A void so dark. It made one's feelings uneasy, distorted from freedom. There was only loneliness and alienation.
Without any warning. Ace was trapped in a bottomless emptiness, panicked by the fear of searching for the freedom he had lost.
His body seemed filled with colors, like a solitary light within the vast darkness. Signifying that he was the only remnant left from nothingness.
Not long after losing consciousness, now he had to be trapped in a place like this.
But who had done this.
Ace moved like a pitiful fish, trying to distance himself from signs of danger.
However... there was no time to think about everything now.
Ace began to feel panic rising from within, his inner calm shattered like fragile paper.
Traversing the emptiness carefully and attentively. The dense darkness made it difficult for him to maintain his sanity.
He began to feel the loss of hope and purpose to escape immediately.
This is pointless... His sanity began to disturb his thoughts—to get out as soon as possible.
Ace clutched his head tightly from excessive stress. "I... I... Want to get out. (*Grimacing)." He felt his chest tighten and emotions starting to lose control.
"Someone please... Anyone..."
(*Restless).
What should I do now...
(!)
♪♪~
As Ace was sobbing in sorrow, his cries suddenly came to a halt. Something began to appear by chance near his existence.
A spark appeared like a flick.
A melody began to play from a low volume. And gradually increased as time passed.
The melody sounded similar to a violin. It was played as calmly as the sea, and every stroke was smooth and without resistance.
Ace's gaze began to shift toward the source of the sound. As his mind started to waver, it was accompanied by musical notation spreading with a dominant bright white color.
Seeing countless musical notes scattered around made Ace even more curious. Without thinking further, Ace immediately forgot his sorrow and began to focus on his new goal.
Finding the core of the sound in question. The musical notes made it easier for Ace to locate its source.
The melody being played became very beautiful and felt elegant as Ace drew closer to its source. Like a signpost for someone who was lost.
The tune was very beautiful...
And somehow this felt better the closer he got to it.
He felt a sense of calm within himself, the panic that had disturbed him now slowly subsiding.
At the end of the source was a sphere of light, about the size of an adult's palm. With a ring resembling Saturn's. From that ring radiated musical notes that guided Ace to the source, where he was now standing directly before it.
What was that melody, guiding me here... but there's only a glowing sphere with a ring as decoration.
Is this some kind of trick again.
Ace began to doubt the choice he had made. But letting that alone stop him would only make him stuck.
But... maybe I can try it. Yeah, if it even works. ..
With a spontaneous thought. Ace slowly tried to put it into practice.
One of his hands tried to reach for the sphere of light. As his hand nearly touched the sphere. A cold sensation emerged like a freezer.
Ace pulled his hand back due to the shock effect from the sphere. Which made Ace stay alert because there was a cold field around the sphere as a warning.
Damn, this is really troublesome.
But does that object react as well if it's fully touched.
(*Gust of wind)
With his situation being desperate, without hesitation Ace tried again. Even though he knew his hand would completely freeze.
This is to prove that I... can get out of this place.
When his hand touched the sphere, its texture felt like smooth glass. But from the core of the sphere—the cold effect surged upward.
Hoosss~~
Ace felt the cold beginning to spread throughout his body. And the hand touching the sphere, from being full of color, now turned completely white.
The increasingly intense cold made Ace feel as though his body was slowly freezing from the inside.
Not only was it uncomfortable, but Ace also began to experience gradual illusions within his mind.
I... can't endure this anymore.
Starlike glimmers scattered everywhere and the melody gave faint signals to Ace from each of its notes.
♪Rest now... dream sweetly... ♪♪
♪O... little Stars... ♪♪
(*Silence).
A dark state with a warm atmosphere surrounding him.
"What is this," unconscious. "This feels comfortable and soft."
Something had brought him to a suspicious place with a warm atmosphere that would make anyone feel lazy.
Ace opened his tired eyes as something soft pressed against his entire body. With slightly blurred vision, Ace saw several lanterns hanging on each wall as lighting.
Did I... just wake up from a dream...
Confused by what had happened to himself. However, Ace felt his hand was slightly cold for a moment.
Ace slowly got up from his rest and stretched his body, enjoying the comfort of where he had been sleeping.
"This is strange!" Slowly rubbing his chest. "My mood. It feels quite calm... there isn't even a bit of anxiety."
*Stretching and yawning*
"This feels really comfortable." Scratching his body.
"I want to know what makes it soft."
Ace then looked at the object he was currently on, which turned out to be a comfortable white bed.
"A bed!"
*Rubbing his eyes*
"Good grief. No wonder everything feels comfortable."
Ace stood up from the bed and looked around. He held his chin, thinking as he tried to find out.
"There's a bed, blanket, pillow—"
CAKE AND MILK!!!
Beside the bed were snacks placed on a small cabinet, prepared in cute shapes suitable for children.
Are these foods for a man like me... seeing the food prepared for Ace. It felt as if he were unwell or helpless.
Aside from that, Ace saw a letter that was still tightly sealed with a stamped seal. With a beautiful lantern beside it.
But that lantern was slightly different from the ones hanging.
"A letter!"
"Is this for me."
Ace approached to take the letter. He examined it carefully, but there was no identity showing who had made it.
"This is strange. Is someone playing around and accidentally left it here."
"But. This letter is too well-made to be called a joke."
Ace then sat back on the bed, adjusting his long hair.
Ace gazed at the letter in his hand carefully, but not too intensely.
"Hmm, this is too sudden for me," Ace put the letter away again. "But I'll open it after I rest."
Ace glanced at the small cabinet and saw that it had one drawer and a door.
"Hmm," holding his chin.
"I doubt there's anything inside."
"Yeah, hopefully it's not a trap."
Ace stood up from the bed and felt around the cabinet.
"This seems safe, just an ordinary cabinet."
Feeling that there was nothing strange. Ace then opened the drawer slowly and carefully.
"The texture feels like it's still new."
After it was fully opened, Ace was slightly shocked by what was inside. Something that made him question what was being hidden from him.
End of Chapter (what is it?).