Ethereal-Umbra Domain
Aether stood between the two vast and mysterious domains, his eyes fixed on a colossal blue butterfly that fluttered around him with almost ethereal grace.
The creature’s vibrant wings shimmered with otherworldly colours, casting an iridescent glow. Aether’s mind raced with questions, wondering what in the actual hell was transpiring before him now.
“What are you?” Aether demanded.
However, it did not respond. Instead, it swirled gracefully a few times, its wings creating mesmerizing patterns in the air, before it moved away and began circling his transparent Arcane Card, which hovered in the middle of the domain junction.
Aether felt an unsettling sensation creeping over him, something inherently wrong with this butterfly…
Suddenly,
“Interesting…” a soft, feminine voice erupted from the butterfly’s mouth, startling him.
Its eyes, multifaceted and glistening like a thousand tiny sapphires, turned toward Aether. “An Imbalance trying to balance… It’s amus—”
“Get out!”
“Get out!”
BOOOM!!!
In an instant, the butterfly was blasted into a thousand pieces, its delicate flesh splattering in all directions before being instantly absorbed into the domains, leaving no trace of its existence.
Aether’s face contorted with bewilderment and frustration. “What the fuck is going on?” he muttered under his breath, then exhaled deeply before carefully asking, “Is anybody here?”
He asked because he had heard those damned voices again, the ones that haunted his first step!
Yet, there was no response, just an oppressive silence.
Veins bulged on his forehead as his patience wore thin, “Enough with these hide-and-seek games! I’m really tired of your fucking games!”
Yet, there was still nothing but silence.
Aether’s lips trembled, his anger threatening to boil over. But he shook his head, mastering his emotions as he always did….
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“Survive Until The Beginning!”
“Survive Until The Beginning!”
The voices echoed in his ears once more, their tone both a stern and a command, before he suddenly disappeared from the domain, leaving an eerie stillness in his wake.
However…
“Arcane, should you interfere once more, the contract will meet its end.”
“Arcane, should you interfere once more, the contract will meet its end.”
A chilling warning reverberated around the domain, causing the very space to tremble as if it were on the brink of shattering.
From the shadows, a blurry figure materialized out of nowhere, its form shrouded in mystery, neither male nor female, but an enigmatic blend of both.
In its hand, it held a white flower, which stood out in stark contrast, its image crystal clear and strikingly beautiful. The figure walked along the domain junction line with an almost playful gait, a giggle escaping its lips, “Hehehe…” before it gently placed the flower in the Arcane Card.
“Now she knows what’s happening… I’m certain she will begin her game… very soon~”
…
…..
“Aarrrhh,” Aether groaned, his voice raspy and filled with pain as his eyes fluttered open slowly, adjusting to the dim, unfamiliar surroundings.
“Where am I now?” he muttered, his mind struggling to piece together the fragments of his memory. As he attempted to move, a sharp pain shot through his body, causing him to wince. “Damn!” he cursed, frowning deeply.
He felt a strange, unfamiliar weight pressing down on his torso. Looking down, his eyes widened in shock at the sight of a platinum-haired, dark blue-skinned elf lying atop him… naked.
However,
“W-What in the…?” Aether’s voice was filled with confusion and alarm as he took in the sight before him.
The Elf, Maelona, who had always been a vision of beauty and strength, now appeared emaciated and frail, her once voluptuous form reduced to a sickly, thin shell. Her body seemed almost transparent as if something were consuming her from the inside out.
“M-Mother-in-law?” he called out, his voice tinged with dread. There was no response. Fear gripped him as he gently shook her shoulder, hoping to rouse her from her unnatural slumber.
“Hmm…” Maelona groaned weakly before her eyes slowly opened. She looked up at Aether with a small, gentle smile. “Y-you’re awake,” she managed to say, her lips dry and cracked.
Aether’s heart shattered at the sight…. He had never seen her in such a state, so fragile and vulnerable!
“W-What happened?”
Maelona’s smile remained, though it was faint, “There is nothing for you to worry about…” she said softly, her eyelids growing heavy. “…P-Please take… care of my…”
“W-Wait!!” Aether shouted, gripping her shoulder tightly, trying to keep her from slipping away.
“Just what happened? Please tell me!!” His heart ached, seeing her like that!
Maelona’s faint smile persisted. “It’s fin—”
“Maelona!!” Aether cried out, his voice filled with urgency and fear.
Maelona flinched at the sound of her name. She looked at Aether’s face, seeing the depth of his concern. With a weak shake of her head, she began to explain the details of what had transpired, her voice barely above a whisper.
[+500AP]
As Aether listened, his shock and disbelief grew with each word.
He stared at Maelona, the woman who had exchanged her life for his own.
What shocked him even more was,
“Haha…” Maelona chuckled wryly, her laughter filled with a bittersweet resignation, “I never thought my life would not be enough to save yours.”
“W-What do you mean?” Aether’s eyes trembled with fear and confusion.
Equivalent Exchange… That was her power. To heal Aether, she had to give something of equal value….. And Aether, being an irregular, required a steep price.
“Everything…” Maelona mumbled softly, her voice tinged with sad yet happiness, “My life, my power, my levels, my Arcane Weapon, my bloodline, my body… Finally, my soul.”
Aether’s face twisted in horror as he struggled to process the enormity of her sacrifice.
Maelona continued to smile weakly. “It’s fine… fine… Aether… as long as you are alive… Aria will be happy.
She loves you so much, you know.”
Aether swallowed hard, his throat dry, unable to comprehend the extent of Maelona’s sacrifice for her daughter.
“H-How am I supposed to repay this debt?” he mumbled, his voice choked with pain, as he watched her body continue to wither, her skin clinging tightly to her bones.
“N-Never let my daughter be sad,” she mumbled weakly, her voice barely audible.
“T-That’s…” Aether felt a wave of conflicting emotions wash over him. He knew he was far from perfect, a scoundrel at best, and that one day he would inevitably make Aria sad… He could already foresee it.
“W-We could try something. I mean, there must be a way, right?” Aether asked, his expression hopeful, desperately seeking a solution.
“S-Sorry, Aether. I know it might be hurtful, but there is nothing,” Maelona said as she slowly closed her eyes, sensing her time was nearing an end…. But then,
“No-No… I don’t like this!” he shouted, his voice filled with a mix of anger and despair.
“A-Aria will be sad… She will cry and might hate me for taking her mother’s life,” his face contorted with dread.
Maelona shook her head weakly, “S-She won’t—”
“You said it was Arcane who made the exchange, right?”
“W-What ar—”
“Hey, Arcane, speak with me… Now!” Aether said with a deadly serious expression. “If you don’t… I… I will do something… something that you won’t like…
something…” he threatened as he slowly pierced his chest with his fingers.
Maelona’s eyes widened in horror, “W-What are you doing?” she tried to move her weakened body.
Aether knew he was important to Arcane and that was why he was miraculously alive…. Arcane wanted him to live.
If not, why else would Maelona, the last of her tribe, be alive?
It was all for Aether’s sake.
It was just like in the novels where other background characters become a motivation to MC or whatever shit that was!!
Aether understood this clearly, and that was why he was betting his life. His fingers slowly dug deeper into his chest, the pain coursing through his body, yet he continued.
“S-Stop! Please stop!” Maelona shouted, her voice filled with pain. She had given her life to save Aether, and yet he was killing himself.
Aether was just about to reach his inner organs when,
!~Ding~!