The golden glow wraps around me the moment I think of Aethera and this time the transition feels almost... expected. My body knows what's happening now. My mind is catching up slower.
Here we go again.
I keep my eyes closed as the warmth pulls me forward—not falling, never falling, but being carried somewhere I can't see yet.
The sensation is strange. Almost peaceful, if I ignore the part of my brain that keeps whispering 'what if this time it doesn't work? '.
What if you fall?
Stop it.
When I open my eyes, I'm standing in the middle of a garden so beautiful it almost doesn't feel real.
Flowers stretch out in every direction - colours I don't even have names for bleeding into each other like a painting someone left out in the rain. Giant trees tower above me, their branches casting long, lazy shadows across the grass. The air smells different here. Cleaner. Warmer. Like the world itself is breathing easier than mine ever did.
A butterfly lands on my shoulder and I go completely still, afraid that if I move it might shatter and I'll wake up back in that grey apartment.
Not sure if I am just being paranoid, but I really hope nothing will go missing during the time I am gone. It is really starting to scare me...
Birds sing somewhere above me - melodic and unhurried, like they have all the time in the world. Which, knowing what I know about this place now, they probably do.
This is... a lot.
"Cecil!"
I turn around and there she is - Aethera, walking toward me with that familiar warm smile, the ethereal glow following her like a shadow made of light.
Do I bow? Should I bow? She's a Goddess. That's... that's probably something people do when they meet a Goddess, right?
I bow. Awkwardly. So awkwardly that I almost lose my balance and have to catch myself mid-movement.
Aethera stops walking.
Then she starts laughing.
Not a polite laugh. Not a diplomatic, goddess-being-gracious laugh. A real one-full and bright and completely uncontrolled. The kind of laugh that makes my face burn so hot I could probably fry an egg on my cheeks.
"Cecil, there's no need for that," she manages between breaths, wiping at the corner of her eye. "We're friends, okay?"
She closes the distance between us and before I can process what's happening, she pinches my cheek. Gently. The way a grandmother might.
Did a Goddess just-
"I love how you react, though," she says, still grinning.
I open my mouth to say something - anything - but nothing comes out. My face is burning and I can't decide if I'm embarrassed or amused or both. The combination feels strange. Foreign, almost.
When was the last time someone made me feel something this... light?
Don't think about that.
Aethera gestures toward a stone bench nestled between two flowering bushes and I follow her lead, grateful for something to focus on that isn't my own humiliation.
"Come. We have a lot to discuss."
We sit and for a moment the silence is comfortable. The garden breathes around us - rustling leaves, distant birdsong, the occasional flutter of wings. I let it wash over me, trying to settle the restless energy that's been living in my chest since I woke up in that grey room.
A lot to discuss. Of course we do.
"I'm going to introduce you to someone," Aethera begins, her tone shifting—still warm but more purposeful now. "Her name is Nalani. She's the Goddess of Beauty and Fertility."
Beauty and Fertility.
I turn that over in my mind, not sure what to make of it yet.
"She has some theories about your powers," Aethera continues. "Quite a few, actually." There's something in her voice - a hint of amusement mixed with something more careful. Like she's choosing her words deliberately.
Theories. About my powers. The ones she still hasn't fully explained.
"What kind of theories?" I ask carefully.
"The kind that are better heard from her directly." Aethera stands and offers her hand. "Shall we? She's waiting at the Temple of Whispers."
I take her hand and let her pull me up, my mind already spinning with questions.
What is she like? Will she be like Aethera - warm and playful? Or something completely different? What does she know about me that I don't?
"Is it far?" I ask as we start walking.
"Quite a walk, actually. I could transport us there if you'd prefer-"
"No." The word comes out before I fully think about it. "No, it's okay. I'd... I'd like to see more of this place."
Aethera looks at me then - really looks at me - and something flickers across her expression. Surprise, maybe. Or something quieter than that. Something that looks almost like pride.
"Alright," she says softly. "We'll walk. The gardens are beautiful this time of day anyway."
And they are.
As we stroll along the winding path, Aethera points out flowers I've never seen before—colours that seem to shift depending on the angle of light, petals that move like they're breathing. She talks about Celestians and their connection with nature, how the gardens reflect the moods of the gods who tend them.
I listen, taking in more than I probably should. My eyes move constantly - cataloguing, memorising, trying to understand this world that's supposed to be mine now.
It's beautiful. It's terrifying. Both at the same time.
Then Aethera stops.
I almost walk into her before I catch myself and look up.
A temple stands before us - not towering or imposing, but elegant. Delicate, almost. Roses climb every surface, their petals a deep, velvety pink that seems to glow from within. A soft pink light radiates from somewhere inside, spilling out through the entrance and settling over everything like a warm blanket.
