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Aiden's consciousness stirred as he opened his eyes only to find himself in a familiar black void.
This place again. He thought to himself and tried to look around only to see both but pitch blackness as far as his eyes could perceive.
It was his third time here and he still couldn't make sense of where or when he was. The feeling of weightlessness assuaged him as his sense of gravity and direction were rendered useless.
There was no sense of up or down, left or right, forward or backward.
He was just there.
The first time he was here was just after his death. The second time was after creating the Force and the third time…
"It seems you have quite the connection with me." A soft, yet pervasive voice sounded right inside his head causing him to scrunch his brows in discomfort.
"There is the saying amongst you humans. I think it goes like this; once bitten, twice shy, but the third time's the charm." the owner of the voice, uncaring for Aiden's situation, continued speaking.
Who..?
Aiden tried to speak but found he couldn't produce any form of sound in this space.
"Your curiosity is unnecessary, but considering that you've managed to cheat me not just once or twice but from the looks of things, even the third time, I must say even I am intrigued." The voice spoke in response, as though she heard his question.
Aiden was at a loss for words at this very moment. He understood what was being said to him but he didn't know what that meant for him.
Who are you?
He tried to project his thoughts. Since words of mouth couldn't be used in this space, his only other option was to use his thoughts.
"Hmm. I'll be keeping a close eye on you, human." The voice said and just when Aiden thought his thoughts were wrong, the voice continued. "I am Death of the Endless. Never forget that."
What?
Aiden thought in awe and terror, but before he could put his thoughts together, the ever familiar light appeared, signalling his invitation to leave the space.
…
Gasp!*
A loud gasping sound rang out in an opulent room as Aiden shot up from his lying position as his eyes darted around, taking in the high ceilings and faint scent of lavender in the air.
He was safe. He could immediately tell where he was and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
'The war must've ended.' he thought to himself, exhaling deeply and tried to throw off the silk blanket draped over his body. But as soon as he shifted, a sharp, searing pain assaulted him.
His head throbbed, a brutal unrelenting throb as if a hammer were smashing into his skull. Before he could even process the agony, his bone gave a cracking sound and Aiden could swear he heard a snapping sound following it.
His ribs felt like they were splintering under the weight of an unseen pressure.
ARGGHHH!
Unable to endure the pain from all parts of his body, Aiden let out a roar of agony and collapsed back down on the bed. His hands gripping the sheets with a desperate ferocity, his eyes bloodshot as he tried to maintain his consciousness through it all.
Every breath was a struggle, every muscle in his body wracked with torment.
He couldn't fall unconscious. Not now.
As if to add to his agony, a flood of fragmented images of the battlefield, the deaths, the chaos, the overwhelming pressure of Darkseid assaulted his mind.
They had survived, but at what cost?
Fighting through the pain, Aiden clenched his jaw, forcing his trembling hand to hover over his chest. The words escaped his lips, hoarse and strained.
"[Heal]"
A faint green glow enveloped him and for a moment, the pain dulled, but it didn't disappear. Instead, it lingered beneath the surface, gnawing at him persistently.
"[Heal]" he rasped again, desperation creeping into his voice. The glow brightened, yet the relief was fleeting. His body refused to fully respond, as if mocking his efforts.
"Grr… [Heal]" This time, his voice carried frustration as he forced the magic to stack its effects. The green hue intensified, cascading over him like waves of light.
When the final glow faded, so did the searing pain.
"Huuu..." Aiden exhaled deeply, his chest rising and falling as the tension drained from his body. His limbs felt heavy, but at least the torment had subsided. For now.
And just then, the door to the room was slammed open as a few familiar faces walked in like they owned the room. 'Last I checked, this room is mine though.' Aiden thought wryly but gave a bright smile regardless.
"This young master just returned from death's door," he said, his voice light and teasing despite his weakened state. "Why the long faces? Someone died or something?"
