The Burden of Destiny | Sequel to The Aura Within

39 | The Aura Within

It didn't matter what the circumstances were. Hope was being babysat and she was less than fond of the idea. Action needed to be taken swiftly or else they'd all meet the dire consequences of their actions, or lack thereof. At least Nicholas was logical enough to have Levi keep an eye on her. She would've thrown a fit if she was being babysat by anyone else.

Hope was more than upset, of course, and Levi didn't blame her. To be honest, he was torn up on the inside. Part of him wanted to keep Hope here if it meant ensuring her life, but he knew it came at the cost of everyone else's lives. No life was more important than the others. He knew that, he understood that, yet the selfishness within him didn't keep quiet. At that moment, all he wanted was to feel Hope in his arms once again.

Little did he know of what was coming once he let his guard down.

The sun has begun to set as the couple lay in bed with only a duvet providing cover for them. Levi's arm was around her waist while Hope kept her hand interlocked with his. Both found themselves tired and fell into a well-deserved nap. There was a moment of bliss, and both had taken advantage to give into their own pleasures beforehand. Unfortunately for them, especially Hope, that bliss would come to an end.

Flashes of a previous dream invaded her slumber. The war had been over, yet it meant nothing if the world was going to end. Everything around her was so dark that she couldn't see her own hands in front of her. Panic began to grow from the pit of her stomach as she whirled her head around. She called out, but all she heard was the echo of her own voice. Her gut was telling her that something was off, and her gut had yet to fail her.

Suddenly, a flash of white temporarily blinded the young woman. Hope yelped as she tried to shield her eyes. She stumbled back and tripped. Before she could fall, a pair of arms caught her.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," a feminine voice spoke.

Wait, that voice. Hope steadied herself. She sounds familiar, but why?

"We've met. Briefly," the voice answered.

Hope's eyes widened as she swiftly turned around. Nothing could've prepared her for what, or rather, who she saw. She looked a lot different than the paintings she had seen of her. In fact, the paintings did her no justice. Hope now understood why many had mistaken her for her predecessor.

"You're Soul Fraverden," Hope mumbled in disbelief. "But, how--"

"The Ethereal Sphere is fused with my aura," Soul explained. "My physical body is dead, but I still live on."

She makes it sound like she's immortal, Hope thought to herself. Then again, her legacy is still talked about to this day. How can she not be immortal?

"The power of aura truly is cruel to us who wield it," Soul spoke sadly, immediately catching Hope's attention. "Devoting our lives to save others is no longer enough. I fear for the future aura guardians who walk this path."

Hope scoffed lightly. "Aura is quite the conundrum, isn't it?"

"Hope Eldridge, you do know why I'm communicating with you, do you not?" Soul questioned.

Hope didn't reply. Of course, she knew. Aside from the Ethereal Sphere harboring Soul's aura, she was also connected to the Tree of Beginnings. The longer she went detached from it, the harder Mew would fall ill. If Mew died from illness, the Tree of Beginnings would die not long after.

"You want me to go to the Tree and return the Ethereal Sphere, right?" Hope answered.

"I can sense that you don't want to," Soul noted.