Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

As if on cue, the horde of glowing-eyed thralls began to advance. Their steps were slow but deliberate, an ominous unity in their movements that made the hairs on the back of Ella's neck stand on end. She could hear the shuffle of their feet, the faint breathlessness in their voices, as though they were moving against their will.

From the other side of the hall, the Phantom Lady watched with an amused smirk curling her lips. She crossed her arms lazily, her pale fingers tapping rhythmically against her forearm. Her glowing crimson eyes glistened with cruel delight as she watched the four intruders struggle with their dilemma.

"They won't fight them," she whispered softly to herself, her voice barely audible above Abby's low growl. "Humans are so predictable. So weak."

She tilted her head, almost nostalgically. "I was once like them... afraid to hurt my precious people," she mused, her smile darkening. "But in the end, I realized the truth."

The images of those precious people betraying her played out in her mind. Those damned insects.

Her glowing eyes flared brighter as she spoke, the twisted joy in her expression growing. "They're nothing. Just insects. Trash to be discarded." She glanced back at the advancing horde of people. "Their lives have no value anymore. Not to me...

and certainly not to Master."

Back on the other side of the hall, the group of four stood their ground, but the tension was thick in the air. Elara's eyes hardened as the thralls closed in, their faces blank but their red eyes glowing with the unmistakable intent to kill.

"Don't let them close in!" Elara barked, her sharp tone snapping her students out of their hesitation. "Incapacitate if you can, but if it comes down to it, you will' fight."

Anthony hesitated for only a moment longer before his sword flashed in the light, a quick swing that caught the closest thrall across the chest. He angled the blow just right—not to kill but to knock them off balance, sending the body crashing into the marble floor. The thrall groaned but began to rise again, undeterred.

"They just keep coming," Ella muttered through gritted teeth as she dodged a strike from a nearby thrall. She spun quickly, the edge of her staff grazing the attacker's arm but not enough to seriously injure.

Layla grimaced, her sharp daggers flashing in the low light as she took out the legs of another thrall, sending them tumbling to the ground. "We can't keep this up! It's better to kill them!" she growled. "There's too many of them, and they don't feel pain!"

Elara's expression remained cold and focused, her mind racing as she surveyed the chaotic battlefield. "We have to get to her," she said, her voice calm but firm. Her eyes locked onto the Phantom Lady, who still sat lazily atop her throne of corpses, watching them with mocking amusement. "She's controlling them. If we take her down, we can stop this."

But the Phantom Lady didn't seem the least bit concerned. In fact, she looked almost bored now, as though the struggle of the four warriors was nothing more than a mild inconvenience.

"Come on," she taunted softly, her voice dripping with mockery. "Show me something more entertaining." She lifted a delicate finger and pointed at Elara. "Or will you fall apart like all the others?"

As if on cue, Abby let out a deep, menacing growl and began to rise to its feet, its agile and fearsome form looming over the battlefield. Its eyes locked onto Elara, and in an instant, the beast disappeared, already on the move.

"My friends..." Elara's eyes glowed brightly as she eyed the incoming Arkat beast. "Come out!"

In an instant, several figures appeared around Elara.

The battle on this side also began.

While the others were on their way to stop the main culprit and save their city, academy, and friend.

A friend who had no idea what kind of trouble he was in...

______ ___ _

"...."

"...Hmm?"

Aurelius's eyelids fluttered open, the blurriness of his surroundings slowly dissipating as consciousness crept back into him. A dull ache throbbed in his head, making it hard to focus, but as his vision sharpened, he felt an immediate rush of alarm.

"Mmmm? Mm?"

His mouth was tightly shut, his lips pressed together by a thin, unyielding strip of cloth.

'W-What? Why is my mouth-?'

Panic surged within him as he tried to move his arms and legs, only to discover that his body was tightly bound.

'My body too-!'

The bindings held him in place against a large, vertical, bed-like structure that felt cold against his bare skin. He wore only his pants, the air brushing against his exposed body sent a shiver down his spine.

'C-Cold...'

'But... Where am I?'

Panic rising, Aurelius twisted his head to survey the room. It was expansive, yet it felt suffocatingly enclosed. The walls were draped in dark fabric, absorbing the meager light that filtered through the heavy drapes. Shadows danced along the walls, twisting and contorting as if they were alive.

In the center of the room lay a figure on the ground, motionless, their eyes closed as if they were dead. Not to mention the fact they were lying on top of what looked like a coffin.

'?!'

'A-A corpse?'

'W-Who is that?'

A chill ran down Aurelius's spine as he tried to make sense of what was happening. The figure's presence sent an unsettling wave of dread washing over him, but he couldn't discern any details from his current position.

To the side of the room, a woman moved with an unsettling grace. She wore flowing white garments that seemed to shimmer faintly in the dim light, almost ethereal in their appearance.

Her long hair fell around her shoulders in soft waves, framing a face that was both beautiful and haunting. She was focused intently on a small table cluttered with strange instruments and vials filled with glowing liquid.

As Aurelius continued to struggle against his restraints, the woman suddenly turned her head, her gaze piercing through the shadows and locking onto him. A slow, enigmatic smile spread across her lips, revealing a hint of menace that made his heart race.

"You finally woke up."