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."

opened his eyes and saw Stella looking to the side with discomfort. Hearing Gravis speak these words in such a neutral and dissociated tone reminded her of that day. He had spoken the

Stella sighed.

know," she 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 Law of Empathy allows me to feel the feelings of others, and I felt your disgust, regret, and

that you genuinely didn't want

if you wanted to do it or

sighed again as

all of these things

are a kind man. After

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

we fought, and I saw your burning and

know your personality, and I know you,

I look at you, I only see a

inside, but he understood Stella. Going through something like this was

hatred towards him as long as it meant that she didn't commit the error of recultivating.

difference between that situation and Gravis' current situation was

this was hard to resolve since there

other hand, Stella knew why Gravis had done

was no correct

to

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

Stella decided to

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

Every choice was horrible.

came

seconds

make a decision right now," Stella

Right now, everything is still fresh in our minds, and

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

with an 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

that, I will go to the Core Regions most

sighed and nodded. "Sounds good. I think

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

to see you

surprised. "Why not?"

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

but right now, she

was not

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

was a bit confused.

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

no longer the person you got to know. If I make the wrong choice, I will no longer be myself,

haven't taken the