Chapter 41: Aftermath.
They knew that if Aiden had not come to rescue them, they would not have been able to leave the illusion and would have died standing there within that nightmare.
The horror of that place still lingered in their minds — the twisted landscapes, the whispers that gnawed at their sanity, the false visions that had almost broken their will. Their beloved being brutally killed in front of their eyes.
It was a complete hell. A dark abyss where their mind had begun to sink, but Aiden saved them.
They knew if Aiden had not come to free them from becoming a puppet, they would have fallen to the heart's control, their wills bound and their consciousness fading while their bodies become the heart's slave forever.
And if Aiden had not become their shield, they would have perished there, trying to seal the artifact that had nearly killed them several times.
They knew that their son was their savior.
But that truth carried a huge weight on their chest — a quiet, unsettling fear that kept pressing against their chests like a hidden blade. Because the same thing that had almost killed them… was also somehow connected to their son.
It needed Aiden alive; it didn't harm him in the slightest.
They were worried — deeply worried — about how the family artifact was connected to Aiden. Because for the first time in a thousand years, it had reacted. It had moved. It had used mana. It had never done so before in a thousand years.
That alone was enough to shake the hearts. The artifact, sealed for generations, had been silent — dormant, like a relic of ancient times. Yet now, because of Aiden, it had awakened. It had connected itself with Aiden.
The thought made them uneasy. As a thought lingered in their mind.
Why did it call Aiden toward itself? Why did it not attack him until he was close? And even then, when it grabbed him, it didn't harm him — it only pulled him toward itself, as if trying to merge with him rather than destroy him.
Jonathan stood still in the dim chamber, his breath calm but heavy. The faint hum of mana still drifted in the air, carrying with it the scent of burned stone and dust.
He composed his thoughts before finally speaking. His tone was calm, cautious — as if afraid that even his words might awaken something within the tomb.
"Aiden," Jonathan said quietly, "do you know why the heart didn't attack you until you were close to it?"
Aiden heard this as he shook his head slowly, his eyes still carrying traces of unease. "I don't know why," he said honestly. "But… I heard it say something weird when it attacked me."
Jonathan's gaze sharpened, his voice turning grave as he asked. "What did it say?"
Aiden's voice lowered. The memory of that voice — ancient and cold — echoed through his mind like a nightmare replaying itself as he replied. "It said, 'Come here, Aiden. Become one with me. Together, we will rule this world.'"
Then he paused for a second.
The air itself seemed to stop moving.
"But when both of you saved me," Aiden continued slowly, "it began to shout crazily. It screamed like it was in pain and despair."
Jonathan heard this as his expression darkened. His hand instinctively clenched by his side as he questioned. "It didn't say anything else?"
Aiden shook his head as he said. "No."
The atmosphere was really tense as Jonathan and Sara were both worried about their son and wanted to solve his situation as soon as possible, but they didn't know what to do.
Then Sara, who had been deep in thought, spoke softly, her tone thoughtful and uneasy as she said. "Dear… the heart also used all ten elements, but they were far stronger and more toxic than normal elements. And it could only use one element at a time."
Jonathan nodded, his brow furrowed as he replied. "Yes. I noticed that too. It could use all the elements, but not simultaneously."
He stopped talking, but his mind was racing. His thoughts were racing like storm clouds gathering above a restless sea.
Then, after a long silence, he spoke again, his tone deep and edged with realization. "Aiden can also use all ten elements. Is it because of this heart? Is that why only Aiden can hear its voice and not us? And if that's the case…"
He paused, exhaling slowly, "Then is Aiden an all-elemental mana cultivator because of this artifact?"
He stopped for a second, his gaze heavy on Aiden as he continued. "And it wanted to become one with you. That means it wants to take control of your body."
Aiden heard this as his heart tightened. His breathing slowed. His mind replayed the moment when the heart's mana had surged through him — that chilling sensation of something dark and evil crawling beneath his skin, whispering inside his head, promising him power beyond imagination.
His fists clenched.
Jonathan saw the flicker of fear on his son's face. He softened his tone and stepped closer as he said. "Don't worry too much about it, son. I know someone who is an expert in artifact crafting and knowledge. I'll ask him about this. We'll find a way to sever the connection between you and that heart."
Sara also spoke gently, her eyes tender despite the exhaustion that was inside them as she consoled Aiden. "Yes, dear. Don't worry about it. We'll find a way to solve this problem. And don't be discouraged."
She smiled faintly, her lips trembling as she had a prideful expression, as she continued. "We are proud of you. If you had not arrived to help us, we both would have died. We really are grateful to you."
Aiden heard this and replied softly, his tone humble and calm. "No, Mom. Any other son would have done the same for their parents."
Jonathan shook his head slowly. "No," he said firmly. "Most others would have fled because of fear. But you risked your life to save us. To do that, you need strong willpower — something others don't have. Be proud of that."
Aiden heard this as his mood lightened. The tension in his chest eased a little. He nodded, though his mind still carried the echo of that whisper — Become one with me.
Jonathan took a deep breath, letting his eyes drift toward the chest that sealed the heart. The faint metallic shimmer of the sealing symbols glowed under the torchlight, pulsating like veins beneath the surface of the stone floor.
Jonathan said, his voice steady, "Aiden, create an earth tomb around this chest. Make it as thick as possible."
Aiden nodded immediately. He extended his hands, drawing upon the mana in his mana heart. The air rippled as waves of earth and metal essence converged around him. The floor trembled beneath the chest.
Chunks of stone began to rise, twisting and compacting under Aiden's control. He merged the dense minerals with refined metal, forming layer upon layers of hardened material as he created a thick tomb around the chest.
The process was slow, deliberate — every movement guided by precision and care.
Sweat trickled down his temple as the energy coursed through his body. His heart beat in rhythm with the heart's pulse inside the chest.
Finally, with a deep exhale, he released the spell.
A thick, seamless tomb of solidified earth and metal stood over the chest, sealing the artifact completely from sight and sense. The air around it calmed. The whispers faded into silence.
Jonathan watched quietly for a moment before nodding. "Good. That should hold it for now." He turned to his family and spoke with a faint smile. "Okay. Let's go. We have to rebuild our home before the villagers notice this."
Sara and Aiden nodded, their faces weary but resolute. Together, they climbed the winding passageway that led out of the underground chamber.
The faint glow of dawn awaited them above. Shafts of sunlight filtered through the gaps in the broken roof, casting pale light across the debris of what had once been their home. The scent of ash still lingered, mingled with the cool morning air.
Without a word, Jonathan began to use fire and water mana to clean and fix the debris. Sara summoned many puppets as they were, clearing the dust and residue that clung to the shattered beams.
Aiden reinforced the cracked foundation, his hands steady as he molded the walls back together with precise bursts of metal and stone.
The three of them worked together in silence. Only the sound of shifting earth and flowing water echoed in the air.
Time passed slowly. The sun climbed higher, its light spreading across the horizon. By the time morning fully came, their home stood once more — not perfect, not whole, but standing.
Jonathan stood at the doorway, his gaze drifting to his room, where the underground chamber was, as he thought about the whole situation again.
He closed his eyes and dismissed the thoughts.
They had survived the night.
They had sealed the heart.
But deep beneath the layers of earth and metal, something still pulsed — faint, patient, and waiting.
And though none of them said it aloud, they all felt it — they sensed that this was not the end. It was sealed and not fully taken care of it could escape once again.
Author's Note: Even within light, darkness sleeps — waiting, listening, learning the rhythm of hearts. For when the time comes, it does not need to break the world; it only needs to whisper once more