There was not a sound to be heard in the black-void that surrounded a figure hovering in the very center.
His body was suspended in a state of eternal hibernation, unmoving, unbreathing, and completely still.
Around him, a slick black cage resembling the same metallic surface that chained together the hands of the prismatic angel from Gharr.
It was a serene sight, contrasted by the harsh reality outside the darkness.
Voices attempted to penetrate the endless abyss of shadows, yet they were swallowed without any respite, condemning the prisoner to a life of solitude.
The person's eyes slowly twitched, once, then twice, before fluttering open in a hurried manner of confusion.
His hands banged against the steel bars; however, to his horror, he was completely trapped.
Bound to this liminal space for the rest of eternity from the consumption of a liquid beyond that of mortal understanding.
That was until a grimy, gravelly voice rang out through the nothingness.
"Drown them all."
It was a simple sentence construed in an accent unfamiliar to the blond boy; nonetheless, he stared through the void, trying to locate the figure.
His eyes caught on patch after patch of darkness, missing the creature that existed outside of the dimensional plane that his simple human mind couldn't comprehend.
The difference between life and death, a being who had transcended the world itself, and a being bound by desire.
A monster and a human, now ever so woven together in a prison of darkness that consumed every drop of light.
"You will drown them all."
Again, the gravelly sound echoed straight into the boy's head, sending shockwaves that pulsated in his vision.
Aaron's own voice was sealed, locked off, leaving him in excruciating pain equal to that of a thousand daggers digging into his throat.
It was an eternal cycle of the unknown beings' remarks and the boy's attempts to speak, leaving them at an impasse that could only be broken by something special.
『...』
The space rippled for a moment, revealing a flash of reality only for a second with the sight of Stein's body sprawled against the floor with a crooked smile across his lips.
And then, as soon as it had come, it vanished with the halt of the strange noise that had broken through the realm of darkness.
"Drown the world. Drown the world. Drown the world."
Once again, the echoes of the higher lifeform rained down onto Aaron's mind, drawing him into a lulled state where his brain wandered to the far reaches of his subconscious.
A ledge, one that was uncrossable and endless, with a stretch of destruction awaiting him below.
『W… U!』
Another crackle of light exploded into view, this time with the blade made of iron raised high into the sky above the silver-haired man's head.
His grin, which screamed of his lunacy, faded into a flat, resigned expression that disappeared in a flash as the darkness returned.
The onslaught of voices dug deep into Aaron's skull, grounding him in this liminal space that threatened to pull his mind straight into the abyss, over the edge of his own humanity and monstruosity.
For if he lost this game of tug of war, his very soul would be given to the higher lifeform that fought for control over himself.
It was a conflict that felt like it lasted eons, yet once again, an interruption allowed the blond boy to gain the upper hand.
『Wake up!』
The sudden flash of familiar voices clashed with the creature, tearing its horrid speech apart into microscopic pieces, vaporized in the light from the real world.
With each second that passed, its words faded into the nothingness that receded into the very depths of Aaron's soul, watching, waiting, for another opportunity.
For the blond-haired boy knew somewhere deep within him, a creature beyond that of human understanding lurked.
And if unshackled, would bring about an apocalypse of not blood, but waves to the seas that covered the world.
…
Click. Click. Click.
The sound of an empty gun reverberated through the opulent room as the iron blade swung down from the hands of the blond-haired boy.
Stein's eyes relaxed in a strange sense of peace, knowing that even if he died now, he would have released a monster into the world.
It was a lifelong dream, an endless purge of humanity that would allow him to construct his own society from its ashes.
However, now, with his death, he could never experience such power, yet he could still wish it upon another.
So as the weapon pressed coldly against his skin, a smile spread wide across his face, awaiting his final breath.
But then, it stopped.
Only the tiniest layer of skin had been cut on his neck with barely even a drop of blood dripping from the surface.
Stein's eyes gazed upward at the boy, his expression fading into a frown as he realized what had occurred.
"You've stabilized. How novel…"
The usual entertaining notes that echoed in his voice were replaced with hints of disappointment as he knew his death would not be for some grand cause, but instead at the hands of a strange figure in the basement of a casino run by someone of extreme power.
Aaron's breath was steady as he held the blade firmly between his hands, listening to Penelope's shouts within his mind.
『Kill him! You've come back from whatever the hell you did, so you need to finish the job, Aaron!』
Turquoise particles engulfed the edge of the weapon, sharpening the point to a degree that could cut steel as if it were butter.
Inside the boy's mind, thoughts rushed through as he was engulfed in the insanity of the choice he had to make.
Kill or be killed, the law of nature itself, however, when brought to the very edge of humanity only moments ago, to end the life of another for the first time, was something horrifying to the boy.
He deserves to die, b-but…
In this slight moment of wavering, Stein's expression danced with glee as he sneakily pulled in his leg, before kicking it into Aaron's ankle.
The sound of bones shattering resounded through the room as a heavy strike slammed against the blond boy's chest, sending him hurdling backwards.
An ivory dagger flew through the air straight at Aaron's head; however, with a swift movement of Ocean's Bane, it was deflected to the ground.
"Give up, Stein. It's over. Surrender now and you'll stand trial in the courts."
The boy's calm but cautious voice echoed through the chamber, bringing a stifled laugh from the silver-haired man across the room.
"A trial? How laughable! Now I must insist that it would be an amazing idea! You must do this immediately!"
His jests and jeers confused the blond boy as he stepped forward with Penelope's sheen illuminating the room that flickered under the lamplight.
『Aaron… He rules this city with an iron fist. You remember what Ezra said, right? Stein Bevmore is the so-called King of the Casino and the master of the underground. He could pay off any judge or jury he so wishes. He's untouchable politically. You must take his life now. There is no other way.』
Her words bounced helplessly off the blond boy's stubborn mind, who gritted his teeth in desperation, looking for a way, a simple solution to prevent bloodshed.
Then, all of a sudden, an explosion of laughter boomed from the golden-eyed man, shocking Aaron to his core.
"HAHAHA! So pathetic. Not even able to take a life, yet you brandish such a powerful weapon… Well, false Ezzie, it was a fun game we played today; however, this will not be where my story ends. I bid you adieu."
And then, with a deep bow, his right hand moved towards his suit pocket, allowing him to pull out a single card.
A king of hearts with the face of not a Sea King, but a perfect reflection of his own sadistic face that basked in the deaths of others.
With one last wink towards Aaron, whose feet were frozen in place, he threw the card at the glowing lamp that hung over the green table.
POP!
A thunderclap loud enough to nearly burst his eardrums exploded throughout the room, shattering the light into millions of pieces and distorting Stein's figure.
Flames erupted forth, covering every flammable surface, spreading far and wide, closer and closer to the strangely unlocked door that led into the cool dungeons beyond.
『He's gone…』
Her words echoed quietly within the blue-eyed boy's mind as he slammed his fist against the burning table in anger.
Rage nearly consumed Aaron; however, a thought that filled him with pure horror ignited like a fire inside his mind.
T-The people in the dungeons!