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."

words in such a

Stella sighed.

talking to you is that 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

genuinely didn't want

if you wanted to do it or

sighed again as

done all of these things to help me, but the pain is

that you are a kind man. After all, we have talked for several

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

I saw your burning

know your personality, and I know you, but I can't see the real

I look at you, I only see a cold

through something like this was horrible,

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

difference between that situation and Gravis' current situation was

to resolve since there was no correct

hand, Stella knew why

was no

Stella decided to cut off

knew that Gravis had basically sacrificed their relationship and went through emotional pain to help

Stella decided to ignore the

would never be happy and would dread the time they spent together. This would obviously

Every choice was horrible.

choice came with

more seconds of silence

can't make a decision

everything is still fresh in our minds, and we are both still riled up," Gravis

sure of what we are

evaluating expression. "I think I will be comprehending Laws for around 20,000 or 30,000 years. This should be plenty of time to digest our

Stella. "After that, I will go

"Sounds good. I think that's the best

Gravis' expression changed into a pained one as he remembered something. After some seconds,

not come to see you then,"

bit surprised. "Why not?" she

said slowly. "Obviously, we are attracted to each other, and I'm not a person that is too

Stella would have felt happy, but right now, she felt nothing

was

resolved, different things might

bit

will be resolved. In the end,

got to know. If I make the wrong choice, I will no longer be myself, and I don't want you to lose

I haven't taken the