It's beautiful. Impossibly so.
Of course the Goddess of Beauty has a temple like this.
"Nalani's temple," Aethera says quietly, and there's something in her tone - a slight shift, a careful edge. "She's probably already observing you."
I turn to her sharply. "Observing me? What do you mean? Why would she-"
Before I can finish, arms wrap around me from behind.
My entire body goes rigid.
Stranger. Someone I don't know. Too close, too sudden, too-
"I was waiting for you, sweetie!" A bright, enthusiastic voice rings out right next to my ear.
"I've heard so much about you, Cecil!"
My heart is hammering so hard I can feel it in my throat. It takes everything in me not to pull away - not because the embrace feels threatening but because my body doesn't know the difference between danger and surprise yet. Not when everything in this world is new.
Breathe. It's okay. Aethera is right here.
I glance at Aethera, who is now doubled over laughing—actual tears streaming down her face.
"Nalani, please," she gasps between breaths. "Don't overwhelm him."
The woman - Nalani - releases me and steps around to face me properly, grinning with an apologetic smile that doesn't look apologetic at all.
She's radiant. There's no other word for it. The same soft pink light that surrounds her temple seems to emanate from her skin, from her smile, from the way she carries herself.
"Sorry, sorry!" She holds up her hands in surrender, still beaming. "I just got so excited. It's not every day I get to meet someone like you."
Someone like me. What does that mean exactly?
I open my mouth to ask but Aethera beats me to it, wiping her eyes and composing herself with visible effort.
"So, Cecil..." Her tone shifts again - lighter now, but with an undercurrent of something serious beneath it. "Let's talk about these powers, shall we?"
We both turn to look at Nalani, who straightens up, her expression softening into something more focused. The playfulness doesn't disappear entirely but it quiets - like she's switching gears, becoming someone who does this kind of thing regularly.
"You can conceive, Cecil," she says simply. Directly. Like she's stating the weather.
The words land in my chest like stones dropped into still water.
What?
"You have Omega-like traits," she continues. "Except the heats. You don't have those."
I stare at her.
Then at Aethera.
Then back at Nalani.
What. The. Hell.
"I'm sorry-" My voice comes out higher than I intended and I have to swallow before trying again. "Did you just say I can... what? What does that even mean? What is an Omega? Who is an Omega? Can someone please explain what is actually happening right now?"
Nalani opens her mouth but Aethera steps in, her expression turning serious in a way I haven't seen before. All traces of playfulness vanish - replaced by something careful. Measured.
"This is why you're a target, Cecil," she says quietly. "Some Celestians might want to... use you."
The word use settles in my stomach like ice.
Use me. What does that even-
"U-use me?" I manage, my voice smaller than I want it to be. "How?"
"Don't worry, sweetie!" Nalani jumps in quickly, her tone bright and reassuring—deliberately so.
"We've got you covered. We'll teach you everything you need to know. Help you manage it all." She tilts her head with a warm smile. "Maybe even help you find a nice partner?"
Partner?
"Safety first, Nalani," Aethera says firmly, shooting her a look that clearly communicates not now. She turns back to me, her gaze steady and gentle at the same time.
"Cecil... you're connected to things you don't fully understand yet. Even after being reborn, some things can't be changed." She pauses, letting that sink in. "You will learn more with time. But not all at once."
I look at her and try to find the answers she's not giving me in the lines of her face. The careful way she holds herself. The way she keeps glancing at Nalani as if checking something.
She knows more than she's telling me. Again.
"Aethera..." I say slowly, carefully. "Could you maybe stop talking in riddles? Because I genuinely don't understand what any of you are saying to me right now."
Something shifts in her expression - guilt, maybe. Or the closest thing to it a goddess can feel.
"Excuse us for a second," Nalani says suddenly, grabbing my arm with surprising gentleness and steering me away from Aethera before I can protest.
We stop a few steps away - close enough that Aethera can see us but far enough that she can't hear.
Nalani leans in slightly, her expression dropping the playfulness entirely for the first time. What's left underneath is... earnest. Warm but serious in a way that catches me off guard.
"Take these," she whispers, pressing something into my hand.
I look down. A small bottle of pills and a folded note.
What-
"You might need them someday," she says quietly, her eyes holding mine with an intensity that feels almost urgent. "Trust me. I know what I'm talking about."
I stare at the bottle for a moment before carefully unfolding the note. My eyes scan the words and my breath catches.
For when the partners arrive.
-N🌺-
Heat rushes to my face so fast it's almost painful.
Partners. PARTNERS. What kind of partners? What does she-
"Cecil? Are you okay?" Aethera's voice reaches us and I snap back to reality, quickly closing my fist around the note before she can see it.
