Chapter 248
The object felt light, yet unbearably dense with meaning, pulsing irregularly within Theo's metaphorical grasp, reflecting the dying state of its owner.
Without hesitation, Theo immediately attempted to fuse Aldraya's fragile core essence with something that existed within himself—a reservoir of intrinsic power he called RWIA, an acronym for Resolve, Will, Intent, and Ambition.
RWIA usually lay dormant, buried deep within layers of his own consciousness, functioning as a silent authority he controlled the way a writer governs a story through words.
However, the moment he attempted the fusion, something unexpected occurred.
Within the vast and orderly universe of his consciousness, an emergency alarm blared loudly.
It was not a subtle warning, but a deafening announcement, a mental siren proclaiming imminent danger.
Theo's brow instantly furrowed, his face—only moments ago calm—shifting into sharp focus and alertness.
He immediately recognized the source of the disturbance.
This was the work of RWIA itself.
The collective consciousness within him had awakened abruptly, rising in outright rejection of the attempted fusion.
Realizing that a new crisis had emerged from within himself, Theo swiftly shifted his attention.
The hand holding Aldraya's core essence did not release it, but his other hand moved freely.
He gently placed both hands on Aldraya's still-shivering shoulders, shaking her very lightly, a touch meant to maintain contact and awareness.
His thin smile had not fully faded, instead transforming into a coldly reassuring expression.
He spoke to Aldraya, his voice calm yet firm, asking her to keep holding on.
He told her he was dealing with a minor issue, and that he would resolve it.
Aldraya, who could only faintly catch Theo's voice through the fog of pain, nodded slowly.
The movement was nearly imperceptible, a confirmation born from a fierce desire to live.
She gathered every remaining fragment of her consciousness, struggling against the waves of pain threatening to drown her once more, entrusting her fate to the man before her, who was momentarily occupied.
"Why did you stop me just now?
Was that intentional, or merely an unprogrammed reflex?
Fhuuuuh!
And if it was intentional—stop it.
This isn't funny."
After ensuring that Aldraya was still holding on, even if only by her final grip on consciousness, Theo withdrew all of his attention inward.
He left Aldraya mentally, though his physical body remained beside her trembling form, no longer speaking to her or giving guidance.
The external world dimmed into a blurred backdrop, while the main stage shifted to the theater of his own consciousness—a space constructed of narrative logic, memory, and unseen force of will.
There, deep within his mind, he encountered the four entities once again.
RWIA, a concept made manifest as real power within him, stood like pillars supporting the soul.
Theo faced them.
Those four fundamental aspects, which together had given birth to Last Prayer, now formed the core of his power in this world.
In a flat yet pressurized tone, Theo questioned their actions.
What was the meaning of this obstruction carried out by the four pillars against his intent to merge Aldraya's core essence with them?
A rare confusion enveloped him.
Were not RWIA born from his own intellect?
Did they not exist to accompany, strengthen, and enact his will, rather than restrict or oppose his movements?
This paradox disrupted Theo's usually unassailable logic.
Their presence should have been an absolute extension of himself, not an opposition possessing its own will.
Within that silent and abstract space of consciousness, Theo addressed the four pillars directly.
He stared at the conceptual forms of Resolve, Will, Intent, and Ambition, demanding clarity.
Was the preventative action they had just taken—nearly sabotaging Aldraya's salvation and endangering his plan—done deliberately?
The question was not mere inquiry, but a demand for accountability from a creator toward his own creation.
And when he suspected that the answer was yes, that it was indeed intentional, a subtle irritation colored his emotions.
He asked—or rather, ordered—them to stop.
Theo regarded RWIA's action as an unfunny prank, a reckless and dangerous disruption at a critical moment.
To him, this was defiance from a tool meant to obey, a joke utterly devoid of humor amid a desperate rescue.
"Dangerous… dangerous… dangerous!!"
"Dangerous? You were born from my own mind, desires, and ambitions.
So do not act as though I need to be protected from myself."
Hooooh!
"If this is merely a 'security mechanism,' loosen it.
As long as the fusion proceeds smoothly, I can restore everything to its original state.
But if this is an act of defiance, then something is fundamentally wrong with how you assess threats."
The silence that seized the space after Theo's words felt thicker and more charged than before.
RWIA the four conceptual pillars, offered no answer.
They spoke not a single word.
They merely stood—or rather, existed in their invisible yet intensely tangible manner within that space of consciousness, like silent monuments refusing to explain themselves.
Within that oppressive quiet, Theo took action.
Aldraya's core essence, still held firmly within his grip of will inside this realm of consciousness, was raised.
With his inner sight, he watched the fragile essence of light float forward, moving of its own accord toward the four pillars.
It drew closer, ever closer, nearly touching the outer boundary of Resolve, Will, Intent, and Ambition, as if seeking protection or union within the structure of human creativity that had given birth to it.
But before that contact could occur, a sudden rumble echoed from even deeper depths, from the very foundation of his consciousness.
The vibration was not physical, but a pure tremor of overwhelming rejection.
Then, with inescapable force, Aldraya's nearly fused core essence was violently repelled.
It was hurled backward at harrowing speed, away from the four pillars, drifting back toward Theo's manifested form within consciousness, landing in his open palm.
The process was spontaneous and brutal, an undeniable rejection from a power that should have been under his control.
Then the voice erupted, flooding the entire space of consciousness with structured panic.
'Dangerous, dangerous, dangerous!!'
The echo rolled endlessly, repeating without pause, as if originating from four sources at once yet merging into a single, unified warning.
It was the voice of RWIA itself—the combined Resolve, Will, Intent, and Ambition—projecting their rejection not through explanation, but through a primitive, incessant alarm.
Hearing the warning, Theo's usually composed expression finally cracked.
His brow furrowed deeply, no longer mere confusion, but the onset of a cold, restrained anger.
He no longer questioned them in search of explanation.
This time, his voice surging through his own consciousness carried a tone of accusation and demand.
He sharply questioned whether this was still part of RWIA's so-called "prank," which he found unamusing, or whether it had become a far more serious act of defiance—a blatant refusal to obey his instructions as their creator and master.
"All praise and gratitude we offer for being permitted to speak before You, O Almighty Author.
Our existence is but an echo of Your thoughts, a resonance of Your will, and a faint reflection of Your boundless ambition.
But precisely because of that, we speak.
We forbid it."
Fuuuuuuh!
To be continued…