Extra's Descent

Voosh—!

Looking around, Brandon could see gray hyacinth flames spread all over the ground.

The world had lost its colors.

It was all grayscale.

At that, he had realized that this was his doing.

The flowers.

"This is my… zone."

He whispered.

"....?"

He was sure he had finished the skill.

Yet for some reason, he was still alive.

And as he gazed down, what met his sight was….

"...."

Belle.

She was still laid on the ground lifeless.

But that wasn't the most surprising thing.

There were at least five people, including Amelia, that encircled him. But for some reason, they were gone.

As if they were never there to begin with.

What in the world.

Brandon peered every corner. But it was then when he noticed the flames.

They weren't moving.

And the trees, which were supposed to be swaying by the breeze, had stopped moving as well.

It looked as if time had stopped.

Panic started to arise within him at that moment.

"The hell is going?'

Brandon turned his head and crouched down, staring at his lifeless sister.

"....!"

His eyes shot wide open.

The gaping wound had disappeared.

"Belle…?"

He tried moving his sister slightly.

"Belle…"

But there was no response.

With no way to confirm her status, Brandon leaned close to her chest and listened for any signs of heartbeat.

"...."

But again, nothing.

It was truly odd.

It was then.

"You can't just kill me like that, man."

A familiar voice reached his ears.

Brandon immediately flicked his head toward the direction of the voice.

"We've finally met."

"....!"

His eyes shot wide open in disbelief.

What greeted his sight was a tall man with pale–white hair and ice–blue eyes.

He was way taller than him.

'Wait… how is he…"

It was then when Brandon realized his height had changed.

As if he was shorter than before.

Then…

"...."

Blonde bangs drooped down and obscured his vision. He pulled his bangs forward and scanned.

"Is this…."

It was his hair.

Things weren't making sense at all. Yet at the same time, he had an idea of what just happened.

He had reverted back to his previous look.

And the man in front of him….

"Brandon Locke…."

"Yep."

Scanning his features, the man truly was Brandon Locke.

But his eyes….

There seemed to be bags, and he looked extremely exhausted.

"Why are you—"

"Firstly, do you remember who you are?"

"I'm…"

"Your true name."

One of the main reasons why Path to Ascension was his favorite novel was because….

"It's…. Raven Blackheart."

He shared the exact same name as the protagonist.

"Good."

Step—

The Brandon in front of him stepped forward.

It was then when the gray hyacinth flames' colors returned to its deep amethyst color, spreading all over.

As if the colors had returned.

Not only that, but the flames had started moving again, swaying, as if they were real flowers.

They were flames, and yet Raven couldn't feel its heat at all.

He raised his head and met the other Brandon's gaze. Staring deep into his ice–blue eyes, Raven felt goosebumps all over his body.

"Where are we?"

"Inside my consciousness."

Raven looked around, taking in the sight of the blazing purple hyacinth flowers.

So this zone wasn't his then.

Then, he looked back at Brandon.

"Why am I here? And…."

His words ended there.

He turned his head slightly and looked at Belle. He bit his tongue, pained by his inability to save her, despite everything he did.

But seeing the sudden appearance of Brandon Locke, maybe…

….Maybe he could do something about this.

"You must be confused about everything. But we've got all the time in the world, you see?"

Snap!

The other Brandon snapped his fingers. The flames had stopped moving and had lost their color.

Snap!

He snapped his fingers again, and the flames began to move, the colors suddenly returning.

Despite the sad state he was in, Raven could see the other Brandon smiling merrily.

This irked him somewhat.

Everything he went through, and yet this guy was acting like nothing had ever happened.

"Calm down."

The other Brandon seemed to notice the expressions he was making as he waved his hand down.

Raven fixed his expressions and composed himself.

"Firstly, sit down."

Raven lowered his head and looked at the flames.

"It's safe, don't worry."

Listening to his words, Raven sat down on the ground. Truly, the flames didn't burn him. It felt as if he was sitting down on a rough patch of grass.

The other Brandon neared him and sat directly in front of him. He leaned his head to the side and seemed to stare at Belle—who was laying right behind Raven.

A warm smile spread across the other Brandon's features.

"Thanks for trying to save her."

"I didn't…."

"I know. But because of your binding vow, I was finally able to let my consciousness sink in."

The life he had sacrificed was not his, but the one dormant inside of him.

"And that's me."

"...."

"Haha. Confusing, right?"

"No. I get it."

Raven pulled his bangs again and scanned.

"That's your true self. You haven't forgotten, no?"

"No, of course not."

He could never forget the life he had lived for fifteen–years.

"Tell me, what do you think about the curse affinity?"

"Insanity."

Raven decisively spoke.

That was how he could describe the curse affinity.

Pure, utter insanity.

An affinity that has the option to sacrifice the user.

It was absurd.

"Haha. I understand the disdain towards curse affinity users. But you see…."

Snap!

The other Brandon snapped his fingers once again.

Brandon's eyes shot wide open as he took in the sight of the burning flowers, gradually turning red.

The shape distorted into a newly odd flower.

Spider lilies.

"If used appropriately, it becomes the most beautiful power."

Raven stared directly at the other Brandon's hand.

"But your hand…."

"Oh, this? It isn't real. I'm just showing you how a little sacrifice can change everything."

It was a binding vow.

In exchange for his finger, he had completely shifted the zone's appearance.

"A power that bypasses the laws of the world, just for a little sacrifice. That is the true nature of binding vows."

"...."

"You might think something like the space affinity is more powerful, right?"

"...."

"But you see, it has a certain set of rules it has to follow. The same goes for time."

"...."

Raven listened attentively to each and every word that the other Brandon spoke.

"I'll give you advice. Doubt Jin. But don't oppose him."

"....Tell me, who is he?"

"Let me start from the beginning."

The Path to Ascension novel.

The novel that Raven had closely followed, but stopped to stack chapters.

The story follows the journey of the protagonist who shared the same name as him.

"That story you've read… That journey you've followed… It isn't the Raven you know."

Raven had an inkling of where this was going.

"It was the journey of Jin, before he became who is now. The first progression."

Raven's eyes shot wide open. A sudden chill ran down his spine, and the hair on the back of his neck stood on end.

"And what about me? Who am I…?"

"Good question."

And again, Raven knew where this was going.

It was way too good to be a coincidence for him to share the same name as the protagonist.

"You're Raven Blackheart."