Run, run, run. That's all the boy could do within his confine.
Tears continued to pour from his eyes to the point they felt like they were burning. He began to sniffle and whimper as he went back to happy moments he shared with both his parents and the goddess who brought him here.
How could she do that to him and act as if nothing happened?
I guess that's how gods are. They care nothing about beings lesser than them.
Maybe she viewed him as a toy that she'd eventually throw away after getting bored or maybe she was just genuinely lonely and this was all just some big accident. Even if that was the case the mind of that little boy was hellbent on hating her for stripping him of time with his family.
His feet already extremely bruised from hunting and running back and forth began to gash blood, a trail forming behind him.
The pain from the moment his gaze clashed with Aria's lingered in his mind and came up in a small painful burst.
This caused him to break focus, making him accidentally trip on a rock before him. His body curled forward and fell over the surface he stood on similar to a hill.
His side crashed against a rock before he continued to roll down hill, each rock scraping or piercing his skin.
Upon reaching the bottom his head collided with a small but hard rock causing him to bleed and drift off into a state of unconsciousness.
``I want…``
``...my mom``; Ivan muttered before his eyes shut.
Silence and peace resonated around him, his breathing slowed.
His temperature had begun to drop, his body curling due to this.
So this was death.
Finally the boy could rest but of course the gods were not that merciful.
Rumbling of the cavern roof caused droplets to fall down upon his head and run down his face.
The cool droplet of water came in contact with his shut eyes and seeped through his eyelids.
Suddenly he awakened, breathing rapidly and palms placed on the ground to hold up his currently weakened body.
With his hands on the ground Ivan felt the tremoring of the earth and saw pebbles shake in a constant motion.
His attention shifted to above him where herds of different beasts ran in a state of disarray. Some were large, some were short while others burst through the air, trying to run from what or who may ever be causing that.
Instantly his worries shifted to Aria. She could not move as well as she normally would have and he left her alone.
Even though he had hate for what she had done his ever so tiny child heart churned thinking what may/will happen if she was left alone.
Though he disliked what she had done, the fact of the matter was that he still cared for her even after that.
The boy got up from the ground pain instantly hitting his damaged body.
Groans of agony released from his body but he continued to stand upright.
Foot after foot, step after step, Ivan walked close to the hill, close enough to grasp its side.
As he reached the side he gripped a rock peeking out and used that as his first stepping stone.
With one hand before the other he began to scale the hill, the pain in his side aching as he did so.
He ignored the pain and continued to climb all the way till he reached flat grounds.
The boy took no time to rest, quickly got on his legs and began to limp forward, blood pasting on the ground with each step.
His injuries took an even greater toll the longer he walked.
Should I just stop??
Is it worth this even after what she did?
A warm sensation similar to that of touch gripped both his shoulders. He looked behind him to see his voice of reason, both of his parents, their wholesome smiles peeking at him.
He then felt something before him and saw a hallucination of Aria, her blindfold on with her hand extended out.
A choice was given to him;
He could choose to run again
Or
He could go and ensure the person keeping him sane for all this time was safe.
The boy's gaze turned behind him once more before he bit his bottom lip and smiled.
"I'm sorry, I'm too much of a softie" Ivan said to his voice of reason.
The image of his parents peered at him void of emotion. It then shifted to a smile, their figurative hands caressing his cheeks.
Ivan turned back and continued to limp forth, the image fading into mist and blowing away
In a few minutes he arrived before the entrance of the tunnel leading to the cave he and Aria resided in.
He could feel a large amount of thick, powerful mana pouring out, so much that it was nauseating.
For a moment he stopped his advance, trying to stop himself from puking. The boy took in a couple of deep breaths before continuing to walk forth.
The deeper he got the more powerful and unbearing the mana output got, at one point he began to receive even more cuts due to the mana.
Pushing his body further and further he arrived where he had left her and saw an unusual sight.
Entrapped in the astral light she always radiated/produced, Aria hovered just above 7cm in the air. It looked like the universe was printed upon her skin.
