Various studies have shown that the torture of the human mind using either ethereal methods or any other form of mental abilities is almost four times more effective than traditional methods, as the mind and soul are directly breached, completely bypassing the restrictions of the mortal coil.
Research work on the effect of ethereal and mental torture in interrogative processes.
Dr. Halima Preznik, Royal Constable, Yildirim, 2275.
----------------------------------------
The man gave a small smile of satisfaction before replying. “I am simply a mind fragment of the entity once known as the great catastrophe. My name was Az'marthon Ranok.”
“Was?” Aodhán asked in confusion, and the man gave a short nod of acknowledgement. "Was. I no longer reside in ÆFLYM. You can refer to me as Az.”
Aodhán eyed Az curiously, wondering how a man whom he’d seen kill thousands just moments ago could look so kind and fatherly.
“I know your thoughts, seedling." Az sighed. "You think I’m a monster, but I'm not. I’m only a soldier.”
“But you killed all those people. Thousands!” Aodhán protested, his anger getting the best of him now that his life was no longer in danger. "So much destruction; so many innocents dead. How could you commit such wickedness and sit here calmly, sipping...that?” He finished, waving accusingly at the heady-scented drink.
Az’s features hardened, and suddenly Aodhán could see the frigid eyes once more. Fear gripped him, but he pushed it down. He couldn’t die here anyway.
“I was not a good man." Az finally confessed. "But I wasn’t a bad man either. I was a soldier. I followed orders and did what I had to do to protect my people. The vision you saw was the result.”
Aodhán remained unconvinced, and they glared at each other for a long moment before Az sighed. "I only showed you that vision so you could see me at the peak of my power. That was my last mission, before I left this world behind.”
Aodhán glared at the man for a few more seconds before relenting and asking the next most important question. "What is happening to me?”
Az’s fatherly smile returned, and with a playful wink, he replied. “You inherited my legacy, and you’re currently undergoing the awakening process.”
He waved his palms in response to Aodhán’s next question and continued. “A legacy is the seed of the power of an ascendant who has reached the peak of their path. It contains records of my experiences, techniques, skills, and even some of my memories.”
“So... I'm going to become you?” Aodhán asked with concern, but Az shook his head. "No, you will not become me. You’ve simply inherited my path; you have my template to follow as you forge your own destiny.” He took a sip of his drink before he continued. “It means you have the ability to control, manipulate, and create storms and lightning. At least, when the awakening process is completed, you will.”
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
“Does having a template to follow make me better than others?”
“Not better per se, but it certainly grants you an edge compared to others.”
Aodhán found it difficult to control his smile. To be honest, the thought of one day being as powerful as Az'marthon was enticing. It was a chance to be superhuman, and despite his patron’s calamitous and murderous nature, Aodhán looked forward to developing powers of his own. That brought him to his next question, though, and he cleared his throat awkwardly before asking. "After the first vision, I found myself within a turbulent storm that nearly killed me. Is that a normal part of the awakening process?”
Az’s cup paused halfway to his mouth, and his eyes shifted suspiciously before he replied. "Oh, the tribulation? That’s just a little gift from me to you, seedling.” His reply was dismissive, and once again, Aodhán felt his anger rise.
“A gift?” He sneered. “Did you miss the part where it almost killed me?”
“Look child.” Az replied with a tired sigh, “The tribulation strengthens your affinity with the element of storm, giving a boost to your overall power. Besides, it also helped you evolve.”
“Evolve? Evolve to what?” Aodhán asked, but Az dismissed his concerns. "Evolution is of little importance right now. You’ll figure it out on your own soon enough.”
Aodhán glared at the man, but Az ignored him and refilled his cup once again. When Aodhán realized he wouldn't be getting any more answers on the topic, he moved on to his final question. "I’m no longer on earth, am I?”
Az paused once again and gently laid the jug back on the tray. “You cannot grow in your home world, as it is still outside the purview of the collective. Hence, I have transported you to this world, to the continent of Lutia, but precisely, to the kingdom of Ragnarok.” He paused, giving an unsure smile before he continued. “I have no idea which sector you will find yourself in; that part is up to fate, but whichever sector it is, I'm sure you'll do just fine."
They spent the next few minutes? Hours? Aodhán couldn't be sure, as sometimes time seemed to move swiftly and other times at a crawl. However, they spent the time discussing the world Aodhán would find himself in when he finally woke up from the vision. They discussed the system and its peculiarities.
To be honest, Aodhán barely understood half the words Az'marthon was saying, but he asked as many questions as he could think of, all just so he wasn't left completely clueless when this nightmare ended.
After what felt like several hours of discussion, Aodhán finally ran out of questions and fell silent, ruminating on the words Az'marthon had told him. From what he understood, the world of ÆFLYM was filled with magical energy, a sort of mana used to activate magical skills and abilities.
It was very game-like in nature, and although Aodhán hadn't really had the chance to play a lot of games back at the monastery, he felt he already had a good grasp of the world and what he might expect. However, expectations were very different from reality, and as Aodhán meditated on the matter, he felt a sudden urge to close his eyes and pray.
He pushed down the urge and simply closed his eyes, allowing himself to bask in this little moment of peace and quiet he had left. Silence reigned within the vision, and Aodhán's thoughts soon drifted to the orphanage as well as the other children he’d grown up with that he would never see again. He thought of the monks and their teachings.
He would miss them a lot. He’d planned to become successful so he could improve the facilities of the orphanage as well as the lives of the children who would reside in it, but now those dreams were no more. He had no other familial ties to earth except for the other orphans and the monks, so it wasn’t too hard for him to be cut off from it, yet it hurt.
Time passed quickly, and a few minutes later, Az'marthon spoke. “The awakening process will be completed soon; the next time you open your eyes, you’ll find yourself in a whole new world. I hope you’re ready.”
Aodhán gave a small nod in response, and the next moment, the dream world blurred, dimming, until a few seconds later, it shattered around him, and darkness took him once more.