Chapter: Shadows of the Aetherwyrms
Yuna, my unassuming alter ego, allowed me to witness life from the perspective of a background character—a mere speck in the grand tapestry of existence. Concealing my true abilities, I reveled in the mundane, observing the world through the eyes of an ordinary guy.
"Yuna, get up and fight me. If this goes on, you will not be able to protect yourself," Alexia's voice echoed across the battlefield.
I smirked, tightening my grip on the sword, and lunged toward her. But in the next heartbeat, I found myself suspended mid-air, the ground far below. Alexia's strength was formidable, and she shielded me from prying eyes. Yet, I couldn't help feeling a twinge of disappointment. My sister's prodigious talents would inevitably draw attention—a dangerous prospect for someone like me, who preferred the shadows.
One fateful day, while contemplating my strategy in the solitude of the bathtub, distant clamor reached my ears—the unmistakable chaos of the streets.
"Run! Monsters have attacked!"
"It's the Aetherwyrms!"
I peered out the window, my curiosity piqued. The Aetherwyrms—shadowy beasts with elongated fangs—rampaged through the city. Their touch drained warmth, leaving behind an eerie chill of despair. I had only encountered them in books, never face-to-face.
Descending the stairs, I stepped outside our mansion. The journey from my room to the street felt interminable, as if time itself conspired against me. There, crimson knights clashed with the Aetherwyrms. Thirty of them, at least. I hesitated, content to observe from a safe distance. But then Alexia's desperate cry shattered my detachment.
"Yuna, watch your back!"
I spun around, expecting danger. Instead, Alexia stood before me, her sword stained with blood.
"Are you hurt?" she asked, her voice calm and soothing.
"No," I replied, gratitude in my eyes. "Thanks for saving me. Without you, I'd be dead."
Alexia rejoined the battle, and I followed suit, assisting where I could without them knowing.The Aetherwyrms fell, their malevolence extinguished. News of our heroics spread, and soon we were summoned to the royal palace. Alexia, ever the storyteller, claimed I had fought alongside her—an embellishment, but one that served our purpose.
The journey to the royal capital took a day and a half. We pressed on without rest, bypassing streets and markets. I yearned to immerse myself in the life of a commoner, to erase my presence among the crowd. In my previous life as "Krythos," I had made a fatal mistake—unleashing my aura when memories resurfaced. The gods noticed, and my true identity was revealed, leading to my demise.
Now, I tread carefully, aware that divine eyes watched over the multiverse. Shadows suited me—the anonymity of a mob character. I vowed to remain hidden until the end.
And then, a familiar voice echoed in my ears: "Yuna… Yuna…"
I turned, but the figure behind me blurred. A feminine hand closed around my throat, and darkness consumed me.
The next moment I came back to my senses.Alexia disappointed, said to me
"Why are you always lost in your own thoughts,We have already arrived at the Royal palace now get out of the cart."
"I-I was just playing dumb with you.Ackh-kch-ach,nee-san how long do you plan to hold on my neck?"
"I just want too....."
As Alexia said that she brought her lips closer to my face and suddenly made a distance between us...