The Inner Odyssey

'Claim my mind?'

'That would be nice.'

Becoming a vegetable meant he would not feel pain.

Empty.

Surely that was better than what he was experiencing now?

It felt like his heart was being slowly peeled and he couldn't do anything to stop the agony. The pain increased each moment he continued to exist.

…Each moment he thought about Celeste.

And how he had suffered the terrible backlash that was the other side of love. Your next read is at empire

Hate.

'Ah…'

As he stared at the tenebrous scythe in the Reaper's grasp, Alden's thoughts automatically turned back to the time when he was still innocent, untouched by the scars of this world. Untouched by complicated relationships, duties and responsibilities.

Untouched by… life.

Alden sighed internally.

Oh, how he wished to become that little kid practising backflips again, surrounded by the warmth of his parents. There was no Apocalypse, no death, no pain.

Only them and love that transcended all of existence.

A bittersweet smile slowly marred Alden's face.

'Love…'

What a sweet, painful and arduous thing it was.

***

Celeste bid goodbye to Drakon.

The Ember heir had a slightly pleasant smile on his face. It contained no haughtiness or superiority. Something which had crept her out greatly the first time she saw it. She had thought Drakon had come to retrieve Ignia, but to her shock, he had come to apologise, instead.

Celeste couldn't keep her surprise from showing when Drakon did that.

The heir had merely smiled, ashamed, as his contriteness grew.

Celeste let him in, and the two of them sat alone in the living room.

Thankfully, her parents had come down a moment later, sparing her from being truly alone with Drakon. The Ember heir then profusely apologised to the three of them, promising compensation if they so wished.

He had even bowed his head!

Celeste's shock only increased.

And increase it did, especially after her father revealed that Drakon had somehow fixed his unstable foundation. The Ember heir had grinned at that, thanking Alistair for stopping him from acquiring Ignia.

Drakon had also asked for Alden's whereabouts, doubtless wanting to make the same apology to her precious love. Celeste unfortunately had to dash the fiery-haired heir's hopes. It had been a week, and there had been no sign of Alden yet.

A few days ago, her father had hurried over to the Keeper's Donjon to inquire about Al.

Alistair was denied entry, but he carried a message back from the Keeper.

It was a simple one.

They just had to be patient.

Celeste had wanted to strangle the Keeper after hearing that. Releasing a turbid breath, the young lady travelled up to her room.

…Heading for her balcony.

She arrived there a few seconds later.

As she stared at the soft flakes of snow descending from the skies, Celeste sighed.

They mirrored the loneliness and slight bleakness of her heart.

She wanted Alden to come back as soon as possible.

And it wasn't just because her heart was about to burst from longing.

She had a lot she wanted to say.

They also had a lot to catch up on.

…And discuss.

Celeste sighed again.

Even if fate and the world stood in her way, she would do everything in her power to make sure Alden knew how she felt. That her love was irrevocable.

'Come home safe, my love.'

Celeste closed her eyes and touched her heart, reciting a silent prayer.

She hoped it would reach him wherever he was.

***

Azrael stared at his latest victim.

A smile threatened to engulf his shadowy features.

It satisfied him to no end when he showed other humans how vile their race was.

As the Reaper, he was privy to many a sight.

...The worst of humanity.

At first, he had kept a tight hold of his sanity, savouring the rare times he would reap a kind soul. Eventually, however, the good stopped. As time passed, humanity became more and more corrupted.

Depraved.

…Defiled.

What were once bright souls - and minds - had now become stained by the weight of their sins. Azrael sighed, the darkness behind him reflecting his turmoil.

The mind of the young man in front of him shone dimly. It was among the brighter he had come across recently. Sure, there were black stains here and there, but Azrael had accepted that as inevitable at this point.

…There were no pure people anymore.

He moved closer to his victim.

Lifting his scythe, Azrael made it hover over the young man, ready to descend at his whim. Just as he was about to strike, the Reaper paused. The darkness surrounding him trembled violently.

Not with rage, but in shock and disbelief.

Suddenly, the young man's mind shone bright.

...As if he had been enlightened or had grasped a certain truth.

The radiance was so bright that it dispelled some of the void.

Azrael screamed.

Under his shocked glare, the black stains on the young man's mind had disappeared. It was like an almighty and incredibly pure power had cleansed them.

'H-How?'

A stunned expression appeared on the Reaper's tenebrous face.

***

Alden's thoughts continued to revolve around love.

How hopeless and weak he was.

Alden couldn't help but pity himself.

He could also see why some people would close their hearts off after experiencing some heartbreak. It was gut-wrenching. Like someone had twisted the very fibre of his being, and now it was just a mangled mess. Alden sighed internally, sensing the Reaper draw near.

'Is this it?'

Was this all he amounted to?

Of course, Alden wanted to deny that it wasn't.

He wanted to rise up and fight!

But, it took a special kind of strength to get back up after such a severe blow.

One, that he unfortunately lacked.

That realisation made Alden feel very bitter.

He turned his thoughts to Ignia, his precious familiar. He missed her warmth terribly. Maybe in another timeline, it could have dulled some of his pain. But right now, Alden was devoid of warmth, heart cold.

He shivered slightly.

He thought of Alistair and Elara, two kind souls who took in a pitiful orphan and loved him as their own. A tiny spark kindled in his heart.

…An ember of longing and desire.

Alden had people waiting for him back home, that much was obvious. However, no matter how much he tried he couldn't summon the inner strength required to get up.

To resist.

Gritting his teeth, Alden struggled to banish the dark shadow cast on his heart. He tried to recall the good times with his precious love. Back, when their expressions were innocent and hearts extremely pure.

There was no denying Celeste was extremely important to him - he wouldn't be in this position otherwise. However, looking back, Alden discerned that he hadn't truly loved her. Rather, he had loved the idea of being with her.

True love would have been him putting effort into their relationship, not just expecting things to work out by the end. And while a nascent understanding of that had formed during the invasion, it was only now that Alden understood it with greater clarity.

Perhaps if he had invested more of himself and didn't run away in the crucial moment, then he might not have been as affected as much by this Trial.

Alden couldn't change what had happened in the past. He could, however, focus on changing the present, though.

And that...

That was much more achievable.

It also had a direct impact on the future.

The spark in his heart slowly grew.

Alden now had an inkling of what he had to do with Celeste. Communicating better, and truly looking at her - not just the superficial layer on the surface, but much deeper than that. To view things not just from his perspective, but hers as well.

He needed to understand her better.

The small ember grew even further.

'I can't become a vegetable.'

Suddenly, his heart blazed.

His newfound purpose stroked the flames. And with that purpose, came direction.

Alden's focus slowly returned.

The fog of heartbreak and pain cleared.

And although it hadn't completely disappeared - he suspected a lingering ache would remain there for some time - he could look past it now. As belief and confidence returned, Alden sensed a portion of the void retreat.

Slowly, he lifted himself up, his mind much clearer than before.

His eyes also shone.

…It was time to finish this blasted Trial.