Rhys lay in bed, his body wracked with pain. He had thought he had overcome the consequences of splitting his soul, but it seemed he was wrong. The pain was back, and it was worse than ever.Just as he was starting to drift off to sleep, he heard a noise in his room. He opened his eyes to see Lucas, the martial artist he had defeated, standing over him.“Lucas?” Rhys said, surprised. “What are you doing here?”Lucas looked at Rhys with a mixture of shock and concern. “Rhys, what’s happened to you?” he asked. “You look like you’re dying.”Rhys tried to laugh, but it came out as a weak cough. “I’m fine,” he said. “Just a little…side effect.”Lucas shook his head. “Side effect?” he repeated before checking Rhys pulse “Rhys, you’re suffering and your soul state is in disarray. What did you do?”Rhys knew what Lucas was referring to. He knew that Lucas had discovered his secret. “I had to,” Rhys said, his voice barely above a whisper. “I had to save them.”Lucas looked at Rhys with a mixt
Rhys’s mouth opened in a silent scream, his vocal cords straining to produce a sound that would express the depth of his agony. But no sound emerged, only a faint whisper of air that seemed to carry his very soul away with it.As the pain reached its crescendo, Rhys’s body collapsed to the ground, his limbs twitching and convulsing in a mad dance of agony. His eyes rolled back in his head, his gaze fixed on some point beyond the veil of reality, as he felt his soul shattering into a thousand pieces, each one a reminder of the agony that he endured.Rhys’s body crumpled to the bed, overcome by the excruciating pain of his soul splitting apart. But even as he lay there, writhing in agony, his mind instinctively sought refuge in the inter-dimensional space.As he emerged in the space, Rhys’s gaze was drawn to the healing pool, its waters glowing with an soft, ethereal light. He stumbled towards it, his body crying out for relief. He collapsed onto the pool’s edge, his hands grasping for
Seeing as there was no means to convince him otherwise, his parents had no choice but to agree, though their eyes still held a hint of doubt. “We trust you, Rhys,” his father said finally. “But be careful, okay?”Rhys nodded, feeling a wave of relief wash over him. He had done it. He had told them, and they had believed him. He did not hesitate to call his best friend, Jonathan who asked to meet in a restaurant.Rhys arrived at the private restaurant, a discreet location he had chosen to ensure their conversation remained confidential. He spotted Jonathan already seated at a table, sipping a glass of wine.“Hey, man,” Rhys said, sliding into the chair across from his friend. “Thanks for meeting me here.”Jonathan raised an eyebrow. “What’s going on, Rhys? You sounded serious on the phone.”Rhys took a deep breath, launching into the same story he had told his parents. “I’ve got a business deal I need to close, and I have to travel for it. I’m not sure when I’ll be back.”Jonathan’s e
Jonathan’s expression turned skeptical. “You’re not even curious about why he was here?”Rhys hesitated, unsure of how to respond. He didn’t want to admit that he was curious, but at the same time, he couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was off. “Fine,” Rhys said finally. “I’ll ask him. But let’s not jump to conclusions, okay?”Jonathan nodded, seeming to accept Rhys’s compromise. As they continued their discussion, Rhys couldn’t shake off the feeling that Lorenzo’s presence was more than just a coincidence. And he couldn’t help but wonder what Lorenzo was really after.Meanwhile, Lorenzo was watching them from a computer screen, a calculating glint in his eye. He had achieved his objective – to discover what Rhys and Jonathan were discussing.And now, it was time to take the next step.Lorenzo pulled out his phone and dialed a number, his eyes fixed on Rhys and Jonathan as they continued their discussion.“Yes, it’s me,” Lorenzo said, his voice low and urgent. “I have some
After a while, Rhys got up to leave, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. He had said his goodbyes, and now he could focus on his mission. As he reached the door, Elena stopped him. “Rhys, wait.”Rhys turned back, wondering what she wanted to say. “Be careful, Rhys,” Elena said, her voice barely above a whisper. “I have a feeling something is off.”Rhys nodded, feeling a surge of determination. “I will, Elena. I promise.”And with that, Rhys left Elena’s apartment, feeling a sense of resolve wash over him. He was ready to face whatever lay ahead, no matter what dangers awaited him.Finally, the day of his departure arrived. Rhys stood before his parents, his suitcase packed and his heart racing with excitement. “I’ll be back soon,” he said, trying to sound casual.His parents nodded, their eyes filled with a mix of sadness and understanding. “We’ll be here, waiting for you,” his mother said, her voice trembling.Rhys nodded, feeling a lump form in his throat. He knew he was leavin
As they talked, Rhys’s subconscious mind began to feel more at ease. He realized that he wasn’t alone in this journey, and that Rio was there to guide him every step of the way.“Rio, can I ask you something?” Rhys’s subconscious said, his mind curious.“Of course, Rhys! What’s on your mind?”“How do you know so much about this stuff? I mean, you’re just a… a presence, or whatever. How do you have so much knowledge?”Rio chuckled. “Ah, well, let’s just say I’ve been around for a while. I’ve seen a lot of things, learned a lot of things. And I’ve been paying attention.”Rhys’s subconscious nodded, his mind impressed. “I see. Well, I’m glad you’re here to help me, Rio. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”Rio’s smile returned, warm and reassuring. “You’ll never have to find out, Rhys. I’ll be here for you, every step of the way.”As the conversation came to a close, Rhys’s subconscious felt a sense of peace wash over him. He knew that he was ready for whatever lay ahead, with Rio by h
“Sir? Sir, are you there?” one of his subordinates asked, their voice tinny and distant.Jonathan didn’t respond. He couldn’t respond. He was frozen in fear. The line went dead, and his subordinates were left wondering what had happened.Jonathan’s laptop screen seemed to blur, the words running together as tears filled his eyes. He felt like he was drowning in a sea of uncertainty. The questions swirled in his mind, driving him to the brink of madness.He pushed back his chair, standing up on shaky legs. He had to find out what had happened. He had to know. As he turned to leave, he felt a wave of dizziness wash over him. He stumbled, catching himself on the edge of the desk.He couldn’t do this alone. He needed help.He tried to pick up the phone, but his hands were shaking too much. He couldn’t dial the numbers, couldn’t speak. All he could do was sit there, frozen in fear. The unknown was terrifying. Had Rhys survived? Was he injured? Or was he…?Jonathan couldn’t bear the thought
It was hard to see a way forward through the darkness that had descended upon them all. Jonathan sat in stunned silence, the phone still clutched in his hand. He couldn’t believe what he had just told Rhys’s parents. He had confirmed their worst fears, and now they were left to pick up the pieces.He thought about Uncle Alessandro and Aunt Lydia, and how they must be feeling. They had always been like a second family to him, and now they were going through the unimaginable pain of losing their son.Jonathan knew he had to be strong for them, but it was hard to see a way forward. The grief was overwhelming, and he felt like he was drowning in it. He slowly got up from the chair and began to pace around the room. He needed to do something, anything, to take his mind off the pain.As he walked, he thought about Rhys and all the memories they had shared. He remembered the good times, the laughter, and the adventures. He remembered the way Rhys always knew how to make him smile, even on hi