Cosmic Ruler

In the heart of the underwater cave system, the silence was profound, broken only by the soft lapping of water against the jagged rocks. The labyrinthine tunnels twisted and turned, leading deeper into the earth, where bioluminescent algae cast an eerie, faint glow that illuminated the ancient stalactites hanging like teeth from the ceiling.

The air was heavy with moisture, and the sound of dripping water echoed through the caverns, creating an otherworldly symphony of solitude.

Amidst this solitude, a lone figure sat slumped against the damp rock, a bottle clutched tightly in his hand. Aiden, once proud and strong, now found himself consumed by despair, his once-sharp vision reduced to darkness. The weight of his newfound blindness pressed heavily on him, a constant reminder of the power he had lost and the dangers he had barely escaped.

The liquid in the bottle was his only comfort now, numbing the pain that gnawed at his soul.

He took another swig, the bitterness of the drink matching the bitterness in his heart. His voice, thick with the effects of alcohol and sorrow, broke the silence as he began to sing, his words a reflection of his inner turmoil.

"Lost in the dark, no light to guide,

A warrior's pride, now cast aside,

I wander blind, through endless night,

The power I had, now out of sight..."

Hicccuupp...

His voice echoed through the cavern, carrying the weight of his despair to every corner of the underwater maze. The bottle in his hand trembled as he lifted it once more, his mind clouded by both drink and grief.

"Once I could see, the path ahead,

Now all that's left, are dreams long dead,

I fought the world, and paid the price, Stay connected through My Virtual Library Empire

Now trapped within, this cold, dark vice..."

Aiden's voice cracked, the pain in his words palpable as he struggled to keep singing. The drink dulled the sharp edges of his anguish, but it couldn't erase the deep sense of loss that gnawed at him. He let out a bitter laugh, his voice trembling as he continued.

"What's power worth, when all is gone?

The battles won, but the war's not done,

In this abyss, I drown my soul,

The darkness takes its final toll..."

His song faded into a whisper, the final notes barely audible over the sound of dripping water. Aiden lowered the bottle, staring into the nothingness that had become his world. He felt the coolness of the rock against his back, a stark contrast to the warmth of the drink that had begun to lose its effect.

"To the dark, I give my all,

No sight to see, no way to fall,

Let the waters take me deep,

In this endless night, I'll sleep..."

The last verse hung in the air, a melancholy lullaby to his fading hope. As the echoes of his song died away, Aiden slumped further against the rock, his heart heavy with the weight of his loss. The darkness, once a source of fear, now seemed to embrace him, offering a cold comfort in its silent embrace.

As Aiden fell asleep, Myne appeared, gently draping a blanket over him. "How long do you think he'll be like this?" she asked softly.

"We don't know. This isn't a movie where the hero just miraculously finds the strength to go on despite all the difficulties," Nexus responded, her tone heavy with concern.

"You know," Myne replied, rolling her eyes, "that sounds exactly like what Aiden said before he started drinking like this."

"What else am I supposed to say?" Nexus sighed.

Myne rubbed her shoulders comfortingly. "It's not your fault. You couldn't have known. Aiden was bottling up his frustration."

Suddenly, Aiden stirred, mumbling, "I'm gonna screw the whole world..." before falling silent again, slipping back into his uneasy sleep.

"Yep, definitely not a movie," Myne and Nexus sighed in unison as they watched him.

Hours later, Aiden woke up again, his eyes still bleary. He blinked, then muttered to himself, "Oh yeah, I'm blind now." The weight of his situation pressed down on him like a suffocating blanket, but he shook it off, knowing he needed to act. Taking a deep breath, he spent the next ten minutes carefully drawing the Tier 10 circle on the ground, each line precise despite his lack of sight.

Using only half the original amount of Divine Crystals, he chanted a spell and felt the magic pulse through the circle.

The spell worked, the bleeding in his eyes finally stopped. But the darkness remained. He sighed heavily, his frustration simmering just below the surface. His hands trembled as he reached for the bottle of alcohol, his only solace in this hellish reality. He tilted the bottle back, letting the liquid burn its way down his throat.

Gulp… Gulp… Gulp…

[How long are you going to keep this up?] Nexus's voice cut through the silence, filled with concern and a touch of irritation.

