!~Ding~!
[The souls/good deeds you absorbed/recognized by your card cannot be reverted, even if time itself is reversed… Some things cannot be unchanged!]
Aether’s eyes widened in shock. ‘Then… what happened to the real Jack Sparrow?’ A wave of dread slowly settled in his chest, twisting his thoughts in confusion.
!~Ding~!
[He is the real Jack Sparrow.]
Aether frowned, his mind racing, ‘What do you mean? He’s not the real one! I remember—he had black hair—’
[His soul was replaced in this reality. The soul that grew as Jack Sparrow is now the real Jack Sparrow.]
Aether’s expression grew more serious. ‘So, when I reverted time… the souls I absorbed were…. replaced as well?’
[Yes.]
His breath caught for a moment.
He had killed thousands—dragons, enemies who were trying to avenge their dragon emperor…
‘So, does that mean… thousands of souls were replaced in this reality? Where did you even find so many souls?’ Aether’s thoughts spun, a deep unease growing in his mind.
But this time, there was no answer.
He sighed heavily before his expression darkened, ‘Don’t tell me… those void eyes know something’, a dangerous edge to his voice, “Does that mean they’re different now? Since they have different souls…”
[If you mix salt into water, does it turn sweet?]
Aether’s lips twitched, frustration flaring within him, ‘That’s not an answer! Are you mocking me?’
Silence again.
The log seemed off, almost mocking, ever since Aether had come back.
But then, as he thought through the previous words, clarity started to form, ‘So, the souls themselves don’t change, but their environment does,’ he realized, ‘It’s the world around them, their circumstances that shape who they become.’
It wasn’t about the soul…. never had been.
It was about how the person evolved within their environment. That’s what determined their individuality. Aether nodded slowly, understanding now. Souls were the same, but the world shaped them differently.
With a renewed focus, Aether pushed those thoughts aside and continued to his next task.
His destination: the girls’ dormitory.
Each step felt heavier than the last, as memories threatened to resurface!
Slap!
Aether slapped his own face, the sharp sting grounding him, forcing his legs to move forward.
He couldn’t falter now…. Not when he was this close!
Finally, he stood before Selene’s room. He took a deep breath, steeling himself as he reached for the door and opened it.
“What clothes should I pack?” Selene muttered to herself, her brow furrowed as she stood in front of a bed strewn with outfits, preparing for their trip to the Pyra Empire tomorrow. Without looking, she continued, “Lia, we really need to complain about the shower—it’s still broken—”
Thud!
The sound of the door clicking shut cut her off. Turning her head, she froze at the sight of Aether standing in the doorway, his eyes fixed on her, unmoving.
“Aether?” Her voice wavered with surprise, taking in his appearance…. He looked older, more mature.
Something about him had changed… something that unsettled her.
“What happened to you?” Selene asked, amusement lacing her tone as she tried to lighten the moment. But Aether’s expression remained unchanged, his eyes never leaving hers, filled with a weight she couldn’t quite place.
Her smile faltered. A creeping worry began to spread through her, and her heart quickened as she tossed the clothes aside and hurried toward him. She stood before him, searching his face with growing concern, “Did something happen, Aether?” she asked softly, her hands reaching up to cup his cheek, her fingers trembling slightly.
Aether bit his lip, trying to swallow the turmoil inside him, “N-No…”
Selene’s breath caught… She could see it now… the way his voice wavered, the way his eyes seemed to hide something darker.
“A-Aether?” Her own eyes began to well up with tears, though she wasn’t sure why. She only knew that something was deeply wrong. She could feel it in her bones!! And seeing him like this—broken, holding everything inside—made her want to cry for him, for them both.
Without another word, she wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace. “It’s fine… don’t cry…” she whispered, though tears were already streaming down her own face.
Aether clung to her, holding her tighter than ever, as if letting go would mean losing her forever. His voice trembled, barely audible as he whispered into her hair, “Y-You’re here…”
“Yes, I’m here,” Selene replied, her voice soft, soothing, as she pressed herself against him, holding him even tighter. Whatever storm Aether was battling, she wanted him to know… he wasn’t alone!!
After what felt like an eternity, Aether slowly pulled back. His gaze locked onto hers… eyes brimming with concern, shimmering with unshed tears.
