[….]
[….]
[….]
[….]
[….]
!~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, sothing nagged at —a strange hollowness.
I felt... empty!
For so reason, that emptiness gnawed at .... 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 , 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 garnts 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 sothing I hadn't felt in what seed like an eternity.
Her hand reached out toward , beckoning...
"Aether~"
Her voice was like a song, gentle and lodic, wrapping around 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 warr. "Co to , Aether~"
Hearing her call my na stirred sothing deep inside , sothing long buried....
I didn't hesitate. I wanted to move toward her, to reach her.
It felt like she was offering peace.... a final release from... everything?
Her lips curled into a smile, her eyes glimring with what seed like affection, as she saw my hand reach toward hers.
The woman's lips curled up when she saw 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. Sothing 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 erged from the darkness below, crawling up my legs, and my torso, latching onto .
They felt cold, suffocating, like the void itself was reaching out to pull 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 down with terrifying force, pulling 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]
.....
....
...
..
.
"Waaaw...!!"
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 .
"What the...?" I muttered, startled. I had no idea how I got here.
One mont, there was nothing, and now.... here I was. I tried to piece together my thoughts, to rember 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 rember a single thing. Not even the faintest detail ca to mind. It was as if everything had been wiped clean!!
And yet... I felt an inexplicable sense of loss like sothing precious had been taken from ... 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 stamred, 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 movents 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 .
I watched as she cradled the baby, gently soothing him with soft words.
The child, who had been crying monts ago, slowly settled in her arms, his tiny body relaxing.
"E...ther..." I murmured again, my voice barely audible. Sothing clicked inside . I glanced down at myself, my body shimring 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 so reason, a deep connection stirred within , 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 so unknown, frustrating reason, I was bound to him.... literally. I couldn't move more than a ter away from him. It was as if sothing 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 or hear !!
I had grown accustod 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 ca to visit him every ti.
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 ti, staring at him in disbelief.
'I don't know what happened to ... or anything about my past,' I thought, lost in my own confusion. Every ti 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 sothing—jealousy!!
'At least let touch sothing!' 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 glimred 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. Ti here was... strange.
Thud!
A sound echoed through the room, pulling both and the child from our thoughts. We both turned toward the door, the little boy's face lighting up with excitent.
"WaaaaaWWWWW!!" The child cried out in joy, his eyes shining as the elderly woman entered... and too!
I felt a strange relief wash over as well. Her presence, her songs, and her stories were the only things keeping 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!!"
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