SWNOVELXO Chapter 53: Chapter 53: The Aftermath of the Storm (1)
Chapter 53: The Aftermath of the Storm (1)
In the heart of Sika's room, a space that radiated both refined luxury and immaculate tidiness, the walls were painted a soft, comforting light green that spread a profound sense of tranquility and inner peace. The color wrapped around the room like a gentle embrace, soothing any troubled mind that stepped inside. The furniture was crafted from strong, richly grained wood, each piece featuring sleek modern lines and smooth, elegant curves. Every surface gleamed with careful polish, and the fine, precise details added an unmistakable touch of sophistication and understated opulence.
Above the spacious bed, a collection of plush pillows was arranged in perfectly coordinated colors — gentle pastels and earthy tones that melted together to create a warm, welcoming sanctuary. The arrangement felt almost ceremonial in its perfection, as if inviting anyone who lay there to drift peacefully into sleep. On the side table, carefully chosen decorative touches — delicately shaped candles, freshly cut flowers in crystal vases, and small trinkets — heightened the serene atmosphere, imbuing the air with a light floral fragrance and a soft, living warmth that seemed to breathe alongside the room itself.
The floor shone beneath a plush, velvety carpet that seemed to capture each step in a gentle hug, its subtle hue blending seamlessly with the walls to create a continuous, flowing harmony. Gentle lamps set around the room glowed with a peaceful, almost magical light, casting soft, shifting shadows that danced along the walls and ceilings, as if alive. These shadows brought the room a quiet dynamism, a living energy that pulsed softly like a heartbeat. Every corner felt carefully composed, every object in its place as though it belonged to a larger symphony of comfort and refined taste — a space where every detail had a voice and every silence had depth.
Sika lay sleeping atop her bed, her long, silky hair spilling out across the pillow in an elegant cascade, gleaming like dark liquid under the lamp's glow. Her face looked serene, yet carried subtle undercurrents of complex emotion; her beauty seemed untouched by exhaustion or turmoil. Each slow, steady breath made her chest rise and fall rhythmically, adding a soft, intimate life to her still form. Her delicate movements — the barely perceptible twitch of her fingers, the slight shift of her shoulders under the blanket — gave her the fragile grace of a sleeping sculpture, so vivid that she looked almost ethereal.
Sika had recently endured a bizarre, unexpected, and utterly unexplainable event that shook her to the core. An unknown spiritual parasite had invaded Finn's body, a sudden, ruthless assault that sought to claim his soul and shatter his consciousness completely. The moment demanded immediate, decisive action, forcing Sika to intervene with urgent precision before it was too late.
An attempt to seize control of a soul wasn't unheard of in their world. The soul represents the sacred union of a person's will, the deepest sanctities and secret spaces of their heart; it is the invisible core that shapes a being's true existence. Destroying it is the swiftest, most terrifying way to dominate someone entirely, leaving no room for resistance.
If some alien energy could overpower a soul, it would mean that every aspect — the will, the sacred truths, the tender vulnerabilities — would all be twisted and rewritten, depending entirely on the nature and intent of that invading force.
Yet, why destroy consciousness as well? Without consciousness, there would be no mind to rule, only an empty vessel — a living, breathing statue with no spark within. Unless that invading energy harbored its own independent consciousness, seeking not to manipulate but to fully replace the host's essence. In that case, soul control wasn't merely subjugation; it was an act of total erasure and rebirth into something alien.
"Does it have another consciousness?" The terrifying theory struck Sika's mind like a bolt of cold lightning, sending a violent shiver through her entire body and doubling her already mounting fear. But before the thought could fully root itself, her focus shifted sharply. "Oh, finally, you're awake."
She forcefully set aside the dreadful speculation and concentrated on the boy now stirring before her. Slowly, almost hesitantly, his eyelids parted, and only a deep, suffocating darkness greeted his narrow field of vision. The sinister crimson glow from before had vanished completely, leaving behind a dense void that swallowed every trace of light.
"What... what happened?" His voice emerged so faint and fragile that it immediately stirred an instinctive concern, vibrating with confusion and weakness. His hand drifted up, combing through his messy hair with a slow, shaky motion, as though trying to ground himself in something familiar.
[Something I'll explain later. You're not in good shape.]
Finn released a long, pained sigh, his breath shuddering through his chest as he pressed his hand against it for support. Then he slowly let himself sink back, lying down again, as if surrendering to an invisible weight. Even though not a single visible wound marred his skin, deep, invisible scars had already cut through his soul.
The pain of the soul versus the pain of the body — though separated by only a single word, in reality, they belonged to two entirely different worlds. A small tear in the soul could erupt into unimaginable agony, birthing complications that would overshadow even the most brutal bodily injuries.
Finn suddenly felt a prickling sensation on the back of his hand. Roni — always loyal, always protective — was undoubtedly frantic with worry for him. But letting her emerge now would cause her serious harm, as Sika had warned him time and time again.
This cave was soaked in a deep, suffocating sea of negative energy. Meanwhile, Roni's soul was made of pure, sacred power, the pristine energy of a true divine beast. Even the slightest exposure to this hostile aura could devastate her fragile state, especially since her wounds hadn't yet fully healed.
He lay there, struggling to gather the shattered fragments of his thoughts. The question of how long he had been unconscious gnawed at the edge of his awareness. What exactly had happened to him? How much did Sika know?
But these burning questions slowly lost their heat before the urgent need to stabilize himself again. Time itself had slipped into meaninglessness before Finn finally summoned the strength to push himself upright, his arms trembling under the strain. He forced himself forward, out of the oppressive cave, and finally stood upright — shaky, but alive.