Aether Nexus: Curse of Love & Hatred

In the quaint countryside of the Vala Region, near the Palm and Reaon Kingdoms, stood a farm.

The landscape was dotted with thriving crops. Golden fields of wheat and barley sway gracefully in the wind, while neat rows of corn stand tall against the greenery.

A sunflower patch added a burst of yellow, creating a cheerful contrast. In the distance, orchards laden with ripe apples and pear trees contribute to the fruitful bounty of the region.

A barn stood to the left as a charming and weathered structure, blending seamlessly with the farm landscape. Its exterior, adorned with faded red paint, exuded a furbished appeal.

In the center of the farmland, a two-story wooden house nestled in front of a backdrop of grassy hills.

Within, on the second floor, a heavily bandaged man lay motionless on a birch queen-sized bed, just long enough for him at seventy-four inches.

As the audible ticks from a desk-mounted clock went by, the man's eyes soon fluttered open. The first thing to meet his gaze was the brown wooden interior of the roof.

Still in a haze, he slowly sat up, his body feeling immensely sore. Confusion filled his eyes as he scanned the room he was in.

It was a small room with green floral wallpaper and hardwood floors. Only five items stood within: The bed he was lying upon, a medium-sized vanity desk beside the bed, a lantern, a clock, and a tray, all of which sat on the desk.

“What… Where am I?” The man said while grabbing the left side of his aching head. “How did I get here… What was I doing before…”

Seeking answers, he stood from the bed and made his way to the door. Yet, he stopped when he caught a glimpse of himself in the vanity desk’s mirror.

The brown figure within the reflection was a ghastly one. His usual hooded attire was replaced with a gray cotton shirt and black shorts. Bandages tightly wrapped around almost every surface of his being, revealing glimpses of healed burn scars through the gaps. The only parts not covered were his dark brown eyes, wild black hair, and his dark lips.

As he raised his hand to touch his skin in disbelief, he began ripping off the bandages. With each pull, his true visage revealed itself more and more.

After one final pull, the man felt only one of many burn scars riddled on his body. Even though each scar stood as a testament to past trauma, the skin felt smooth to the touch. “Someone… Someone has been healing me…”

Now rushing out the room, the man stopped just before a flight of stairs, almost tumbling down. To his left was a hallway, adorned by a rug and leading to two other doors.

In front, besides the stairs, was a wooden banister fence. It provided a view of the downstairs through the wooden beams traversing the ceiling.

Leaning on the banister, the man questioned his current predicament. “It's clear I'm in someone’s house… But who, and why?” Trying to remember anything before he woke up, only flashes of events came to mind. It was as if he had hundreds of puzzle pieces, but couldn't perceive the entire picture, causing the man to grip the banister in frustration. “Dammit! My memory is still cloudy, but I do remember an explosion… Also, I can feel Guspane’s presence nearby… He doesn't seem to be distressed or anything, good to know he's okay.”

Looking out the window to the right of him and above the stairs, a towering red silo caught his eye. “A silo? Is… Is this a farm?” He said to himself as his curiosity urged him to climb down the stairs.

With each step he took, a creak of the rustic hardwood stairs sounded through the unknown house. The only other noise the man could hear was a pot boiling somewhere.

Taking his last step, the man glanced around the room he found himself in. A stone fireplace stands as the focal point. A beautiful oak table and a brown leather couch stood in front of the fireplace. Sunlight rays filtered in through plaid curtains, casting a warm glow on the room's earthy tones. The walls showcased photos of a family, a woman and a little boy. All of it together created a nostalgic experience.

Walking towards the photo on the wall, the man could see that the couch was pretty worn down and what seemed to be toys on the floor.

While he brushed it off at first, brief flashes of a past he had long buried clawed their way to the surface.

He used to play with such toys himself on the floor by the fireplace, he could even smell his mother's delicious pumpkin stew as his father called him to the table.

