Chapter 48: Let It All Out.

Chapter 48

"The world itself is not fair by nature. The Origin’s trials, which determine the next wielder, follow that same principle."

"It follows the way of life itself."

Orion’s hands clenched into fists as he listened to the being’s words, his fingers tightening until his knuckles turned pale.

He knew.

Deep down, he had always known that the being was right.

The world had never promised to be fair. It had never promised that good people would always be rewarded, that the strong would always survive, or that those who fought with everything they had would necessarily reach the end. Life had never worked that way, and no amount of wishing could change that truth.

Orion understood all of it, yet understanding didn’t make the pain any less unbearable.

It didn’t bring Dwaine back, nor did it erase the memories of those who had disappeared before his very eyes. It certainly didn’t make the weight pressing against his chest any lighter, no matter how many times he reminded himself that there was nothing he could have done differently.

Instead, the heaviness within him continued to grow.

Orion felt as though he were drowning, sinking deeper into an ocean of grief with no way to reach the surface. Every time he tried to suppress his emotions, they seemed to grow stronger, dragging him further into the darkness he had been desperately trying to escape.

He had endured the trials and pushed through the pain, forcing himself to keep moving forward even when everything around him seemed determined to break him. Whenever he encountered another obstacle, he simply gritted his teeth and continued, refusing to let anything stop him from reaching the end.

But now that everything was finally over, all those suppressed emotions were catching up to him at once, leaving him struggling to cope with feelings he had never given himself the chance to process.

And he no longer knew what to do with them.

The sorrow continued to consume him until a hand gently settled on his head.

The instant the being touched him, Orion felt a soothing sensation spread throughout his body, bringing with it a warmth that seemed to reach far beyond his physical senses. It was a lively, comforting feeling, almost as though someone had reached deep into his wounded soul and carefully wrapped it in a blanket of warmth.

Orion slowly raised his head and met the warm gaze of the being standing before him.

"Stop blaming yourself, kid."

The being paused briefly, giving Orion a moment to absorb his words before continuing in the same gentle tone.

"In fact, you should be proud of yourself for making it all the way here on your own."

His hand remained on Orion’s head, gently patting him in a manner that felt strangely familiar despite the vast difference between their existences.

"I can say with more than a hundred percent certainty that I have never met another human like you throughout my entire existence."

The being regarded him with a softness that Orion had never expected to receive from someone of his stature.

"You have been through so much, far more than someone your age should ever have to endure."

He paused, allowing the words to settle before addressing something that had become increasingly clear to him.

"And keeping all those emotions bottled up inside you, allowing them to pile up without ever giving yourself a chance to release them, will only be detrimental to you."

His hand gave Orion’s head another gentle pat.

"So let it out."

For a brief moment, he looked directly into Orion’s grey eyes, ensuring that the young human understood what he was trying to tell him.

"Let it all out, kid."

The instant Orion heard those words, something inside him finally broke.

It wasn’t merely because of what the being had said. There was something more to it, something that went beyond the meaning of the words themselves.

They seemed to carry a strange power, almost like a command directed straight at Orion’s soul. The words slipped past the defenses he had built around his heart, reaching the deepest parts of him where all his suppressed emotions had been buried and locked away.

And finally, the dam broke.

The emotions that had been piling up within Orion burst free, sweeping away the restraints he had placed upon himself throughout his journey.

He stepped forward, buried his face against the being’s chest, and began to cry.

It wasn’t a quiet cry that he could easily conceal or dismiss. It was the anguished sobbing of someone who had endured experiences that would have broken even the strongest of men, suffering through one hardship after another until the weight of everything he had carried finally became too much.

His cries were filled with pain, sorrow, exhaustion, and all the emotions he had been forced to suppress while struggling to survive.

He had kept moving forward despite everything, enduring one trial after another and overcoming countless challenges that would have driven ordinary people to despair.

Even when the path ahead seemed impossible, he had continued walking, determined to reach the end regardless of what stood in his way.

Even when he was exhausted, he had kept going.

And even when the world seemed determined to take everything away from him, he had continued forward, clinging to the determination that had carried him through every obstacle until he finally reached the place where he stood now.

