Chapter 20: Soul’s eyes (2) Iris’s pov
The hospital was quiet. People were walking around, talking normally; they had all just awakened. They gathered in groups, joyfully sharing their experiences during the Awakening, while others boasted about the resonance they had obtained. They were eager to prove their worth, to fight for their nation, for the Emperor, for humanity.
But none of it was real—it was nothing more than a mirage created by that parasite playing with my brain.
Only through the Soul’s Eyes could I see the truth.
There were no bright colors on their faces, no enthusiasm—only broken men, struggling to rebuild themselves. Death had changed them forever, each of them having survived a trial that would be etched into their souls. Only time would reveal the price they had paid for this new life.
The real question they should be asking is: was it even worth it?
What’s the point of coming back to life only to realize that those you loved, the ones who gave meaning to your existence, are gone? Accepting that reality wasn’t easy. Maybe time... or a river of blood would help them move on.
Of course, one must have someone to lose in order to feel the pain of absence. But no one walked away from the Awakening unscathed. Many left behind their sanity instead. Time did not flow the same way in death as it did in reality, and the scars it left... those were perhaps the hardest to heal.
There were also those who emerged from the Awakening truly joyful. For them, life had been nothing but hell. Having already hit rock bottom, the only way left was up. The Awakening was their second chance—to chase their dreams... or, for some, to indulge in their darkest fantasies.
Too many people. Too many different perspectives to categorize them all.
And yet, all those emotions... were fleeting.