Aether Nexus: Curse of Love & Hatred

The same night Dama is opened more into the world of growing up, so too Giona, as she stood outside Dama's cabin, gazing at the stars as she reflected upon her own life.

Her brown leather maiden dress and short cut with a side ponytail, both courtesy of Tsubasa, swayed in the cold mountain breeze, eliciting goosebumps to appear on Giona's skin.

Despite the cold, she stayed resolute, gazing up with a twinkle in her eyes that matched the very stars she watched. She was simply mesmerized everytime, finding solace in their ability to sparkle even in the darkest of nights. They have become a sanctuary of sorts for her, a shining reminder of her newfound freedom.

Before, her world had been confined to the cold, gray walls of her cell, devoid of anything but her own loneliness. No matter what she did, it was pointless, hopeless, and useless. Food and water were nothing but luxuries, with the notion of even basic clothing being non-existent.

Her days were filled with nothing but trife and her nights consisted of crying puddles onto the frigid ground she slept upon, only for the process to begin anew when that door opened again.

The only ‘friends’ she had to keep her company were the scurrying rats and insects that fed on her body filth as she slept, causing her to be unable to get sleep most nights.

Now, however, ever since that day Dama found her, her world has expanded tenfold. She never knew such a place could be so vibrant with colors other than shades of dusty grays, dingy greens, and total darkness.

For the first time in her life, she got to sleep comfortably in a proper bed—it was nothing short of bliss. The warmth that cradled her from the base of her neck to the tips of her toes relaxed her entire body. The mattress yielding to her relaxed body further immersed her into a blissful slumber. Though, what she enjoyed most about sleeping wasn't the act itself, it was what came right before—Dama's storytime.

His high-pitched and caring voice embodied safety to her, the total opposite to the low-pitched and scary voices of those with black cloaks. So much so, she soon found it hard being able to sleep without the sound of his voice, drifting her along the precipice of sleep, like the very river that brought her to him.

Food and water are no longer rarities. If she's hungry or thirsty, Dama or Mumu were always there, happy to indulge in her needs. She has never felt so full of energy in her life before.

Of course, for a while, she couldn't exactly use that energy, as Dama was adamant she stayed put in bed to fully heal. It was during that time, though, that she was bathed regularly by Dama using the spare cauldron he had.

“I really enjoyed that…” Giona caught herself thinking. She distinctly remembered how he handled her with such care and tenderness. Again, the complete opposite of her previous abusers’ ways.

She still felt vulnerable and uneasy in both instances, but with Dama, it felt liberating in a sense. Instead of being scared of another’s touch, she welcomed Dama—it was electrifying even.

“You know, Giona, I used to do this all the time for my little sister, Jula.” Giona remembered Dama mention to her once as he was washing her hair. “Please, if you ever feel uncomfortable, tell me.”

Yet, she never said a word. “Why would I?” Giona thought before thinking of how amusing it was to see Dama’s face progressively get redder and redder as the months passed—only to stop completely, much to her disappointment.

Whenever she asked why he stopped, Dama could never give a straight answer. Ultimately, he just left the task to herself, and Mumu if she needed help.

Not long after, she started walking again, allowing her to explore more of her freedom. Giona could clearly remember the day she finally set foot outside, accompanied by Dama holding her hand.

The air was crisp, colder than anything she'd ever felt, biting at her cheeks and turning them rosy. Dama’s sweater, pants that were a little too big on Giona, and makeshift mittens went to work in keeping her warmth inside, creating a conflicting feeling that only intensified Giona's immersion.

The joy and wonder she felt within herself was overwhelming, leading to her dashing out into the vast blanket of snow. Of course, she could only make it a few steps before falling face first into the snow.

Yet, her little tumble didn't deter her—not one bit, as even when Dama helped her back up and dusted her off, she couldn't stop laughing. At that moment, Giona was a ball of pure joy.

The snow was cold, colder than anything she'd imagined. Against Dama’s wishes, she took off her mittens, bent down, and scooped up some snow. To her amazement, it began to melt almost immediately against the warmth of her skin, trickling through her fingers in icy droplets.

It was that day, looking up from her snowy hands and towards the boundless reaches of the sunlit horizon, that Giona truly recognized that she could do whatever she wanted now—that she was free.

