Vastarael's eyes shot open and the first thing he felt was the suffocating weight of air in his lungs, the heat of his body rising in waves as he gasped for breath.
He was no longer in the ruins of the city, nor standing beside the lifeless body of his best friend. The nightmare or rather, the memory, had dissipated, leaving him disoriented.
His hands instinctively went to his face, fingers trembling as he rubbed his eyes, trying to rid himself of the lingering remnants of the dream.
His mind scrambled, trying to piece together what had happened before he passed out.
'What just happened?'
And then, like a wave crashing over him, it hit him.
His birthday party.
Vastarael sat up slowly, a hand still pressed against his face, the other bracing himself against the cool sheets beneath him. He could still feel the strange, pulsating energy that had ripped through his body, the sharp, agonizing pain that had nearly shattered him.
"Mother..." His breath hitched at the thought of her. "She was there... she was holding me when it all started..."
His mind was a jumble of fragmented memories. His mother, her voice filled with alarm, warning him of the Reversal Ascension. He remembered her arms around him, the panic in her eyes. But beyond that, everything else was blurred, lost in the throes of pain and confusion.
"I need to get up first..."
Vastarael stood up shakily, the disorientation still clouding his mind. His legs wobbled for a moment but he forced himself to remain upright.
The room around him was unfamiliar. The grand hall of his birthday celebration was gone, replaced by something else. The space was dark, with only a dim light flickering from a far corner. The cold air stung his skin and there was an oppressive silence, as though the world had stopped spinning for just a moment.
His heart pounded again as the realization hit him. Had anyone been hurt? Had anyone...
Vastarael's gaze darted to the door, his instincts telling him to find them, to find answers. He couldn't afford to stay here, to let the confusion win. Something inside him burned with urgency.
"Stay calm. Focus," he whispered to himself. "They're gods. I doubt that this would have caused any chaos."
One step. Then another. Slowly, carefully, Vastarael made his way toward the door. He had to find out what had happened. He had to know if his family was okay. There were too many questions—too many things left unanswered.
And the longer he waited, the more that crushing weight in his chest grew.
[I suggest that you shouldn't move too much. You woke up from a coma.]
His eyes widened in shock when he saw a blue holographic screens with words he recognized.
They were in English.
"What..."
[You have been in a coma for thirteen months, Veneri.]
He wasn't sure but now he was.
Whatever 'this voice' was, it knew about his past.
He sighed as he slowly walked back to his bed, even though it took a bit of effort.
"I've been in a coma for a year?"
In Spheraphase, the time and the calendar ere completely different.
One minute has 70 seconds. 70 minutes was equivalent to 1 hour.
There are 25 hours in a day, 10 days a week, 30 days in a month and 13 months was equivalent to a single year.
"I'm... seven years old?"
[Today is your seventh birthday. Congratulations, Veneri. You have survived the Reversal Ascension—]
"You're like a system, aren't you?"
[...]
"You must be one of the abilities Thyrexxa talked about. You must have seen the memories of my past life."
[You're smarter than I thought.]
"And I didn't know that a system has emotions."
The way the female voice talked to him was as if she wasn't an emotionless machine. She had emotions in her words, as if she was relieved to see him awake.
'Of course it had to be a female. I'm meant to have them in my life after all.'
"So? What can you do?" He asked as he sat comfortably on the bed.
[Can I show you the Character Profile?]
"Uh... sure."
A blue hologram shimmered right in front of him before a row of words and details appeared. Vastarael narrowed his eyes then widened them in utter disbelief.
_____
Name: [Vastarael Richinaria]
Alias: [Veneri]
Age:[ 7]
Title: [Prince of Anqerise, Heir of Dynasty Richinaria]
Species: [Immortal (Nexus Bloodline)]
Affiliation: [Dynasty Richinaria, House Viaca (By Marriage)]
Status: [First Phase Essentia, 0/100]
_______
Vastarael blinked, feeling a cold shiver run down his spine as the words echoed in his mind.
"Hold on a minute. What the hell do you mean by marriage? What does that mean?"
The system's voice responded.
[Due to your near-death experience, you were bound to a contractual link that ensures the preservation of your essence and legacy. This link is established through the institution of marriage. You are betrothed to Adelasta. That union that will solidify your rule when you ascend to the throne.]
Vastarael's thoughts swirled.
Marriage? A forced betrothal?
The implications were unfathomable. He had just been barely coming to terms with his abilities and the political ties that came with his position as heir. But now this?
"Betrothed?" he repeated, as if saying it aloud would somehow make sense of it. "To Adelasta? The future Duchess?"
[Adelasta will be your partner when you take the throne. As your betrothed, she will also play a crucial role in fulfilling the conditions of your destiny.]
