I had long since returned home.
Aunt Grace was lying there peacefully asleep by now.
I hadn't noticed how long I'd wandered in the dark.
Oh well, hopefully I don't get scolded.
Her words wouldn't leave my mind, echoing over and over.
I still did not understand what it meant.
According to her, my 'family' was real and somewhere out there, waiting for me.
Oh, and the fact that I had powers.
This was too much.
Too much of a damned joke, I thought, bitterness stinging my throat and tightening my chest.
Without realizing it, I was quietly laughing in my room.
Do my hallucinations think I'm that pathetic? To the point where I would believe them?
Well, damn straight they are. I am pathetic and I am weak. I am a weak, sad fool left with nothing to lose.
And I'm fucking tired of it all.
So what if it's all fake? Why shouldn't I trust them this once? At least they haven't abandoned me like the gods themselves.
'Power, I wonder what it feels like'
Those were my final words before I drifted off to sleep.
"Ah, it's finally time..." Mari murmured beside me. Her voice was so faint that only she could hear it.
"I hope you survive whatever it throws at you. For you will never be the same," And just like she appeared mysteriously, she once again vanished into thin air.
***
The world was white, and in it teetered a massive silver storm. Its size was unfathomably large.
I could not comprehend its immense scale. Where am I? I had been here for around 5 minutes now, and I still could not figure it out.
At first, I thought it was another one of my nightmares, but this one felt too real and vivid.
I could hear my own breathing, my own footsteps, and most importantly, I was in control.
With no abominations in sight
Unless that storm were one, then I would be dead.
Strangely, the storm was still, and I was sure I was standing at its center—a place the strange silver specks seemed to avoid.
'Didn't the commoners call the middle of a storm its eye?
''So that means I am in its eye, huh?'
'Gross'
But in all seriousness, what is this place?
As if answering my call, a figure with silky black hair appeared beside me, slightly startling me.
"Nyth? Why are you here? And do you know what this place is?"
Nyth at first ignored me and glanced around. She seemed to be focused on the storm looming in the distance.
"Earth to Nyth. Hello? Anyone there?" I said impatiently, poking her cheek.
'Hm… her cheeks are softer than usual. I guess she's been eating more.'
Nyth threw me an irritated glance and finally spoke.
"Well, congratulations! This is one of your powers, dear brother!"
"After all, weren't you the one crying after failing to receive a power?"
"Nyth, please just tell me where I am…" I begged, clearly tired by now. Whatever this place was, it was slowly draining me.
"Well, in short, we are inside you, Aly."
"To be precise, inside your mind. I guess people can call it their dreamspace."
"Normally, you would not be able to come here, Aly, but it seems your desire has led you here finally," she explained.
"What do you mean?"
"Aly, remember when I told you we are your family? And that you had powers? All of it is true, and you being here proves that you were finally worthy of knowing them," Nyth said.
I analyzed her face for a while, thinking of a suitable reply.
None of this was making sense to me. Why now?
"You see, Aly, you are quite a unique being. So unique in fact, that the world itself will strive to reject you," she said.
"I don't understand," I said calmly. Yes, I understood bits and pieces, but what does she mean by the world rejecting me? Was it even possible to be rejected by the world?
"But remember this, brother, the world may have scorned you, but never us, for we are the same," she continued. Her previous calm demeanor was slowly leaving her face, replaced by a maddening smile. "Aly, I am sure you have heard of Mana. After all, that is the only form of energy everyone possesses, from the gods to the lowest of mortals. Every living being survives off it," she explained.
I nodded my head. This was basic knowledge after all.
Nyth's voice continued,
"You, who was recently deemed unfit to use the power, your body rejects mana and the world refuses to give it to you…" she said.
"But why?" I interrupted her abruptly
"Patience, my brother, is another quality you need to learn," she said sarcastically, her grin slightly annoying me now.
"Why, you ask? Well, it's actually quite simple. Your body uses Aether instead of Mana. A power that is a curse if wielded by any living creature and one that Mana actively hides," she replied.
"That's if you were a simple living creature, of course."Her tone had changed once again, the atmosphere turning colder and more terrifying.
"Aether, a power that should not walk this earth, once sealed by those fools who were scared of us. Ah, what bliss to see their plans fail before my very eyes," she said, her tone now eerily calm.
Her voice, usually gentle, was now eerily calm and sinister, and the very air around her seemed thick and heavy, forcing the hair on my neck to rise.
What's happening to me? Why was I so terrified?
Fear had slowly planted its way into my mind. But I needed answers, and I wanted them now.
"T-then what am I, Nyth? Tell me? Am I not h-human?" I stammered.
"Ah, Aly, why must you care about being human? Were you not cursing yourself over being human? Haha, brother, if you are so afraid of what you are, then be careful what you wish for…" she taunted.
"What you are does not matter, and even I cannot answer that question. The answer will come to you eventually," she concluded. Her face now had a sick smile. Almost as if she were amused.
It was then that I realized why members of my family never seemed ordinary, why some of their gestures seemed inhumane.
It was because they were never humans in the first place.
"Then how do I use Aether? Is it similar to mana?" I finally voiced one of many questions.
"Ah, well, Aether in that regard is similar to what you would call Mana. Just like Mana, you will first form a core. Only after that can you feel the energy and form different circles to strengthen its power," she instructed.
"Then isn't Aether just a different form of mana? It sounds awfully similar. Why do you refer to it as if it's cursed?" I pressed.
"Ah, a wonderful question. Unlike Mana, which allows for only 7 Circles, Aether allows for 10, and while Mana relies heavily on randomly assigned attributes, Aether relies on the attributes that are only suited for you."
"To call it attributes is rather wrong. We call them concepts because once you reach the peak and pierce through the veil, you become that concept itself."
"You see, it is quite rare to see users of mana with dual attributes, but that is pretty common if you use Aether. You will most likely have more than a single attribute."
"Now about those circles, since Aether has existed long before Mana, its essence is, in general, purer, allowing for terrifying abilities, and is thus even harder to grow when compared to Mana."
"For every circle that you must form, you must pass a trial of sorts to prove that you are worthy of carrying the power."
"As for why it's cursed? You will find that out soon."
A trial? That does not sound easy at all.
"What do these trials look like?" Ah, I was too curious.
"Well, Aly, that's a rather useless question. Remember how I said Aether will only give you concepts most suited for you?"
"Well, it's the same with the trials. Each trial is tailored perfectly to its user. But don't you dare underestimate them, for if you fail, you will die, and each trial is deadlier than the last."
My face twisted and grimaced when I heard that. Die? I can die just for trying to grow? What is this energy? Is this why it's considered cursed? How can something like that kill you? Just the thought of it terrified me.
Her voice paused for a moment, a gaze of uncertainty and concern apparent in her eyes.
"I can only pray that your first trial is easy and that you will live."
"So, Aly, whatever you do, you must conquer the Trial even if your hands are forced to do unsavory things."
"I promise I will be fine. How can it be worse than the life I am currently living?"
How I wished they had never mentioned this cursed energy and how devastating those trials were.
By the time I found out, it was too late to turn back, and my old self slowly faded from existence.