Chapter Text
Dear Akivili——
He was the most radiant, most blazing star you have ever seen… and you will resume your journey once more, in pursuit of Him.
.
.
.
Your consciousness clouds in confusion.
You could only sense yourself lying on top of something… something soft, slightly cool, something you can’t really put in words.
It also feels like a piece of shiny wood, you think, yet it also feels like human skin… surprisingly, you feel quite… peaceful?
……your eyes open.
That creepy tranquil your soul basked in, disappeared almost immediately once you realised what was in front of you.
It’s not only the pair of eyes staring - countless blooming crimson irises on Their skin are lying their gazes upon you.
An endless number of arms are suffocating you towards Their embrace. You see Their slightly curved smile - gentle yet sinister, while raising an arm to deliver a blood-coloured fruit to your lips.
This ominous and mysterious creature seems lifeless… your mental capacity simply wasn’t sufficient for this sort of encounter, you quietly thought. Perhaps it has been too long since you’ve met an Aeon’s gaze.
Despite knowing that They are an Aeon of Eden, only terror clouded your mind.
Because right now, They became ‘alive’.
The arm containing you suffocated you even further, while Their other hand forced Their way through your lips and teeth, seeking to push that unknown fruit into your mouth.
Is that… the fruit of longevity?
Your gaze landed upon the object by your lips.
According to legends across the universe, eating this tiny thing would probably make you immortal. But you are clear: immortality is a curse.
Immortality seems like a blessing, yet you know for sure that while a long life is admirable, living well beyond the life expectancy is bound to become torture.
Your instinct tells you to run, now.
You failed hopelessly. Your torso feels like it’s melting into Their arms, gluing together so tight that even an inch of movement induces pain.
You couldn’t even swing your head around to avoid that green twig.
You could only watch as it mercilessly presses on your tongue, extending and prying into your body bit by bit, filling you up with His breath.
Writhing clumsily, words like ‘leave me alone’, ‘stop’ and ‘help’ escaped from your throat.
…the torture did not come to an end.
More tears leak out from your eyes.
They have not stopped despite hearing your cries. You feel Their twig growing exponentially within you - tying around every single bit of flesh and blood, morphing you into someone else.
It was a lengthy process.
Pain, more pain… then comes an unsettling realisation.
They seemed to be moving closer to you, wrapping around you even more tightly, as if you are Their most precious treasure. However, it is also evident that They… understood your suffering.
They simply did not plan to stop now.
They moved slightly, with Their unwavering smile, just enough for Them to lie you down in the nook of Their neck. The countless arms wrapped you up again, allowing you to rest within Their embrace, as if you are a mere infant.
You tried to escape once more, dragging your numb and quivering body away.
You tried also to get rid of that growing root of evil from your body.
Almost floundering, you broke free of Their embrace, limping and flopping towards the empty space away from Them, as They stared blankly. It was in your natural instincts to escape, but you have nowhere to go.
The instance you left Their embrace, chills crept up your spine.
The pain is morphing into something else - you only feel your consciousness fogging once more, while every bone, every cell in your body is screaming.
Ugh… no…
Your body seems like a freshly repaired fragile vase, growing something within.
You look down. You watch with horror as crimson flowers and eyes emerge from your palm, from your fingertips, sprung from flesh. They look like the being behind you.
Is this the price to pay for ‘faith’ in the Abundance?
You wrapped your own arm up, hoping to stifle that wretched growth, and fumbled further away, away from Yaoshi.
You managed to stand up, yet once again your body stumbles and darkness falls. Consciousness returns, and you realise the twig on your tongue has disappeared. Instincts tell you that it has bonded with your flesh.
There leaves no room for regret.
You fall into despair… but acceptance is a virtue.
This time, They will not let you go. They coil around you tightly and stares at you directly.
“……”
You lowered your gaze, then rose your head up again just to see the bloody fruit between Their fingertips. You shake your head.
Their smile remains unwavering, with mercy in Their eyes.
“Wherefore doth thee not accepteth mine own blessing?”
You didn’t quite know how to explain. Everyone knows Yaoshi sets off with kind intentions… but it would be best if They never did set off.
“It hurts,” you said.
Their arms lowered, as if They are caressing your cheeks. With compassion, They said, “There is suff'ring 'mongst all, yet only the resilient can earneth their prize.”
“I know… I know……”
“But…” It hurts.
Please don’t, please don’t give me that fruit, you thought. You really are terrified.
You already have flowers blooming on your body, and you’re scared you might just grow out a bunch of arms like Them after consuming that fruit.
Wait… where are you? Is this not a dream…?
…oh right. You pleaded to Yaoshi to stay alive.
Cogs in your brain start turning with realisation as you look at Them with disbelief —— while They continued to stare at you with mercy.
“Shall thee accepteth the blessing of immortality?”
“Only with longevity can thee escapeth the shackles of flesh and breaketh through.”
A spiked branch falls in front of your eyes. You can feel your blood lamenting.
Upon the branch is a blooming flower, revealing the crystal-like crimson fruit. Your mouth waters…
Your pupils dilate… you bend with piety…
Juices flow down between your teeth, down your chin, dripping drop by drop on your clothes.
In this moment, you only know of Them before you. You didn’t realise that the every drop of the juice that you just wasted is countless beings’ desire and pursuit: immortality.
As you hung around Their neck, eyelids closing with fatigue, you muttered, “Let me go…” before losing consciousness.
After that was blankness, but you know…
You know that you’ve been bewitched… again.
Tsk… you were coerced into this transaction.