Chereads / Art Of Divinity Cosmos: The Beggining of All / Chapter 31 - Chapter 30: Facing A Nightmare

Chapter 31 - Chapter 30: Facing A Nightmare

Aether felt extreme fatigue, but she continued walking. The narrow, dark alleys seemed endless, with every corner taken seeming to bring more danger and fear. She stared at the dancing shadows on the walls, trying to identify whether they were just reflections or actual creatures.

"I won't give up," She said to himself, trying to steel his heart. "I have to keep going."

As she entered another large room, Aether heard strange noises from a distance. The sounds sounded like children's screams and ghastly laughter echoing off the walls. Her heart beat faster. she knew that in this place, any sound could be a sign of danger.

she stepped forward carefully, feeling the air getting colder around him. Aether looked around, trying to find the source of the sound. In the corner of the room, she saw a small door that looked different from the others. The door looked older and more worn, with rusty hinges and peeling paint.

she approached the door with trepidation. Her little hand touched the cold, rusty door handle. Aether took a deep breath and pushed the door open. Behind the door, she found a steep staircase that descended into darkness.

"This must be the way," thought Aether as he steeled herself. "But... what's down there?"

She descended the stairs carefully, feeling every step he took. The stairs creaked beneath his feet, as if they had not been used for a long time. After a while, she arrived at the bottom of the stairs and saw a large room filled with worn out toys and strange items.

In the middle of the room, there was a large chair with an old man sitting on it. The man wore tattered clothes and his face was full of wrinkles. His dark eyes stared directly at Aether, giving her goosebumps.

"Who are you?" asked the man hoarsely. "What are you doing here?"

Aether felt trembling, but She tried to speak with a strong voice. "I... I'm looking for a way out of this place. I'm trapped here and I want to go home."

The man chuckled, the sound echoing in the empty room. "Way out?" he said mockingly. "In this world, there is no way out. Everyone who enters here, will be trapped forever."

The man's words made Aether feel hopeless, but he refused to give up. "No way," She argued. "There has to be a way to get out. I won't stay here forever."

The man looked at Aether with eyes filled with wisdom and suffering. "Maybe you're different," he said quietly. "Maybe you can find a way out. But, you have to face your biggest fear."

Aether felt confused. "Biggest fear?" he asked. "What do you mean?"

The man smiled faintly. "In this world, fear is the key. Everyone has hidden fears, and only by facing them can you find a way out. Are you ready to face your biggest fear, little one?"

Aether pondered for a moment. She knew that She had been through a lot of scary things so far, but what was his biggest fear? After a few seconds, she felt certain that she had no other choice but to try.

"I'm ready," Aether answered with determination. "I will face my fears."

The man nodded slowly. "Okay," he said. "Go into the mirror." He pointed to a large mirror in the corner of the room. The mirror looked old and dusty, with a frame engraved with strange symbols.

Aether approached the mirror carefully. She looked at his own reflection which looked paler and smaller than usual. With a pounding heart, She touched the surface of the mirror and suddenly felt a piercing coldness. In an instant, he was sucked into the mirror, and the world around him turned into a thick, swirling mist.

Aether felt her body spinning around in a thick fog. When the fog finally faded, she found himself standing in the middle of a large room that looked like a hall. The hall was filled with old chairs and cracked marble floors. On the walls hung large mirrors that reflected unclear images.

"Where am I now?" whispered Aether, feeling confused. She looked around, looking for signs of life. Just then, she heard the sound of heavy footsteps in the distance. The sound was getting closer, and Aether felt her heart pounding.

From behind the shadows, a tall woman with an arrogant face appeared. The woman wore a long black dress with her black hair tied in a neat bun. Her face was decorated with heavy makeup and her eyes stared at Aether with a cold gaze.

"Who are you?" asked the woman in a cold voice. "And what are you doing here?"

Aether felt nervous, but she tried to answer with a strong voice. "My name is Aether. I'm lost here and looking for a way out. Who are you?"

The woman smiled faintly, but her smile contained no warmth. "I'm Mrs. Sombre," she said. "Ruler of this world. No one can leave here without my permission."

Aether felt anxious, but She didn't want to show his fear. "I have to get out of here," he said firmly. "Please, let me go."

Mrs. Sombre laughed softly. "Go out?" he said mockingly. "You've just arrived, darling. This world is a place where your fears become real. You have to face each of them before you can leave."

Aether felt confused. "Afraid?" She muttered. "What do you mean?"

Mrs. Sombre did not answer. Instead, he snapped his fingers and suddenly, the room changed. The walls began to move, changing shape into long hallways filled with large doors. Each door had a different strange symbol on it.

"Every one of these doors leads to your deepest fears," said Mrs. Sombre. "You have to choose which door you want to face. If you can overcome your fear, you might be able to find a way out."

Aether felt his heart beating faster. He knew that he had no other choice but to do it. She looked around, trying to decide which door she should choose.

Suddenly, Aether heard a sound from the door to his left. She turned around and saw a little boy standing there. The child looked scared, with big eyes and a shaking body. She wore tattered clothes and his hair was messy.

