[….]
[….]
[….]
[….]
[….]
!~Ding~!
[Iteration No.29!]
!~Ding~!
[A strong will to live!!]
!~Ding~!
[Achieved Compatibility is 91%]
!~Ding~!
[Verifying the Last Checkpoint]
[….] Your journey continues with empire
[….]
[….]
_____________________
Aether’s POV
I… I felt weightless, as though my body was suspended in water, drifting aimlessly.
The sensation was so soothing that I didn’t want it to end…
Every muscle, every thought in my mind, unwound as I let go of everything.
It was… perfect. There was no noise, no pressure. Just stillness!
But even in this serene state, something nagged at me—a strange hollowness.
I felt… empty!
For some reason, that emptiness gnawed at me…. A sense of loss… of guilt…
‘Why am I feeling this?’ I wondered, but my mind couldn’t find any answers…. but one thing was sure… I wanted to stay here, drifting away, leaving behind all those unknown burdens.
‘Yes… it feels… good.’ My thoughts floated lazily, dissolving into the soft void.
Then, a flicker of light stirred at the edges of my perception, a presence.
Slowly, I opened my eyes, blinking to focus. And there, before me, was… an angel!!
She was breathtaking… her beauty ethereal, her presence… pure!!
She floated just as I did, weightless in the water, her flowing white garments moving like gentle waves around her. Her eyes were soft, her expression serene, and her smile… her smile was enough to make my heart stir with something I hadn’t felt in what seemed like an eternity.
Her hand reached out toward me, beckoning…
“Aether~”
Her voice was like a song, gentle and melodic, wrapping around me like a lullaby. I could feel myself relaxing further, sinking deeper into the comfort of her words.
It was so soothing, so perfect, I wanted to hear more!
I stared at her, entranced. “Who… are you?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper, though I wasn’t sure if I even wanted the answer.
She just smiled, that angelic smile growing warmer. “Come to me, Aether~”
Hearing her call my name stirred something deep inside me, something long buried….
I didn’t hesitate. I wanted to move toward her, to reach her.
It felt like she was offering me peace…. a final release from… everything?
Her lips curled into a smile, her eyes glimmering with what seemed like affection, as she saw my hand reach toward hers.
The woman’s lips curled up when she saw me extending my hands towards her.
‘Her smile… it’s beautiful…’
I wanted to touch her, to feel the warmth of her hand in mine.
“Just a little more, Aether~ Fu~ Fu~” She giggled, her laughter soft, almost playful.
I smiled back, determination swelling in my chest as I pushed myself closer, reaching… reaching…
But, even as I reached, her hand remained just out of reach…. Only a few inches separated us.
Thud!
My leg jerked. Something had caught it.
I frowned and glanced down, my breath catching in my throat as I saw dark, shadowy fingers coiling around my foot like a living nightmare.
Cold shivers ran down my spine!!
Before I could process what was happening, more of those black, twisted hands emerged from the darkness below, crawling up my legs, and my torso, latching onto me.
They felt cold, suffocating, like the void itself was reaching out to pull me under.
“W-WHAT THE…MMFFFFFF!!”
I panicked, trying to break free… desperate to reach her hand, to escape.
But no matter how hard I struggled, the hands grew stronger and but still I pushed myself and just about my index finger to touch her’s… When everything halted and,
“MMMRRRRRRR!!!”
The hands yanked me down with terrifying force, pulling me deeper into the cold, empty void.
The light of her presence faded, replaced by endless darkness!
The last thing I saw through the gap was her face….. I couldn’t make it out clearly as her face blurred out, but I saw one thing… the Displeasure darkened her beautiful features, “Tsk, He escaped… again!”
!~Ding~!
[Activating…. The One and Only Ether]
…..
….
…
..
.
“Waaawwww….!!”
I heard the sound of a baby crying, piercing through the stillness.
Slowly, I opened my eyes, disoriented, and saw a white-haired child wailing in front of me.
“What the…?” I muttered, startled. I had no idea how I got here.
One moment, there was nothing, and now…. here I was. I tried to piece together my thoughts, to remember what had happened, but as soon as I tried to recall the past…
“Argh!” A sharp pain seared through my head, and I winced, clutching my temple.
I couldn’t remember a single thing. Not even the faintest detail came to mind. It was as if everything had been wiped clean!!
And yet… I felt an inexplicable sense of loss like something precious had been taken from me… Guilt twisted in my chest, but for what?