Aiden swallowed another mouthful before answering, his voice slurred and bitter. "Listen, prick, this is all I've got left to do. What else is there for me now?"

[What about Celestaria? What about all your lovers back there? Heck, what about Serina, Shelly, even the little one here?] Nexus's tone grew more insistent, anger lacing her words.

Aiden laughed bitterly, the sound hollow. "You don't get to tell me what to do, Nexus. Not anymore."

[You made me do this,] Nexus suddenly said, her voice ominous.

Aiden squinted, confusion knitting his brows. "What do you mean—ouch!" he yelped as something sharp dug into his skin. He looked down to find vines coiling around his body, tightening with each passing second.

[I know your spells too,] Nexus said smugly as the vines began to whip him, their thorny tendrils lashing against his skin.

Aiden gritted his teeth, trying to fight back, but the vines were relentless. "No, you can't... argh!" He cried out as the pain intensified, each strike leaving welts on his body.

[Yes, I will,] Nexus replied coldly, showing no mercy as the vines continued to strike him.

"Hey, ouch, ouch, that hurts!" Aiden yelled, his body writhing in pain as the vines lashed him repeatedly. The alcohol in his system dulled some of the pain, but not enough to keep him from crying out.

[Oh, really? The fun is just beginning,] Nexus said, her tone almost playful, as if she was enjoying his suffering.

Aiden winced as he heard a new sound—a sharp, stinging noise. He turned his head slightly, and through the haze of his Spirit Sense, he saw that the vines had sprouted sharp, pointed stingers. His heart pounded in his chest as fear took hold.

"Oh, fuck," Aiden mumbled, panic setting in. He began to run, stumbling over the uneven ground, his vision useless in the pitch-black cave. The vines chased after him, their stingers lashing out, cutting into his flesh.

[Run, Aiden, run! That's what you are now—a coward,] Nexus taunted, her voice echoing in his mind, driving him to the edge of madness.

Aiden, who was darting around like a cornered animal, suddenly stopped. His chest heaved with each breath, and he felt the blood trickling from the wounds the vines had inflicted. He looked back at the vines, his expression shifting from fear to something darker, more resolved.

With a low, dangerous mutter, he whispered something under his breath. The crystal in his hand began to glow with a fierce light, its energy surging through him. The vines, still advancing, suddenly froze in place. Then, as if consumed by an unseen fire, they turned to ash, disintegrating into nothingness.

"I am not a coward," Aiden said, his voice filled with anger and determination. He stood there, breathing heavily, his mind racing with a mix of emotions—rage, sorrow, frustration.

[But you are,] Nexus's voice returned, this time softer, almost pitying. [One mistake, born of your own foolishness, has left you lost in the abyss of despair.]

As more vines began to form, snaking their way toward him, Nexus continued. [So, run now, coward,] she taunted again, her voice cold and cutting.

"Enough!" Aiden roared, his voice filled with a raw, primal fury. A shockwave erupted from him, a powerful burst of energy that radiated outward in all directions. The force of it was devastating, wiping out everything around him. The once-lush and vibrant underwater cave system, teeming with life and greenery, was now barren and lifeless.

The trees were gone, the vibrant fauna erased—only desolation remained.

Aiden stood in the center of the devastation, his heart pounding, his breath coming in ragged gasps. The cave was silent now, the echoes of his outburst fading into the distance. He had destroyed everything around him, but the darkness in his soul remained, as deep and unforgiving as ever.

"You don't provoke me?" Aiden spat out angrily, his fists clenched at his sides.

[I will, because I can't stand seeing you die in some dark corner,] Nexus replied, her voice resolute. [You're great, Aiden. Where is the great and almost unstoppable Aiden I once knew?]

Aiden flinched, the words cutting deep.

[The Aiden I knew was unstoppable, no matter the pain, no matter the setbacks. He always moved forward, no matter what,] Nexus continued, her voice growing more emotional. [Where is that Aiden now?]

Aiden swallowed hard, his throat tightening as he heard the sob in her voice. It was a sound that pierced through his defenses. Suddenly, he asked, almost without thinking, "Why does your voice sound... feminine?"

[You fucking bastard, that's what you care about now?] Nexus snapped, her voice filled with anger and frustration.