Victor’s hands moved with careful precision as he screwed the small, jet-black crystals back into their designated places at each corner of the Artifact.
Could Victor really handle these crystals without short-circuiting them?
Yes, he could. Victor wasn’t just an ordinary person; he was a clone, a creation channelled with Arcane energy directly from Aether.
After the final crystal was secured, a palpable tension broke within the group. Faces that had been taut with anxiety softened into expressions of relief. The nightmare they had been trapped in for so long seemed to finally be nearing its end, and hope began to bloom in the hearts of everyone present.
The crystals, which had been flickering erratically, suddenly steadied, and the central, larger yellow crystal began to glow with an intense, steady light.
Victor’s gaze swept over the group, meeting each pair of eyes in turn.
There was a silent understanding, a nod from each of them…
Aether, leaning heavily on Helena’s shoulder, caught Victor’s eye. Victor nodded before slowly reaching out to turn the yellow crystal ball.
Trrrr
A subtle tremor rippled through the dome, the structure quivering as if it were alive. Slowly, almost imperceptibly at first, the dome began to shrink, its vastness reducing inch by inch.
The sight brought a flicker of joy to everyone’s faces…. joy that had been so scary. They dared to believe, dared to hope that this might be the end of their suffering.
But just as that fragile hope began to solidify, Aether, glanced at Selene who was glancing at him, Selene’s voice rang out,
“Wait!!!”
Breaking through the fragile silence like shattering glass.
Victor’s hand froze in mid-motion. He turned to Selene, and so did everyone else, their faces etched with confusion.
“What happened, Miss Selene?” Alaric asked, his voice calm but edged with a hint of impatience.
Selene’s face was pale, her eyes wide with a fear that gripped her heart like an iron vice. She struggled to find the words, her voice trembling as she finally spoke, “I… I’m just worried.”
“Worried?”
“Yes, what if it… what if it explodes after we deactivate the Artifact?” Selene’s voice cracked, her fear spilling over into every word. Her hands clenched tightly at her sides, her knuckles white with tension…. She overdoing her act!!!
Alaric shook his head, trying to dispel her fears with logic, “We just checked the circuit, didn’t we? Victor?”
Victor, his expression serious, nodded, “Yes, there’s no triggering mechanism in these crystals,” he said, his voice steady. He had checked, double-checked even, and Raven had confirmed his findings, “I didn’t see anything unusual in the circuit, so I believe it will be fine,” she added, hoping to reassure her.
But Selene’s fear didn’t abate. If anything, it seemed to deepen, her eyes darting nervously from one face to another, “E-Even so, I can’t shake this feeling… something’s wrong… something’s terribly wrong,” she whispered, her voice barely audible, yet filled with such dread that it sent a ripple of unease through the group.
‘Not bad…’ Aether thought with amusement.
Delphine, seeing her niece’s distress, sighed softly before wrapping her one arm around her in a comforting embrace. “It’s all right, Selene. There’s no need to worry,” she murmured, trying to soothe her. But Selene shook her head, the fear still etched into her face, unwilling to let go.
Aqualina, who had been watching silently, frowned deeply. She stepped forward, her voice firm and decisive. “Why don’t we test it first?” she suggested.
She knew they had to be sure—absolutely sure—that there was no hidden danger, no trap left by the mysterious figure who had been manipulating them all along.
The suggestion resonated with the group. They exchanged glances, realizing it was not wrong to test it. They couldn’t afford to be complacent, not with so much at stake. They all nodded in agreement.
Aether couldn’t help but smirk inwardly, a subtle shift in his expression, ‘That’s Aqua for you,’ he thought. He leaned more comfortably against Helena, allowing himself a moment of rest. He knew his time to act would come soon enough….. his chance to seal the deal.
Victor decided it was safer to close only one of the domes rather than all of them at once. The professors quickly organized the students, moving them to the other dome to avoid any potential danger. Even though they were positioned at the intersection of the four domes, Alaric and the others didn’t want to leave anything to chance.
Once everyone was safely moved, Alaric issued an order, his voice carrying authority. “Guard, stand on the side of the dome we’re about to close.”
Aether’s brow furrowed in confusion, ‘A guard?’ he thought, puzzled. He had expected them to use the spiders they had captured for the test. Those spiders, especially the large one that had cost Delphine her arm, would have been perfect.
‘Tsk,’ Aether clicked his tongue in frustration. He knew what the outcome would be, and had even orchestrated it to some extent, but the thought of someone losing their life as part of his plan gnawed at him… He was not that bad!
His thoughts were interrupted when he noticed Helena’s trembling hand beside him.
Aether turned his gaze to Helena, her normally calm demeanour cracked, revealing the anxiety that lay beneath. Her lips quivered, betraying the fear she tried so hard to hide, ‘Don’t tell me…. she is worried…. ‘ he realized, ‘Worried that someone innocent might die because of all this’
Aether softened his expression and, in a voice low and drunken “What’s wrong?”
Helena flinched, startled by the sudden question. “H-Huh? N-Nothing…” she stammered, forcing a smile that didn’t reach her eyes.
Aether noticed her reaction and it conformed his thoughts, He leaned in closer, his voice barely above a whisper as he gazed into her golden eyes, “I told you, didn’t I? I’ll protect you.”
Helena blinked, confusion flickering across her face. Protect her? From what? She couldn’t understand what he meant.
Aether offered her a gentle smile, his eyes warm and reassuring, “There’s no need to hide your true self from me…” he murmured, his words carrying a deeper meaning that only he seemed to grasp.