‘What’s this feeling?’ I wondered, confused, as I glanced around the room. It was small, the walls built from thick, uneven wooden planks, “Where am I?” I mumbled under my breath.
“Waaawwwwwwww!!”
‘Ah, Fuck!’ I cursed internally, having completely forgotten about the baby.
I turned to the child, panic creeping into my voice. “H-Hello?” I waved awkwardly at the crying infant, unsure of what to do…. Hesitating, I reached out, intending to pick the baby up and calm it down, but… my hands passed right through him!!!
I froze. My eyes widened in shock as I stared at my hands. “W-What the…?” I stammered, a frown forming on my face. Before I could fully process what had happened, a sudden, splitting headache tore through my skull.
“Arrhh!” I groaned, clutching my head.
Thud!
The wooden door creaked open, and I saw an elderly woman enter, her face worn with age, her movements slow but deliberate. Her grey hair was tied back loosely, and her wrinkled face softened as she sighed and mumbled, “Ether…” She bent down carefully, scooping the crying child into her arms, her presence calming him almost instantly.
I stared at her, my heart pounding. “Grandma…” The word slipped from my lips without warning, surprising even me.
I watched as she cradled the baby, gently soothing him with soft words.
The child, who had been crying moments ago, slowly settled in her arms, his tiny body relaxing.
“E…ther…” I murmured again, my voice barely audible. Something clicked inside me. I glanced down at myself, my body shimmering as if it were made of mist…. A creeping dread ran down my spine. My hands, though visible, felt intangible, I clenched my fist and I turned my gaze back to the baby. For some reason, a deep connection stirred within me, one I couldn’t quite explain…..
Subconsciously, I muttered, “I am… Ether?”
…..
…
Days blurred into weeks, and weeks into months. I sighed, watching the white-haired child, now a year old, as he played with wooden balls, giggling to himself as though those simple toys were the greatest joy in the world.
Yes… this child had grown… just a little.
And I had been with him for almost an entire year. For some unknown, frustrating reason, I was bound to him…. literally. I couldn’t move more than a meter away from him. It was as if something invisible tethered us together.
“Sigh… Hey, are you really happy playing alone?” I asked, my voice tinged with annoyance… What’s more, no one could see me or hear me!!
I had grown accustomed to this strange existence, but I still had no answers.
Why was I stuck with this child? Why couldn’t I move on or… leave?
Yes, For other unknown fucking reasons, this child never left this house and only that Elderly woman came to visit him every time.
The child simply laughed in response, his small hands gripping the wooden balls as he babbled incoherently, “Hahaa… waaaswaaahhwhahaha!” He giggled, oblivious to my frustration.
“Sigh…” I sighed heavily for what felt like the hundredth time, staring at him in disbelief.
‘I don’t know what happened to me… or anything about my past,’ I thought, lost in my own confusion. Every time I tried to touch the toys he was playing with, my fingers just passed through them.
“Am I… a ghost?” I mumbled aloud, the word feeling strange in my mouth, yet oddly fitting.
I glanced at the child again, watching him play happily….There was a flicker of something—jealousy!!
‘At least let me touch something!’ I thought, frustrated, as I tried once more to grab one of the blocks, only for my hand to pass through it again.
“Sigh…” I stared blankly at the child, my eyes narrowing as I caught sight of a small, peculiar pure black ring hanging around his neck. It glimmered faintly, drawing my attention. I stared at it, lost in thought, before shrugging, ‘If I’m dead, why am I here? Why am I bound to him?’ I mumbled to myself.
The year had passed in a blur… In truth, it didn’t feel like a year at all. It felt like a minute. Time here was… strange.
Thud!
A sound echoed through the room, pulling both me and the child from our thoughts. We both turned toward the door, the little boy’s face lighting up with excitement.
“WaaaaaWWWWW!!” The child cried out in joy, his eyes shining as the elderly woman entered… and me too!
I felt a strange relief wash over me as well. Her presence, her songs, and her stories were the only things keeping me from losing my mind in this endless limbo.
She picked up the child with a tender smile, cradling him gently in her arms. “You’re one year old now…” she said softly, her voice filled with warmth. “You’re ready to see the outside world.”
Her words hung in the air, and both the child and I reacted instantly, shouting in unison.
“Yes!!!”
“WAAA!!”
!~Ding~!
[Achieved Compatibility is 91.5%↑]
“WHAT THE FUCK!!”