Sufficiency - Threads of Aeon

The journey back was quiet... an eerie silence, as if the world had decided to grant me a moment of peace.

I walked beside Sylvia without saying a word. The air was cool, and the scent of dawn slowly crept through the trees. Everything seemed more normal than it should have been.

Then—

My feet stopped suddenly.

At first, I thought it was just a passing tingle... a light sensation in my chest, like a heartbeat that had skipped a beat.

But in the next moment, the mark exploded.

It wasn't a normal pain.

It was as if something inside me had been forcefully opened, like my ribcage was being pulled apart, and a cold fire coursed through my veins all at once.

I fell to my knees before I could understand what was happening.

My breath was cut off, my vision distorted.

The world around me became a distant noise.

I placed my hand on my chest, where the mark was pulsating wildly, each pulse bringing a new wave of agony, deeper than the last.

This wasn't just physical pain...

It was the pain of something being reshaped.

"Aaagh..."

What is this pain? The mark? Why is it burning?

"Daniel! Are you okay?! Daniel?!"

Sylvia was screaming, her face filled with surprise and concern. My vision was blurry and distorted. And with my feeling of losing consciousness, a figure suddenly appeared in front of me. It was Nevis. Although I didn't see him clearly, I knew it was him. He said in a broken voice:

"Daniel... I'll be waiting for you."

What? Waiting for me? Does this have something to do with what Agnos said?

After a few seconds, everything returned to normal. I was standing on the road, but the pain was gone. Sylvia, who was walking beside me, stopped. She still looked human since we arrived.

"What's wrong? Why did you stop suddenly?"

Huh? What happened? Was all of this just an illusion? Ugh, my head hurts from thinking. I controlled my expression and said:

"Nothing's wrong. Don't worry about it."

We continued walking while chatting a bit. We needed to hurry; sunrise was approaching. We reached the palace, and we entered through the window since the servants were likely awake. I took a shower, and so did Sylvia. After that, I wore the outfit my grandfather had left for me that time and headed downstairs. It was already morning. Sylvia jumped onto my shoulders as we headed down. My grandfather was already there.

"Oh! You're up. Have breakfast."

I sat with my grandfather as we had breakfast and chatted a bit, but that feeling of loss didn't disappear. Grandfather noticed it, but he just remained silent. After a while, it was time for me to leave.

"So, Daniel, it seems it's time to say goodbye."

"Yes, Grandfather. Thank you for the hospitality and everything else."

"Don't worry about it, kiddo. Just keep what you learned and take care of yourself."

"And don't forget to visit me from time to time. Bring your siblings with you. I've really missed them."

"I'll definitely do that. Well, goodbye."

I turned to leave, but before getting into the carriage, Grandfather called out to me.

"Daniel."

I turned to listen, and he added:

"Don't let the world decide who you are, and don't let pain write your story. Justice doesn't reside in events, but in your awareness of them. Understanding the laws of the soul precedes the laws of life. And whoever doesn't conquer their fear will remain a slave to consequences they didn't choose. True control isn't over others... but over the chaos within you."

After he said this, my eyes widened in surprise and confusion. Although some people around us didn't understand, I did. My eyes returned to normal, blue and full of life. The dark expression on my face disappeared. I realized I hadn't lost something; I had understood something. It was fulfillment. During the time I spent here, I realized what fulfillment is.

I smiled genuinely, with a hint of appreciation. I bowed slightly and said:

"Thank you, Grandfather."

These words were enough for me, and for Grandfather too.

"Of course, kiddo. Now, get going."

I smiled at him and got into the carriage. And so, my stay in the duchy came to an end.

As we were on the road, I thought to myself, why not check on the sword now? Sylvia was in front of me in her human form, eating something like dried meat.

"Listen, what if someone sees you like this?"

"Don't worry, I'll hide myself then."

Sigh... it doesn't matter. The special thing about this sword is that I can store it in the spiritual realm and summon it whenever I want. And also, this sword can change its shape according to its bearer's wish. Where can I find a better one, right? Sylvia said, cutting off my thoughts.

"Why don't you give it a name?"

"Hmm, you're right."

Okay, this sword deserves a name, right? Let's see what we can name it. After thinking for a long time, I found a name.

"... Certainty"

"What?"

"I'll name it Certainty."

Sylvia made a strange expression.

"Why did you name it that?"

"I don't know. I thought of a name that fits it, but I couldn't find one, so I decided to name it that. Why doesn't it appeal to you?"

"No... actually, it's great."

"That's why I named it that. Anyway, I'll sleep now. What about you?"

"I'll do the same. I'm tired."

Sylvia transformed, and we both fell asleep. It'll take two days to get home.

Before falling asleep, I felt a gentle pulse in my chest.

It wasn't painful this time... but like something was knocking from afar.

And inside the darkness, I heard a single whisper:

"Etherion... is not your destination... but your beginning."

My beginning, huh...

Yeah, I think so too.

I woke up to the sound of the guard waking me up.

"Master, we're about to arrive. Wake up."

I got up immediately and washed my face with some water that was in front of me. Sylvia was still asleep. I poked my head out of the carriage to see my giant mansion getting closer and closer. I sighed with a mix of relief and comfort.

Finally... I'm back home.

But I wasn't the same person who left.

The house was the same, the walls, the sky...

But something inside me had silently changed.

I wasn't just searching for power anymore.

Nor for survival.

I was searching for meaning.

I gripped the hilt of the Certainty sword inside my spiritual realm and felt its pulse sync with my chest.

Academy...

Etherion...

Nevis...

The threads were starting to intersect.

For the first time, I didn't feel fear about what was coming.

But readiness for it.