"You are me?" Aiden's voice sounded hollow as he didn't understand the meaning of these words.
"I am the failures you went through. I am those bullies who troubled you. I am the negative thoughts you have about failing. I am the person who you think you won't be able to befriend. I am the person who haunts your nightmares."
He slowly began saying before he placed a finger right on top of Aiden's beating heart.
"I am the past you hated and want to leave behind and I am also the future you fear." He finished as Aiden's suddenly clutched his throat.
"Can't… Breathe…" Aiden thought as he tried to suck in air but all that entered his nose was water. His lungs were slowly being filled with water as his vision started to get blurry.
"You will always be the weak person who will be oppressed by others Aiden. Nothing can change that fact." The other Aiden started to laugh as he enjoyed Aiden's suffering.
"Ahhh!"
Aiden's eyes suddenly flew open as he could see the ceiling on his room again. He suddenly sat up and looked around to see that he was still in his room.
"System, are you there?" Aiden asked in a low voice as he took a deep breath.
< Yes, host, I am there. >
Aiden then released a sigh before he stood up and turned on the lights of his room. He then looked down to see that he was wearing his own clothes.
His sleeves had pushed up a little and Aiden could see that the hair on his elbow were standing straight up.
"System, did you see that?"
< I reside in your soul host. I saw all of that. > The system replied as Aiden sat down on the bed.
'Then what that… other me said was true?'
< No one has a perfect soul host. That Aiden was the negative part of your soul host and what he said was true. > The system slowly replied as Aiden moved his hands through his hair
< Don't be depressed host. Many people hide many things deep inside them. No one has the same soul as another person. Everyone's soul is unique to themselves. >
It looked as though the system was trying to reassure him but it wasn't working. Aiden sat still on the bed for a few seconds before he stood up and sat on the ground.
He pushed his palms on the ground and suddenly started to do pushups. If someone saw him currently, they would definitely be wondering why he was doing pushups in the middle of the night.
'I haven't been doing anything till now.' Aiden suddenly realized that what he had been doing was nothing.
He was just grinding exp and depending on his system too much. He was too confident on the reserve of his elemental energy and the skills the system gave him.
If his system suddenly vanished, just like it had inside his soul, Aiden would just be a helpless child.
'I haven't been using the passive Taijutsu ability I got for clearing that quest.' He then thought while continuing to do pushups.
Ten pushups. Twenty pushups. Fifty pushups. Sixty-nine pushups.
Aiden then collapsed on the ground as sweat covered his entire body. He was panting while wiping the sweat off his forehead.
< Host, why are you suddenly motivated? > This time, the system was completely serious about its question. It was as though it wanted to hear Aiden's honest reply.
"I realized that I am nothing but a small plant in the ocean who can't move or do anything. The only reason it can even do anything is because of the current of the water. There are many small fishes and big fishes around it but it's completely helpless."
Aiden started saying as he stood up and crashed on the bed.
"But for once, I just don't want to stay as that plant or a small fish. I need to grow bigger and become the creature that can move anywhere in the ocean and can do anything it wants. I will not be pushed around anymore." Aiden finished as his eyes started to close.
< Very well host. But for now, you should sleep. I will help you in achieving that goal of becoming the strongest. > The system replied as Aiden chuckled.
"I don't want to become the strongest system. I just want to be someone who can live his life while enjoying it. And for that, I have to become stronger." Aiden replied as his eyes closed down and he fell asleep.
That day, many things changed inside Aiden. The things he had seen inside his soul made him develop.
This would be his first step towards becoming stronger.
***
"Are you sure about it?" Drake asked as Aysel nodded.
"They confirmed it. Seven years from today, a war will take place on the demon realm and it will be us against the other three continents. Furthermore, invasions will also start happening soon." She replied in a grim tone as Drake stood up from his throne.
He wanted to think that it was just a rumor but he knew that if 'they' confirmed it, it was no rumor.
"I was thinking that we will get to spend some more time with Aiden. We already hardly meet him but if a war comes, we might never see him again." Drake said as he stared into Aysel's eyes.
"At least he would be alive even though he would be without his parents. He would be pulled into many political traps and would be forced to be the demon king and will probably hate us for that. But in the end, he would be alive." Aysel said with a sad smile as Drake's eyes reflected her worry.
"We will be together till the end. We promised that at our wedding." Drake suddenly said as Aysel's smile turned less sad.
"You remember that day? Your brother organized such a huge party."
"Every single person in the city came to our wedding and many guests from afar also came. It was one of the biggest weddings in the history of the demon realm." Drake's eyes started gleaming with the remembrance of the past.
"You remember how you asked me to dance with you?" Aysel asked as Drake did a fake cough.
"I didn't even know the D in dance then. But now, would you like to dance with me?" He asked while raising his hand forward.
"Why not." Aysel held his hand as Drake flipped her. He grabbed her waits and the two of them started dancing.
To someone else, they might just look like a normal demon couple dancing in the night. If only that was true.
As they danced on, they tried to forget about their worries. Aysel kissed drake after a few minutes as they continued to slow dance in such a position.
The night passed in such a manner
Aiden, who was sleeping peacefully in his room, didn't know about any of this. But in seven years, many major things would take place.
His 18th birthday will occur at the time of a war. A war he would have a major role to play in.