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."

discomfort. Hearing Gravis speak these words in such a neutral and

Stella sighed.

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

you genuinely didn't want to do

Does it matter if you wanted to do

again as she

"I know that you have done all of these things to help me, but the

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

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

and I saw your burning and emotionless skull right in front

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

I look at you, I only

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

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 meant that he would

only difference between that situation and Gravis' current situation was that Gravis

to resolve since

hand, Stella wanted justified retribution for her pain, but on the other hand, Stella knew why Gravis had done these

was no correct

Stella decided to cut

guilty since she knew that Gravis had basically sacrificed their relationship and went through

if Stella decided to ignore

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

Every choice was horrible.

choice came with

more seconds of

make a decision

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

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

be comprehending Laws for

I will go to the Core Regions

I think that's

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

come to see you

surprised.

"Obviously, we are attracted to each other, and I'm not a person that is too shy to confess when I feel something for

felt happy, but right now, she felt

spark was

on how it gets resolved, different things

bit confused. What

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

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

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