(Y/N) couldn't see anything.

His eyes were completely blocked by something... something bright, something mystical, something... something familiar... He didn't know why, but despite the covering over his eyes, he felt like the feeling was almost akin to something he had experienced, an experience that he didn't have... not in this lifetime, at least.

His mind was racked, both in confusion while being completely thrown off by the turn of events that was the shattering, both literal and figurative, of his world. Everything collapsed around him: Tesla, his desk, the room he was in, the plane of existence he rested on, and the only thing that had remained was him, him, and a singular butterfly. It danced around him like that of a petal in the wind, surrounding him and dressing him with blue particles that disappeared at the touch of his skin. Alas, he fainted before he saw what else it had done to him, but he could at least divine that  that butterfly, most likely intentionally, was the cause of him being... wherever the place he was in was.

The texture of the ground felt soft, oddly soft, and he swore he could hear melodic hums sound around him. His head was lying on the back of a mattress, sofa, or carpet...? He didn't know; it could've been any one of those things. His limbs refused to cooperate with him, and everything part of his body felt as if it had been smashed by a hammer several times over. And yet, even then, he still felt fine, not very, but still fine enough to feel calm.

Perhaps it was due to the melody, soft and soothing, that played in the background. Whether or not it was human was still to be discovered, as the voice was so calming that even in the condition he was in now, he still was able to soothe his nerves. Nevertheless, he was still worried. Today had been a confusing day; first he woke up with a ring that he had never seen before, then he proceeded to get so entranced by the ring that he didn't hear anyone's voices, and now the world had broken into pieces around him. 

He could still feel the ring on him; it was the only thing he could feel other than whatever object he was on. However, he'd soon figure out, as his eyes suddenly regained their color, restoring life to the bright world that had once been around him... or did it? He actually wasn't too sure. When he woke up, he certainly did not expect to find himself in a dark, mellow, Cathedral-esque building. Calling it a Cathedral would be pretty generous, actually, as the only thing present within the structure were several pews, all lined up perfectly, and one singular wooden church table at the head of the building. 

From what he could see, though he was still not up, on the table rested exactly three things: matches, candlesticks on a candelabra, and... hands? They weren't moving and were just stationary, fixed, static... they weren't even fidgeting. They were crossed, and (Y/N) didn't know what else to say about it, all but that there was someone waiting for him.

Trying to stand up was not a good idea, yet, he did anyway. His limbs and tendons begged him to stop when he stood up, almost forcing him to fall. Notwithstanding this, he stood up, and his legs felt like they were shattering or collapsing. 

All he needed to do was go to that table to finally ask whoever was there some questions about where he was and how to get back to his room. Limping was the only option he had if he didn't want to fall, and just before he reached the table, his legs almost gave up on him. They felt so weak, so, so weak, but he wouldn't just end this there. Walking, albeit so slow that a snail could rival him, towards the table and reaching it, (Y/N) looked at things on the table. He saw the hands, how unmoving they were, and he tried to get the attention of whoever was in front of him. He couldn't see them; it was too dark to see them, after all. 

"H-hello? Are you there?" (Y/N) said, the person unmoving and responding. "Hello? Are you there?" raising his voice a little, he tried to get their attention once more, to no avail. 

The person in front of him seemed to be persistent on not responding to him lest he lighted the candles that rested on the table. At least, that was what he was thinking. Perhaps getting to see them would help them respond to his never-ending questions. 

Thus, picking up the matches and lighting a singular match, he put the tip of the match with the flame burning on it on top of each individual candle until all were lit to see... to see her.

There, when all the candles were lit, in front of him, (Y/N)'s eyes laid upon possibly the most beautiful yet apathetic person he had ever seen in his life. Her face and eyes were devoid of anything, so devoid of emotions that he genuinely thought that she was sleeping, and her whole countenance oozed pure emotionlessness. (Y/N) had no words to describe her face, but more so her eyes, then devoid of expression. He could tell, however, that she still had something left in her, as when she saw him, her eyes seemed to regain color and feelings, if only for a second, before reverting back to their emotionless self with a sad frown in realization... of what, however?

