Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

"A-Aria-!" Adrian screamed, but his voice was heard only in his mind.

The girl, Aria, unfazed, raised her voice once more, firm and commanding.

"Stop!"

Her tone held an unmistakable authority, and to Adrian's surprise, the incoming wind attack halted mid-air, freezing in place just inches from her body.

Evangeline's eyes widened slightly, momentarily caught off guard by the sudden stop. But her shock quickly morphed into coldness.

Her lips curled back into a sneer, and with another flick of her hand, flames erupted beneath Aria and engulfed her whole instantly.

"Hmph."

Evangeline's sneer deepened as she remained atop Adrian, sure that the disturbance had been erased. The heat from her flames licked the air around Aria, engulfing her in a blaze that should have turned her to ashes. Yet, something was off.

The fire wasn't moving.

No—Aria was moving.

Slowly, deliberately, she stepped forward, the flames still clinging to her and Noxy, but as frozen in place as the wind had been. Her expression was cold, unflinching, as she stared directly at Evangeline, her eyes glowing with an eerie determination.

Evangeline's eyes widened, genuine confusion flashing across her face. She had cast a 4.5-star fire spell, a spell that could incinerate even Lunar Sages in moments. But here this girl was, walking through the inferno as though it were a light breeze, unharmed.

"How…?" Evangeline muttered, her voice betraying a hint of disbelief.

Aria's gaze flickered briefly to Adrian, still lying beneath Evangeline, his body unmoving, his eyes wide with shock. A flash of emotion passed through Aria's cold features—a brief flicker of concern, of protectiveness. But as her gaze returned to Evangeline, it hardened once more, becoming like ice.

"Let go of MY man," Aria said, her voice sharp, like a blade cutting through the tense air. "You crazy witch."

Evangeline's lips twitched, the audacity of those words igniting a fresh wave of fury inside her.

'Her man?'

How dare she! He was hers—her benefactor, her support, her love. She had fought for him, had kissed him, steps away from becoming together! And now this insolent girl was calling him hers?

Evangeline's anger exploded, her eyes narrowing into dangerous slits. "Get lost, you little bit*ch," she spat, her voice dripping with venom. "He is my man."

Adrian, still paralyzed, couldn't help but feel a bizarre sense of disbelief.

Was this really happening?

Many might feel flattered—maybe even lucky—when two incredibly beautiful women fought over them. But Adrian? He didn't want this. It wasn't what he wanted at all. He already loved someone, he loved Aria, her alone.

Not to mention the fact the whole situation was not only uncomfortable but incredibly embarrassing as well.

'No, stop. This isn't the time for that.'

Adrian gritted his teeth, shaking away the distracting thoughts.

They had to escape. Aria, no, three of them needed to get out of here quickly.

He could feel the oppressive weight of Evangeline's power or poison pressing down on him, but there was still a chance—one chance. He just needed to gather enough strength to act.

'All or nothing,' Adrian thought. He focused inward, preparing himself to use his most powerful move, the one spell that might buy them time.

Meanwhile, Aria and Evangeline stood face to face, the air between them thick with hostility. Evangeline's hand twitched, her fingers crackling with aether as she prepared to unleash a massive spell, one that would obliterate the girl in front of her.

Aria's expression remained icy, unwavering, but her eyes gleamed with something dangerous, ready to counter whatever Evangeline threw at her.

But before either of them could act, a blinding light erupted from behind Evangeline.

The light was pure, radiant, and all-encompassing.

It flooded the room, enveloping everything in its glow, washing out all color and sound. Evangeline recoiled, her vision completely overwhelmed by the brilliant brightness. She couldn't sense anything—couldn't see or hear. Everything was drowned out by the intensity of the light.

And in that moment, Adrian moved.

The surge of energy from his Bright had broken the hold Evangeline had over him or whatever she did to him, and in the blink of an eye, he disappeared from beneath her.

Evangeline blinked, struggling to regain her bearings, but the light was too overpowering, too disorienting. For several moments, she was left in the void of whiteness, unable to see or sense anything.

And then, just as suddenly as it had come, the light began to fade.

Evangeline's eyes narrowed as the room returned to normal, the oppressive brightness dissipating. She scanned the area quickly, her heart pounding in her chest. But her anger surged when she realized that both Adrian and Aria were gone.

"Damn it!" Evangeline hissed, her teeth grinding together in fury. She had been so close—so close to claiming him, to solidify her love and position. But now, both of them had vanished into thin air.

"That b*tch-!"

Her eyes flickered with rage as she stood alone in the now-empty room.

Her breathing quickened, her chest rising and falling with each ragged breath, fury boiling inside her.

Her eyes glowed with a black light, and suddenly, her surroundings—the entire Valerian Hall—shifted in her mind. It was as if she could see everything at once: a perfectly detailed three-dimensional map, every person, every object, every corner of the building vividly illuminated in her mind's eye.

She scoured the space, searching for any trace of Aria's presence, her rage fueling her senses. But something else tugged at her attention, a ripple in the air that set off alarm bells in her head.

Her glowing eyes widened in shock as she noticed three figures moving swiftly towards the upper floors of the Valerian Hall. They carried with them three others, their limp forms instantly recognizable.

Her 'sisters.'

And that boy.

The final piece.

"No…" she whispered, the word trembling on her lips.

In a heartbeat, her anger twisted into something far darker. A powerful surge of aura exploded from her, cracking the ground beneath her feet as the sheer force of her energy reverberated through the room. The once-elegant space trembled under the weight of her power.

Without wasting another moment, she vanished.

She would finish her masterpiece and then, then, get together with her man, no matter what.