Throughout it all, however, he had barely allowed himself the opportunity to grieve.

There had always been another challenge waiting for him, another danger to overcome, or another reason to keep moving instead of stopping to confront the emotions building inside him.

He had never truly stopped to process everything he had experienced, everything he had lost, or everything he had been forced to endure.

But now, there was nothing left to fight.

The trials were over, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, Orion finally allowed himself to break down completely.

He cried for a long time, his tears soaking into the being’s clothes as he clung to him without any intention of letting go.

Several minutes passed, followed by hours, and eventually, days.

Time continued to flow, yet the being neither moved away nor interrupted Orion’s crying. He simply allowed the young human to cry against his chest, offering the silent comfort of someone who understood that there were moments when words were simply not enough.

He didn’t tell Orion to stop crying, nor did he tell him to be strong and endure his pain like he had endured everything else. He didn’t remind him of how far he had come or how much he had accomplished, because none of those things would change the loss that had brought him to this point.

Instead, he remained there, allowing Orion to release everything he had kept buried within himself.

Just like a real father would.

And Orion continued crying until the emotions that had accumulated throughout his journey finally began to pour out, leaving him exhausted from the experience but somewhat lighter than he had been before.

The sorrow, frustration, anger, and guilt that had weighed upon his heart for so long gradually found their way out, each wave of emotion leaving him with a little more room to breathe.

Eventually, the heaviness in his chest began to ease.

The pain didn’t disappear completely, and the memories that haunted him hadn’t suddenly become any less painful. Dwaine was still gone, and Orion couldn’t simply forget the countless lives he had witnessed disappearing throughout the trials.

However, the pain no longer felt as though it would drown him.

After what seemed like an eternity, Orion finally pulled away from the being’s chest.

His eyes were red from crying, and his breathing remained somewhat uneven as he tried to regain his composure. For a moment, he simply stood there, looking at the being who had allowed him to release emotions he hadn’t even realized were threatening to overwhelm him.

Then, he lowered his head in a slight bow.

"Thank you..."

His voice was hoarse, barely above a whisper after all the crying.

The being smiled at him before vanishing from where he stood and reappearing on his throne without saying anything further.

Once seated, he looked at the young human standing before him and spoke again.

"As I said before, you are the best... the greatest human I have ever come across throughout my entire lifetime."

He paused briefly, a faint smile appearing on his face as he considered his next words.

"Even though I am already dead, so to speak, you are still the best."

His gaze remained fixed on Orion as he continued, his tone becoming a little more serious.

"However, even with all the power I possess, I cannot restore the lives of those who have died within this trial ground."

He raised one hand slightly, as though preparing to demonstrate something that would explain the exception he was about to make.

"But for your sake, I will make an exception and grant you your deepest wish."

As soon as those words left his mouth, he stretched his hand forward, and the world responded to his gesture.

A mysterious force stirred within the vast galaxy, causing the surrounding space to ripple ever so slightly. The laws governing the world seemed to bend in response to the being’s will, and a brilliant orb of energy gradually formed in the palm of his hand.

The orb grew brighter as the energy surrounding it gathered and condensed, its radiance illuminating the space around the being.

Within that orb, something extraordinary was taking place.

A soul that had long since evaporated was being restored.

Orion’s grey eyes flickered as he watched the scene unfold, his attention drawn entirely to the orb resting in the being’s hand.

At first, he was shocked by what he was witnessing. His mind struggled to process what was happening, leaving him staring at the orb as disbelief gradually took hold of him.

Then, as the truth began to sink in, disbelief gave way to excitement.

His eyes widened, and his heart suddenly began pounding with an intensity he hadn’t felt in a very long time.

Inside that orb was someone who meant a great deal to him, someone whose loss had left a wound in his heart that he had struggled to come to terms with ever since their separation.

Someone he had thought he would never see again.

It was none other than Dwaine.

For a moment, Orion could hardly recognize what he was seeing, partly because he had never imagined that such a thing would be possible.

After all, countless ages had passed since Dwaine’s death during the one hundredth trial. His soul had long since vanished, leaving behind nothing that Orion could reach for, no matter how desperately he wished otherwise.

