“Hmm… What are they still talking about?” Aether mused aloud as he sat on the edge of the mansion’s entrance, his gaze fixed on the vast expanse of the dark sky scattered with stars.
/I’ve reached the Academy, Aether,/ Aqualina’s voice resonated telepathically in his mind.
Aether nodded /Good. Let me know once you’ve seen the Principal, alright?/
/ Haha… come on now, when did you turn into such a worrywart, Aether?/ Aqualina teased, her tone brimming with amusement. She found it both surprising and endearing that Aether was this much in her movements, asking for constant updates.
Although it was new for her, she felt a warm flutter of happiness at his concern.
Aether smiled softly and responded, /I guess I’ve just gotten used to having my Aqua around. It’s lonely without you, you know~/
/ Haha…/ Aqualina’s joyful laughter echoed in his mind, making him smile a little wider.
Shifting focus, Aether reached out telepathically to Celestia. /What’s the status?/
/She’s just arrived at the Academy, Aether,/ Celestia replied.
Her tone was calm, and professional, as she moved stealthily in the shadows, trailing Aqualina.
/Good. Stay sharp and remain vigilant,/ Aether instructed firmly.
/Understood,/ Celestia replied, but then hesitated before asking, /Do you suspect something’s amiss?/
Aether sighed softly, shaking his head, /I’m not sure. Maybe I’m just being overly cautious… but better safe than sorry,/ he admitted, his gaze returning to the distant horizon.
/Oh? I can see the Principal now,/ Celestia abruptly informed him.
/Aether, I’ve reached the Principal. I’m going to speak with her now,/ Aqualina suddenly said.
Aether exhaled deeply, nodding to himself. /Good. Be careful, Aqua, and don’t take too long. Come back to me soon, okay?/
/Oh, my sweet Aether… you really do miss me, don’t you? Don’t worry. Once I’m back, I’m going to make you all mine… every last bit of you~ Hehe…/ Aqualina’s possessive tone dripped with playful intent.
Aether chuckled, /Haha… You’re already—/
“Hello, child…”
The sudden interruption jolted Aether. He cut off the telepathic connection and turned his head to see the Prophetess approaching. She moved slowly, her frail form hunched over a gnarled stick, every step deliberate and careful.
Aether rose to his feet, but the Prophetess stopped him with a raspy voice. “T-There is no need for such formalities, y-young man.”
‘Ahaha… come on now… look at her. She looks like she’s barely holding herself together, and yet you expect me to seduce her?’ Aether groaned inwardly, torn between amusement and disbelief.
The old woman’s trembling form finally reached him, and with visible effort, she eased herself down onto the step beside him.
Aether attempted to glimpse her face, but it was shrouded entirely in layers of fabric. ‘Maybe… she’s hiding a stunning beauty under there? Could she be one of those mysterious, ageless women who don’t want the world to see their allure?’ he wondered, his curiosity piqued.
‘I mean… it’s possible, right? Log?’ he asked inwardly.
[😏]
Aether’s lips twitched in response to the weird reaction,
“What is life, young man?” the Prophetess suddenly asked, her voice breaking the stillness of the night.
“Hmm…” Aether blinked, caught off guard. ‘Philosophy, huh? I think I will win..Heh~’ he mused before taking a moment to gaze up at the star-strewn sky.
“I’m not sure what others think, but to me… life is simply about living it.”
“Hmm…” The Prophetess hummed thoughtfully, her tone contemplative. “Not quite the answer I was expecting.”
Aether frowned slightly, “What kind of answer were you expecting, Prophetess?”
She ignored his question entirely, and asked instead, “Tell me, young man… is life truly beautiful?”
Aether smiled faintly and nodded.
“Yes, it is. Living is beautiful. Every day, there’s something new to see, something to experience….”
“Even when it hurts?” she pressed.
Aether chuckled softly, his gaze steady on the horizon,
“That’s the essence of living, isn’t it?
Life is made up of both joy and sorrow.
Without pain, how would we ever truly appreciate happiness?…. And without happiness, how would we understand the meaning of pain?
Explore more at My Virtual Library Empire
To truly experience happiness, you have to understand what hurt feels like. The two are bound together, each giving meaning to the other.
They’re two sides of the same coin.”
!~Ding~!
[+1 AP]
‘Hmm? That’s easy? maybe I could get her?’ Aether wondered.
“An interesting perspective…..” the Prophetess murmured softly, almost to herself. “So, everything must be balanced, then?”
Aether nodded again but added with a chuckle, “That might be true, but I wouldn’t mind if my happiness tipped the scales a little more. I mean, I already know what too much pain feels like, so I wouldn’t miss it if I didn’t have balance there.”
