“Masterrrr~” Snowflake sneered as her golden slit eyes locked onto the mass of slithering snakes. They surrounded them, not just one or two, but an army—tens upon tens of monstrous snakes, their sinister gazes fixed on one person in particular….
Aether.
Aether, barely acknowledging their presence, kept his hollow eyes on Aqualina. She lay there, mumbling softly, “Kill me… kill me…” Her words, weak and unconscious, pierced his heart. His gaze shifted, darkening as he turned to face the approaching horde.
“Aether, we’ll handle—” Aria’s voice cut through the tension, but before she could finish, a single, thin red sword materialized in the air, flashed before her eyes and sliced through one of the snake’s heads with precision.
Blood sprayed, staining the ground beneath.
Aether’s voice was cold and distant, “I’ll say this only once… Leave. Me. Alone.” The words were barely louder than a whisper, yet they carried a weight that sent a chilling ripple through the air.
The snakes hesitated when they saw the black void in Aether’s eyes that seemed to consume them.
He didn’t want this…. Reason? He had Snowflake by his side, a creature of the same kind, and though they were monsters, he felt reluctant to slaughter them all before her.
He feared it would traumatize her, make her feel the weight of his merciless wrath.
But then—
“HISSSSSSS~”
Without fear, without hesitation, they slithered forward, their bodies coiling, muscles tensing, preparing to strike.
Aether sighed, “So be it.”
With a wave of his hand, the air around them shimmered, and thousands—no, tens of thousands…. of red thin swords manifested in an instant.
Each one gleamed with deadly intent, poised and ready. The moment passed in a blur. The blades shot forward with terrifying speed, piercing every snake within reach. Blood erupted in fountains, painting the battlefield as the serpents writhed in agony. The swords showed no mercy, plunging into every inch of the snakes’ bodies, leaving them pinned to the ground like grotesque trophies.
The air was filled with the sound of metal slicing through flesh, the snakes’ hisses turning into desperate, gurgling cries as their numbers dwindled.
Snowflake stood still, her eyes narrowing as she observed the massacre. Her frown deepened, but she said nothing…. She turned her gaze to Aether, who was already watching her.
The two exchanged a long, silent look.. before,
“Mastterrrr~” Snowflake purred, her voice softer now.
[+4000 AP]
Aether’s lips twitched into a faint, almost invisible smile before his attention returned to Aqualina, who was still lying there, caught in the grip of some terrible nightmare.
He crouched beside her, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
“Aqua… just tell me what happened,” he whispered.
But her unconscious response was the same, a weak, broken whisper: “K-Kill me…”
Aether bit his lip, his heart clenching painfully.
What had she seen?
What kind of torment had twisted her mind so deeply?
He knew she was strong, one of the strongest people he’d ever met.
She wouldn’t break this easily. But still, here she was, begging for death… all she wanted was to protect her mother.
That’s all!
Thinking about Sandra,
“Aqualina…” He swallowed hard, his voice trembling as he asked softly, “Your mother is fi—”
“NO!!” Aqualina suddenly screamed, her body jerking upright. Her eyes snapped open, but there was no life in them—just emptiness, “M-Mother… Sandra is not fine!!” Her voice cracked, and Aether felt his breath catch in his throat.
He stared at her, his own lips trembling. She looked so… lost. Her eyes, those bright, intelligent eyes that always sparkled with cunning and fire, were now nothing but empty voids…. mirroring his own.
“Heh… S-She’s fine,” Aether stammered.
“No… No… She is not…” Aqualina whispered, her voice breaking as she raised her trembling hands, “I-I… I killed her… with my own two hands…” Tears began to well up in her eyes, but instead of water…. they were blood.
Dark red rivers streamed down her pale cheeks, painting her face.
Aether’s heart skipped a beat. His hand shot out, healing her eyes with a surge of energy, but the blood kept flowing. She continued to cry, but no tears came—only blood, as if her soul had been bled dry long ago.
“A-Aether,” Aria whispered, her voice filled with concern as she watched him fall apart.
Aether’s mind raced, ‘What could she have seen? What could have shattered her like this?’
What could possibly break her too much that happened in past….
“Or… the future?” he mumbled under his breath.
Why hadn’t he realized it sooner?
What if she, like him, had glimpsed the future?
What if she had seen the consequences of her actions, the ripple effects of her choices, and been twisted by the weight of it all?
Still, one question haunted him:
“Why did she kill her mother?” Aether’s thoughts spiralled, ‘Was it because Sandra… in the future… tried to kill her? Or… kill me?’ His mind raced through possibilities, each more disturbing than the last.
“A-Ae…ther?”
His heart froze as Aqualina’s voice called out to him once more.
Slowly, colour began to seep back into her lifeless eyes, and her lips curled into a weak smile as if she were waking from a long nightmare, “Kiss me…” she murmured, her lips trembling.
Aether without a second thought leaned in, pressing his lips to hers.
Aria gasped softly in the background, her shock palpable.
Aqualina’s gaze softened as she looked up at him, “Y-You look hurt… Aether…” Her voice was frail, almost childlike, as her trembling hand reached up to touch his face, “W-Who… hurt… you…”
Aether’s lips trembled. His eyes filled with unshed tears as he struggled to control the emotions surging through him, “I… sniff… I’m fine,” he whispered, forcing a smile even though it hurt.
