CHAOS

I made my way toward my trusty ancient scribble—'Baldy.'

Sliding it out of the drawer, I placed it carefully on my bed. The moment I opened it, dazzling golden light burst forth from its weathered cover, flickering like a living entity.

< You're early today. Something happened, Einar? >

Its shimmering glow pulsed in a questioning rhythm.

I smirked. "Nothing serious. I just have a few questions."

The light dimmed slightly, as if contemplating.

< Oh? You're asking questions directly now? This could either be a joyous moment… or a dreadful one. >

I didn't bother entertaining its musings. My curiosity was burning a hole through my patience.

"Tell me about the strongest elements," I said. "I need to know which ones I should aim for when I awaken my affinity."

I paused before adding, "And don't try that roundabout nonsense like last time—'To awaken yourself, you must awaken your affinity first.' I'm not in the mood for riddles."

'Baldy's' glow flickered erratically before shifting to blood red.

< You misunderstand, child. I did not weave puzzles. Affinity and Aether Affinity are fundamentally different. >

I frowned. "How so?"

< Affinities are drawn from the foundational forces of existence—the very laws that shape the cosmos. Aether, on the other hand, is merely a conduit, a tool that allows mortals to wield a sliver of those laws. >

The light pulsed, growing more intense as it continued.

< When you near the peak of mortal strength, certain cosmic forces may take an interest in you. If they deem you worthy, they will grant you a portion of their essence—this is the aether affinity you wield. But true affinity? That is a claim over the very foundation of existence itself. >

My fingers tightened around the book's edges. This was far more intricate than I had assumed. The distinction was staggering.

I had been so focused on ascending that I barely considered the deeper mechanics behind it.

'Baldy' continued, its glow shifting again.

< Picture it this way: Our world, Aetherion, consists of countless realms. Each realm contains not only living beings but also fundamental elements—the air, the fire, the land, the void. These realms exist as part of a greater cosmic structure, much like affinity itself. >

< If you garner the attention of one of these great forces, they may grant you access to a fraction of their power—an aether affinity. But a true affinity? That means becoming part of the cosmos itself. >

I exhaled slowly, absorbing every word.

I ran a hand through my hair before continuing. "Alright. Then tell me—which affinities are the strongest? I need to aim for the best."

'Baldy's' lights flickered rapidly—was it laughing?

< You are ambitious, Einar. I admire that. But promise me this—you must never utter these names aloud. Ever. >

My eyes narrowed. "Why?"

For the first time, the flickering light hesitated.

< Because some things should not be named. Even as an ancient record, I cannot name most of them. To even think of those forces is to invite ruin upon yourself. The consequences would be… worse than the fate of the Corrupted Gods. >

That caught my attention.

'Corrupted Gods?' I repeated, intrigued.

I wanted to pry further, but I held back. Right now, my priority was strength.

'Baldy' finally spoke again.

< There is no ranking among these forces. Each one is as monstrous as the others. But I will give you a glimpse. >

A strange tension filled the air.

Then, one by one, the words appeared.

< The Eternal River of Creation—where all existence is born. >

< The First Flame—the spark that ignited the universe, embodying infinite potential. >

< The Devouring Inferno—entropy itself, unraveling reality at its core. >

< The Living Chaos—a force that rewrites existence with every moment. >

< The Celestial Equilibrium—where light and darkness blend into something beyond comprehension. >

< The Ouroboros Cycle—a force that destroys itself and renews endlessly. >

< The Abyssal Hunger—an infinite void that devours entire realms. >

< The Paradox Engine—the very essence of contradictions, where impossibilities become reality. >

I frowned as I read through the list.

'Baldy' had described these as elements, yet the way it spoke of them…

They sounded alive.

Something felt wrong.

If these were elements, why did they seem like entities?

And then—one name stood out.

The Living Chaos.

Not just "Chaos," but Living Chaos.

That phrasing was deliberate.

A deep, unshakable instinct clawed at my chest. A whisper at the edge of my mind, warning me.

Something wasn't right.

"'Baldy'… you're holding something back."

The book's light flickered violently.

I ignored it.

"There should be forces above these, shouldn't there?" I said, my voice low. "Like… Chaos."

The moment I spoke the word, the air shifted.

A deafening crack of thunder split the sky outside.

A pulse of raw, unfathomable energy rippled through the room, making my bones tremble.

'Baldy's' lights convulsed, flickering erratically—and then, it began to burn.

Not in a normal way.

The flames that consumed it were… wrong.

A twisting, grotesque mix of blood-red, violet, azure, and gold. Colors that didn't belong together, yet blended in a way that defied reason.

A sound escaped the book—a horrific, inhumane screech.

Like something desperately trying to escape its own existence.

I stumbled back as the flames rotted through the pages. From the fire, I glimpsed things—wretched, grotesque beings clawing at the edges of reality, their forms writhing in tangled chaos.

A force—something even more terrifying—was holding them back.

Fighting them.

And then—just as suddenly as it began—it ended.

The book was gone.

All that remained was a pile of ash.

And a single word, burned into the floorboards:

CHAOS.

My breath was ragged. My mind raced.

What the hell had I just witnessed?

This world… it was far more terrifying than I had ever imagined. It literally became a nightmare fuel.

And if I wasn't careful…

I was completely fucked.