Emil sighed; seeing her in this condition was only increasing the stress. He also remembered how she told him about Gustav''s suggestion for her to be married to Emil. Was that also true? It almost seemed insignificant with everything else that was said.


    "At this time, you must continue the path you are on and be aware of your surroundings. I entrust my family to you. When you see Paula, tell her I miss her deeply. And Camilla . . ." The hologram flickered once again. Gustav looked to his daughter and then to Emil.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    ". . . There are some things I cannot see nor control, but I will tell you this one last thing before we must part: I truly believe you are the man for her, Herr Weiss."


    It was the first time Gustav had addressed Emil in such an honorable way. Emil could feel a chill down his spine, and his nausea subsided.


    Before Emil could speak another word, Gustav''s hologram vanished as fast as he could blink.


    .?.


    Camilla was groggy, sore, and scraped up, but the morning light felt rejuvenating as it warmed her skin. She was lying on a pile of leaves at the base of a mountain surrounded by trees. She tried to remember where she was, but her mind was too foggy.


    She heard footsteps coming toward her. She wanted to stand up, but her legs were still too stiff.


    "Good morning," Emil said while keeping his distance. He did not want to startle her.


    Camilla was able to recognize Emil this time right away. She smiled at him, but said nothing. For some reason, she felt guilty. She wanted to apologize, even though she had no control over what happened.


    Emil came closer to her and sat down. "I thought it would be better to let you sleep for a while. I heard seizures really tire people out. I''ve never had one myself, but . . ."


    She leaned over and put her head on his shoulder. He smiled and put his hand on her leg. He knew of no words which could make her feel better at a time like this, but to offer the simple gesture of touch was enough to console her.


    "You saw him last night, didn''t you?" Camilla asked after a long, quiet moment. "My father. He appeared and I had that seizure. Is that correct?"


    Emil was stunned, not knowing how she could possibly know this, but decided to be honest with her. "Yes. Your father was here. He spoke to me, we talked for a while, and he left."


    "That''s all, huh?" Camilla''s voice was still subdued by exhaustion.


    He wanted to tell her the full truth. He wanted to explain everything, including the part where Gustav said the Austro-Hungarian Empire would crumble following a terrible war—but he couldn''t do it. He was scared. More than he ever was in his life, he was afraid, and under Camilla''s head which rested on him he could feel the weight of the world on his shoulders.