Alas, amidst the wonder and excitement, there was still a lurking sadness. She often wondered what life would have been like if she had never been imprisoned. The years and family she had lost weighed heavily on her, and sometimes, under the brilliance of the night sky, tears would silently trace paths down her cheeks.

Tonight was no different, say for one factor: The lack of Dama's steady hand, ready to wipe the tears away and remind her that her past is behind her now—that she's safe with him.

“Dama… I…I hope you are okay…” Giona murmured into the night sky as she grasped at her chest. Her heart began to race, creating a rising warmth within that clashed even with the cold mountain breeze.

Giona relished in the warmth as she closed her eyes. Remembering some advice Tsubasa gave her, she let her mind sweep itself away from the sadness and into the memories she cherished most—all featuring Dama.

The more she thought about Dama, the more her heart ached. It was as if her body had a mind of its own, and it yearned for him. “This is what Granny Tsubasa talk about, right?”

“Giona, dear?” A voice rang from behind her. “Is everything alright?”

Quickly wiping away her tears and turning around, Giona met the eyes of a worried Tsubasa, who was walking towards her with her arms behind her back. “Granny Chewbasa…”

Ignoring the mispronunciation, Tsubasa wrapped her tail lovingly around Giona as she took her hand. “Something's on your mind, child. What's wrong?” She said, her tone firm, yet gentle. Closing her eyes, she contemplated for a second before Giona could even answer, then smiled. “You're thinking of Dama, aren’t you?”

Giona's eyes grew as large as saucers, shocked at how Tsubasa almost always knew what she was thinking. Time and time again, it was as if she could read minds, just like one of her favorite characters from Tales of the Cataclysm: The fabled first Elven King of old and ally to Adam, Thalorin.

Tsubasa adopted a smug face as she pet Giona's head. “Judging by that shocked expression, seems I wasn't so far off~!”

Giona felt the heat that was previously in her chest rise to her face, mainly the cheeks. Almost instinctually, she quickly placed both hands over them in a futile attempt to hide her embarrassment—another emotion she hasn't quite understood yet.

Tsubasa chuckled, her laughter soft and comforting, as she lowered her hand onto Giona's shoulder. "Oh, dear, there's no need to be embarrassed. It's perfectly natural, just like what we talked about earlier.”

Giona buried her face further into her hands. “I know…” she mumbled, her voice cracking from the waning embarrassment.

Tsubasa chuckled again. “My apologies, dear. It wasn’t my place to put you on the spot like that, but at least it's only us two here…” Looking back up at the night sky, she got closer with Giona, trying to stave off the mountain's chilly assault on the girl. “You know, Giona, the stars can reveal what one's innermost desires are, why don’t you give it a try?”

Turning to see Giona's reaction, Tsubasa was only met with an innocently confused Giona, tilting her head in response. “Ah, I forgot. While she's been learning at an extraordinary rate this past year, her speech and conversation skills are still far from perfect…”

“The…stars…?” Giona eventually responded, planting a finger on her chin, mimicking Dama, and looking back up at the stars.

“That’s right, the stars, dear. Just focus on them, and tell me what you see.” Tsubasa said whilst giving Giona's shoulder a love-filled squeeze, expressing her encouragement.

Giving it a try, Giona squinted and stared at the stars, mainly a group of stars circling an even bigger, blue star, to the point of blinking multiple times. Slowly and to her amazement, with each blink, the stars moved closer and closer to each other.

Eventually, an audible gasp of awe escaped Giona's lips, signifying to Tsubasa that the stars have indeed bestowed an image to her. “Well, dear, what do you see?”

Giona clasped her hands together with the biggest smile and pair of eyes, both exuding pure glee, reciprocating what was on the faces she saw amongst the stars. “Mumu, Nina, Dama!”

Tsubasa patted Giona on the head once more. “I see, that's good to hear.”

“But…how?” Giona questioned, the realization of such a phenomenon existing pulling her back into reality.

“I'm glad you asked, dear.” Tsubasa gleefully responded, taking Giona’s hand once more. “Come, I think it’s about time you learn some of Eranovum’s, and even some of Enohay's history, preferably where it is warm inside.”

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Next: (Chapter 30) Adam Godson's Gift from the Stars