The Author's POV

Fear.

An unpleasant and inescapable emotion caused by the threat of danger, pain, or harm.

It begins with your hair standing up. Next, your palms begin to sweat, and your body experiences a wave of nausea, making it difficult for you to comprehend what lies before you.

The world feels foggy. Everything that seemed so clear the previous moment becomes blurry, and in an instant, your entire body begins to tremble, and your heart beats so loudly inside of your head that it feels suffocating.

Fear starts off as an instinctive and primitive response designed to help us avoid dangerous situations.

…But what would happen when you're in a situation where you can't avoid this so called danger?

Helplessness.

That was what they would feel.

A wave of helplessness would wash over the individual as they find themselves in a situation where they could do nothing.

"Don't tell me you're planning on leaving right as I arrived?"

Jezebeth's words echoed inside of my ears, while the hair at the back of my neck stood up.

Fear was slowly starting to permeate my body.

"Haaa…haa…"

Unknowingly, my breathing became heavier.

As I slowly lifted my head up, my eyes met Jezebeth's, and my heart stopped for a moment.

'S..shit.'

I was overcome with a wave of helplessness as his presence completely enveloped my body, stopping me from moving at all.

"Hm?"

In the midst of my struggle, Jezebeth frowned.

Coming a little closer to me, he tilted his head a little.

"You…"

He pointed his slender finger in my direction, as his glaring red eyes scrutinized my body up and down.

My body felt completely naked as his eyes scanned it. It was as if he knew every secret inside my body.

Gradually, as he continued to stare at me, his eyes dropped and his head shook.

"…You're not him, again."

There were hints of disappointment in his voice as he turned his head to look away from me.

Right as he turned, I was able to hear his soft whisper.

"He would never make such an expression…"

Taking a step away from me, he looked around the room and continued to whisper to himself.

"This is strange…I'm sure I detected his presence before coming here. I don't think I'm wrong."

For the next couple of seconds, he didn't say anything and just quietly walked around the room with a pensive look on his face.

Coming to a sudden stop, he turned around to look at me.

Once again scanning my body, his brows jumped and a thin smile formed on his face.

"I see…"

Tap.

Taking a step closer to me, it didn't take long for him to arrive before me.

Extending his hand, my vision darkened as his plan covered my face.

I tried with all my might, staring at the hand that was snatching at my face, but it was all in vain; he stopped me without any effort on his part.

"Don't move. I'm trying to check something."

His voice loudly echoed inside of my ears.

As soon as his words vanished, I experienced an electric shock throughout my body. My body began to tense up in response to what he did, and my eyes rolled to the back of my head.

I wanted to scream, but it was all futile effort on my end as my mouth was sealed shut. No matter how much I struggled, I couldn't say anything.

"Mhh! Mhhhhh!"

The only thing that came out of my mouth were low muffled shouts.

"Ah, it makes sense now."

Taking his hand away from my head, Jezebeth once again turned away from me.

He had a satisfied look on his face.

"It's just like I predicted. You were the ones that resulted in Magnus's death, and it doesn't look like an accident either. As expected of you…"

Turning his body around, our eyes met. This time, his smile faded a little.

must be his fake

restriction in my mouth stop once he said these words, but I didn't say anything

I began to calm

"Oh?"

at the sudden turn of

say that you bear striking

his head and slowly lifted

about you disappear and let the real you take over? I have

a gentle manner, every word he spoke thundered

experienced a sense of helplessness as a result. Even though it pained me to be reminded that I was a fraud,

a slow

"I'm good."

"You're good?"

looked at me with a

"Ha."

his face with his hand, he let out

long, as his complexion crumbled and his voice

you have an

color that totally enveloped the room as he snapped his head to gaze at me, and a dreadful

"Khurk!"

both knees to the

my throat with both hands, I slowly raised my head

Tap. Tap. Tap.

rhythmical footsteps echoed throughout the room before they paused in front of

was right at that moment that the pressure bearing down

"Khuak!"

pressure disappeared, my body reflexively gagged and a wave

ground, I began to heavily gasp for air while a single string of saliva dripped to

"…My bad."

I heard Jezebeth's voice

the moment.

placed both of his

talk? There are lots of things I want to say, and even though you

my head

"How should we start?"

head and pondering for a bit, Jezebeth tapped

you see, so I'm having a hard time remembering certain things. Don't mind me if I remember some things

raising his head, Jezebeth

you have much time till he takes over. I'll say a couple of years. Mhh,

mouth with one hand while extending the other toward me until his palm was directly in front of

moment, I caught a whiff of death lingering in

before he takes over? There have been several instances when he's brought

smooth speech echoed in my thoughts like many whispers, resembling the hissing sound that snakes

you right now, a lot of my problems

sound in my head became, sending me into this weird phase that made it hard

I think I've

hissing sound stopped and he appeared in my vision once more. He kept the same smile

he

as I looked at Jezebeth before me. Although his looks were similar to that of a human, and the way he

a complete

was what made

on your face, you must be wondering why I did not kill

I was jolted out of them by

on his face, he slowly stood up

circles. The sound

records are weakening. No, the

swallowed a mouthful of

within my body started to

not know this since you don't have the power of the Akashic

you...or the records, meddling with time doesn't come cheaply. Whatever the case, unlike me and you, the records don't use that much energy to reset

his head to look at

lose their powers like a fighter running out of stamina, and what if they get so desperate that they start to use even more of their powers to help the

my heart beating loudly

His words…

body began to experience a sudden feeling of dread as I began to comprehend what

and as regressions took place, I became aware of the previous regressions within my mind with each new regression that happened. The records could no longer expend any energy in trying to make

hand, a white glow enveloped Jezebeth's hand and

"This power…it's so addicting."

spoke in a low whisper, his words reverberated so powerfully inside the room that it felt as if

me, the glow

it. This is the last loop. Once 'he' dies,

my body grew more intense with each word he said, and my face began to twist in

why I

my head, and my view of the

my best to keep myself from

I wanted to know why he wasn't killing me. I wanted to know what was

I don't need to kill

blanked, and my eyes blinked several times, unable

red eyes stared at

suffering you've experienced to end, right? Then carry it out. Kill yourself right now. Put an

Jezebeth halted himself mid-sentence.

placing his hand over

can kill yourself just yet. Not unless

take long for his brows to relax. The

direction, his smile

might be even

time, I knew he was looking at me, not the other

want to live don't

my eyes. Before I could even respond he

you wants to die, while another