A few minutes earlier…
“Those who are wounded, please enter the dome!” Finnian shouted as the soldiers fought relentlessly against the horde of monsters.
The heavily injured were carried in by Kai and other students, their bodies battered and bloodied from the brutal battle outside.
Inside the barrier, Helena knelt beside the injured, her hands glowing as she used her healing ability.
Her gaze swept everywhere.. she watched as wounds slowly knit themselves together, but her heart was pounding for a different reason. Her eyes searched, scanning the injured, scanning the area…. but Aether wasn’t there.
He wasn’t anywhere near. Her heart raced faster, her palms grew clammy, and a cold wave of fear began to creep up her spine.
Where was he?
“Helena, are you sure you’ll be alright?” Finnian asked, his voice laced with concern as he watched her push herself, “You’re overexerting yourself… using too much energy. It’s dangerous.”
Helena shook her head with a small smile, “I’ll be fine, Finnian. I am… being protected,” she said, which made Finnian’s heart skip a beat.
His heart thudded in his chest, and for a moment, he could barely find his voice, “P-Protected? What do you—” His words were cut off by a sudden, desperate cry.
“Someone help her, please! She’s dying!”
Helena snapped to attention, her eyes locking onto the sight of a woman being carried inside, her body battered and broken, missing limbs.
Despite the protective dome’s healing magic, it wasn’t working fast enough for such severe injuries. Without hesitation, Helena rushed forward, her hands glowing brighter as she poured every ounce of energy she had into speeding up the woman’s healing process.
Finnian’s gaze lingered on Helena as she worked. The way she moved, the way she cared for the wounded… he felt something stir deep inside him, something he hadn’t fully understood before.
He loved the Archpriestess, had loved her for years, but now, looking at Helena, that love tangled with something else—something painful, possessive, confusing. After all 10 years in the game… had his feelings shifted? Or was it simply that he couldn’t stand the thought of her being with someone else?
‘Do I love her… or do I just not want to lose her to anyone else?’ His mind reeled with the realization, his emotions a storm of conflict and confusion.
“Finnian!!”
Finnian spun around to see Kai struggling with an injured man in his arms, his face tense. Without another word, Finnian rushed over, placing his hands over the man’s wounds and channelling his healing magic.
“He’s lost a lot of blood,” Kai muttered.
As Finnian worked to stabilize the soldier, Kai’s gaze fell on the blood pooling around them. His stomach churned, and a dangerous thought seized his mind.
‘I’ll kill him… I’ll kill that bastard!’ The words echoed inside Kai’s head, his jaw clenched so tightly his teeth ached.
The blood bath reminded what he saw in the game…. and what he lost… All because of Aether, his slave took everything from him!
‘Maybe my grandfather brought him before he became too powerful, too dangerous. Is that why?’ Kai’s thoughts were dark, spiralling into anger and suspicion.
But before he could dwell any further, he felt a hand gently press against his shoulder.
“Kai?”
He flinched, spinning around to see Vesperine standing behind him, her expression soft, her eyes filled with concern.
Without thinking, Kai pulled her into his arms, hugging her tightly, as though he feared she might disappear from his life.
Meanwhile…
“You’re healed now,” Helena said softly as she completed healing the woman, whose tears of gratitude flowed freely. Helena gave her a brief nod before turning to help the next person in need.
For Helena, the game she faced was pretty simple…. She had moved on from her past, never letting herself drown in regrets. The game had tried to twist her heart, make her question everything, especially her mother, but it had failed.
Yes, she missed her mother terribly, but not once had she doubted her love or loyalty. Her mother hadn’t abandoned her, she was certain of it.
Not for a moment had Helena wavered in her belief.
She understood that everything had a purpose, a reason, even if it wasn’t clear at first… That’s what Archpriestess told her!
After all, she had spent more time with her mother than anyone else, knew her better than anyone, and had no doubts about the depth of her love. And then… there was Aether.
Even though she hadn’t seen him in nearly three years, she could still feel his presence, deep inside her soul. She knew he was protecting her, just as she would protect him when the time came.
‘But seriously… three years?’ Helena thought with a wave of frustration. Three years without seeing him, without feeling his arms around her, without that familiar kiss on her forehead. It annoyed her… Yes, but more than that, it made her ache with longing and slightly twist herself…. as her expression turned slightly dark.
Just as she finished healing another soldier, a voice rang out.
“Look! There are three people approaching, and… it’s Aether and Aria!!”
The words hit Helena like a jolt.
Kai’s face twisted with fury, his eyes narrowing as they locked onto Aether, who was walking calmly, cradling an unconscious Aqualina in his arms. Every muscle in Kai’s body tensed, anger boiling in his veins, “That bastard!” he growled, barely containing his rage.
In the game, Kai had seen the way Aether manipulated Aqualina and Lia, seducing them, and drawing them away from him. Those two belonged to him, not Aether! HIS SLAVE!!
