Lightning Is the Only Way

Two days passed until Stella appeared in front of Gravis.

Gravis sat on the ground, just thinking about several things when he saw Stella appear in front of him.

Stella came alone, without Liam.

The two of them looked at each other for several seconds in silence, both of them having complex expressions on their faces.

Their entire dynamic had changed. There was now something horrible between them that couldn't be ignored.

"Liam doesn't want to see you right now," Stella said.

"Understandable," Gravis said.

More seconds of silence.

"How do you feel?" Gravis asked quietly.

"Hurt, betrayed," Stella said.

Gravis felt a sting in his being after hearing these words.

"It was the worst day of my life, and I still don't know what I should feel right now," Stella said, keeping several meters of distance between the two of them.

"I've had several days to think about your actions, and I realize why you did them," Stella said with a sigh. "I understand freedom now, and I know that I wouldn't have understood it otherwise."

"But I still feel immense pain whenever I think about that day," Stella said with a shaky voice. "You have hurt me deeply, Gravis, and no matter what reason you had, the pain won't disappear."

"I can understand your reason, and a part of me is also thankful for that, but I can't ignore the pain," Stella said quietly.

Gravis sighed. "I know. Something like this isn't easy to resolve. There is no right choice," he said. "So, what are your plans?"

"That depends," Stella said as she sighed. Then, she looked at Gravis. "How far would you have gone?"

Gravis closed his eyes. He didn't want to look at her while saying these words.

"I would have gone further, but I would have stopped before penetration," he said.

Stella's body shook as she heard the word "penetration". It sounded so sterile, but the word shook her being.

"If you had still been unable to comprehend freedom before it, you obviously would never learn freedom," Gravis said. "The Law of Freedom isn't easy to learn, and it would have been impossible for me to create a better circumstance. This was the full extent of what I can do to help you understand freedom."

"If you hadn't comprehended freedom, I would have left. Obviously, I would have summoned Liam too."

"However, my shame would have been far too great, and I would have left. I would be unable to look into your eyes after what I have done. Our contact would have stopped."

these words in

Stella sighed.

I have felt your pain. My Law of Empathy allows me to feel the feelings of others, and I felt your disgust, regret, and pain back

you genuinely

still happened. Does it matter if you wanted

as she

know that you have done all of these things to help me, but the pain is

know that you are a kind man. After all,

looked into Gravis' eyes with apprehension. "Whenever I look

and I saw your burning and emotionless skull right in front of

personality, and I know you, but I can't see

you, I

words hurt Gravis deep inside, but he understood Stella. Going through something like this was horrible, and even if it was done for the right reasons,

Joyce and her father. Back then, Joyce's father had been willing to draw Joyce's hatred towards him as long as it meant that she didn't commit the error of recultivating. He had also known that she might never forgive

Gravis' current situation was that

this was hard to resolve since there was

Stella wanted justified retribution for her pain, but on the other hand, Stella knew why

no

if Stella decided to cut off

Gravis had basically sacrificed their relationship and went through emotional pain to help her. Stella would feel like she had

if Stella decided to

looked at him, she would

Every choice was horrible.

came with

more seconds of silence

a decision right now,"

fresh in our minds, and we are both still

off all contact for a while until we are sure of what we are feeling. I would suggest

will be comprehending Laws for

I will go to the

"Sounds good. I think that's

into a pained one as he remembered something. After some

I will not come to see you then,"

bit surprised. "Why not?" she

closer to you back then," Gravis said slowly. "Obviously, we are attracted to each other, and I'm not a person that is too shy to

happy, but right now, she felt nothing

was not

issue with something, and depending on how it gets resolved, different things might happen," Gravis explained as he didn't look

bit confused.

be resolved. In the end, I might either stay

no longer the person you got to

why I haven't taken the next step," Gravis said