Vastarael's heart seemed to sink.
He had barely even met Adelasta, let alone formed any meaningful connection with her. He didn't know her and yet his fate had already been entwined with hers in a way that left him feeling utterly trapped.
"But I don't even know her!" He felt a strange mix of anger and helplessness creep into his voice. "How can I be bound to someone like that?"
When he wanted to escape his fate, he was betrothed already!
What the fuck?
The system responded with a slight pause before offering the harsh, cold truth:
[The marriage bond is not based on personal choice but rather necessity. It was forged in the aftermath of your near-death condition. The link between you and Adelasta serves to stabilize your essence and connect your divine forces. While personal attachment may or may not develop, the bond itself is one of duty, not desire.]
A lump formed in Vastarael's throat as he realized the full weight of what this meant. He was destined for a life of duty and obligation, forced to marry someone he didn't know for the sake of political and spiritual stability. No romantic idealism, no choice, just the cold march of fate and necessity.
"And what if I don't want this?" He asked quietly, almost as though he were testing the system to see if there was any loophole, any shred of freedom left for him to claim.
The system's response was... cold.
[The marriage is inevitable. Your destiny cannot be ignored or avoided. You will learn to accept your role and in time, fulfill it. Your connection to Adelasta is crucial to the success of your destiny. You do know about your Bane right?]
Vastarael stood there in stunned silence for a long moment.
His life, which had previously been defined by suffering, was now further complicated by an enforced bond he had no say in.
The room around him felt colder, the reality of his position sinking deeper into his bones. He had no choice but to accept the political ramifications of this union.
And even worse, he was now bound to a person who would, in all likelihood, would be his future wife.
"Who did this to me?"
[Your mother.]
He was silent.
He froze, his eyes widening. His mother?
"Explain."
[Adelasta experienced a Reversal Ascension just as you did. The process was painful, destabilizing her existence just as it did yours. She, too, suffered greatly. To ensure both of your survival, your families enacted a contractual betrothal.]
"..."
[You and she are now linked, bound together by this union. Without the bond, your abilities will spiral out of control, causing unbearable pain and suffering for both of you.]
Vastarael's heart dropped into his stomach as he processed the information. Adelasta had gone through the same torment, the same agony. And now, their lives were tied together by an invisible chain, a forced connection that neither of them could escape. It made sense in a way, but the cruelty of it all twisted his insides.
"But why?" he asked, a tremor in his voice. "Why did my mother do this? Why didn't she tell me?"
The system paused before answering.
[It was necessary. The Reversal Ascension is a rare and perilous event, one that creates a destabilizing imbalance in both the body and mind. Both of you would have died without this link, without this... forced union.]
"What's the difference between a normal ascension and a Reversal Ascension?" he asked, his voice more controlled now.
[A Normal Ascension is a controlled event, one that happens when a being reaches the necessary thresholds to awaken their abilities or to ascend to a higher plane. It is painful but expected, and with proper preparation, it can be managed. It happens at midnight o a child's sixth birthday.]
[In contrast, a Reversal Ascension occurs when a being experiences a catastrophic shift, often due to trauma or an overwhelming force, that disrupts their very essence. It causes a profound destabilization, creating a disconnect between body, mind, and abilities. The individual cannot control their power and the pain becomes unbearable, threatening their very survival. It happens at noon.]
Vastarael felt his chest tighten as he absorbed this.
"So, the Reversal Ascension is worse... it's like the opposite of a normal one. And it's the reason I have to be linked to Adelasta."
[Yes. Without the other, the powers and the forces within both you and Adelasta would become chaotic. The pain would be unlike anything you've experienced before. Your bodies and minds would not be able to withstand it. Only through the contract of marriage can both of you remain stable. Together, your powers will complement each other and the connection will protect you both from the consequences of your unstable ascension.]
Vastarael let out a slow breath, feeling the weight of this new reality crashing down on him. It wasn't just about the betrothal. It wasn't about Adelasta.
It was about survival. And he had no choice but to accept this bond, even if every part of him resisted it.
He glanced down at his hands, fingers trembling as he imagined the kind of pain he would have to endure without Adelasta by his side, without her power stabilizing his own.
The idea of being tied to her—someone he didn't even know—felt suffocating. But in the end, he didn't have a choice. This was the life he was now bound to.
"So... what happens now?" He asked, though he wasn't sure he wanted to hear the answer.
[Now, you will learn to navigate this bond. Your training and ascension will continue. The marriage will be a formality in the future but for now, it will ensure your survival. You will need to find a way to work with Adelasta, to strengthen your connection, or the consequences will be... severe.]
Now he realized why his Bane was worse than he ever expected.
He would always have women in his own life journey. Now, he was betrothed to one.