the beginning after the end perfect duo

A beast will

As soon as the words left my mouth, a searing pain stabbed through my core, unlike anything I had ever felt before. It felt as if every nerve in my body was igniting in flames, and my body—my very being—struggled to hold itself together. I collapsed to the floor, my vision flickering, consciousness coming and going in violent waves of agony. It wasn't just physical—it resonated deeply, almost as if it were attacking the essence of who I was.

And then, just when I thought I might lose myself to the pain, the memories began flooding in. But they weren't mine. They didn't belong to me. They belonged to someone else—someone ancient, someone with unimaginable power. Strange visions. A name that I couldn't place.

"Aurora," a whisper echoed inside my mind.

"It's rather rude to speak ill of someone's name, don't you think?" Aurora's voice floated through, amused yet laced with an undercurrent of seriousness.

"What did you do?" I gasped, clutching my chest as the pain slowly ebbed away, but leaving an aftershock that still pulsed in my veins.

"You know exactly what I did," she replied, her tone holding a cryptic certainty.

"How could I not? You bonded with me, gave me your beast's will, and now my core feels like it's been shredded apart." I grit my teeth, still trembling from the lingering ache.

Aurora chuckled softly, as if she were bemused by my discomfort. "Finally, you're not pretending anymore, Tom. You have an incredible amount of knowledge—enough to change everything—but here you are, still trying to save everyone."

Her words stung with a bitter truth, but I didn't flinch. "Saving people is what matters most."

Aurora sighed, the sound heavy with the weight of unspoken thoughts. "Fine. If you want to avoid more of that agony, you'd better start training with my will. Trust me, you'll unlock abilities that will blow your mind."

I raised an eyebrow, unsure whether to be excited or horrified. "What kind of abilities?"

She didn't hesitate. "Check my memories."

I dove into the fragments she offered, piecing together what remained of her past. Regeneration. Special fire. Physical enhancement. Better mana perception. And then... teleportation?

"Teleportation? You can do that?" I asked, intrigued and somewhat cautious.

"I don't remember how, or who taught me," Aurora admitted, a rare vulnerability in her voice. "The last thing I recall is being locked away. Everything else? It's just... empty."

"That explains the hollowness of your memories," I murmured. "Someone—or something—wiped them."

Aurora seemed to consider this for a moment, her thoughts distant. "Maybe. Or maybe it's just part of who I am now. Either way, you'd better start focusing. Next time we bond, the pain won't be so kind."

I shook my head, feeling the tension in my chest. "What was that about calling me names earlier?"

"Oh? You didn't like it?" Aurora's voice was teasing, her tone light despite everything. "What should I call you, then? Princess? Masochist? Otaku? Nerd? Krrad?"

I rolled my eyes, feeling an involuntary smile tug at my lips. "Seems like my memories made quite an impression on you."

"Well, you were quite the fan of Regis's jokes back in the day," she quipped. "Still enjoy them?"

"It's not as funny when you're the punchline," I muttered, half-smiling.

Aurora's laugh was soft but warm. "Fair enough. Now, enough distractions. Training time."

I groaned, not quite ready for more pain. "Not now," I said, stretching out. "I'm starving."

"You just ate dinner!" Aurora protested, her voice rising slightly.

"And yet, here I am, still hungry," I shot back, standing and stretching. "Food first, training later."

Celebrating the Tempus Warp

After grabbing a quick meal—thankfully prepared by one of the maids who worked tirelessly—I made my way to the hideout. It needed a proper name, but for now, "Bat Cave" would do. It reminded me of Batman, and there was something comforting about that association.

"Tom, we have great news!" Tom 63 greeted me with palpable excitement. "The tempus warp arrived this afternoon."

"That's incredible," I said, genuine amazement slipping into my voice. "Did you deactivate it?"

"Of course I did," Tom 63 replied, grinning. "You're talking to yourself, remember?"

"Right, right," I chuckled. "Still, better safe than sorry."

"This reminds me of that Gravity Falls episode where Dipper had clones," Tom 64 added, chuckling to himself.

"Exactly," I agreed, laughing along. "But we're not fighting ourselves today, right?"

"Nope," all three of us answered in unison.

With the tension broken, I gathered all the Toms in the center of our makeshift base. "To all the Toms out there," I called, raising my voice above the hum of the sound barrier we'd set up for privacy. "Today, we celebrate the arrival of the tempus warp. It may seem like a small step, but it's a giant leap for Dicathen's future."

Cheers erupted from all corners of the hideout, though no one outside could hear a sound. Football games, loud music, food, and drinks—we had everything to mark the occasion. It was rare that we had the chance to truly revel in success, so we made sure to enjoy every second of it.

One Year Later

Fast forward a year, and I found myself immersed in the brutal training Aurora had promised. Three years remained until Arthur's return, and I was determined to make every day count. The assimilation was exhausting, involving countless hours of meditation and practice to bond her mana with mine, and then integrate it into my body.

Physical enhancement and better mana perception were the early rewards of mastering the first stage. While these weren't world-shattering abilities, they represented significant progress. Still, I could feel that I was only scratching the surface. The light yellow stage of mastery eluded me, progress slow under the strain of the constant bond.

"Stop narrating your life like it's some trashy novel," Aurora teased, breaking my concentration.

"Just tracking my progress, Auro," I defended, a grin tugging at my lips. "Besides, this could totally be the plot of a classic Matrix movie."

She laughed softly, almost fondly. "Fair point. Now, tell me—how's the tempus warp production coming along?"

"We've barely scratched the surface," I admitted. "It took months to understand how it works, and we've only just begun mass production."

Aurora's voice took on a more serious edge. "And how exactly are you crafting them?"

"I'm conjuring the necessary minerals," I explained, pride creeping into my voice. "It's slow, but it's working."

"Good," she said, approving. "Now, about today's plans..."

The Beach Trip

"Today, we're going to the beach with the Helsteas," I said, anticipation edging into my voice. "Should be interesting."

Aurora's voice was dry, but there was a hint of amusement in it. "Indeed. Though I hope you're ready for whatever surprises the Helsteas might have in store. They're nothing if not unpredictable."