âI SAID STOP IT!!!â Aether roared, his voice filled with desperation and fury. Flames erupted from his hands, engulfing the room in a shimmering blaze of blue fire.
The visions that tormented him flickered in the heatâŠ.. but they did not disappear.
His heart pounded, the rage boiling within him threatening to consume everything.
[Oh, come now, Gentleman Aether. You canât solve everything with violence, no matter how much you want to.]
The words appeared, taunting him with their calmness, floating before Aetherâs wild, bloodshot eyes. His entire body trembled with barely contained wrath as he glared at the words.
âStop this⊠Stop it all⊠Now!â His voice dropped to a dangerous growl.
[Oh my~ Are you really trying to threaten me?
How adorable, like a child throwing a tantrum.
But since weâve arrived at the place I wanted to show you, let me ask you somethingâŠ
You despised your motherâs marriage, didnât you? You hated every moment of it, yet you never spoke up.
Why?
Why did you stay silent when it mattered most?]
Aetherâs breath caught in his throat as the words struck deep, triggering the reel of memories he wished he could forget.
The visions shifted, displaying his motherâs wedding day. It was a grand affair, the kind that made headlines. A union between a beloved top actress and a powerful high-level politician. The kind of wedding that glittered with perfection.
As he watched, his motherâs radiant smile after so many years cut through his anger, leaving only a hollow ache, âI⊠I wanted her to be happy,â he whispered, the words tasting bitter on his tongue. âJust like my father found happiness in his new lifeâŠâ
[Hmm⊠Interesting. Youâve seen too many dramas at a young age if you truly believe such naive things.]
Aetherâs mind drifted back to his childhood, the memories of countless dramas his parents used to watch. Despite his neurological issues, he had always been a curious child, absorbing everything around him like a sponge.
The stories, the fantasies, Even acting⊠they all became a part of him, a way to escape the harsh reality he was too young to fully understand.
[But tell me, Aether⊠Were you happy? Truly happy?]
The vision twisted, the bright wedding scene replaced by a much darker memory.
His stepfatherâs cold, disdainful gaze bore into him. Whenever his mother wasnât home, the man would order him around, treating him like a servant rather than a son.
The little boy would bite his lip, agreeing to every demand, hoping it would gain his affection and make his motherâs life easier⊠but,
Slap!
The sound echoed in Aetherâs ears, as sharp and stinging as it had been all those years ago.
âTsk, useless, just like your worthless father,â his stepfather sneered. Aether, still too young to fight back, this time spilling tea on the manâs expensive clothes. âNext time you stain my clothes, You will be sleeping on the road!â
As time passed, the manâs cruelty grew. He began hurting Aether whenever his mother was away, finding joy in the boyâs pain. When Aether could no longer bear it, he finally told his mother, his voice shaking with fear and hope.
But her reaction shattered him.
âIf you hate your new father, just say so,â she snapped, her eyes cold, her love suddenly distant, âHeâs the best man Iâve ever met, unlike your bastard father who couldnât even controlââ She cut herself off, her voice rising. âTsk, next time you speak ill of your father, donât make me hate you more than I already do!â
Aetherâs vision blurred with tears as he stared at the memory, his focus narrowing to his motherâs face, etched with anger and disappointment.
The woman who had once been his world now seemed like a stranger.
[It all began because you didnât voice your true emotionsâŠ]
The scene suddenly froze, leaving Aether suspended in a dark void. The words shimmered in front of him, twisting and changingâŠ
[If only you had shown who you really were⊠the outcome could have been so differentâŠ]
The vision shifted again, showing an alternate realityâa âWhat if?â that Aether had never allowed himself to imagine.
âNo, Mommy! Please donât marry him! I donât want to lose you!â A younger version of himself cried out, his voice filled with desperation as he clung to his motherâs leg.
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âN-NoâŠâ Aether stammered, his heart pounding in disbelief as he watched the memory warp before his eyes. This wasnât how it happened⊠and yet, it was everything he had ever wanted.
What if he had been brave enough to express his true feelings?
What if he had ignored his motherâs smile and told her the truth?
