Chapter 315: What We Fear Most
Theo finds himself in a dark void.
A place that feels familiar.
This is where he once met Alexander Lutherford, when he was attacked by the green mist.
Later, when Theo thought back on it, he came to believe that this void was not just any empty space, but his own consciousness. Even then, he was never entirely certain.
This... has never happened to him before.
Still, he knows one thing.
This place holds no malice toward him.
So when he finds himself here again, Theo does not panic.
He relaxes.
Not completely. The frustration is still there, sitting heavy in his chest, refusing to fade.
But here, in this quiet void, away from everyone’s eyes, away from their concern, their pity...
His guard slips.
And his negative emotions rise more freely, no longer held back.
"Huh... I am here again."
Theo looks down and sees himself in his own form.
The relief hits him like a flood.
His breath catches. He can feel tears welling up again.
"Stop it, Theo. Why are you crying again? This is you," he mutters, quickly wiping his eyes.
"Oh... if only there was a mirror here," Theo says offhandedly.
A full-length mirror appears in front of him.
Theo lets out a quiet, hollow laugh. "Well, look at that. I guess here, I do not need mana."
He stares at his reflection.
Slowly, he takes a step closer.
"Hello, you. Long time no see."
He studies his own face. The red, swollen eyes. The flushed nose. The tear stains that have not fully dried.
"Yeah... I know. I am sorry. I missed you."
The words come out softer than he expects.
"I know we are not supposed to cry. We are men. But... just this once..."
His voice trembles.
"I... lost everything."
The moment the words leave his mouth, the tears fall again.
He does not sob this time.
Tears stream silently down his cheeks as he stares at the mirror.
"I lost my life... my body... my voice... and now... I have lost my magic."
Theo grips the edges of the mirror with both hands.
"I lost everything that makes me... me." His voice trembles as the tears fall harder.
He lowers his head, no longer able to meet his own reflection. His fingers tighten against the frame until his knuckles turn white.
"So... just let me cry..."
The words barely leave his lips before it breaks.
Theo finally sobs.
"I do not understand... why am I still alive? Why did I not die back then? Why am I here?" Theo’s voice rises as the turmoil in his chest swells.
All the resentment, the doubt, the questions he has been holding back... spill out.
"Why am I here?!" he shouts again.
He snaps his head up, glaring at the mirror.
"Why give me a second chance... only to strip everything away from me again?!"
He turns sharply, no longer facing the mirror, his voice directed into the empty void.
"What is the point of me living like this?!"
"Answer me!"
His voice echoes through the darkness.
Silence.
"What do you want from me?!"
"Answer me!"
His voice echoes.
Silence.
"Tell me what I am supposed to do!"
"Tell me!" he screams again, angry tears falling freely.
Silence.
"Tell me..." he whispers.
"Help me. I do not know what I am supposed to do. I do not know what I am doing. Help me."
"Please."
The last word is barely audible.
"Are you giving up?"
A voice breaks through the darkness.
Theo jerks, snapping his head around.
There is no one.
Only darkness.
Only emptiness.
He can see no more than a few meters ahead of him. Beyond that, everything is swallowed by pitch black.
A chill creeps up his spine.
This is supposed to be his safe place.
So why is there someone else here?
"Who is speaking?" Theo asks cautiously. It might be another Alexander, but he does not want to be caught off guard.
"Are you giving up?"
------------------------------
He scans the living room.
Empty.
He glances toward the kitchen, where Maeve is usually.
Also empty.
He looks at the clock on the wall.
Midnight.
Ah. No wonder no one is around.
He heads toward his bedroom. Right now, all he wants is to collapse into bed and sleep.
He stops in his tracks.
Arthur II stands quietly in front of him, arms crossed.
Arthur exhales slowly. He is far too exhausted to deal with this.
"Go away. Not now. You should know I am tired."
Arthur II does not move.
"Look, I know we have a long overdue conversation. In case you have not noticed, I have been busy," Arthur adds, irritation creeping in.
"It is not my fault that life goes on. Now get out of the way."
Arthur steps forward, ready to push past him, when—
"Get back here and do not run from me!"
Arthur looks up.
Liam rushes into the living room, half running.
"Liam?"
Liam stops abruptly, equally startled.
"Arthur?"
"Yes, it is me. I just got back. What is going on?" Arthur’s eyes flick between Liam... and Arthur II.
A flicker of unease crosses his face.
Did Liam notice him?
