Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

Her voice dropped, growing colder. "The first Hunters emerged, led by the Black Star Lord himself. They returned from the darkness with food, water, and resources. They were hailed as saviors, heroes who had found a way to sustain life in this broken world."

Adrian tilted his head slightly, his tone casual but calculated. "And yet, no one questioned why the population never grew, despite the Hunters' success, did they?"

Mrs. Sia paused, her lips curving into a faint smile. "So you already figured that part out."

Adrian's smile was faint, enigmatic. "It wasn't hard to guess."

Mrs. Sia nodded, as if impressed, before continuing. "The cycle continued. The Hunters became the Black Star Lord's most loyal servants. But their resources weren't from this world. They were stealing them—along with people—from other worlds. The Black Star Lord's ability, his memory manipulation, allowed him to integrate the kidnapped into our society. Some were chosen to become Hunters or citizens, depending on their usefulness. But the rest…"

Her voice grew quiet, almost grim. "The weak, or those who didn't meet his criteria, were sent to the Underworld."

Adrian's gaze sharpened. "The Underworld," he repeated, his tone neutral.

Mrs. Sia nodded. "A place controlled entirely by the Black Star Lord, located… quite literally beneath this world. No one knows what happens there. But it's said to be where the weakest are disposed of, never to be seen again."

Adrian remained silent for a moment, his mind piecing together the story with the knowledge he already possessed. He spoke, summarizing it in a matter-of-fact tone. "So, to sustain this broken world, the Black Star Lord turned his Hunters into tools for harvesting resources and people from other worlds. The strong are made to serve, while the weak are discarded, all under the guise of salvation."

Mrs. Sia's expression hardened, though there was a glimmer of approval in her eyes. "Exactly. That's the truth we've uncovered. And that's why the Avengers exist—to put an end to this cycle, to stop the Black Star Lord and his forces from perpetuating this horror."

Adrian met her gaze, his expression unreadable. Internally, he mulled over her words, knowing they aligned with what he already suspected. But there were still gaps, pieces of the puzzle missing. She was also hiding the info about the Underworld - well, it wouldn't be hard to guess if one knew all these details.

The people sent to the Underworld were being worked as the mining and hard labor force - responsible for the creation of the Black Weapons and other few things that run the three cities.

The Killers, no, The Avengers probably wanted to rescue them or monopolize them which wouldn't be different from the Black Star-Lord, but he didn't believe it was the case.

Meanwhile, Sia's voice took on a sharper edge, her eyes burning with a quiet fury that seemed to pierce the dim room. "They don't just take resources and people from other worlds. They target the young, the ones who have barely begun their lives. They erase their memories, replace them with fabricated stories, and mold them into puppets without free will."

Her hand clenched into a fist on the table as she leaned forward, her tone colder with every word. "They stole our lives. Our homes." It was as if she was telling her own story. "Our very sense of self. They took everything from us and replaced it with chains of obedience. Yeah, this is what happened to you as well. Don't you want to avenge them? Don't you want to save your friends, your people? Or are you content to turn a blind eye while they continue their reign?"

Adrian's expression remained calm, his sharp, intelligent eyes locked onto hers. When he finally spoke, his voice was even, almost dispassionate. "And you think I can help you in this mission?"

Sia paused, her fiery passion meeting the unshaken composure of Adrian's gaze. For a moment, the room seemed to hold its breath. Then, she nodded firmly. "Yes. Although your strength is… insufficient to make you useful in direct combat against Hunters or the Lord, you have something far more valuable."

Adrian raised an eyebrow, silently inviting her to elaborate.

"You're clever," Sia said bluntly. "You're adaptable. And, most importantly, you're an outsider to this system. You haven't been brainwashed or forced into their ranks. That makes you unpredictable, someone they can't easily account for." Her tone softened slightly as she leaned back, watching him carefully. "And you've already proven that you're resourceful. You've uncovered things most wouldn't dare to question."

Adrian leaned back in his chair, resting his chin on his fingers as he considered her words. "I see. You're not asking for brute strength. You want someone who can move quietly, gather information, and act as a disruption where the Black Star Lord's influence is strongest."

Sia's lips curved into a small, humorless smile. "Exactly. And someone who's not tied down by the emotional baggage most of us carry." Her voice grew quieter, almost reflective. "You've seen the truth, Adrian. You know what's happening. Do you really think you can just walk away from this?"

"Will your heart allow you to turn a blind eye to this?" Discover stories with empire

Adrian didn't answer immediately. Instead, he studied her, weighing her motives, her passion, and the risks of aligning himself with her cause. In fact, he was planning to work with her from the beginning but blindly trusting was never his principle.

"Why are you trying to manipulate my emotions?" He asked instead, his tone a bit colder. "And, aren't that snotty kid and you the ones who kidnapped us all?"

"..." An awkward silence descended into the room.

Sia honestly didn't expect Adrian to mention this. But she prepared an answer as she would eventually have to explain her actions.

But Adrian wasn't done yet.

"Besides, I haven't forgotten how you 'pierced' my heart with your Chainblade, miss..."

"Would you believe in someone who kidnapped you and your friends? Who tried to literally kill you? Aren't you just the same as those Hunters who are slaves to that black star or whatever?"