"Wake up, wake up," a faint voice echoed through the void. "Open your damn eyes, kid," the voice grew louder and clearer.
"I'm up, I'm up," Jett's eyes snapped open to a sight he wasn't expecting, freezing him in place. 'What's going on? Why am I back here? Did I die? No that's impossible.' He checked himself to see if he was real or if it was a dream. He found himself in the grand hall where he and the others had gathered before they were reborn.
The hall was magnificent, with towering marble pillars adorned with intricate carvings that reached towards a vaulted ceiling painted with pure white.
Chandeliers of crystal and gold hung down, casting a warm, ethereal glow across the polished obsidian floor. But the throne he had allegedly broken was nowhere to be found. He it was the same place even though most of it looked new to him.
"It's about time. I finally found an opportunity to bring you back." Aurelia appeared before him, scratching his head in frustration and giving a brief sigh.
"What's going on? I remember passing out after... Hold on, did you bring me here?" Jett demanded, stepping back as he began to grasp the situation.
"Well, of course I did, and it took a lot to do so," Aurelia replied, his right hand on his forehead as though he were in despair.
Jett, unmoved by Aurelia's display, only looked at him in disgust. "Cut the bullshit. I know you're faking it. Just tell me why you brought me here."
"Oh? Interesting. I can never figure you out," Aurelia sighed playfully, vanishing and reappearing behind Jett.
"Yeah? You've been spying on me, haven't you?" Jett folded his arms and sat on the floor, defiant.
'How does he know that? I mean, I was, but for some strange reason, I haven't been able to do so directly for two years now. A black fog keeps covering my eyes whenever I try. But I can't tell him that. This kid is too crafty, but that piques my interest even more. I wonder what fun he's been up to,' Aurelia pondered silently.
Jett clapped loudly in front of Aurelia's face to snap him back to reality. "Hey, stop daydreaming, damn it. You're wasting my time."
"Oh, we have all the time in the world, kid. I control this space, and in here, time moves as I want it to. Not just time—anything I can think of is what this space shall be. Welcome to Etheria Reviva," Aurelia explained, his voice echoing with a mix of authority and amusement.
As he spoke, Aurelia flew upwards, revealing his majestic form. Six wings spread apart, each with a span as wide as a full-grown man.
The wings glowed even more intensely as they blocked the golden light from the roof, casting a shimmering aura around him. His presence was both awe-inspiring and intimidating, a testament to his celestial power.
Jett watched in astonishment, his mouth slightly agape, though he quickly tried to mask his expression like the kid he still was at heart. 'Yeah, makes sense, but he won't admit the fact that he was banished here by the big guys because of his behavior,' he thought, nodding his head. "So you basically paused time?" he asked, a hint of relief in his tone.
Aurelia vanished and reappeared beside Jett, now holding a bowl filled with grapes. He sat down, casually eating. "Not really. Just because I can doesn't mean I want to," he replied, his nonchalance adding to Jett's frustration.
Jett jolted, startled by Aurelia's sudden movement. "You are unbelievable. What did you gain from that?" he demanded, trying to regain his composure. 'Don't trust Aurelia. He's a scumbag who will do anything for his entertainment. The fact that you're here means he's got something annoying already planned,' he reminded himself.
"The disappointment on your face, I suppose," Aurelia said, his tone turning serious. "But that's beside the point. I brought you here for one thing and one thing alone."
"Because of how abnormally fast I'm progressing?" Jett asked, smiling internally, taking pride in his rapid development.
Aurelia appeared right in front of him, a wicked smile spreading across his face. "No, silly boy. You, my friend, are not supposed to be here."
*****
Nerissa ran through the forest with Jett slung over her back, her footsteps quick and light despite the burden. Her breaths came in steady rhythm, her determination pushing her forward.
The dense canopy overhead filtered sunlight through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor. The air was filled with the earthy scent of moss and pine, the forest beginning to look more familiar and less ominous as she drew closer to Lagia.
Before she could respond, Jett stirred and slowly sat up. "She didn't do anything wrong. I snuck out of town and got into trouble, so I used the item big sis gave me and she suddenly appeared in front of me," he explained, his voice groggy but clear.
'He's awake?' Nerissa wondered, a mix of relief and surprise flooding her. She gave a small, grateful smile to Jett, appreciating his quick thinking.
"If that's the case, then you're in deep trouble young man. I was worried sick. I'll be keeping a closer eye on you from now on, and no more forest adventures for you." Eva scolded, her tone stern but relieved.
All Jett could do was smile silently, winking at Nerissa who nervously smiled back.
As Eva guided Nerissa out of the room, Jett was finally alone, lying on his bed and staring at the ceiling. His thoughts drifted back to his recent encounter with Aurelia.
*****
"You're not the one I was supposed to bring here; I was sent the wrong person. The fact that you were able to slip right through me is impressive," Aurelia said, his menacing smile unwavering as he stood before Jett.
"I don't understand what you're talking about," Jett replied, feeling flustered.
"Oh, come on, kid. I know that you know. Remember what I said the first time we met about you all having some knowledge about this world?" Aurelia snapped his fingers, and one of the volumes of WAR BOUND appeared, floating in front of them. The pages flipped on their own before suddenly stopping at a specific section.
"Yes, I remember." Jett watched as text slowly appeared on the pages.
Appearing behind him and pointing at something in the book, Aurelia asked, "So tell me, what was his name? The one that was supposed to be Jett Grift?"
"His name? It was Cain Chester. Why? Why show me this?" Jett questioned, feeling more confused.
"Fate always wants to have the last laugh. Be careful out there. I just don't want my entertainment to be ruined because of a simple mistake," Aurelia replied.
"Why are you telling me all this?" Jett pressed.
"You'll find out very soon. And take care of that ticking time bomb over there." he continues as he points the Egg which he could clearly see and with a snap of his fingers, Aurelia sent Jett back.
*****
Back in his room, Jett had a lot on his mind. Why had Aurelia summoned him and asked about the original character? What did he mean by "ticking time bomb"? He looked at the , brushing off the thought as he gently stroked its surface, his gaze unfocused.
"Fate always wants to have the last laugh?" He pondered those words.
"He might just be messing with me, but there's no harm in being extra careful. I may not know what he's planning, but I'm not going to play by his rules, but he was able to see you so he can't be totally playing me." he resolved.
Attempting to get off the bed, Jett winced as pain shot through his body, so he lay back down, exhaustion finally overtaking him as he drifted into sleep.
*
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I'm partially back but I'll do my best