The man missed everything about those memories. His old cabin, his toys, his parents, the simple joy of a childhood. All of it ripped away after the fire.

The only thing he was left with was a burning vengeance for the ones that bore that Insignia he saw on their backs: The Soul Divination Council.

Then and there, everything clicked back into place in the man's head. “That’s it! I remember now! Alaric Benom, the Aserian Island, the fortress where they experimented on a little girl, the Soul Divination Council! Everything!”

The man squeezed his fists, the pain from his searing burn scars was nothing compared to the burning vengeance he felt once again. However, something in the picture soon caught his eye.

The picture captured a smiling woman and, presumably, her child in a vast field of white orchids.

The woman wore a simple, yet well-worn floral-print dress. The fabric draped gracefully, and the pristine white tone complimented the orchids that served as her platform. Her long and dusty gray hair swayed to the left with the wind. Her warm, amethyst-hued eyes held maternal compassion.

The boy, however, was the particular subject of the man's attention. Standing right beside his mother, he held onto her left hand, his other hand waving to the camera. He wore a white shirt, blue overalls combo and looked about four years old at most. His short hair surprisingly hosted two colors, a dusty gray and black, split down the middle.

Focusing further, the man could see a peculiar symbol within the boy's eyes. “Those symbols… The double-sided hair… His face… I've seen it all somewhere before, but where?”

“My my,” A voice echoed from behind the man lost in his own thoughts. “Looks like you're finally up.”

The man turned around at the warming voice, meeting the gaze of the very same woman in the picture. The only difference being her hair was now in a chic bob and she wore a purple plaid dress.

Not only that, but he saw a room he didn't even know about, the kitchen.

Located next to the living room and beyond the staircase, the kitchen was the first room in the house, indicated by what seemed to be the front door the woman was standing in.

The man was slightly shocked at the woman's appearance and struggled to speak. Something the woman didn't have any trouble with.

“This must be a little disorienting to you, right?” She teasingly said while cupping her left cheek. Walking further into the kitchen, she continued. “Please, take a seat, I'll explain everything dear. The tea is almost ready, do you like green tea?”

The man, perplexed by the woman's nonchalance, could only comply. “S-Sure… And yes, I don’t mind…”

Sitting on the couch, he listened to the woman's distant humming while he waited. Her humming strangely filled the air with a loving atmosphere, putting the man at ease.

“All done~!” The woman practically sang as she made her way to the couch. Two tea cups with steaming tea sat in each hand.

Sitting right next to the man, she placed his cup on the table before them and took a sip from her own. “To start off, why don’t we introduce ourselves? My name is Kima, Kima Juryoku.”

The man raised an eyebrow as he brought the cup to his lips. “Wait, Juryoku? You're a part of the Juryoku Clan?”

Kima's eyes widened in shock. “You know of the Juryoku Clan? I must say, that’s a first… Well, yes I am… In blood… But in status? I've been casted out from the clan for some time now…” Kima said as she looked down solemnly at her cup of tea. Only for a moment though, before waving her hand dismissively. “Ah, but enough about that, how about you?”

The man hesitated, but decided there was no harm in telling Kima. “Of course… My name is Ju–I mean, Mystigo Aellekage…”

“Mystigo Aellekage? Such a mysterious name~!” Kima remarked, putting the tips of her fingers on her lips.

“If you don’t mind me rushing to the main point, Ms. Kima… Where are we?”

“Hehe, no worries darling, it’s only natural you’re in need of answers… For where we are, you’re on a private plot of farmland. The Vala Region to be exact. I own, live on, and cater to this farm with my son. Now, for how… I honestly don’t know how to tell you this… But we, or rather, my son, found you slumped over on death’s door by the Yuna Stream.”

“I see… And when was this?”

Kima placed a finger on her chin, pondering the answer. “That… Was about a year ago…”

“A year!?”

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Next: (Chapter 22) Destiny Child