As I opened my eyes, I was enveloped in an ethereal glow. I squinted, trying to make sense of the brightness.
Then, I noticed a faint flicker of light in the distance. Curiosity got the best of me, and I walked towards it.
As I got closer, I saw something that made my heart skip a beat. It was a figure of a girl, gently swaying in the breeze. She seemed to be the source of the light, and I couldn't help but be drawn towards her.
As I reached her, I felt a warmth that I had never experienced before. It was as if she was radiating a soothing energy that was slowly calming me down.
I looked at her in awe, wondering who she was and where I was. My mind raced with questions as I tried to make sense of the situation.
"I will not let you die"
"Huh?"
As I stood there, lost in thought, I couldn't help but feel grateful for this mysterious girl who had brought me to this place.
"Looks like you're awake."
My mind was hazy, but I could feel the chill of the surroundings piercing through my skin. I took a deep breath and looked around, only to realize that I was standing on a vast expanse of ice.
The landscape was eerily beautiful, with the ice stretching out as far as the eye could see.
For a moment, I thought that I had died and entered the afterlife. But as I took in my surroundings, I knew that this was not the case.
This was a place made of ice, a world of shimmering beauty and icy dangers. As I tried to make sense of my situation, I couldn't help but wonder how I ended up in this frozen wasteland.
"Is this a castle? Made of ice?"
"Yes, this is my domain."
At that moment, my ears perked up at the sound of a familiar voice. I recognized it quickly and turned my head in the direction of the sound.
As my gaze searched the room, my heart raced with anticipation.
As I walked into the grand hall, my eyes were immediately drawn to the throne at the far end. And there she sat, a regal figure in her own right, a woman of great beauty and power.
Her piercing gaze met mine and I couldn't help but feel a shiver run down my spine.
It was as if she held all the secrets of the world within her, and was waiting for me to make my move.
"At last, we finally met Sean."
"You know my name? Wait, that's not important, if I'm alive and still kicking I need to save Mae now!"
The rush of anxiety surged through my veins as I frantically searched for a way to save Mae.
But just as I was about to lose all hope, the regal figure seated on a throne rose gracefully and approached me.
To my surprise, she embraced me warmly, emanating a soothing aura that contrasted with the icy surroundings.
As I looked into her eyes, I felt an inexplicable sense of comfort. It was as if this woman had been by my side all along, watching over me in the shadows.
At that moment, I knew that I could trust her and that she would do everything in her power to help me save Mae.
"M-may I ask who you are?"
"I am your destined one."
"Destined one?"
The grip of the woman on me was firm yet gentle as if she knew how fragile a human body could be.
She pulled me towards her throne, and as I took a closer look at her, I couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something different about her.
At first glance, she appeared to be human, but as I looked into her eyes, I could feel her aura coursing through my veins. It was a strange sensation, one that I had never experienced before.
"I am Aurora, a spirit destined to be with you."
"A spirit? That means you are from another world."
As this spirit introduced herself to me, I couldn't help but be transfixed by her presence.
Aurora's aura was a force to be reckoned with, and in just a few seconds, she had me completely under her spell.
It was as if a gust of wind had swept her away as quickly as she had arrived, leaving me breathless and longing for her return. Such was the power of her captivating aura that it had the ability to make me fall to my knees in awe.
"I will cut on to the point; I'm showing myself to form a contract with you."
"A contract?"
"How will you wield my power?"
As the word "power" echoed through my mind, my eyes shot open, finally grasping the gravity of the situation.
It was then that I remembered the words of the mystical being I had encountered just moments ago. How could I have forgotten so easily? The key to unlocking the power of the other world lay in forming a contract with a spirit.
And by doing so, I could ascend to the world of Ethereal, a realm beyond any mortal dreams. It was all so clear now, and the thought gave me a sense of excitement I had never felt before.
As I stood there, the spirit in front of me seemed to emanate an aura that slowly faded away. Her eyes locked onto mine, and I felt a sense of unease wash over me.
It was as if she was reading my thoughts, judging me in some way. Only when her gaze softened did I realize that this was a test, one that she had prepared for me.
"Y-you ask me how I will wield your power? T- Then it's easy if one day I can have the ability to save anyone I dear if one day I can have the ability to kill anyone who deserves to be dead. Then I will use that power to my own use. A greater power means a person who wields it has the most freedom in the entire world!"
As the test period came to a close, Aurora's powerful aura slowly dissipated, leaving me feeling weightless and free once again.
It was a heavy presence that had threatened to crush me, but now it was gone, erased completely. The relief was overwhelming, and I couldn't help but feel grateful for the respite.
"Verily, I have heard enough. You have proven your worth and fulfilled the terms of our contract. I will now transport you to the location of your dear sister without delay. Don't worry, as time within my domain moves slowly, so your sister still lives."
"T-then"
"Remember to call my name, when you require my strength. Henceforth, you shall be known as Ascendant."
As I prepared to depart, Aurora flashed me a warm smile that seemed to hide a deeper emotion.
Her gaze followed me as I made my way out the door, and I couldn't help but wonder what thoughts were running through her mind. It was almost as if she had someone to pay back and the weight of that debt was weighing heavily on her.
With a final wave goodbye, I set off on my journey, my heart heavy with the thought of leaving her behind.
"He's indeed your son, Evelyn."
~
~
As soon as the contract was signed, Aurora swiftly sent me outside her domain. My consciousness began to reconnect with my physical body, but I could still hear the agonizing cries of my sister, calling out my name.
The pain in her voice was palpable and it struck me to the core.
As the demon's deadly claws reached out toward the lone officer behind Mae, fear clutched at her heart. But just as the demon was about to unleash his next attack, a sudden movement caught her eye.
With lightning-fast reflexes, someone leaped into action and intercepted the demon's strike.
Mae turned to see who it was, and her eyes widened in surprise as she realized that it was none other than her brother herself.
"Y-you again"
"Brother?"
As Mae approached me, she couldn't help but notice the changes in my physical appearance.
My body, once familiar to her, was now altered and unrecognizable. But it wasn't just my physical form that was causing her unease. The aura that surrounded me was deep and unsettling, seeming to emanate an otherworldly power that even Mae couldn't comprehend.
It wasn't just Mae who noticed these changes in me. The demon, had also taken notice.
And when the demon realized that there was something strange about me, it lashed out with an attack so powerful that it could have destroyed an entire city.
These events marked the beginning of a dark and dangerous journey, one that would test the limits of my strength and courage.
"Heed my call, Aurora."
As I called Aurora for the first time, an inexplicable sense of excitement and fear ran through my veins.
As soon as she answered the call, the world around me froze as if time itself had come to a standstill. I could feel her divine aura coating my body, shielding me from any harm. It was unlike anything I had ever experienced before.
As I stood there, basking in the radiance of her aura, I felt a strange sensation coursing through my body.
My black hair began to turn to shimmering gold slowly, and my eyes formed a cross-sign, clear as the sea.
It was a transformation that was both exhilarating and terrifying.