Aqualina’s lips curled into a faint, gentle smile before her eyes fluttered shut. “I… am… so… sleepy…” Her words trailed off as she slipped back into unconsciousness.
Celestia stepped forward, ready to wake her, but Aether gently stopped her with a hand. He didn’t know what had happened, but one thing was clear—Aqualina needed to rest.
A deep, long rest!
Aether gently lifted Aqualina into his arms, holding her fragile form as if she were made of glass. He cradled her close, careful not to jostle her as he turned to Celestia.
His voice clam as he asked, “What happened?”
Celestia’s gaze flickered between Aqualina and Aria, her lips tightening before she spoke, “As soon as you and the others entered the game, the snake monsters… they came from the depths of the deep valley, overwhelming everything.
These creatures were far stronger than any golden crystal type.
None of them knew about the details of these monsters… not even Principal who was shocked to see these kinds of monsters.
The lower-ranked soldiers didn’t stand a chance—they were torn apart. The higher-ranked ones managed to form small groups, but even they were being overrun by the sheer number of snake monsters that kept coming out!”
Aether nodded, absorbing her words as he turned his attention to the sky. Red thunder rippled across the heavens, its eerie glow casting a crimson tint over the battlefield.
The sound of distant clashes, “And what’s happening up there?”
Celestia looked at the sky and visibly shuddered, her body stiffening…. Her breath hitched for a moment before she managed to speak, “T-That… is the Principal’s fight.” Her voice faltered, betraying the fear coursing through her, “We have to focus on regrouping. The Principal… she’ll handle it.”
Aether studied her for a moment, his expression unreadable. With a curt nod, he shifted his gaze to Aria, who stood staring at him, lost in a storm of conflicting emotions.
His chest tightened, “I… I won’t ask for your forgiveness… I… I’m sorry, Aria. I… I…” He faltered, his voice choking on the words he couldn’t bring himself to say to the woman he truly loved.
Celestia placed a hand on his shoulder as if to change the topic, She pointed toward the distant white light that shimmered in the chaos, “We need to move. Now.”
Aether lingered for a moment, his gaze still locked on Aria.
With a final, silent nod, he turned and began walking toward the white light, his red swords floating around him, clearing a path with deadly precision. Each blade sliced through anything that dared to stand in their way, leaving a trail of destruction.
Snowflake followed closely, her eyes darting around warily…. she wasn’t sure why but her instincts screamed at her to flee, sensing something… really catastrophic waiting!
As they marched through the blood-soaked battlefield, Aria stayed beside Aether, her gaze fixed on his back.
Celestia, walking behind them, sighed softly…. While she was relieved that he had acted to save Aqualina without hesitation still the situation was really out of his hands.
‘I have to do something about her,’ Celestia thought grimly, her mind racing for a solution to prevent Aria from doing anything dangerous or reckless but then she frowned seeing a skeletal stone-like object a little far away, ‘What’s that?’
Meanwhile,
‘The night sky…’ he glanced up at the dark, pulsing clouds that flickered with red lightning.
THUNDER!
‘The bloody ground…’ His eyes fell to the battlefield, the crimson-stained earth.
Drip… Drip….
‘So much death…’ He looked at the bodies of fallen soldiers, dragons, and monsters alike. The Empire was slowly being destroyed…. His gaze shifted to Aqualina, her unconscious form still cradled in his arms, her face pale and cold.
‘Black eyes…’ He remembered the look in his eyes… his own two black eyes.
Everything led to only one thing… Delphine’s Vision… the Vision of the Future…
The death of everyone!!
“And I… I’m the reason for it all?” Aether mumbled, his voice weak as his gaze fell on his bloodstained hands.
His heart raced, each beat pounding in his chest like the ominous thunder above.
He wasn’t going to kill them… not his beloveds… there was no way!!!
But unless they all knew the truth, unless they… chose to end themselves… like in the future vision he saw before…
Aether’s throat tightened. He swallowed hard, his fear gripping him as the visions he had seen flashed before his eyes.
Thud!
His body wavered, and he nearly collapsed to the ground. But before he fell, Aria caught him, her grip strong, steady.
“I-I’m fine—”
“No, you’re not,” Aria cut him off, her voice sharp yet laced with concern.
She pointed down at his trembling knees, her expression a mixture of frustration and worry. “Stop pretending, Aether. You’re not fine.” as she helped him.
Aria glanced at him, noticing his trembling lips. She knew he was in pain, just as she was. Her voice softened, almost hesitant, “Once this is all over… we need to talk.”
Aether remained silent, his eyes cast downward.
Aria’s heart clenched!
As they neared the white dome of light that shimmered in the distance, created by Helena’s power, protecting those inside… just like before.
The people inside the dome rushed to tell Helena, who was healing the wounded. She halted and turned around to see them.
But the moment her eyes fell on Aether, she froze…
“Aeth—ARRRHHHHHHHH!!!” Helena’s scream pierced the air, her body suddenly wracked with agony as she clutched her side, blood seeping through her fingers.