The group came to an abrupt halt at Aiden's remark, their faces a mix of relief and irritation. Mira was the first to speak, her arms crossed and her emerald eyes narrowed.
"Someone did almost die, you idiot," she snapped, her voice a mixture of anger and concern. "You."
"Hey now," Aiden replied, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I'm alive, aren't I? No need to remind me."
Finn snorted, stepping closer to the bed. His eyes sparkling faintly, a sure sign of his lingering agitation. "Barely. You looked like a corpse when Mira found you."
"Only because I overexerted myself saving your sorry hides," Aiden quipped, his grin widening despite the scolding.
Jaxon rolled his eyes, his massive frame dwarfing the others as he leaned against the doorframe. "Same old Aiden. Always with the jokes. You scared the hell out of us, you know."
Before Aiden could respond, a familiar voice cut through the tension like a blade.
"Enough."
A rather familiar and commanding voice rang out causing Aiden to freeze.
"Sister?"
Lyra, Aidens one and only sister stepped forward, her presence commanding the room as not even his friends dared make a sound as she moved.
Her hair flower down her shoulders elegantly as her piercing gaze pinned Aiden to the bed. Despite her regal demeanor, the slight tremble in her voice betrayed her worry.
"You think this is funny?" she asked, her tone sharp. "Do you have any idea what we went through while you were lying here, unconscious for months?"
Aiden's smile faltered, guilt flickering in his eyes. "Sister, I-"
"No," Lyra interrupted, raising a hand to silence him. "This is where I talk and you listen."
Aiden couldn't help but recoil under his sister's sharp glare and tone. "You nearly broke yourself, Aiden. Do you know how heart wrenching it was for us to see you in that state? Mother even collapsed. Her-"
Lyra's words hitched in her throat as she tired to battle the sob threatening to spill out.
The room grew silent as her words hung heavy in the air. Even Mira, Finn, and Jaxon stayed quiet, their expressions mirroring Lyra's frustration.
"I'm sorry, Sister," Aiden began solemnly, his head bowed low. His voice carried a weariness that none of them had heard before. "I only wanted to prevent more deaths."
He paused, his jaw tightening as fragmented memories of the battlefield flashed through his mind. "You weren't there, Lyra. It was a massacre. One wrong move could've spelled the end for anyone. I had the power to fight the monsters slaughtering our allies like they were nothing. You don't expect me to stand at the rear and cower, do you?"
As he spoke, his head lifted, and his crimson eyes locked onto hers. A faint glow shining in his gaze, his resolve burning brighter than ever.
Lyra stiffened, her fingers curling into fists at her sides. For a moment, her composure wavered under the intensity of his stare.
"You..." she finally managed, her voice trembling with a mix of disbelief and exasperation. "You're even talking back to your sister now?"
The two siblings locked eyes for a few seconds before Aiden laughed and scratched his head and said softly. "I just... I couldn't let anyone else get hurt."
Lyra's stern expression softened, her shoulders relaxing slightly. She took a step closer, placing a hand gently on his arm. "We know, Aiden. But you need to stop pushing yourself to the edge. We can't afford to lose you."
The weight of her words settled over him, and for the first time, he had no quick retort. Instead, he nodded, his crimson eyes meeting hers. "I'll try," he said quietly.
Mira scoffed, breaking the silence. "You better do more than try. Next time, we might not be around to drag your reckless self out of the fire."
The tension in the room eased as laughter rippled through the group. Finn clapped a hand on Aiden's shoulder, careful not to jostle him too much. "Welcome back, man. Don't scare us like that again."
Jaxon chuckled, crossing his arms. "Yeah, or Lyra might actually kill you next time."
Lyra shot him a look but didn't deny it. Instead, she gave Aiden a faint smile. "Rest up. You'll need your strength for what's to come."
Aiden raised an eyebrow. "What's to come? And what's this I hear about months? How long have I been out?"
"You've been out three months, Aiden."
"What!?"