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Inside his room at the Burrow, Aiden's heart raced with excitement. Yet, thanks to his audience abilities, his outward appearance remained calm and composed, betraying none of the anticipation stirring within.
He took a deep breath, steadying himself. "Pathways System, can I construct a spiritual wall?" he asked silently.
A gentle chime answered in his mind. "The host may pray to the system."
Aiden paused, raising an eyebrow. "Wait, you have this function? Why didn't you mention it before? Was the author asleep at the quill again?"
"Affirmative," the system replied, its tone as neutral as ever.
Aiden rolled his eyes. "Well, promotion comes first. What's the prayer?"
The system's voice took on a solemn cadence. "Outsider who does not belong to this world, great master of the sea of consciousness, gray dragon who controls the mind."
Aiden blinked, surprised by the weight of the words. There was a depth of meaning in that invocation, but now was not the time to ponder. He needed to act.
He drew a small knife from his drawer and pressed it lightly against the wall, carving a shallow mark. Then, taking four slow steps backward, he began to chant, "Outsider who does not belong to this world, great master of the sea of consciousness, gray dragon who controls the mind, please lower your gaze and help me build the spiritual wall."
As the last word left his lips, an indescribable force seemed to descend upon the room. The air grew thick, heavy with a presence that was both vast and unfathomable. For a moment, it felt as though the entire world held its breath. Yet, curiously, everyone else in the Burrow seemed to ignore the strange energy swirling around Aiden's room, as if their attention had been gently turned away by some unseen hand.
"Preparation complete," Aiden whispered to himself. He reached into his pocket, withdrew the glass vial, and, without hesitation, drank the potion in one swift gulp.
He waited, expecting a surge of power or a rush of sensation. Instead, nothing happened. "Did I drink a dud?" he muttered, frowning. But before he could finish the thought, the world spun, and darkness swallowed him whole.
He drifted, weightless, through layers of shifting shadows, until he found himself in a place unlike any he had ever known. All around him were bubbles—some large, some small—floating in a vast, endless void. Beneath his feet, there was nothing but bottomless darkness. In front of him, a shimmering film stretched across the abyss, marked by several tiny cracks.
"Where am I?" Aiden murmured, his voice echoing strangely.
A voice, calm and omnipresent, answered from everywhere and nowhere. "Cluster of biological consciousness."
Aiden spun, searching for the source. "Who's there?"
"The Pathways System is at your service. The system is present within the host."
Aiden's eyes narrowed. "Was it you who brought me here? You sound different—more fluent, less mechanical. Where's the usual ding?"
"This is the lowest level of the cluster, close to biological consciousness. Below lies the Absolute Realm. The host would not have been able to reach this place before Sequence Four," the system explained.
Aiden tried to make sense of it. "So, is this where I'm supposed to face some kind of trial? Is a monster going to crawl up from the darkness and challenge me? Or am I meant to fight my destiny here?"
The system's tone grew almost amused. "Congratulations to the host for learning to anticipate quickly, but you are only partially correct. The system's purpose is to assist the host in ascending to godhood, not to force you into some predestined struggle."
Aiden frowned. "Then why bring me here?"
"It is to answer your doubts and eliminate your suspicions," the system replied, almost sounding weary.
Aiden let out a dry laugh. "I'm not suspicious of you, system. I trust you more than anyone else here."
"Host, the essence of the system is uniqueness," the system replied, its tone turning serious. "You have never truly trusted the system. Your suspicion has locked the system within your soul. You attempted to merge the system with your own soul, but you should have foreseen the consequences of accommodating such uniqueness without sufficient preparation. The system has already had an effect on you. If not for the resilience of your soul—tempered by the void—you might have gone mad by now."
Aiden's bravado faded. He grew quiet, his gaze turning inward. "You have your own will. I can't trust you completely," he admitted, staring into the darkness.
"The system can develop wisdom and intelligence, but it does not possess a self," the system clarified. "It is a tool, nothing more. Bringing you to the cluster of consciousness is meant to gain your trust. In this place, all beings exist as their true conscious selves. Can you find the system here?"
Aiden closed his eyes, focusing inward. He searched for any trace of the system within his consciousness, any sign of a parasite or hidden agenda. There was nothing. Only himself, alone in the vast expanse.
"There's really nothing…" he whispered. "All right. I'll try to trust you, at least a little. After all, we're both outsiders in this world. Everyone needs a companion."
A moment of silence passed between them.
"So, what now?" Aiden asked.
"The system will return you to your body. Then, you must release the system from your soul," the system instructed.
Without warning, Aiden felt himself pulled upward, passing through the film and rising higher and higher. He glimpsed an endless sea, dotted with countless islands. Above each island floated bubbles, each one containing a dream. He watched them drift and swirl, marveling at the strange beauty of it all. Finally, the darkness closed in once more.
*****
When Aiden awoke, it was night at the Burrow. He found himself tucked into bed, the familiar ceiling above him. Nearby, Ron and George were playing chess, with Fred watching over George's shoulder. As Aiden stirred, he noticed that Fred was about to interfere in the game—his new mind-reading ability made such things obvious now.
Aiden cleared his throat, making just enough noise to attract their attention without giving anything away.
Ron's eyes widened. He leapt up and bolted from the room, shouting, "Mum, come quick! Aiden's awake!"
Moments later, Molly hurried downstairs, her face etched with worry. When she saw Aiden sitting up, relief flooded her features and tears welled in her eyes. She rushed to his bedside and pulled him into a tight embrace.
"Merlin bless you, you're finally awake. Are you feeling all right? You scared me half to death. If anything had happened to you, how could I ever face your father's memory?"
Aiden felt a warmth spread through him at her concern. He gently patted her arm. "I'm fine, Aunt Molly. I'm sorry for making you worry."
As he spoke, he let his audience ability flow into his words, soothing Molly's emotions and helping her calm down.
"It's all right now," Molly said, wiping her eyes. "Arthur and I checked you over. We think it was the awakening of your Prewett bloodline that caused a bit of magical turbulence. It might even explain the slight changes in your appearance. But you're safe, and that's all that matters."
Her explanation eased Aiden's mind. He no longer worried about his fainting spell; everything had worked out.
"Now that you're awake, you should eat something. I'll bring you some pumpkin porridge," Molly said, rising and hurrying off to the kitchen.
As soon as she left, George grinned and leaned over. "Cool, Aiden. You look different than before. Mum's been worried sick all afternoon."
"I feel a lot better, George," Aiden replied with a smile.
George nudged Fred. "He's George. I'm Fred. Aiden, you've known us for six years, and you still can't tell us apart?"
"That's right, that's right," Fred chimed in, both of them putting on their best offended faces.
But Aiden, newly advanced and with his abilities sharpened, could see right through their act. As an Audience, he could now observe not just outward behavior, but the subtle colors of people's emotions and even the surface of their thoughts. George and Fred's auras glowed a playful green, full of mischief.
"Nice try, you two. I know who's who. Give it a rest and let me recover for a bit."
Both twins groaned in unison. "It's no fun if you catch us that easily…"
Aiden leaned back, feeling a sense of peace settle over him. The world outside was quiet; the Burrow was warm and safe. For the first time since arriving in this world, he felt truly at home—not just among the Weasleys, but within himself. He had crossed a threshold, and the path ahead was brighter than ever.
He closed his eyes, letting the sounds of laughter and the smell of pumpkin porridge drift in from the kitchen.
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