“Did someone hurt you, Aether?” she asked gently, her voice trembling with worry. Read exclusive content at empire
Aether didn’t answer with words. Instead, his expression softened into something unreadable, and without warning, he leaned down, capturing her lips in a kiss…. soft, tender at first, but laced with quiet desperation.
“~Hmm~” Selene moaned lightly, but she didn’t resist.
Instead, she wrapped her arms around his neck, returning the kiss deeply, pouring all her worry and affection into it. She didn’t need to ask him anymore… if this was how he needed to express his pain, she would accept it, all of it.
A single tear escaped from the corner of Aether’s eye, sliding down his cheek and landing softly on Selene’s skin. Her heart clenched at the sight, her concern deepening as she broke the kiss, her breath coming in soft pants, “I-I’ve never seen you like this—mmph—”
But her words were cut off as Aether kissed her again, more fiercely this time, pushing her back gently onto the bed. His hands trembled slightly as he kissed her neck, his lips urgent, desperate. He bit her lower lip, causing Selene to let out a quiet gasp of pleasure.
“~Ahh~”
Her soft moan echoed in the room as Aether’s touch grew more insistent, his lips trailing fire down her neck. The moment was escalating quickly, raw and full of emotion, when—
“Thank you, Sel, for the shower—”
The sudden voice cut through the warmed-up air, causing both Aether and Selene to freeze. They turned to see Lia standing at the entrance of the room, her wet hair wrapped in a towel, her body covered only by another small towel, her eyes wide in shock.
‘Oh no!’ Selene screamed inwardly, facepalming as she realized she had completely forgotten about Lia being there. She watched in horror as Lia’s face turned bright red, her wide eyes flickering between her and Aether.
“I-I-I’ll… I mean… ahem, I’ll leave now!” Lia stammered, backing away with a face that was a mix of embarrassment and confusion. She turned quickly, preparing to flee the awkward situation when—
“HIKK!”
Lia yelped as she suddenly felt Aether’s arms wrap around her from behind, pulling her close. The towel nearly slipped, and her entire body froze.
“A-Aether?” Lia gasped, her voice shaky as she instinctively tried to pull away. But Aether didn’t budge. His arms held her firmly, as though he were anchoring himself to her, not wanting to let go.
Lia’s heart pounded as she felt the heat of his body against her bare skin. Her breath quickened, her fangs elongating slightly without her realizing.
The scent of him was intoxicating, but this wasn’t the time—she had to escape before she lost control. “A-Aether, let me go! Y-You’re hugging someone else!” she shouted, her voice rising in panic.
Selene watched with wide eyes, her expression blank as she glanced between Aether and Lia, ‘Oh god, what’s happening?’ she thought, feeling a strange sense of curiosity mixed with killing intent!!
Lia was on the verge of using her powers to push him away when Aether’s trembling voice broke through her thoughts.
“I-I missed you, Lia…”
[+1000 AP]
Lia’s breath hitched, her body going still as those words hit her like a hammer. The slight tremor in his tone, the vulnerability—it was enough to stop her struggle.
She blinked, glancing over at Selene, who only gave her a small shrug, clearly as confused as she was.
Letting out a long sigh, Lia slowly patted Aether’s arms. “It’s… it’s okay. Everything will be fine,” she whispered, though her voice was still a bit shaky.
Selene, on the other hand, continued to observe Aether closely, her mind racing, ‘What happened to him?’ she thought, concern clouding her heart. Aether wasn’t himself—something deep was eating away at him and, ‘Should I break her hand?’ she thought noticing Lia’s hand touching her beloved!
After what felt like an eternity, Aether finally loosened his grip on Lia and pulled back, his eyes shimmering with unshed tears. His trembling fingers brushed gently against her cheek as he whispered, “I… I had a nightmare…” His voice cracked, and Lia’s heart clenched at the genuine fear and… longing in his eyes.
[+2000 AP]
Lia flinched, feeling the weight of his words hit. She could see it now—the fear, the sense of loss, the brokenness he tried so hard to hide… Without thinking, she turned and hugged him tightly, burying her face into his chest that was barely hidden by the towel!!
Selene, unable to hold back any longer, jumped in, wrapping her arms around him too and pushing his head to her bosom “Everything is fine, Aether,” she whispered softly, trying to soothe him with her touch, her voice filled with warmth.
The three of them remained like that, tangled in each other’s arms, as Aether’s breathing gradually steadied, the storm inside him calming, bit by bit.
Though his body still trembled slightly, a sense of peace began to settle over him.