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."

speak these words in such

Stella sighed.

said as she looked back with a complex expression. "The only reason why I'm talking to you is that I have felt your pain. My

genuinely

it still happened. Does it matter if you wanted to do it

again as she shook

of these things to help me, but

you are a kind man. After

as she looked into Gravis' eyes with apprehension. "Whenever I look at you, I can only

time when we fought, and I saw your burning

and I know you, but I

at you, I only see a

through something like this was horrible, and even if it was done for the right reasons, it still hurt Stella

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 him, but he had been willing to do it, even if it

that situation and Gravis' current situation

this was hard to resolve since there was

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

was no

decided to cut off

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

if Stella decided to ignore the previous

looked at him, she would never be happy and would dread the time they

Every choice was horrible.

choice came with

seconds of silence

decision right

everything is still fresh in our minds, and we

contact for a while until we are sure of what we are feeling. I would suggest that you should return home

"I think I will be comprehending Laws for around 20,000

at Stella. "After that, I will go to

I

pained one as he remembered something. After some seconds, he

to

surprised. "Why not?"

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 confess when I feel

felt happy, but right now,

spark was not there

it gets resolved, different things might happen," Gravis explained as he didn't look

a bit

it is right now, but it's uncertain how it will be resolved. In the end, I might

am not afraid of dying, but I wouldn't want you to go through enormous pain after I am no longer the person you got to know.

why I haven't taken the next step,"