Chapter Text
It’s over, it seems.
Following the botched meeting with Cerydra and Hysilens, Stelle found herself all alone in the vast, frigid expanse of the Exomyth. She’d been in unsettling places before; Penacony’s Memory Zone, the Xianzhou’s Shackling Prison… And yet, as seasoned as she may be, everything else paled in comparison to… Whatever this is. At least the Memory Zone had familiar sights – Even the monsters made it feel the slightest bit alive – But the Exomyth was desolate unlike anywhere else she’d ever been. Seems like a fitting place to reflect the crazed mind of the man who sent her here.
Stelle clutched her head, still spinning from being warped all the way over, as she let out a sharp exhale. The metallic mesh below her seeped every ounce of heat from her body, somehow making the space feel even more unwelcoming than it already was. After gathering her strength and getting back up, Stelle began to make her way in the only direction possible; namely, forwards.
“Where the hell… Am I?” Her words echoed in the emptiness, interrupting the computer parts’ idle buzzing.
“Cerydra? Hysilens? Dan Heng…?” The desperation in Stelle’s voice was palpable, swelling with every step she took deeper into that strange place. But no amount of desperation was enough to reach her allies, her futile attempts only serving to reinforce just how truly alone she was.
Stelle’s pace picked up, the Exomyth’s oppressive nature closing in on her like a dark fog. Her steps became hurried, anxiously continuing forwards, plunging the girl deeper into that cold unknown. It wasn’t entirely dark, at least. Sudden flashes of red light pulsed through her surroundings, alongside the faint glow of the various screens littered around the place, allowing her to not trip on any of the scattered cables that lined the path.
Now running, Stelle panted, cold, fearful, and alone. What is this place? Where is everyone? The flurry of catastrophic thoughts rushing through the girl’s head only served to drain her energy faster.
She stopped.
It was all too much.
She sat down on her calves, body collapsing in exhaustion, her long gray hair cascading down and obfuscating her face. The frigid floor continued to drain her warmth, but lying down still seemed a better option than standing up and facing her surroundings head-on. Somehow, the head-strong newbie of the Astral Express found her typically unwavering will entirely depleted, her fiery attitude reduced to nothing more than a pile of ash.
What is going on?
Stelle panted heavily while sitting on the floor, still attempting to recover. Her head did not stop spinning since the moment she got here. When was that, anyway? Maybe minutes, maybe hours ago. All she knew is that everything seemed to be closing in on her. Seems as if she’s going to pass out any moment now…
Suddenly, a flash of energy violently ripped Stelle out of her dazed state. The energy was similar to the Exomyth’s atmosphere, albeit more aggressive; carrying the scent of Destruction, of the Black Tide, of the corruption that plagued every corner of this world. Out from the mysterious rift stepped a familiar figure:
The Theoros.
She instinctively summoned her bat and steeled herself into a defensive position with whatever strength she had left, legs propped up and ready to flee, arms crossed over before her chest. Every meeting with this man seems to end in an altercation, and this time, she’s in absolutely no state to fight.
The same scheming, unsettling grin was still etched the Antikytheran’s porcelain face, somehow managing to be even more uninviting than a scowl. There was no joy behind Lygus’ smile – only a strange, morbid conviction, mirroring the obstinate tone in which he always spoke, regardless of the situation. It sent shivers down Stelle’s spine, seeing that malicious grin after hours of nothing but cables and emptiness.
“Judging by how far you've gotten, it would seem as if you’ve quite enjoyed exploring the Exomyth, my Lady.” His voice was robotic and unnatural, and yet, still just human enough to ruse something in those who heard it.
“Yet, you appear rather displeased by my appearance. You called out for others quite a few times over your little journey here. Is the humble Theoros not company enough? Ha ha ha…”
It didn’t help that his laughter always sounded ominous and insincere, a mockery of genuine human mirth.
Stelle scowled. Lygus was the last person she wanted to see here.
“You're not fooling anybody. Why even bother with keeping up that friendly façade of yours when it's just the two of us here? You and I both know what's behind that crooked grin.”
Much to her dismay, her provocation fell on deaf ears, as the antikytheran continued to prattle on without the slightest shift in tone.
“You wound me, my Lady.” His voice was exaggerated, theatrical almost, unsubtly hinting at his amusement as he stepped closer to the woman before him. “What’s so wrong with wanting to have a one-on-one? It was nearly impossible to get any privacy at that crowded banquet with the Imperator. And there’s nowhere more private than the Exomyth.”
The girl’s eyes narrowed, still holding her defensive pose. What could he possibly want? She clenched her bat harder, stretching the fabric of her glove.
“What do you want, Lygus? If you intended to kill me, you would have just done so at the Grove. Quit beating around the bush.” Her aggressiveness didn’t faze him in the least.
“Hah… Kill you? You misunderstand.” He was but a few steps away from her, imposingly. Although your meddling with the Scepter has certainly been irritating, your arrival caused something else, as well: As much as you’ve been a terrible nuisance, you’ve also been the first thing to truly rouse my curiosity in several thousand years. And if there’s something I’m driven by, it’s curiosity.”
What?