Chapter 11: Bound by Fate

The first light of dawn spilled through the grand windows of the Valenhardt estate, casting soft golden hues across the lavish chamber. The silken drapes swayed gently with the morning breeze, carrying the faint scent of blooming lilies from the gardens outside. Birds chirped in the distance, their melodies blending with the distant murmurs of servants beginning their daily routines. Within the cradle of royal blue fabric, Arinay stirred, his small frame barely shifting beneath the warmth of his blankets. The world had yet to fully rouse, yet something—or rather, someone—had already decided his slumber had lasted long enough.

A faint whisper slithered into his consciousness, pulling him from the depths of slumber.

"How much longer are you planning to sleep?"

Arinay's brows furrowed slightly. The voice was familiar, yet it carried an odd sense of amusement—playful, almost arrogant. Slowly, his lashes fluttered open, the golden morning light spilling into his room through the silk-curtained windows. A gentle breeze rustled the embroidered canopy above his crib, filling the chamber with the scent of blooming roses from the palace gardens.

The newborn stirred, his tiny fingers twitching as he adjusted to the waking world. But his mind remained sharp despite his infant body's frailty. He knew what he had heard on the night of banquet, and now, that same presence had returned.

"Who's there?" His thoughts were clear, yet his voice was too weak to form the words aloud.

A soft chuckle echoed in his mind. "Took you long enough to ask. I was starting to think you'd spend another lifetime ignoring me."

There was a pause, then the voice continued, a touch of pride slipping into its tone. "It's me—the Ring of Rebirth. Though, you can't exactly call me a ring anymore. My physical form was destroyed, and now, I exist in this state… a Soul Remnant. You may call me Aetheris.

Arinay replies, "A Soul Remnant?" he repeated, his voice quiet but firm. "Then… you're not just some lingering consciousness of the ring, are you?"

Aetheris let out a low chuckle, smooth and amused. "Oh? Already catching on, are we?"

Arinay's expression remained blank, but his mind churned with thoughts. The Ring of Rebirth? The very artifact that had granted him the ability to return from death—was now… speaking to him?

"You… I tried reaching out to you before when I heard your voice during the banquet, but there was no response."

"Ah, that's because you lacked a mana circuit," Aetheris replied, his voice carrying a knowing smirk. "Until one is formed, I cannot communicate properly with my wielder. The king's gift—the pendant—held enough residual mana for me to speak a few words to you during the banquet. But I never expected you to form your mana circuit in less than a week after birth. Splendid work, truly."

Arinay remained silent, absorbing the information. It made sense—his rebirth had left him in a body that, while powerful in potential, was no different from a normal newborn's at first. The mana circuit was the key to unlocking his abilities once again.

But something about Aetheris's presence unsettled him.

"Who exactly are you?" he finally asked. "Was obtaining you before my death merely a coincidence? Or did you already foresee what was going to happen to me?"

For the first time, Aetheris hesitated. Then, with an exhale that almost felt… indulgent, he answered, "Who knows? I merely saw death looming over you—an inevitable fate. But I did not want you, the best fit to wield my power, to perish in vain. Yet, at that time, I couldn't communicate with you. My power had long been waiting for the awakening of the Eight Ancestral Bloodlines."

"The Eight Ancestral Bloodlines?" Arinay's gaze darkened, as he remembered the death of his wives in front of him.

Aetheris whispered, "What matters is this: you defeated my previous wielder, Zelroth, the Undying Emperor, Ruler of the Sixth dimension: Space of Power. I was impressed. So I chose you as my new master."

Zelroth. Even in his past life, the name had been one spoken with dread—a tyrant who ruled over, The Space of Power with an iron grip. A monster whose reign had seemed eternal.

And yet, Arinay had killed him.

There was a sense of satisfaction in that knowledge, but it did little to ease his suspicion.

"You say I can use the power of rebirth sixteen times. I've already used it eleven. What happens when I exhaust the remaining five?"

Aetheris chuckled, a slow, amused sound. "A good question. Well, once you use the sixteenth rebirth, our contract as master and servant will be severed… and I will regain my original form."

A sharp gleam flickered in Arinay's golden eyes.

"Original form?"

"Yes. You see, I wasn't always some ring-like artifact. I was once something much greater—a being who shook the heavens, who made gods tremble in their thrones. In my prime, I conquered entire realms, toppling divine rule and carving my own empire from their ashes." Aetheris's voice grew lower, edged with something dark. "And I nearly succeeded. Nearly."

Arinay listened, unmoving.

"But the gods, ever the cowards, banded together. They could not destroy me, so they did the next best thing—they sealed me away, cursing me to exist as an artifact. The condition of my curse? My power must be used ten thousand times before I can return to my true form."

Arinay's breath was slow and steady. He could see it now—the grand scheme that had been woven around him.

"Using your power puts an immense strain on the soul," he murmured. "Most who wielded you had their souls obliterated after only a few attempts. Some barely survived past three."

"Exactly." Aetheris's voice carried a hint of something close to admiration. "Yet, Zelroth held on longer than most… until you came along and took his head."

There was silence between them. The room was still, save for the morning light casting golden streaks across the polished marble floors.

"And me?" Arinay finally asked. "I used it eleven times. What does that make me?"

"A monster," Aetheris answered, with no hesitation. "One who defies reason, even among those who stand at the peak. An impossible achievement indeed. "

A smirk tugged at the corners of Arinay's lips.

"I suppose I should take that as a compliment."

"Oh, absolutely." Aetheris chuckled. "You fascinate me, Arinay. Even I, in my original form, could not do what you did. That's why I helped you—and why I will continue to do so. I need you to use the last five chances. And you… well, you need my power. It's a win-win situation, is it not?"

Arinay's eyes glowed faintly, a quiet fire burning behind them.

"Perhaps," he murmured. Aetheris laughed. "Still suspicious? Good. It would've been disappointing if you trusted me so easily. But I promise you this, Arinay—I will not betray you. My survival depends on yours. You, my king, are my last chance."Arinay's eyes narrowed. "And what will you do when you regain your original form?"

Aetheris let out a low, amused laugh, but beneath it simmered something far darker. "What else?" he drawled. "I will take my revenge. I will hunt down every last god who dared to curse me, who sealed me away like some forgotten relic. And then—" his voice turned sharp, crackling with an unseen fury, "I will burn their so-called pride to ash."

Arinay closed his eyes for a moment, letting the weight of their conversation settle in his mind. He had no reason to trust Aetheris fully. But for now, their goals aligned.

"Very well," he said at last. "Let's see where this alliance takes us."

Aetheris grinned within his mind. "Now that's the spirit, O King of Cosmos."

To be continued....