Helena tilted her head, still puzzled… or perhaps, deep down, she didn’t want to understand because of…. Archpriestess’s words/Lesson!!
Yes, Aether understood now, understood her in a way he hadn’t before.
He understood what she truly meant… She was an innocent and naive girl… still now and just like how she was in childhood.
Aether stared at Helena for a moment, his eyes clouded with unspoken thoughts before he slowly moved away from her.
His legs wobbled slightly as he tried to maintain his act, he walked toward Alaric. The familiar smirk curled on his lips as he called out, “Hey, Bastard!”
Alaric, who had been focusing on the task at hand, turned back with a scowl. “What is it, Brat?” he snapped.
Aether’s smirk widened, his tone dripping with mockery, “Why don’t you go over to that side?” he suggested.
Alaric’s lips twitched in irritation, “Are you, by any chance, telling me to die?”His voice was low, almost a growl, as he took a step closer to Aether.
“Chance? Pfff!!” Aether let out a haughty laugh, but his expression quickly shifted to one of annoyance. “So, you’re worried about dying, but you don’t care about sending a guard to his death?” he taunted, his eyes glinting with a dangerous edge.
Alaric’s expression hardened. His gaze flicked to the students, who were now watching the exchange with a mix of concern and confusion. He was just about to offer some stern advice when Aqualina stepped in, her voice cutting through the tension.
“Professor Kin, don’t you have that spider in the bottle?” she asked, her tone calm but firm. She clearly didn’t want Aether’s provocations to escalate any further.
The Professor, who had been silently observing, immediately retrieved the bottle he had saved for his research. With careful precision, he rolled it towards the other dome and signalled the guard to step back, out of harm’s way.
Though the situation seemed under control, Alaric’s eyes remained fixed on Aether, glaring daggers at him. ‘Let’s see how long you can keep up that shitty act of yours,’ he thought bitterly before forcing himself to return his focus to the task at hand.
Helena, who had been quietly watching, felt a strange mix of emotions as Aether slowly made his way back to her.
He leaned against her shoulder as if it were the most natural thing in the world…. as if he belonged there.
No one questioned his closeness. After all, Helena was the Saintess, and Aether was the man who helped them to find the black crystal balls… even if he was drunk!!
“W-Why?” Helena’s voice trembled as she spoke, barely above a whisper. She wasn’t sure why, but a deep warmth blossomed in her chest, a happiness she hadn’t expected. It confused her, but it was undeniable.
She knew what the Archpriestess had taught her…. that sacrifices were sometimes necessary for the greater good. Yet, seeing innocent lives in danger, the very people she wished to protect and bring happiness to, tore at her heart. She had learned to hide that pain, to keep her emotions in check because that’s what the Archpriestess had expected of her.
But now, at this moment, Aether’s actions stirred something within her. She didn’t understand it fully, but she couldn’t ignore it.
Aether simply smiled, his voice gentle as he replied, “Didn’t I say I’d protect you? I’ll protect all of you~”
Helena’s eyes widened slightly, and she stared at Aether in stunned silence. His words resonated deep within her, touching something she had kept buried for so long.
She felt something shift in her heart…. she couldn’t quite put it into words. Silently, she turned her gaze back to the scene before them, lost in thought….
[+5000 A-]
[+5000 A-]
[+5000 A-]
[+5000 A-]
[+5000 A-]
[+5000 A-]
[+5000 A-]
Aether’s smirk widened…. Just a few more pushes and he would have his Saintess.
He knew the outcome of this test already so he allowed himself a moment of satisfaction, closing his eyes as he began to contemplate what kind of plan he would need to pull off next.
Victor, having carefully removed one of the domes, watched as a quarter of the Academy returned to its former state, infused with Arcane energy once more.
The tension in the air was thick, everyone waiting with bated breath to see if the spider in the bottle would react.
….. But nothing happened.
Alaric sighed in relief, and the others began to relax, smiles of hope and joy spreading across their faces.
“YAYY–”
BOOOOOOMMMM!!
Their celebration was cut short by a deafening blast. The spider in the bottle exploded with a force far more powerful than anything they had anticipated.
Faces that had been full of relief and joy twisted into expressions of horror and disbelief. The realization hit them like a punch to the gut… if not for Selene’s warning, they would have all been dead.
Victor quickly restored the dome.
Panic began to ripple through the group, fear taking hold as the gravity of their situation set in.
“What should we do now?” someone whispered, their voice trembling with fear.
“Is there really no chance of living?” another cried out, their despair evident.
“I miss my mommy!! Aawwww!!” a young student wailed, tears streaming down their face as the terror overwhelmed them.
As the panic grew, Victor knelt beside the remains of the exploded spider, examining it closely. His mind raced, piecing together the clues, until a theory began to form. Standing, he addressed the group, his voice calm but urgent.
“I think the trigger is in the spiders…” he began, his eyes scanning the faces around him, searching for understanding.
“What do you mean?” Alaric asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.
Victor’s expression was serious as he explained, “The spiders were implanted with a triggering circuit. If they detect even a small amount of Arcane energy… they’ll immediately explode.”
A heavy silence fell over the group as the weight of his words sank in. They barely had time to process this new information when,
Ding~Dong~Ding~Dong~Ding~Dong
The sound of a bell echoed throughout the dome, it’s toll ominous and foreboding….
Alaric’s face turned hard.
THUNDER!!!!
Delphine’s face turned grim.
‘Hehe…’
and Aether chuckled inwardly.