Aether himself wasn’t entirely sure how he had survived the blast.
The last thing he remembered was a blinding light, and then… Pain.
A Horrible Pain!!!
All he could recall was the searing agony that coursed through every fibre of his being, engulfing him in a relentless inferno of torment. It was as if his very essence had been consumed by the flames, leaving nothing but raw, unyielding suffering in its wake.
And then… Nothing.
A Nothingness!!!
Yes, after that, he couldn’t feel anything. It was as if he had been plunged into a void of numbness, a state of existence where sensation ceased to exist. He was suspended in a limbo between life and death, trapped in a realm of emptiness where time seemed to stand still.
It was a sensation eerily reminiscent of his first death, a haunting echo of the void that had claimed him once before.
And yet, here he was, defying the odds and staring defiantly at the bewildered onlookers…
It’s truly amusing that his life was really messed up, to the point where no one even felt guilt about killing him…
Thinking about killing…
‘Yeah… hehe.. I killed him, didn’t I?’ Aether’s mind suddenly remembered that he killed Jack Sparrow…
When he bathed in flames…. The memories of that fateful day surged into Aether’s consciousness like a rushing river breaking through that safeguarded his sanity… overwhelming his thoughts and emotions.
Never in his previous life had he ever taken someone’s life, and yet in this unfamiliar world, he had committed such an irreversible act.
And yet, strangely, he didn’t feel the weight of it right now… as if he felt nothing.
It was as if the harsh law of nature had taken precedence in his mind:
Kill or be killed!!!
Or perhaps, after enduring a series of horrors, fears, and pain, maybe… just maybe, he started to adapt his mind.
And this lesson, he only learned after suffering for an entire night…
First, he was almost devoured by a viscous slime, but then his log gave him hope as it increased his powers…
Then, he fell down from the highest cliff, an event that would have claimed anyone’s life, but then the hope of a river fall saved him…
Next, a naive but kind-hearted girl appeared, wounded and unconscious, offering him a chance to survive in this unforgiving forest…
When others thought he was a mere stray slave, intent on killing, she intervened and put her life on the line…
A Death… and Hope…
A Death…. and Hope…. Again!!
A Death….. and Hope….. Again and Again!!!!
A Complete Cycle!
‘Thud’ The impact of the explosion left Aether’s burned skin slowly breaking down, revealing torn and charred muscles underneath.
Those witnessing this grotesque sight couldn’t help but scrunch their noses in disgust, unable to fathom how this seemingly frail slave managed to survive such a powerful attack.
Aether’s gaze drifted towards the silver crystal lying near him amidst the chaos.
“Heh…” A strange, mirthless laugh escaped his burnt lips, a mix of pain, irony, and defiance echoing in the air.
Aether’s mind was in turmoil as he froze there, his burnt body a testament to the brutal ordeal he had endured. In a moment of painful clarity, he felt like he had unravelled a hidden truth.
‘I-I know now… Log…. I know….hehe
You are…. You are trying to change me…’
His thoughts raced, forming a bitter monologue within.
‘First, you put me here to feel the fear of the outside world and wanted me to suffer in it….
Then you pulled that innocent girl into our mess and…’
He couldn’t deny the complexity of emotions stirring within him. It was a mix of resentment, understanding, and a hint of realization.
‘You want to say that not everyone wears a fake facade…
You want me to seduce her so that I feel guilty if I leave her…
You want me to protect her so that I would feel the pressure of another life on me…
You want me to understand others’ pain so that I am not the only one who was going through hardship…
You want me to understand… there would be someone who doesn’t betray me and is ready to sacrifice for me…’
It was as though a puzzle piece had clicked into place, showing him a broader picture of his predicament.
‘Yet…. at the same time, you want me to fight to protect the ones who don’t betray me…
You want me to get used to the pain and blood…. don’t you?
You… You just want me to adopt this new so-called life…hehe’
“Aren’t you… Arcane Bitch?” Aether mumbled inwardly, though his half-crisped eyes only stared at the shining crystal, the air thick with bitterness and frustration.
But there was no response from Log, no comforting presence to assuage his torment.
“Hehe… -cough, cough-” Aether couldn’t help but laugh, a hollow sound tinged with desperation, as each rasping cough expelled a puff of acrid smoke from his charred lips. “Hehehehe….”
Hearing his laugh, Blake’s expression darkened, his brows furrowing in consternation, while the others recoiled in shock, unable to comprehend the depths of Aether’s suffering.
“He is still laughing in that situation,” one of the people muttered incredulously, their voice barely above a whisper, as they exchanged bewildered glances with their companions.
“Kill him,” Blake’s command cut through the tense silence, his voice steely and resolute as he motioned for his teammates to carry out the order.
His teammates nodded grimly, their faces set in grim determination, as they advanced towards Aether, their hands tightening around their weapons.
However, Aether’s attention remained fixated on something else entirely, his thoughts swirling in a turbulent sea of doubt and resentment.
‘C-Come on, Log!! I-I am not a 15-year-old child with teenage hormones… Go with the blood-pumping act…
I know you are trying to turn me into something… Y-You desired, right?’
Still no response… The silence was deafening, echoing Aether’s inner turmoil and the void left by unanswered questions.
‘Hehe… Yeah, I understand everything…
You Fuckers!!’ Aether’s mind teetered on the edge of madness, the weight of his suffering and betrayal threatening to engulf him in darkness.
“Hey, are you even alive?” The red-haired woman’s voice cut through the tension, her words sharp with disbelief and perhaps a hint of pity.
Aether’s gaze wandered, unfocused yet piercing, as if searching for something beyond the physical realm. He felt a strange calmness settle over him, a premonition of sorts as if he could almost see the threads of fate weaving around him…. He knows… He knew…
‘You are going to save me, right, Log?’ Aether thought with amusement and curiosity.
Only a simple silence around Aether, yet he deep down knew he need to live for whatever this bitch was cooking behind everyone.
Then, in a sudden shift of events, the mission panel materialized before him, its digital presence a stark reminder of his entrapment….
‘Blink, Blink’
The words ‘Save and Seduce Stella’ blinked in luminous green!!
“AETHER!!!” Stella’s urgent cry cut through the air, her footsteps echoing a mix of concern and urgency as she approached.
‘Not you again… hehehe… FUCK YOU!!’ Aether’s inner scream was a symphony of frustration and resentment, a reflection of his growing disdain for the innocent girl unwittingly caught in the manipulative machinations of his reality.
He clearly starting to hate this naive girl!! Who was causing a pain in the ass!!