"Killian, do you know what I am?"

Killian stood there, silent. He couldn’t have the faintest idea of what an element speaking inside his head would actually be.

The only record of a sentient element was from an S-Rank Warden, who nearly destroyed the other half of the realms — the nulls — because they were incomplete and unworthy.

That narrative perfectly fit into the Goddess teachings of marking some elements as forbidden.

But for the Void, Killian couldn’t tell where he stood.

"What are you?" He decided to ask back. "You never told me so how would I know? Are you an angel?"

That would be a close guess since the angel that attacked him could identify the Void inside of him. He might’ve been a demoted angel that evolved to something forbidden.

"No."

The response made Killian’s heart beat quicken. It was a direct response to his question, something the Void didn’t do often, and it had a tone of condescension.

’It was as if I insulted him by calling him an ’angel’.’

Killian lowered his head, staring down at himself with quivering lips. Whatever lived in his consciousness, he didn’t care to know what it really was as long as it posed no threat to his life. He already accepted it as being forbidden.

"I... don’t want to know actually. Just don’t leave. That is all I care about. I’d use the Void well."

Silence stretched between them again. Killian willed his heart to stay calm. Every second felt like his heart would jump out his chest and end the agony of the uncertainty.

"So?" He asked again.

"Most users always have a different answer whenever they come in here. Within this vast realm of nothingness."

Killian looked around, as if expecting to see something different from the nothing that existed. "What am I going to do with such a vague answer? I’d be leaving for the academy soon. Come with me."

"Is it because you need my help to understand your element? You remember, don’t you? Most times, I am unsuitable."

Killian’s eyes narrowed at nothing.

Those words outrightly called him selfish, despite them accepting each other as partners.

He understood that the angel’s sudden attack must’ve guilted the Void into believing it was responsible for his injuries, but that was far from it.

"You don’t judge my inadequacies." Killian said honestly. "And I know I have a lot. We are partners with our own secret fears. Let’s keep working together and achieve it. Simple as that."

Before the silence stretched again, Killian tapped into the Corrupted Fire. The mana drawing out of him felt like stings of a needle, prickling his skin as the fire engulfed his arms. He felt his veins shrink as they stretched towards his eyes.

"Killian, what are you doing?"

Hearing the urgency in the Void’s voice, Killian forced a painted smile. "I was left with this after that day. My mana is a mess. I figured how to work it out for the Fire Element. But this one is still a mess. Do you have any ideas?’

The Voice sighed, a deep resigning sigh.

"I didn’t even agree to come back, and you’re asking questions."

"You will come back to me." Killian retracted the Corrupted Fire, and rolled his shoulders to ease the strain. He hadn’t even covered one of his arms with the Corrupted Fire yet the strain was great.

"You’re not a coward. If you truly feel guilty, then you see it to the end. As for me, I hold nothing against you."

At the back of his mind, Killian sincerely worried that it would never return. Surely his Void Element would remain with him, but he was already used to having his voice in his head.

The landscape of darkness gradually shrunk. Panic set in within Killian but he bit his lower lips, waiting.

’Is he really leaving? After everything I said?’

Anger wasn’t one of the emotions he felt. Instead a deep seated feeling of abandonment and not being enough resurfaced again. He felt smaller than he actually was, and within the vast space, he felt meaningless.

"Hmm... it seems my vessel has a fear of abandonment?"

Killian raised his head immediately. He quickly wiped the moisture under his eyes, while looking around for him.

"I reside in your consciousness, Killian. Did you get a little dumb since we last spoke?"

Killian stopped moving, and started laughing at himself. His laughter was a mix of relief and ridicule at his tomfoolery. 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

The Void sighed again. It grew more resigned to his fate by the moment, accepting that it could never truly stay away.

"Let’s return. You need to fix that element before you leave."

Killian’s shoulders relaxed, and his hands left his pockets. "Yeah. I also need to train more and unlock a defense skill."

Like a vacuum, he felt his consciousness being sucked back to a familiar state. He didn’t fight, trusting the Void.

"I might have just the thing for you."

Those words lit hope in Killian’s heart again. The one person who believed he could amount to something was returned to him. And at the moment he had been thrown to the wolves.

’I feel more confident about going to the academy.’

’Maybe I could put effort in the trials and just see how far I go.’

It suddenly felt like there were endless possibilities at the thought that someone actively had hopes on him. He felt the dry ground under him, and the harsh wind on the realm.

He could feel his lips were still slightly curved as he returned. He opened his eyes to see the bright blue sky.

His smile dropped when he locked eyes with the last blue pair of eyes he wanted to see after reuniting with the Void.

"Why were you laughing?" Theodore stood over him, tilting his head. "Did you have a funny dream?"

Killian’s first action was searching for the human-rabbit. He saw she was hiding behind a boulder, looking at him worriedly.

’Can’t I have a completely good time for an hour?’

[Simulation Complete!] [Congratulations, Grim Warden!]

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