"Don't worry, he's fine!" Nalani chirps, stepping back into her usual cheerful role like slipping on a comfortable coat. "Just processing everything we told him about the ability. Right, sweetie?"
She gives me a look - subtle but clear. Play along.
I swallow hard and nod. "Y-Yeah. I'm... I'm alright. Really."
Aethera studies me for a moment longer than comfortable. I can feel her searching - not just my face but something deeper. Something I can't quite name.
Does she know? Can she tell I'm lying?
"You sure?" she asks softly. "Need some water?"
"No, I'm good. Thank you." I manage a smile that I hope looks convincing.
Nalani gently pats my back - a warm, grounding touch that unexpectedly settles some of the chaos spiraling in my head.
"We'll go slow, sweetie. There's nothing to worry about."
Aethera nods slowly, though the concern doesn't fully leave her eyes. "Only basics today. Safe topics."
Safe topics. As if there are unsafe ones.
Someone, please help me. Or at least translate so I can understand what's happening.
"Nalani!" A male voice cuts through the air - deep and firm, echoing across the garden in a way that feels almost commanding.
Nalani's head snaps up immediately. Something flickers across her face - surprise, maybe, or something close to it - before she plasters on a bright smile.
"That's Eleri. I need to go sort something out." She squeezes my shoulder quickly. "I'll be right back, okay? Don't let Aethera scare you while I'm gone."
She rushes off before anyone can respond, disappearing around the corner of the temple in seconds.
Who was that? Another god? The way Nalani reacted - that wasn't casual. That was...
I don't finish the thought. Aethera is watching me again and I force my attention back to her.
"Alright, Cecil," she says softly, settling beside me on the temple steps. The playfulness is gone entirely now. What's left is quieter - more careful. "It's just us."
Just us. In a place where someone is always listening, apparently.
"Cecil, can you hear me?"
I blink. Her lips didn't move. The voice came from inside my head - through the mind link.
"Y-yeah," I whisper, glancing around instinctively. "Why are we doing this?"
"Because we need to be careful," she thinks back. "There is always someone listening here. Even now. So we need to do this quietly."
Okay. That's... not terrifying at all.
"About why you're a target," Aethera continues, her mental voice more serious now. Quieter. Like even thoughts can be overheard if you're not careful. "The Omega-like traits Nalani mentioned. They're more significant than she let on in front of others."
I wait, my hands curled tightly in my lap.
"In some worlds, there's a system called Omegaverse. Omegas, Betas, and Alphas. Yours is... different from all of them."
"How different?"
"Omegas experience something called heat—an uncontrollable urge to find a mate. Alphas mark them to show possession. It's... complicated. And it doesn't apply to you. Not exactly."
Mating. Marking. Possession.
My face burns even though no one can see my thoughts.
"Aethera, you are really not making me feel exactly innocent right now."
A pause. Then - amusement, warm and unmistakable, bleeding through the connection.
"Sorry. But you need to understand the context."
"Fine. Go on."
"Our marking is different," she continues. "It's a bond. Between a God or Goddess and their chosen one. Usually another Celestian. Having a partner who is... another species entirely is incredibly rare."
Another species. She means me.
The realisation settles in my chest—heavy but not entirely unwelcome. I'm something unusual here. Something that doesn't fit neatly into their world.
Story of my life.
"Some Celestians don't understand what you are," Aethera thinks carefully. "They only see the traits and they think they can exploit them. Use you to... hurt your fated one."
Fated one.
The words echo in my mind louder than anything else she's said.
"There's someone? Someone who is... meant for me?"
"Yes," Aethera confirms, and there's something in her mental voice—something soft and knowing that I can't quite read. "But that's a conversation for another time."
Of course it is.
"The pills Nalani gave you - they're for extreme situations. Protection. You can trust her with this, Cecil. She knows what she's doing."
I nod slightly - barely a movement, but enough.
"One more thing," Aethera adds, and her tone shifts into something firmer. More careful. "Keep this conversation between us. Even from Nalani."
"Why?"
A pause. Longer this time.
"Because some things are better protected in silence. For now."
"That's not an answer."
"I know," she thinks back. And somehow, even through a mind link, I can hear the ghost of a smile. "But it will be. I promise."
Before I can push further, the sound of footsteps approaches and Nalani reappears around the corner, slightly out of breath but smiling as if nothing happened.
"All sorted!" She announces brightly, brushing her hands off. "Sorry about that. Where were we?"
Aethera's expression shifts seamlessly - the serious weight of our conversation disappearing like it never existed. When she speaks, her voice is light again. Casual.
"We were just about to start practicing, actually." She looks at me and something passes between us - unspoken but understood.
We'll continue later.
I nod once, small enough that only she sees it.
"Okay," I say quietly. "Let's practice."