Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

Ria's vision blurred, the world around her sinking into an unsettling haze. Her eyes glowed with a dark purple, a deep, swirling shade that seemed to pulse with power.

The mist that had enveloped her body felt like it was fusing with her very essence—cool and heavy, sinking into her skin, filling her lungs. The rush of energy that followed was sharp and overwhelming, like something long dormant awakening within her. For a moment, she felt weightless, her body suspended in a vast, inescapable silence.

And then, the void consumed her.

It was black.

Endless black, a suffocating darkness that pressed against her from every direction, swallowing everything—sound, light, motion. Time itself seemed to have stopped, leaving her alone in the stillness. Ria tried to move, but there was nothing—nothing but the cold emptiness that stretched on forever.

Then—

A flash of light.

It pierced the darkness like a sudden crack in a wall, harsh and blinding. Her eyes stung as the void around her shifted and changed, gradually fading to a blinding white that seemed to exist only for the pain it caused. But as her sight cleared, so did the shape of her surroundings.

Ria was no longer in the chamber.

She was standing in an open space, the ground beneath her smooth and polished. There was a heavy air here, thick with something she couldn't place. It made her feel oddly heavy, as though the very atmosphere itself demanded something from her. The air crackled with a strange tension, as if it was waiting for something to happen.

And then she saw him.

A figure in the distance, fit, and tall. He moved with an easy grace, a weapon in his hands—a sword that gleamed under the white light as it sliced through the air with controlled precision. His body was strong, lean muscle shifting beneath his skin with each swing of the blade, his movements effortless and fluid, like a dance of destruction.

Ria's heart skipped a beat. She tried to look away, but her eyes were drawn to him, as if by some invisible force.

Her breath caught when she noticed the scar across his back—a jagged wound, still fresh, the edges raw and red. The sight struck her like a sudden jolt. It was too familiar. The scar, the wound—her mind seized on it, and images rushed in, blurring together.

A sword.

Piercing through the figure's back.

Blood.

The echo of a shout.

The more she tried to make sense of it, the more the vision twisted, shifting in ways that were impossible to grasp. Faces blended together, the figure's identity eluding her like a dream half-remembered. The scar stood out—undeniable, unmistakable—but the connection remained a mystery.

Then, as if sensing her presence, the figure paused. Slowly, deliberately, he turned toward her.

Ria's heart pounded in her chest as her gaze locked onto his face, her breath catching in her throat.

For a fleeting moment, she thought she saw something—someone—familiar. A face that made her heart ache with an emotion she couldn't place, before—

Crack.

The scene fractured.

The white light shattered, and Ria was suddenly plunged back into the cold darkness, her body jerking as though ripped from the vision. Her chest was tight, her breath shallow, and everything felt too real, too raw.

"Ria."

The voice was deep, steady, as if it had always been there.

Her eyes snapped open. She was back in the chamber. The room was dim, the air thick with tension. Sia stood before her, watching her with a careful expression.

Ria's heart still raced, the images lingering at the edges of her mind, refusing to fade. She blinked, trying to steady herself, but the phantom of the scarred figure—the sword—was already slipping from her grasp.

"You're back," Sia said quietly, her voice filled with an unreadable edge. "Are you alright?"
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Ria swallowed hard, the weight of the vision still hanging on her chest. Her throat felt tight, her mind struggling to make sense of what she had just experienced.

"I…" She hesitated, still unsure of what to say. "I saw someone. A young man. His back—it…"

She trailed off, unsure how to explain the impossible sensation of recognition.

The room felt stifling, too close around Ria as her breath came in shallow bursts. The phantom of the scarred figure, the sword, and that fleeting, aching recognition still clung to her.

She blinked rapidly, trying to clear the images from her mind, but they refused to dissipate. The vision had been so real, so vivid, like something she had lived through before—yet she couldn't place it.

Sia's voice broke through the haze, low and steady. "Ria, calm down."

Ria took a shaky breath, forcing her hands to relax at her sides. She could feel the tension in her chest, the weight of the vision pressing down on her. Her heart hammered in her ribcage, but she focused on the sound of her breath—slow and steady. In, out. In, out.

Minutes passed, or perhaps seconds, before Ria felt the tightness in her chest begin to loosen. The intensity of the vision ebbed, and her heartbeat steadied. She had to push it aside, at least for now.

Sia remained silent, her gaze unwavering as she observed Ria's struggle. When Ria's breathing finally evened out, Sia spoke again, quieter this time.

"What happened?" Her tone was calm, but there was an unmistakable curiosity beneath it. "What did you see? What's your talent?"

Ria hesitated. Her mind whirled, the memories of the vision rushing back, the scar, the sword, the face she couldn't quite grasp. Should she tell Sia everything? Should she admit to seeing a memory—something more than just a vision? Something from a time she couldn't fully remember?

She bit her lip, her gaze lowering to the floor as she weighed her options. Her talent had always been unpredictable, unclear in its full extent. But revealing this, the depth of what she had just experienced?

Would Sia understand? Or would she think Ria was losing herself to something she couldn't control? Or... could she trust her...

After a long pause, Ria took another deep breath. She forced the images back, buried them beneath layers of words. She couldn't tell Sia everything—not yet.

"I saw a man," she began, her voice steady but lacking the certainty she wished she had. "Training with a sword. His back was… scarred." She paused, swallowing the lump that formed in her throat. "I think it was Kael."

Sia's eyes narrowed slightly as she studied Ria's face, her expression thoughtful. The silence hung between them for a moment, thick with unspoken questions. Ria tried to remain composed, her heart still thumping in her chest, but she couldn't shake the feeling that Sia knew she wasn't revealing the full truth.

Finally, Sia spoke again, her voice soft yet laced with quiet intrigue.

"So," she muttered to herself, her gaze turning distant as she seemed to consider the possibilities, "your talent is probably vision-related, then." She exhaled slowly, tapping a finger to her chin, as if weighing the implications. "Need to learn more..."

Ria's chest tightened at the mention of her talent being linked to vision. She wasn't sure what to make of it herself. It felt like a veil, half-drawn, hiding something deeper she wasn't yet ready to face.

"I—" Ria began, but Sia interrupted her before she could say more.

"We'll talk about this later," Sia said, her voice firm, but with a hint of understanding. "For now, try to rest. Let your mind clear. We should get you used to using your Talent."

Ria nodded, grateful for the reprieve. She was still reeling, still haunted by the fragments of the vision, but Sia's calm presence was a grounding force. She couldn't explain what she had seen, or why it had felt so important, but she knew one thing for certain.

The figure—the scar—the sword. It wasn't the last time she would encounter him, of that she was sure.

And whatever truth lay hidden in the darkness of her visions... she would uncover it.

In time.