Yet here he was, restored and present within the orb of energy resting in the being’s hand.

Dwaine was right there before him.

Orion stared at the orb, unable to tear his gaze away from the soul within it. His thoughts were a mess, and he could barely believe what was happening, especially after spending so long forcing himself to accept that his friend was gone forever.

He had already accepted Dwaine’s death and forced himself to keep moving forward despite the loss, carrying the pain with him because there had been nothing else he could do.

And now, after everything he had endured, the very person whose death had caused him so much pain was being returned to him in a way he had never imagined possible.

The being looked at Orion and spoke calmly, seemingly aware of the thoughts racing through the young human’s mind.

"Consider this our meeting gift."

He smiled faintly before adding, "Think of it as a thank-you gift for clearing the trial."

Orion’s lips parted slightly, but no words came out. He wanted to say something, anything that could express what he was feeling, yet his emotions were so tangled that he couldn’t find the right words.

All he could do was stare at Dwaine’s restored soul, trying to convince himself that what he was witnessing was real.

The being continued speaking, explaining what would happen next.

"Your friend’s soul will be sent into the cycle of reincarnation. In ten years, he will be reborn in a good and peaceful place."

As he spoke, a small mark appeared on Orion’s hand.

The mark resembled a handband, wrapping itself around a portion of his hand before fading away the very next second, leaving Orion momentarily confused by its sudden appearance.

"When he is reborn, or when you are around him, you will know."

The being’s voice remained gentle as he explained the purpose of the mark.

"With that mark, you will be able to recognize him."

He paused briefly, allowing Orion to absorb the information before delivering the final part of his promise.

"In ten years, you will meet your friend once more."

As soon as he finished speaking, the flow of reincarnation appeared right before him.

It was a mysterious sight that seemed to exist beyond the boundaries of ordinary perception. The laws of life and death intertwined within it, forming a pathway through which souls could move toward their next existence, leaving behind one life and preparing to begin another.

The being gently extended his hand and sent Dwaine’s soul into the cycle of reincarnation.

The orb of energy began moving away, carrying Dwaine’s soul along with it as the process of reincarnation took effect.

Orion watched silently, his grey eyes following the orb as it traveled toward the cycle that would lead his friend into a new life.

His gaze shone with an emotion he had almost forgotten how to feel.

Happiness.

After everything he had endured, the simple knowledge that Dwaine would live again brought a warmth to his heart that he hadn’t felt since before the trials had taken so much from him.

For the first time in what felt like an eternity, his heart was filled with something other than pain, anger, or sorrow.

He was happy, truly happy.

Knowing that Dwaine’s soul had been restored, that his friend would have another chance at life, and that they would one day meet again made something within Orion’s heart finally loosen.

The pain of losing Dwaine hadn’t simply vanished, but now he had something else to hold on to, something that could help him move forward without feeling as though he were leaving his friend behind forever.

Hope.

A future in which Dwaine still existed, a future in which their paths would cross once more, and a future in which the friend he had lost would have the opportunity to live a peaceful life, free from the cruel trials that had brought his previous existence to an end.

Orion continued watching as Dwaine’s soul flowed away into the cycle of reincarnation, his attention fixed on the departing orb until it was clear that the process had been completed.

His eyes threatened to well up with tears once more, but this time, he managed to hold them back.

He cleared his sore throat, which was still rough from all the crying, before slowly turning his gaze toward the being seated upon the throne.

The being’s warm gaze remained fixed on him, and for a moment, Orion simply looked at the figure who had given him something he had believed to be impossible.

He had entered the trials without knowing what awaited him, endured hardships beyond what he could have imagined, and lost someone who had become important to him along the way.

Yet despite everything, the being before him had granted him a chance to see his friend again, giving him something he could carry with him long after he left this place.

Orion knew that he couldn’t fully express how much this meant to him, but he still wanted to say something.

So, he spoke.

His voice was filled with appreciation and genuine gratitude as he addressed the being before him.

"Thanks..."

He paused briefly, his grey eyes shining with sincerity.

"Thanks a lot, Senior."