Chapter 550: A Second Chance

On instinct, he tried summoning his blade... which was Voidpiercer; even with a new blade, his body still remembered his first blade as his main. He hadn’t even realized it... Well, maybe because nothing happened, nothing came out.

He stared at his hand, confused, before frowning as he heard the angel take a step forward.

To think he would look exactly the same as he had that day... his body made out of shadows, purely shadows, and with his wings hanging by his side, which, in his opinion they didn’t have the form of an angel at all. And his opinion was further proven by the horns on his head.

His eyes were white, glowing white, no iris, just pure white to stare at; it almost blended into the surroundings

Yet this time, in his hand, it didn’t hold any blade; it did make him relax slightly, since while he couldn’t summon his blade, it also didn’t have anything to attack him with.

The chains were still there, latched on his hands, binding him, but to what? They seemed to be attached to something from above, but looking up, there was nothing but darkness, masking whatever could be holding it.

"Hello, Aether Moirai... or should I say Apeiros now? Which do you go by?"

Aether’s eyes widened as he heard its voice; it was clear as day, which was strange, since the last time he remembered it being very glitchy, barely able to figure out what it was saying, since it always cut out. But what was different now? Was it because the Codex didn’t work anymore, or maybe because he wasn’t in his trial anymore?

... ’Or maybe because I’m dead, and the rules of the world don’t affect me anymore. But if so, then was the world the thing that stopped it before, but why?’

He took a step back, as it took one forward.

"I’d prefer if you just didn’t talk to me at all, really, but... the latter."

Its face twisted into a smile as its mouth opened, revealing its purely white teeth under that darkness that was his face... it was hideous, truly.

"Is that the treatment I get for being a good guardian angel?"

Aether scoffed. "You? A guardian angel? Who are you trying to fool? I know you don’t have pure motives; I can see it. I’m not a dumbass. I mean, why would you cut off the Abyss from me?"

The Angel tilted its head. "And that’s a bad thing?... Plus, the thing that did it was an old piece of my soul, from when I... had my problems. But I’ve changed... after all, I tried warning you the day you awakened about the whole assassination."

Aether froze in his tracks as the Angel confirmed one of his theories... that day, the thing that had tried to stop him, and helped him overcome his fear and kill one of the guards for his own survival, was the person standing in front of him.

...

"Plus, that wasn’t the first time I warned you. I thought I was quite direct the first time, but I guess I was wrong."

"Huh?" Aether said, more annoyed than surprised. "I don’t remember hearing your voice before that day, so what are you saying?"

He frowned. "Don’t make stuff up to make me open up to you; I won’t."

...

...

"Oh, but I never said I used my voice as a warning... I had a much cleverer method... On your birthday, do you perhaps remember running into a book?"

Aether paled; out of all the things he expected, that was not one of them... even more, he had completely forgotten about that book... thinking back to it, the little elf was himself; that’s why he related so much to him, because he was him, and the events that followed... they were the same ones that he had to experience...

With the corner of his eye, Aether saw his hand shaking... the shock had gotten to him.

It was also why all the other pages were empty; the book was his story, with the beginning written as a warning for him. All the others were to be written by him as his journey went on.

"But..." He said, trying to calm himself down as he clenched his fists. "Why me?" He said, frustrated. "I don’t understand. What did I do to be chosen by the Abyss, or you? For what reason?"

...

"The Reason, well, for me at least... to prevent the Abyss from choosing another Vessel. In the end, I have failed... but that doesn’t matter..."

Aether bit his finger. "But then, do you mean the assassination was orchestrated by the Abyss? I mean, was that why you tried to prevent it?"

The Angel circled around him. "In a way, yes, but mostly no. The Abyss wasn’t the one that caused this, but at the same time, I knew he would choose you, and I knew he would take advantage of the state you would be in to choose you. It had long wanted you as its vessel. It’s why you haven’t been able to awaken; it blocked your original Affinity from coming. It waited until a bad mental state for you, hoping to take control as fast, but the Codex didn’t allow his plan."

That was the reason he had awakened so late; the Abyss didn’t allow him? So in reality, he had long had an affinity associated with him; that bastard just didn’t let him get it.

He wanted to be mad... but at the same time, why did it matter now? He was dead after all.

"I see... thanks... I guess, but what are you even doing here? I’m dead, right, so can’t you give me a rest even after my passing? It’s already annoying sharing a body with two people, and my soul with someone."

...

"Your death, huh? True, you may have died... but is this truly the end? When has death truly been the final Chapter for you?"

Aether gritted his teeth. "Ever since my body and existence were destroyed, come on now, what do you want me to do? I mean, my Seeker ability isn’t going to work on that, plus the Abyss itself can’t do anything to help me, so what can I do?"

He lay down, putting his arms under his head, as he stared at the darkness above him.

"Stop giving me false hope... I might actually start to believe it."

...

"What even are you? I mean, where do your powers even come from? Why do you hate the Abyss? I have so many questions about you."

The Angel walked around him, leaning down to block his vision with his head. "Those are many questions, to which... I can’t answer you; it’s better if I don’t."

Aether scoffed. "Yeah, for my greater good, huh? I’m dead, for god’s sake. What does it matter?" He sighed. "You remind me of a certain blade of mine." Closing his eyes, Aehter smiled.

...

"I don’t get it. Why do you think of death as a final Chapter?

...

Do you not know that the world, alongside death, bows down to me?"

...

"Hm?" Aether opened his eyes slightly, before opening them completely...

He wasn’t in the white room anymore... instead, he was sitting in a chair, staring at a cake...

One with two candles on it.

"17..."

He stood frozen for a second before quickly getting up, knocking his chair down as he desperately looked around, his hands shaking. "What the fuck?" He was inside his old dorm room again, just like nothing had happened.

Realizing this, he quickly tried to test something.

[Character Codex: Sync Stable]

Name: Aether Moirai

Age: 17

Race: Human

Affiliation: Royal Family

[Path]: —Stray of the Abyss—

> A being without a home, striving for survival in even the most dangerous situations. You will survive, no matter what you have to do.

Knowledge Rank — [Beast]

>558/3000 knowledge shards

Codex Class — [Seeker]

> Sync Rate: 41%

Affinity — [Abyss]

> A slumbering void stirs within you. It gazes back.

[Affinity Bane]: —Stranded Resolve —

[Mental Fortitude Thresholds]

> 80 — Clear Mind: Subject resists Abyssal influence entirely

> 60–79 — Subtle Echoes: Whispered thoughts emerge

> 40–59 — Instability Detected: Reflexive Abyssal traits may emerge

> 20–39 — Possession Risk: Abyss seeks control

< 20 — Vessel Breach: Control lost temporarily

Mental Fortitude: 100/100

Status: Stable— Subject is in full control.

[Skills / Abilities]

Abyssal Abilities — [Shadow Speech][Mask of the Fool][Abyssal Matter][Gravewalker].

Skills — [Echo Word],[Eden][Whispers of the Lost][Erosion]

[Relics]

—[Hair extension]

— [Mantle of Quiet Dread]

—[VoidPiercer Wound (Replica)]

—[Unwavering Paint]

—[Tear of Darkness]

—[Antler of Promise]

—[Raven of the Desperate]

***

The Codex was back... he couldn’t help but sigh in relief... yet there was just one problem... he lacked things he had gained inside the Wonderland; Raven was gone, along with his other new ability...

’Is this because of the time reversal...’

...

Aether swallowed as he stared at his codex, determined... this meant he was months in the past, before the Wonderland started merging, and before the expedition happened, just like he had wished... which meant he could prevent it.

...

And also try to help the world prepare for the merge.