Aetherâs breath caught as he saw the alternate outcome unfold. His mother, moved by his outburst, cancelled the marriage. Slowly, they grew closer, forging the bond he had always dreamed of, the connection he had longed for every day of his life.
[See⊠it wasnât so hard, was it? If only you had been true to yourself⊠ButâŠ]
Aetherâs eyes filled with a mix of despair and longing as he watched the vision. The boy grew up happily by his motherâs side, loved and cherishedâa life Aether had never known. It was like staring into a mirror that showed everything he had ever wanted, everything he had lost.
[Thereâs no changing the past⊠You ignored your own feelings and sacrificed your happiness for othersâŠ]
âI⊠IâŠâ Aetherâs voice cracked, the words caught in his throat, suffocating him with their weight.
[A child should have been selfish⊠Thatâs what it means to be a child. You should have fought for your happiness, for yourself.]
As the room plunged into darkness, a deep, unsettling silence enveloped Aether. Two ominous doors materialized before him, one pure white, the other a swirling mix of white and a small quantity of black.
[Now chooseâŠ. If you believe what you did in the past was right, then choose the white door. But⊠if you think the vision you saw represents the true outcome of your actions, then choose the other oneâŠ]
Aetherâs mind was already a tangled mess, lost in a labyrinth of doubt and confusion.
He stared at the two doorsâŠ. Slowly, almost mechanically, he began to move toward the white door.
His lifeless eyes reflected his inner turmoil, and his hands trembled uncontrollably.
Was he made a mistake?âŠ. Or was this twisted game playing with his emotions, distorting his sense of reality?
Just as his fingers brushed against the cold surface of the white door, the words appeared once more, hovering before him like a silent judge.
[Are you sureâŠ? Are you going to choose the path youâve already taken, that miserable decision that changed your life for the worse?]
Aetherâs hand hesitated, hovering inches from the doorknob. His gaze locked onto the words, his voice barely a whisper as he replied, âY-Yeah⊠Itâs because I⊠I loved her more than I loved myself⊠I chose her happiness over mine.â His voice quivered, the conviction in his words wavering. Just as he was about to turn the knob, the words appeared again, stopping him in his tracks.
[Even if I told you⊠You could change your past, would you still choose the same path?]
ââŠ.â
The level bar fluctuated wildlyâŠ
Meanwhile, in another part of the game chamber,
[Are you sure about this⊠Lady Raven Noir?]
âY-Yes⊠I do,â Raven panted, her breath ragged and uneven. Sweat dripped from her brow, her entire body trembling as she fought to maintain her sanity. Her hands clenched into fists as she forced herself forward, every step toward the white door a battle against the madness clawing at her mind.
Raven stepped through the door, only to be met with the same reels of her memories, playing out before her once again. Her eyes narrowed in frustration and anger.
She knew this game would continue, tormenting her, until she fully accepted herselfâuntil she embraced the choices she had made.
This game was designed to break those who couldnât reconcile with their past, to shatter them until there was nothing left but despairâŠ. And Raven was no exception.
Suddenly, the words appeared, mocking her resolve.
[This is your second time here, isnât it?]
Ravenâs lips pressed into a thin line, refusing to give the voice the satisfaction of a response.
[Fu~Fu~ I see⊠Iâm sorry, itâs âherâ second time, not yours!]
Ravenâs hands clenched tighter, her nails digging into her palms as she fought to contain her rage.
[Since both of you are here⊠Why donât we see âHerâ memories too?]
Ravenâs face went pale. She had expected this, but the dread still seeped into her bones, âI knew these bastards wouldnât let me get through this unscathedâŠâ she thought.
Without hesitation, she threw several sparkling crystal balls into the air, scattering them around the room.
Spark!!
Spark!!!!
The crystal balls emitted violent sparks, crackling with energy, their light flashing chaotically in the dark room.
[Violence is not the answer~]
A smirk played on Ravenâs lips as she nudged her sunglasses, her eyes gleaming, âThis isnât violence⊠This is something else entirely. RatherâŠ
Activate System Code: 232476.â
The words froze in midair, their glow flickering before a new message appeared,
[âŠ.. Activating]
Ravenâs smirk widened, âBypass the system,â she ordered, her voice steady, laced with satisfaction.