Liam clears his throat. "Welcome back. You must be exhausted. You should rest. We can talk in the morning."
There is a strange urgency in his tone.
He wants Arthur gone.
Liam’s gaze shifts past Arthur, toward where Matthew stands, watching with a smug, taunting expression.
He needs Arthur to leave.
He cannot let him see this.
Arthur follows Liam’s gaze.
His heart sinks.
Does Liam see it too?
At the same time, Liam’s chest tightens.
Can Arthur feel his presence?
Neither of them speaks.
Neither of them understands.
But both of them are staring at the same spot.
To Arthur... it is Arthur II.
To Liam... it is Matthew.
------------------------------
Sonia walks leisurely through the storm, as if she is strolling through a park, enjoying the sun and scenery.
The streets are empty, flooded with water.
Almost half of Solarys’ roads are submerged. No cars can pass. The city has deployed boats for those who have no choice but to leave their homes.
Which makes it perfect for Sonia.
She moves through the city unnoticed.
The surveillance cameras are useless in this weather. No one is watching her.
She has been out in the storm for nearly an hour now, tracing the flow of mana, trying to follow it back to its source.
But she underestimated it.
The mana within the storm is unlike anything she has ever experienced.
Violent and unstable, yet controlled in a way that does not make sense.
She is now certain.
Whoever summoned this... is extremely powerful.
And confronting such a person alone would be extremely dangerous.
Sonia believes the summoner is a rogue magus.
Or at least... someone who does not realize their own mana is causing this.
Altheon does not recognize magic. Magi like Sonia are considered nonexistent.
Which means the summoner is likely untrained. Unaware.
And yet...
Even without proper training, they are already this powerful.
A faint smile forms on her lips.
How powerful would they become with guidance?
Sonia continues forward, wading through the flood as if she were walking on solid ground, her eyes focused, her senses stretched outward, chasing the source of the storm.
------------------------------
Julian yawns and places his latest device on the table.
"Ugh, I cannot do this anymore. I need some sleep. I have been awake for far too long. Maeve will skin me."
He yawns again, rubbing his eyes.
"Alright... time to head back."
He exits his lab, locks it behind him, and makes his way to the elevator, heading back to the apartment.
When he opens the door, he pauses.
Arthur and Liam are both standing in the living room, staring at each other without moving.
"Hey, Arthur! You are back! Welcome! Aaand... what are you guys doing?"
Julian steps inside, taking off his shoes and slipping into his home slippers as he walks toward them.
Then he notices it.
Something... near them.
"Huh? What is that?"
He keeps walking closer.
Six steps away, he stops.
His eyes widen.
It is a pile of his failed devices.
And sitting right on top...
Is the broken gadget that bypassed the Jade Lantern District dungeon.
Julian pales.
"How did you get here?" His voice rises, strained with disbelief and unease.
------------------------------
Maeve lies awake in her bed.
Her mind keeps running through a checklist of things she needs to do before sleeping.
Laundry, done.
Kitchen, cleaned.
Living room, cleaned.
Groceries, not for another two days.
Washing the curtains, not for another seven days.
Changing the sheets, tomorrow.
Changing towels, also tomorrow.
TV off.
Clothes, ironed.
Oh? Did I turn off the stove? Did I close the fridge properly? Did I put away the fresh vegetables and fruits?
What is it? I feel like I am missing something.
Did I marinate the beef for tomorrow?
Her thoughts do not stop. They keep piling up, one after another, refusing to let her rest.
Finally, she cannot take it anymore.
She gets out of bed and heads to the living room.
And finds the others there.
Standing still.
Exchanging silent, awkward glances.
"Urm... what are you guys doing?"
She glances at the wall clock.
"It is past midnight. Why are none of you in bed?"
Something near Julian catches her eye.
She tilts her head slightly, trying to get a better look.
Her jaw drops.
"What in the world...?!"
Maeve sees the floor covered in a dark, sticky smear.
It reeks.
Like something rotten.
Like decaying flesh.
And yet...
No one reacts to it.
They are all staring at the same spot.
But not at the same thing.
What each of them sees...
Is what they fear the most.
------------------------------
Somewhere, deep in the dark where no light reaches, lies a large, egg-like cocoon.
It glows faintly, pulsing as if alive.
A silhouette shifts within.
The surface trembles.
Hairline fractures begin to spread across the shell.
Crack.
END of Season 2.
Rhaenas will return on May 1st.