“Right… hah… indeed…” The Prophetess nodded a few times, her head bobbing in rhythm with her thoughts as a gentle breeze ruffled the air around them.
Aether’s curiosity only deepened as he observed her, ‘Maybe she’s a GILF… like, the real deal!’ he speculated, his mind running wild.
Yet no matter how much he scrutinized, he couldn’t glimpse even a hint of skin beneath the intricate layers of her clothing. It was as though her entire body had been meticulously concealed.
The Prophetess softly called out, “Aether…”
“Oh? You know my name?” Aether asked, his tone laced with surprise.
The Prophetess tilted her head slightly, a faint grin on her tone as she said, “Oh? I know far more than you think… Aether,” her voice carrying an amused undertone that made his skin prickle.
Aether inwardly gulped, ‘She knows?’ His thoughts immediately jumped to Mortimer—did she know he was the one who killed Mortimer? The man who, ‘incidentally’, was her husband.
Noticing the subtle tension in his posture, the Prophetess’s tone softened as she shifted the conversation,
“You know… life is very strange, isn’t it?”
“Well… yeah, it is. Strange, indeed,” Aether replied, nodding hesitantly, but inwardly added, ‘Strange? More like totally messed up and fucked up!’
“Ha ha…” The Prophetess chuckled suddenly, the sound low and knowing, as though she had heard the unspoken thoughts in his head. Then, with a voice touched by wisdom, she said,
“Life is filled with mysteries that no one can ever fully comprehend…. It’s a tapestry of endless possibilities.
Every day, we encounter new people… new experiences… new emotions… and sometimes… entirely new worlds.
Life is abundant, overflowing with everything”
Her voice then turned sharp,
“Life gives us hope and despair in equal measure, and yet, every living being chooses to reach for hope. They pursue what they truly desire, even if that choice plunges them deeper into despair.”
Aether frowned at her cryptic words. Her tone was almost accusatory as if she were trying to tell him something he couldn’t yet understand.
The Prophetess leaned on her stick, steadying herself, and slowly moved to stand before him. The gentle night breeze swirled around them, carrying her hoarse yet commanding voice. “Even though life offers everything, sometimes… it also takes it away.
Balance, young man.
Life demands balance.”
“I… don’t get it,” Aether said, his brows knitting together in confusion.
The Prophetess continued,
“You cannot have everything.
No one is allowed to!!
When the time comes, every living being must make a choice—to decide what to leave behind and what to hold onto.
That is how life works.
It gives us options, and we are bound by the consequences of the choices we make.”
She paused for a moment, “Mortimer made his choice. He took what life presented to him, selfishly grasping it, rather than allowing you to grow. He chose greed and faced the inevitable consequence….” She took a deep, deliberate breath before continuing,
“Now, Aether, the time has come for you….. Life will soon present you with a choice.
Choose wisely!!… For you cannot have everything.
Remember!
That is the Law of Nature!!”
With that, the Prophetess began to turn away, leaning heavily on her stick. Just as she was about to leave, she suddenly halted.
Tick!
The sound of her stick tapping against the ground echoed in the stillness. She turned her covered face slightly toward him. “Since you’ve piqued my interest… and since you ended Mortimer’s path… consider this my gift,” she declared.
Raising her stick, she tapped it lightly against Aether’s forehead.
Tick!
Aether’s vision blurred momentarily, his mind going numb,
!~Ding~!
[Warning: Temporary Checkpoint Created!]
As clarity returned, Aether frowned deeply, his gaze snapping back to the Prophetess. “What did you mean by that?” he called out. But before he could approach her, several nuns appeared around her. They surrounded her like a protective barrier, and within moments, they all vanished into the shadows, leaving no trace.
Aether blinked rapidly, his mind struggling to piece together what had just happened, ‘Log? What checkpoint did she create? and how?’ but then his expression hardened as he immediately reached out telepathically.
/ Raven! Are you alright? /
/ Oh-Oh… Y-Yes, Aether! Is something wrong? Are you okay? / Raven’s shaky surprised voice replied.
Aether let out a soft sigh of relief. /I’m fine. Just checking,/ he said before contacting others.
He reached out to Aria, Helena, Liora, and Maelona. Each of them responded, assuring him they were safe.
Everything seemed to be fine…
But something gnawed at him. He frowned, replaying the Prophetess’s cryptic words in his mind. ‘What was she talking about?’
His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a chilling realization. His eyes widened in alarm as he called out, /Aqua?/
/…./
No Answer.