“I’m going to kill him today!” Kai’s voice shook with venom, his fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white. Vesperine frowned, worry flickering in her eyes as she sensed the storm brewing inside him, unsure of how to calm it.
Helena exhaled in relief when she saw Aether approaching, shirtless and carrying Aqualina in his arms. Beside him were Aria, Snowflake, and…. an unknown woman (Celestia).
“Aeth—” she started, her voice trembling, but then her expression changed. Her brow furrowed as she squinted, focusing harder on something strange beside Aether.
Her breath hitched. She couldn’t see it clearly at first, but there—two long, dark black hands were wrapped around his neck. As her gaze followed the sinister limbs upward, her heart stopped.
Aether’s right side was shadowed by a hovering, pitch-black figure—feminine, yet grotesque. Its jet-black hair whipped around violently in the air, as if caught in a storm.
But it was the face… no, the grin… that made Helena’s blood run cold. A huge, menacing white grin stretched across the figure’s smooth, black face and something echoed in Helena’s mind,
“You are not allowed to see me”
“AARRRRRRRHHHHHHHH!!!” Helena screamed as agony shot through her body. Blood began to stream from her eyes.
Finnian rushed to her side, panic gripping him as he placed his hands over her face, desperately trying to heal her, “Helena! What’s wrong?” His voice trembled as he struggled to understand.
He looked toward Aether and the others standing just outside the protective dome, but he saw nothing…. No figure. No dark hands. No sinister grin!
‘Is she overworking herself? Could the backlash happening?’ Finnian wondered, fear and confusion battling inside him.
Meanwhile, Aether’s frown deepened, his eyes narrowing as Helena’s scream tore through the air. “What happened?” he called out, concern etched on his face. He took a step toward the dome, intending to enter—but
Thud!
He was blocked.
Aether sighed.
Without another word, he gently handed Aqualina over to Celestia. “Take her inside, check Helena” he instructed, his voice steady but commanding. Celestia hesitated for a moment, her eyes flickering with doubt, but she eventually nodded and stepped into the dome.
The barrier allowed her through without resistance.
“Aria?” Aether frowned seeing Aria not entering.
“I am fine,” Aria said as she stood beside Aether.
Aether’s frown deepened, “Aria, this isn’t the time to be stubborn. You need to get inside where it’s safe,” he urged, his voice dropping into a softer, pleading tone.
“I’m not going anywhere,” Aria replied firmly, her gaze never wavering. “You’re always worried about me… but I worry about you too, Aether. I’m not leaving you. Not this time.” Her voice trembled slightly, but her resolve was unshakable.
She stared at dark black eyes though felt weird but she would not leave him!
Aether’s lips trembled for a second before he leaned forward and kissed her. Pulling back, he turned snowflake, “What about you?”
Aria blinked, her surprise evident, but her expression soon softened, her eyes misting with emotion. Her lips curled into a faint smile as warmth filled her chest, ‘So… he does love me,’ she thought, her heart swelling with almost painful happiness.
Snowflake, despite the fear gnawing at her instincts, “Nooo~ I love Masterrr~” she declared, though a faint shiver betrayed her fear of the danger that loomed. Still, there was no hesitation in her voice. She would never abandon Aether, no matter how terrified she was.
Aether couldn’t help but smile at her. But before he could say more, a sudden roar pierced the tension.
“YOU BASTARD!!!”
Aether barely had time to react as Kai lunged at him, his hands locking around Aether’s neck in a furious grip.
“What did you do to her!?” Kai shouted, his voice raw with rage. His grip tightened as he glared at Aether, his mind racing with paranoia and fear.
Seeing Aether half-naked, holding Aqualina… it triggered the worst thoughts in Kai’s mind, memories from the game he couldn’t forget. The visions he’d seen, the horrifying things Aether had done to the women he cared about… could it have happened already?
“I didn’t do anything to her, Master Kai,” Aether responded quietly.
“Let him go!” Aria dangerously said with darker eyes.
Aether glanced at Aria.. He could feel her rage rising, and she looked ready to kill Kai on the spot.
Kai spat in fury, but Aether tilted his head just in time to avoid it. “Did you… did you rape her?” Kai’s voice trembled as the words left his lips, the accusation heavy with disgust and pain.
Aether’s expression darkened, his brow furrowing. “What are you talking about, Kai?”
“ANSWER ME!” Kai roared, his voice cracking as his fury reached its peak. “DID YOU RAPE HER, YOU BASTARD?!” His face contorted with rage, and every muscle in his body tensed as if he was about to explode.
Before Aether could respond, a chilling voice interrupted the chaos.
“Well, well… what an interesting little drama we have here~”
Everyone froze.
Their heads snapped toward the source of the voice, and standing a little far away… Jack Sparrow with a wicked grin, casually holding someone’s severed head in one hand.
Aether’s eyes flared with sudden rage, turning blood red as his voice boomed, filled with fury, “JAAAACCCCKKKKKKKK!!!!”