Chương 21: The Villainess

"El… are you… okay? El… EL! EL!" Ariana tried her best to snap him back to reality, but it was futile.

The strangest thing was that just a few seconds ago, his expression had been one of pure rage, teetering on the edge of snapping altogether, but suddenly…

...he blanked out.

His gaze turned hollow as he stared at the chair where Eloisa had been seated, as though someone invisible still occupied it.

"What… happened to him?" she asked in frustration, a growing dread creeping into her voice. She recognized that look—a look she had seen only once before. It had been just before he underwent a drastic transformation, becoming someone entirely different overnight.

"I don't know…" Rizel responded, her eyes locked on Ryan's empty, soulless stare. His face was disturbingly void of emotion.

In that moment, no one noticed the absence of the silver.

"El… Are you okay?" Ariana whispered, her hand trembling as she reached out.

But just then—

"Don't touch him," Selena's voice cut in sharply. She stepped between Ariana and Ryan, her expression calm yet commanding. Ariana froze mid-motion, realizing the gravity of what she was about to do.

"I'll take care of him," Selena added, a smile curling on her lips. She glanced at Ariana and Rizel before linking her arm with Ryan's. "Let's go."

To everyone's surprise, Ryan obeyed. He stood, and together, they began walking out of the room.

Ariana's chest tightened, a familiar ache settling in. It was like four years ago, all over again. She knew something was wrong with him. She could see his pain—feel it—but once again, she was powerless to help. That same hollow, lifeless expression haunted her.

"...," she bit her lip, torn between anger and concern.

Though a part of her loathed him, a deeper part still cared, no matter how much she tried to suppress it. Seeing him like this again stirred emotions she thought she'd buried long ago.

Rizel, on the other hand, was drowning in confusion. She had too little information, scattered puzzle pieces that refused to form a coherent picture. No matter how much her mind raced, she couldn't piece together the meaning behind the strange exchange or Ryan's sudden shift in behavior.

And that only made it worse.

Her curiosity was growing—dangerously so.

...

Ryan's footsteps echoed through the quiet corridor as he moved alongside Selena, his motions unnervingly robotic.

In truth, he wasn't moving under his own power. If one looked closely, the subtle signs of Selena's telekinetic manipulation were evident. She was controlling his every step, making it appear as though he walked of his own accord.

After nearly an hour of silent walking, they arrived at their destination. Selena tapped on his meta-watch, triggering a soft whirring sound. The door ahead clicked open, and she guided Ryan inside.

Once past the threshold, Ryan collapsed onto a bed, his body slack. Selena, too, let herself fall—but instead of the bed, she landed on top of him.

Her gaze fixed on his hollow, ash-colored eyes, eyes devoid of any spark of life. She clicked her tongue in annoyance. "Tsk. To think mere words could break you like this," she muttered, brushing a strand of hair from his face. "But I guess I can't blame you. You try to run from it, yet at this point, your playing right into her hands. You will eventually become what she want's you to be,"

Shaking her head, Selena leaned in closer, her face mere inches from his. Her voice softened. "You know," she began, glancing up at the top bunk above them, "you really are one big idiot," A faint, wry smile tugged at her lips.

"For love, you rejected her. And for that same love, you've become her slave. Ironic, isn't it? You don't even realize that the one you love the most, will be your worst nightmare," She cupped his cheek gently, her thumb brushing against his skin. "I wonder what you'll do when you finally realize who the woman you were made to love so dearly truly is."

Her fingers traced the line of his jaw, moving down to his chest, where they rested. "But you know…" her tone shifted, darkening. "Your greatest fortune was making me interested in you. But the real question is—how long will that last?"

Her expression hardened. She straightened slightly, her eyes narrowing.

"Come out, Asmodeus," Selena commanded, her voice low and sharp. "I know you can hear me."

Ryan's ash-gray eyes flickered, then blazed to life, glowing a brilliant gold. His lips parted, but the voice that emerged wasn't his.

"Who… are you?" the entity growled, its tone laced with confusion and menace. It couldn't comprehend how she knew such deep secrets—about the Primordial Goddess, and its true name.

Selena's lips curled into a wicked smile.

"Well… you can call me the villainess."

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