Elian couldn't believe his ears. "Someone actually accepted you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "No offense, doc," he said, observing his dark face.

"Yeah, she was called Celia. A real jewel," he said, taking another sip, trying to regain his senses. The sorrow in his eyes was undeniable. "She was amazing, funny, jovial. My life had turned out for the best after her. We were a freshly married couple, I was given the greatest prize any researcher on Planet 5 would have dreamed of. Everything was perfect." He laughed in self-mockery.

"In our eagerness, we tried forces that were above our knowledge. Trying to tap into the power of the Earth's core, disaster fell."

Elian's eyes sharpened. "Project Terraform," he murmured. It was a project that consisted of extracting the power of the Earth's core to create an eternal planet with an eternal source of pure energy. It had gained millions of approvals all over their world.

It was said to be on the right track but was stopped a few years ago.

"The rifts that have killed millions of people and forced us to develop Project Quantum Nexus, those same rifts which led to all this disaster, were a result of me thinking I was smarter than everyone. Celia... she..." His voice was heavy.

"I understand," Elian tapped him on the shoulder. "What about you, Elian? You're handsome, charismatic, and know how to talk to girls. Don't pretend; I've seen you with Elena."

Elian smiled at the compliment but evaded his gaze. "What... what about me?"

"Have you never been with someone?" Dr. Aiden's curiosity almost became tangible, his eyes scanning every inch of Elian's face as if he could detect any form of lie.

"I have," he said, taking another sip from the little bottle. Despite his burning throat, he resisted the urge to spit it out. "It didn't end up well."

Dr. Aiden leaned on his arm. "She died?"

"Worse, she left." Before another round of questioning fell on him, he abruptly stood up, tapping his face. "You've drunk enough for today, Doc. Let's return first to the camp. From there, we'll think of a solution. I'm confident your brilliant brain will find something," he said, taking the bottle of liquor away.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

"You're right, let's go." Dr. Aiden's face recovered some color. As it was said, talking sometimes was the best way to free ourselves. Dr. Aiden returned to the Relay, preparing for their departure.

Elian trotted to the balcony. The little meat figure was seated on the edge, waving her little legs up and down. He flipped over and sat by her side. His heart accelerated. He didn't dare to imagine what would happen if he fell from this place. Even with the quantum armor, his extinction would be mostly certain.

"Hey, listen... I am... you know... I didn't mean it. If there's anything I c—"

"Then stay." In a flash, she had resumed her human form, her eyes literally pleading. He sighed, gazing at the distance. He had a little understanding of why she had attacked them. Even without her intervention, they would have probably reached the top and met the Book of Eons since it could choose to whom and when to talk. But she came to their encounter. Why? The Book of Eons was centuries old, and she probably wasn't any younger.

He couldn't imagine himself staying in this place alone for centuries. Loneliness was a feeling he understood a little too well. Seated in the darkness of his cell, having no one to talk to but the walls. Madness almost ripped his sanity more than once.

"I can give you everything. Absolutely everything you can ever imagine. We could stay together and live for eternity," she said, taking his hands and placing them on her chest.

It was soft, but more importantly, he could hear her heartbeat. Fear, the gripping sensation of returning to that loneliness. He retracted his hand. "Is it because of my little form? I need to keep it to preserve this body from the flow of time; otherwise, it would age. But I can keep this form longer if you wish."

His hands moved to the side, pulling strands of her white hair behind her ears. "I would be lying if I said I'm not tempted," he said in a low voice, her eyes moist as they sealed into his. "Every sane person would want to have you by his side for eternity," he said. His body wanted her, his body wanted to stay, but his heart was somewhere else. Close to those he cared for. He understood her pain but simply couldn't quench her thirst.

"But unfortunately, I don't think I'm that sane anymore," he said. Their lips met.

She leaned backward, laughed bitterly, retreating to her corner. She slapped his hand away. "I don't know what you've gone through, but it doesn't give you the right... to manipulate everyone just because you think everyone is full of evil and darkness. It's a cheap excuse to flee from reality," she said, her face returning to normal. Her voice pierced his heart, waking up memories he would have sold his soul to forget.

"As if I cared about reality. Bye, Shella."

"Bye, Elian."

He jumped back inside and left without ever turning back. There was no need; everything had been said.