"Who are you?" Aether asked gently, trying not to scare the child.

The child raised his head and looked at Aether with eyes full of fear. "I... I am Remi," she said quietly. "I'm trapped here, like you."

Aether felt sorry for the child. "How did you get trapped here?" he asked.

Remi shook his head. "I don't know. I just know that I can't get out. Every time I try, I always end up in this place again."

Aether felt a strong urge to help Remi. "Don't worry," She said in a gentle voice. "We'll get out of here together. I'll help you."

Remi seemed a little calmed by Aether's words. She nodded slowly and followed Aether as they approached one of the doors. The door had a star symbol that glowed gently.

"This is the first door we must face," Aether said with determination. "We don't know what's behind it, but we have to stay together."

Remi nodded again and they opened the door together. Behind the door, they saw a deep and mysterious darkness. Aether felt the tension mounting. She took a deep breath and steeled himself. "We have to stay together," She said, holding Remi's small, shaking hand. The boy nodded, showing his courage despite looking scared.

The moment they stepped through the door, darkness enveloped them completely. Aether felt as if she was walking on air with no bottom beneath her. Faint voices began to be heard, like whispers of unknown origin. They continued walking, trying to ignore the strange sounds.

Suddenly, Aether saw a flash of light in the distance. The light grew brighter as they walked. They arrived in a large room filled with broken glass and walls that reflected their own reflections. In the center of the room, there was a large mirror that looked intact, emitting a strange light.

"What's this?" Remi whispered, her eyes staring at the mirror with curiosity and fear.

Aether felt anxious. "I don't know, but we have to be careful." She approached the mirror with slow steps, feeling as if something was pulling him closer. When he stood in front of the mirror, she saw his own reflection, but it did not move as usual.

Aether's image in the mirror looked different. The shadow's eyes looked darker and sharper, with a faint smile filled with a sense of mystery. Aether felt goosebumps looking at her own strange reflection.

"What happened?" Remi asked, her voice shaking.

Aether tried to speak, but his voice wouldn't come out. The image in the mirror began to move, showing a more sinister expression. The shadow stretched out its hand from within the mirror, as if it wanted to reach Aether.

Quickly, Aether backed away, but the image suddenly jumped out of the mirror and stood before them. Aether felt scared, but she knew that this was one of the challenges he had to face. She couldn't run.

The Aether Shadow stood in the same posture, but there was a dark aura emanating from it. "You are my fear," said Aether, realizing that this was a manifestation of his own fear. "My fear of myself."

The shadow laughed softly, the sound cold and echoing in the room. "That's right," she said. "I am a reflection of the real you. All your fears and doubts are reflected in me."

Aether felt an uncomfortable feeling creeping through her body. "I will not be afraid of you," She said firmly, even though he felt doubtful inside. "I know who I am, and I won't let you Control Of Me."

The shadow smiled slyly. "Is it true?" she asked, his dark eyes looking directly into Aether's. "What if all your fears are true? What if you can never get out of here? What if you can never find your true power?"

The shadow's words shook Aether, but she tried to stay strong. "I will find a way out," she said in a firmer voice. "I won't be stuck here forever."

The shadow laughed again, but this time there was a mocking tone in its laughter. "We'll see," She said. "But remember, I'm always here, lurking in your every shadow and doubt."

Aether felt his anger rising. She knew that to overcome this fear, she had to face it with his head held high. "I'm not afraid of you," she said, his voice louder. "I will beat you."

With emerging courage, Aether stepped forward and faced his reflection. She knew that this was a test he had to pass to find a way out. The shadow drew closer, its dark eyes radiating ill intent. Aether held his breath and prepared himself for what was to come.

Suddenly, the shadow jumped towards Aether quickly, stretching out its dark hand. Aether blocked the attack with her hand, feeling the chilling cold touch. They engaged in a fierce battle, with the shadow trying to take control of Aether and Aether trying hard to fight back.

Remi, who was watching the fight, shouted, "You can beat him, Aether! Don't let him win!"

Remi's words gave Aether new enthusiasm. She knew that he could not lose. With strong determination, he pushed the shadow back. "I am myself!" shouted Aether. "I will not be overcome by fear!"

The shadow groaned angrily, but its power began to fade. Aether saw the opportunity and launched the final attack with all the courage he had. She stretched out his hand and penetrated the shadow, causing it to disintegrate into black smoke that dissipated.

The room suddenly became bright, and the large mirror emitting light shattered into thousands of pieces. Aether felt relieved, but he also felt stronger. She knew that She had conquered one of Her greatest fears.

Remi ran over and hugged Aether tightly. "You did it!" he said happily. "You conquered your fear!"

Aether smiled, feeling the sweet taste of victory. "Thank you, Remi," She said softly. "You help me too. We'll get out of here together."

Excitedly, they left the room and continued their journey. Aether felt more confident that they could find a way out. She had faced his own shadow and triumphed, and She knew that She could face whatever lay ahead.