"It is nice to see you again, (Y/N)," the girl spoke, her composure completely unchanging and voice calm the entire time. Her introduction was casual, almost too casual for (Y/N)'s liking. In his eyes, this was the first time he'd ever met her; yet, the way she brought herself about seemed like they had known each other for ages, but they hadn't.

"What...?" Confusion was etched across (Y/N)'s face, as expected, but he had many questions that he wanted to answer... specifically where he was. "Where... where am I? Who are you? What am I doing here? Did you send me-"

"Shh... I know that you have several questions you want answered, and they will be, so "please" be patient," pausing at once (Y/N) felt his head throb almost forcefully. His mind was completely defenseless against her words, and he didn't know why. She spoke in a soft, soothing voice, one that was clearly intentional, and she said her words so slowly that every single one felt planned and unpredictable. 

"I...." (Y/N) couldn't say anything back; it was impossible to possibly produce any response or rebuttal back at her because of her words. It was terrifying to him how his mind had essentially locked down at her call, but he himself couldn't say that. 

"(Y/N), I know that you are lost... confused... perturbed...." her words slowed down every single time she said one, and (Y/N) realized it, but in the end, had no way of fighting back against her. "So, "please," let me assist you." There it was again, that gentle voice. He didn't understand why but it almost felt like he had to agree with her. Was it something she was saying? It had to be; there was no way he'd just agree with her like that.

"O...Okay...."

"Good, (Y/N), now... I suppose I should give you some answers, shouldn't I?" grabbing (Y/N)'s head and tilting it to look in her direction, She stroked it to try to soothe (Y/N), and It worked, it worked like a charm. 

"This place you are in..." She paused, allowing (Y/N) to gaze at the place around him, "there is no exact way to describe it, but I suppose it can be described as your mindscape." 

"M-my... my mindscape? B-but I don't dream of things like this..."

"Are you sure you don't?" The girl asked.

"I-I.... I know I don't..." (Y/N), with uncertainty rooted in his voice, replied. It was clear to him that he didn't even know if he had dreams like this. The last time he had dreamed was three days ago, and that dream he had no remembrance of, all except that he was jumping in it.

"I'll tell you this, (Y/N), some things will never leave your mind, no matter what time period you may reside it," the girl kept her answer vague when responding to (Y/N)'s question. It was no doubt on purpose, and (Y/N) didn't even understand half of what she had just said, but he felt like it held within it substantial meaning, a meaning that he himself couldn't dig out.

"Next, as for who I am, my name is Aponia." 

"Aponia...? That's... quite the name..." (Y/N) kept his thoughts to himself when he spoke to the girl, who he now knew as Aponia, which struck him as quite the odd name. Yet, even though it was odd, he felt as if he had heard it before, and, for some reason, he felt as if he had to mention it to her. "I feel as if..."

"You feel as if...?" 

"I feel as if I've heard that name before..." (Y/N) responded, causing, from what he could see, the slightest amount of light to enter Aponia' eyes, which startled him a bit.

"You have...?" She asked, the slightest bit of hope being etched into her voice.

"Yeah, at least, I think I have... Maybe they're a childhood friend or something... I don't really know... But I've definitely heard it before..." 

"That is nice to hear, (Y/N)..." Aponia responded, gaining a slight smile.

"Now, as for why you are here... there are several reasons, reasons that you wouldn't understand..."

"What...? What do you mean by that?"

"Your life, (Y/N), is one that is hard to unravel. It is that of a complex puzzle, one that is given to you with no hints attached to it. The fluttering butterflies run across the waves and puddles of your mind, and yet, I have not been able to deduce nor predict your future; there is a clear disconnect from 'fate' and 'you.'" Aponia tried explaining, giving (Y/N) an even bigger headache than before.

