Aetherion drifted in the endless, cold expanse of the Primordial Space. The void between realms was a place of complete isolation—no sound, no light, no warmth. The silence was suffocating, pressing down on him as though the very fabric of existence had abandoned him.
He could feel nothing. The Sacred Flame that had once burned so brightly within him was gone, extinguished by Goddess Boltia's hand. His wings hung limp, and his body felt heavy and powerless. For the first time since his reincarnation, Aetherion felt truly lost.
The system's voice, faint but persistent, echoed in the silence. [Aetherion... you cannot give up. The flame is not entirely lost. You must try.]
Aetherion let out a slow breath, his frustration simmering beneath the surface. "What's the point? She snuffed it out like it was nothing. The flame... I thought it was powerful. But now? What good is a flame that can be taken so easily?"
The system remained quiet for a moment before responding. [The flame was weakened under Boltia's control, but there is still a part of it left. A small spark remains, Aetherion. You still have a connection to it, however faint.]
Aetherion's brow furrowed as he floated aimlessly in the void. A spark... could that be enough? Could something greater be built from what was left?
The silence of the void stretched on as Aetherion considered the system's words. Boltia had taken the flame with ease, extinguishing it without a second thought. But that was because it was her flame, kept under her control for so long. The more Aetherion thought about it, the more the idea gnawed at him.
"She extinguished the flame," Aetherion murmured, his voice breaking through the void. "But what if I could forge something stronger? Something beyond her reach?"
The system's voice, calm and measured, responded. [It is possible, Aetherion. The spark that remains is still connected to you. It's small, but it's there. The flame may be weak, but it is still a part of you.]
Aetherion's eyes narrowed, determination slowly building within him. "If the flame can be reforged... if I can make it stronger... then Boltia will never be able to control it again."
For the first time since his banishment, Aetherion felt a flicker of hope. The flame was not gone completely—just diminished. If there was still a spark left, then perhaps he could reclaim it. No... he wouldn't just reclaim it. He would make it more powerful than ever before.
With renewed resolve, Aetherion closed his eyes, focusing on the depths of his soul. The cold emptiness of the void pressed in on him, but he ignored it, reaching deep within himself to find the spark the system spoke of. It was faint—almost imperceptible—but it was there. He could feel it, like a tiny ember in the darkest night.
The system's voice guided him. [Call to it, Aetherion. Reach out to the flame. It will respond.]
Aetherion exhaled slowly, his voice soft but filled with determination. "Sacred Flame... I know you're still there. I need you. Come back to me."
At first, there was nothing. The void remained silent, cold, and unforgiving. But then, ever so faintly, Aetherion felt the smallest flicker of warmth. A tiny glow appeared in the darkness, barely visible, but it was there—the spark of the Sacred Flame.
Aetherion's heart surged with hope. He reached out toward the spark, calling to it with every ounce of strength he had left. "Come to me, Sacred Flame. I need you."
The spark flared ever so slightly, its warmth growing stronger. It was weak, fragile, but it responded to his call. Aetherion's connection to the flame was not entirely lost.
As the spark of the Sacred Flame floated before him, Aetherion felt a rush of energy course through him. It wasn't much, but it was enough to reignite the fire within him. He had a chance—however slim—to rebuild the flame into something greater than it had been.
"System," Aetherion said, his voice filled with new purpose, "I need to know. Is it possible to forge a stronger flame from this spark? Something more powerful than what the goddess controlled?"
The system paused before answering. [Yes, it is possible. The Sacred Flame, in its true form, is boundless. It was only diminished under Boltia's control. But to forge a new flame, one that is beyond her reach, you will need to make sacrifices.]
Aetherion's brow furrowed. "Sacrifices? What kind of sacrifices?"
[To forge a new Sacred Flame—one that is stronger, purer, and beyond Boltia's control—you must sacrifice what little power you have left. Your body and your soul will be consumed in the process. You will become the flame.]
Aetherion's heart skipped a beat. "Sacrifice my body and soul?"
The system's words echoed in Aetherion's mind, heavy with the weight of the decision before him. Sacrificing his body and soul... it wasn't something he had anticipated. He had thought the flame could simply be rebuilt, but this was something more. Something far more dangerous.
[Yes,] the system continued. [To forge a flame that is truly yours, free from Boltia's influence, you must give up your current form. The flame will consume your body and your soul, but in return, you will be reborn from the flame, more powerful than ever before.]
Aetherion's mind raced. He had always known that the path to power required sacrifice, but this... this was different. He would have to give up everything—his physical form, his very essence—to become something new. But if it meant creating a flame that even Boltia couldn't control, wasn't it worth it?
Aetherion clenched his fists, his body trembling with the weight of the decision. "I've sacrificed so much already... but if this is the only way to defeat her... to reclaim the flame... then I'll do it."
The system remained silent for a moment, as if giving Aetherion the time he needed to process the gravity of what was about to happen. Finally, it spoke again, its tone calm and steady. [Once you begin, there will be no turning back. Your body will be consumed by the flame, and your soul will be reforged within it. Are you ready to make this sacrifice, Aetherion?]
Aetherion's wings flared slightly, his determination growing stronger. "I've come too far to stop now. Boltia thought she could extinguish the flame, but I'll prove her wrong. I'll forge a new flame—one that she can never take from me again."
With that, Aetherion reached out toward the spark, feeling its warmth growing stronger in his hand. He could feel the power of the flame, weak but alive, waiting to be reborn.
"I'm ready," Aetherion said softly, his voice filled with conviction. "I'll sacrifice whatever it takes to create something greater."
The system's voice responded, [Then let the forging begin.]
Aetherion closed his eyes, bracing himself for what was to come. The spark of the Sacred Flame flared in his hand, its warmth growing stronger as it responded to his resolve. The void around him seemed to pull away, leaving only the flame and the darkness.
The system's voice guided him through the process. [Focus on the flame. Let it consume you. Your body, your soul, everything you are will become one with the fire. But in the end, you will emerge more powerful than ever before.]
Aetherion took a deep breath, feeling the flame's heat against his skin. Slowly, he began to let go—of his physical form, of the power he once had. The flame flickered, growing brighter as it consumed his body. His wings dissolved into embers, his flesh turning to ash as the flame claimed him.
The pain was brief but intense, a searing heat that burned through every fiber of his being. But Aetherion held on, knowing that this was the price he had to pay.
As his body and soul were consumed by the flame, Aetherion could feel himself changing. His essence merged with the fire, becoming one with it. The flame burned brighter, hotter, stronger than it had ever been.
Aetherion, now one with the flame, felt a surge of power unlike anything he had known before. The Sacred Flame had been reborn—stronger, purer, and completely his.
The chapter ends with Aetherion's rebirth, floating in the void, now more powerful than ever as he begins to realize the true extent of his new abilities.