The Inner Odyssey

Chapter 80 Hate

Alden gasped awake.

His temple throbbed, thoughts and awareness sluggish.

He slowly blinked.

The world soon returned to focus.

He was in a dark room - the only source of illumination the thin strands of moonlight peeking through the drawn curtains. For some reason, his surroundings seemed familiar.

Alden didn't know why.

He blinked again, mind gradually returning to its former sharpness.

Alden rubbed his temple. Flashes of the past few scenarios appeared inside his mind. He groaned silently, his mental state on the precipice of disorder. Alden slowly exhaled.

In.

Out.

In.

He took a few moments to focus on his breath... the slow rise and fall, the air travelling into his lungs. He immersed himself in the calming sensation. Gradually, tranquillity returned.

'Haaaa...'

Alden sighed.

His shoulders sagged.

It was only then that he realised he was lying on a bed.

As his eyes continued to adjust to the dim light, strangely, Alden felt a sense of nostalgia wash over him.

'Weird.'

Why did it feel like he was back home?

Suddenly, Alden froze, picking up on a very, very, very important detail.

He wasn't alone.

'Blasted Asterons!'

Alden's entire body stiffened.

His heart raced at a million miles an hour.

Slowly, carefully, he shifted, doing his best to make as little noise as possible.

As he turned to face the individual sharing the bed, Alden froze again.

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'N-No way.'

Alden struggled to breathe.

All his efforts at restoring calm disappeared just like that.@@@@

For the person he slept next to was...

Celeste.

And while her silhouette was vague in the dim light, her features were anything but.

Alden would instantly recognise that beautiful face anywhere.

'H-How?'

Alden struggled to understand how his precious love was here. He knew with certainty that she hadn't entered the Trial with him - if that was even possible? -, so how did she end up here?

'Unless...'

It was simply a manifestation of his desire that the Key had picked up on and thus sought to test him.

In that case, what was the pain?

Longing?

Alden's heart twisted.

Wasn't this too cruel?

He inwardly cursed.

Breathing some more, Alden forced himself to retain a semblance of calm.

'At least, the only positive is that she's still asleep.'

Alden didn't know what he would do if his precious love suddenly decided to open her eyes. Banishing the unhelpful thoughts, he settled for staring at her gorgeous face. Her tiny eyelashes, cute nose, and softness of her skin... all of it entered Alden's vision.

He made sure to burn that sight in his memory.

For he knew that he wouldn't forget it for a long, long time.

Alden's gaze turned tender.

'Cece...'

"Humans are vile."

"They need to be eradicated."

"Slaughtering innocent children just to become stronger?"

"Torture?"

"Betrayal?"

"Heartbreak?"

The darkness cackled.

"All of it is so vile!"

Alden's body trembled in response.

He gritted his teeth, desperately trying to block out the whispers.

Unfortunately for him...

That was impossible.

The darkness seemed to turn deeper around him.

"Child, the human race is vile."

"That is an inescapable truth."

"Love?"

"What a foolish thing."

Alden whimpered.

'S-stop...'

The darkness laughed once more.

"Give up."

"Only then will I stop."

The voice paused for a moment.

Calculating.

"There is no reason for you to struggle so much anymore."

"She hates you."

"It's too late."

"...Give up."

Alden growled, sealing his mind off.

His face was stained wet with his tears.

This pain...

"Yes. If you give up, it will all go way."

"No more pain."

"No more hurt."

"Just relief."

Alden's mind quaked against his best efforts.

'It hurts.'

'It hurts so much.'

'What's the point of struggling so much only to be met with so much pain?'

"Yes, that's right. There is no point."

Hazily, Alden sensed a substantial change take hold of the darkness.

...It was coalescing, forming a figure.

The next moment, a shadowy being covered in a tenebrous mist floated over to him.

A pitch-black scythe lay in their grasp.

Alden turned towards the figure, his vacant gaze settling on the weapon.

The darkness grinned, a gaping maw of blackness manifesting in response.

"This will all be over very soon."

The shadowy figure inched closer, smile growing wider.

"Do you know why?"

"Because I have come to claim your mind."