Her hair flowed similar to that of a stream even with no wind or water present. No clothing or accessories were present on her body but nothing explicit was shown, being hidden by the incredibly bright radiant astral light radiating off her skin.
Her eyes were the same like they did when he ran and her core was visible to his naked eyes. It took the form of a black hole with several astral rings orbiting it, mana constantly being pushed out of it.
Ivan stood shook by what was transpiring. This was something he had never once seen before, something Aria kept hidden from him. It was like watching several stars crash into one another creating a display more beautiful than fireworks.
His attention shifted to something ahead of Aria.
What seemed to be a portal slowly formed, absorbing the ambient mana being pushed out into the atmosphere to increase its size.
"What are you doing?" Ivan shouted out, concerned.
"Fixing my mistake" she replied, sincerity in her tone.
Ivan would observe as a large chunk of the roof above him fell beside him. His gaze then landed before him where multiple chunks similar to the one beside him fell around Aria.
Quickly he moved forth, attempting to move her out of the area.
``I know what I did was wrong and I should have told you earlier, i just, i just…`` she said, Ivan then cutting her off.
``You can apologize once we get out of here``
Upon reaching close enough he extended his arm and grabbed her left shoulder.
The bright light felt blinding but in all of this his gaze averted to her hand. Her astral skin began to crack apart turning into dust, under it nothingness.
``Aria, your hand``
Aria said nothing about her fading body and continued to apologize.
``I'm sorry for bringing you here, even if it was an accident I am truly sorry. Standing here with my thoughts louder than my voice a feeling of anguish and regretfulness pierces my heart. ``
``I should have told you``
``I should have apologized earlier``
``I was just, so lonely``
``And``
``You reminded me of…Him``
As time passed by the fading caught up to her upper arm, her left hand no longer existent.
The slight remains flickered as tiny sparkles in the air.
``I won't let my mistakes wrong someone else again so…``
Ivans gaze fluctuated to the now much larger portal in front of the both of them.
``Im sending you home. Well at least out of this hell. ``
Rotating her head, she made eye contact with Ivan this time nothing transpired.
Sincerity was the only thing the boy saw in her eyes before she bared her smile.
At that time the fading caught up to her shoulder, Ivans hand sliding down with nothing to support it contributing to change in position from behind her to before her.
In his palms he saw its sparkling remains.
He then turned back to Aria and viewed her entire body. The fading hand began on the opposite side, in such a short time already taking her pinky.
``Is this happening because of the portal, because of me?`` Ivan asked, deeply concerned and worried.
``No``
``This is because of my mistake and my recklessness``
``Even if I did not form this portal this mortal husk would eventually cease to exist. That is just the cruel fate of beings like me in this dimension. ``
``Then, then come with me`` Ivan muttered.
Aria smiled, crouching to get at eye level with him.
``I can't do that dear.``
``Why not`` Ivan shouted
``This dimension is meant to keep all who are sent here in, even gods but you, you are an exception. Since I brought you here the laws don't apply to you therefore you can leave without penalty.``
Once again tears began to form, Ivan trying his best to hold them back.
Aria had lost both of her limbs and the fading slowly began taking the rest of her body, from the back to the front.
``No, No, No. There has to be another way`` the little boy pleaded, his bottom lip trembling.
Aria leant forward, gently resting her forehead on his.
``Im sorry. I wished I could have seen more of your advancements. I wished I could see you grow into both the great man and mage you will become``
Ivan began to break, his tears flowing uncontrollably.
``This may be selfish after everything I've done but can you do something for me?``
Ivan slowly nodded.
``Live your life your life to the fullest``
The shaking and falling of debris became more violent, a side effect of such a powerful portal/cosmic gate opening.
Aria felt satisfied after letting that out and ended her farewell to Ivan with a slight nudge made with her head making him submerge into the portal.
``Goodbye, Ivan…``; Aria whispered as Ivan slowly left her sights with the closing of the portal.