Clatter-Patter

All Alex could hear was the sound of debris falling about and the eerie stillness of the surroundings. There was no other sound after the explosion.

“Urgh…” Rubbing his eyes, Alex slowly opened his eyes, adjusting to the surroundings.

Soon, his eyes returned to normal, the light subsiding, leaving a scene of utter devastation. Alex found himself bound by radiant chains of light, their warmth deceptively masking the strength they carried.

Everything around him was in ruins—once vibrant square now reduced to rubble.

As he observed the surroundings, his eyes finally caught sight of Elyra. Her body was limp and battered as she remained embedded within the fountain, now broken into pieces.

“Elyra!” Alex shouted, his voice echoing through the eerie silence. He struggled against the chains, but his strength wasn’t enough to break free.

[You’ll have to use your star power,] Sophie advised, but before Alex could act on it, Elyra stirred to his astonishment.

Her fingers twitched, and then, with a sharp gasp, she leaped from the shattered fountain. Her wounds, which had seemed fatal moments ago, began healing at an incredible pace. The lesser aura coating her broken knife pulsed faintly, as though it were aiding her recovery.

‘W-What just happened?’ She couldn’t even understand what had happened. All she recalled was the blast that sent her flying into the air.

Her gaze landed on her body, her wounds getting patched up in real-time, making her eyes go wide in wonder. ‘What the hell? Did I get superpowers as well?’ He thought to herself, grinning inwardly.

Elyra could feel herself growing stronger with every passing second.

‘Ah, this golden light,’ she smiled as he saw the lesser aura covering her knife—cracked from many spots—and Alex’s face flashed past her mind. ‘It’s just like his—wait!’

Her eyes suddenly widened as she remembered that Alex was also caught up in the light. Her gaze quivered, searching for Alex before she found him staring at her with his body bound by some bright chains.

‘What? What’s happening?!’ She panicked as she saw him like that.

‘Are they trying to take him away from me?!’ ELyra could only think that it was the elders who were doing it.

She couldn’t see them; she couldn’t find anyone other than Alex, but she was sure that it was them. There was no doubt in her mind.

“Alex!” Elyra called, her voice tinged with urgency as she sprinted toward him. She needed to save him first, then think of what to do with the elders.

Her knife gleamed with the golden hue of her aura, which she used to slash at the chains holding him. But before she could reach him, the ground beneath her erupted in another spiral blast of light.

Boom!

“GAHH!!” The force sent her hurtling through the air, her body smashing into the remnants of a nearby house.

Alex’s eyes narrowed, his jaw clenching as he watched her crash into the wreckage. “Elyra…” he muttered, his voice a mixture of concern and frustration.

He was momentarily surprised before, resulting in Elyra getting hurt again. ‘It’s my fault,’ he growled as stars started to shine on his chest. He was finally releasing his full power. He knew that conserving wouldn’t do him any good right now.

Shizzle!

Even destruction energy started to coat his finger, slowly moving to cover his arms, but before he could do it…

[Wait, Alex! Look at Elyra!]

Sophie’s voice echoed in his mind, halting him. Frowning, he shifted his focus back to her, and to his shock, Elyra was already rising from the rubble, her wounds mending even faster than before.

The golden aura around her glowed brighter, almost as if it were feeding on her resolve and pain. Her body, which was healing before, now had its pace increased.

“Wait…” Alex muttered, his brow furrowing as he observed her. “Is she getting stronger with every passing second?”

[Yes. That’s what I think as well,] Sophie replied, making him nod his head, but before he could dwell further on the thought, a blinding light enveloped his vision.

He blinked, frustrated that he fell for the same attack again. His vision was out for a while, and when his sight returned, he found himself standing in an endless expanse of white. The light was all-encompassing, without shadows or depth, as if he were inside a massive glowing void.

“You’ve come unannounced,” a disembodied voice echoed, calm yet imposing. “But it is good that you do not plan on interfering anymore.”

That voice sounded majestic and powerful. It was as if an emperor were talking to a peasant.

‘Sophie?’ Alex called out to Sophie, trying to see if she could tell what was happening.

[I don’t know what’s happening, but I know that we weren’t teleported. We are inside your mind.] Sophie replied to Alex’s silent inquiry.

Frowning harder, Alex turned in all directions, trying to locate the source of the voice. “Who are you? What do you mean by interfering?”

The voice chuckled softly, a sound that seemed to reverberate through the very air. “You need not know who we are. Suffice it to say, this is a procedure to awaken Elyra, the Hero of Sword. Your unexpected presence has disrupted the process.”

“Awakening Elyra?” Alex’s eyes narrowed. He had seen what was happening. Elyra did awaken her aura, and now she was suddenly healing herself without even realizing it.

“So, this was all planned, huh?” Alex knew the answer to this yet he asked.

“Indeed,” the voice replied. “But despite your intrusion, events have unfolded as desired. For that, you will be forgiven.”

Alex’s fists clenched as his expression morphed into annoyance. “Forgiven? Who gave you the right to decide what happens to us?”

The voice, however, ignored his question. “Your strength is remarkable, Alex. A talent like yours is rare. Join us, and you will gain power beyond your imagination.”

The offer hung in the air, the voice intentionally trying to sound more mighty and enigmatic, trying to make Alex feel awed, but Alex’s response was immediate and firm. “Not interested.”

A heavy silence followed, the weight of it pressing down on Alex. “A pity,” the voice finally said, its tone laced with disappointment. “We had hoped to make use of your potential. But since you have chosen to decline, we have no choice but to remove you.”

The voice really sounded disappointed. It was as if they had really hoped for Alex to accept their offer.

Alex, however, had his attention fixed on something else.

“Remove me?” Alex demanded. What did the voice mean by that? Were they trying to kill him?

As that thought crossed his mind, Alex got ready for combat, his mana about to flare, but before he could do it, the light intensified, consuming everything. He felt a strange pull, as if he were yanked from the space itself.

‘Damn, the third time,’ he growled as he found his vision going off again. He fell for the same type of attack the third time.

When his vision returned, he was back in the square. Elyra was rushing toward him again, her aura blazing brighter than ever.

“Alex!” She roared as her eyes widened. It was as if she could see something that Alex couldn’t.

‘What..?’ Alex soon understood what it was as well. It was a large jaw made of light heading toward him at a speed he couldn’t perceive. But before Alex could act, the jaw was already above his head, engulfing him.

BOOM!

Alex braced for impact, raising his hands to cover his head, but the impact he waited for never came.

As he removed his hands, he finally took in his surroundings. He was standing on barren, desolate land. The horizon stretched endlessly, devoid of any features or life. The air was dry, and the silence was deafening.

He looked around, his mind racing. “Where… am I?”

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