"What? What do you mean by that?" 

"There is a thin string that connects us all, one that is defined as "fate." It is shared by all and unescapable by all, and someone cannot just cut the string they possess. However, it seems that you are the only one that is completely removed from this, as you possess no string nor connection to the binding of fate."  

"And... how do you know this?" 

"I... I have something that others don't; it brings nothing but pain to me and to others, as my desire to stop whatever happens to them only invokes more pain, but I was born with it and, like that of fate, cannot escape from its clutches," sadness was clear as she spoke; it wasn't even hard to notice. However, (Y/N) didn't really know where that sadness stemmed from nor what she was talking about. But, for now, at least, he was going to pretend he understood her words.

"Umm... Okay...?" 

"Good; now, as for your final question of if I sent you here or not... I myself am not too sure..." there was a rather clear sense of honesty in her voice, and she seemed almost as lost as he was, which was odd... really odd.

"What? What do you mean you don't know if you sent me here?"

"It is as I said; I don't know if I sent you here, as I have no more power anymore. Seeing you here is quite the miracle, as I cannot try to control nor see the tides of fate as far forward as I used to. However, I do know one thing: I'm not supposed to be here." Aponia said, her voice as emotive as someone like her could be. 

"You're not supposed to be here...? What does that even mean? Are you dead or something...?"

"Precisely, my life is already over. However, I persist, living even when the darkness has consumed me... albeit only in spirit," opening her hand towards him, Aponia revealed to (Y/N) a small, fluttering butterfly, blue in color and mystical in formation. 

"What's this?" 

"It is... a messenger, one that can call to others even from the depths below. Its power is weak, but the distance it can travel is substantial. Thus, when I felt your presence near, I was able to use the butterfly to contact you in the form of a ring." 

"...Wait, that butterfly was the ring I had on?"

"It is, and it seemed to have worked quite well, as you're still asleep." Aponia stated, causing (Y/N)'s eyes to widen.

"Wait, I'm still asleep? But I thought I woke up at five?"

"You were going to, but it seems that butterfly, though weak in power, was able to prevent it... to prevent it long enough for us to speak." Aponia, guiding the butterfly in its direction, let it rest on (Y/N)'s hand before completely morphing back into a ring, now on (Y/N)'s ring finger.

"Take that ring, (Y/N), if you ever desire to meet me again," Aponia said, grabbing (Y/N)'s hand, which held the ring in the process. 

"And why would I do that?" (Y/N) responded bluntly.

"For whatever reason you desire; I have learned that I cannot guide the hand of destiny nor fate nor wind, and that, no matter how hard I try, I cannot reverse what is done. However, you are the sole exception. You were then, and you are now. So, (Y/N), I ask of you this...

'Please, please come back to me." 

"I... alright, fine, I'll come back..." (Y/N) was hesitant to follow through with Aponia's request. He felt as if it was dangerous to come back here; however, he felt also that it would go against his morals to just leave here. And what was even more against what he thought was Aponia's next actions: which was to grab his chin, bring it close to her face, and rest her head on his forehead. 

"Thank you... Thank you so much... (Y/N), but it seems that our time is up, and I cannot keep you here for longer. I will wait for your appearance here again, whenever that is," immediately almost  as if a boulder had hit him (Y/N) felt an immense amount of pain surge through his veins. It hurt a lot, but he couldn't do anything, and, just like that, he fell asleep... which was pretty odd considering he was in a dream.

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(Y/N) woke up sweating; checking the time, he saw it was 7:AM, which was the time he usually got up at.

Looking at his hand while remembering every single bit of the dream he had experience, (Y/N) saw a ring with a butterfly etched into its diamond on his ring finger. Once again, it held an almost otherworldly beauty to it, whilst also being mysterious as well. Whatever it was, (Y/N) could not deny that wearing it sort of soothed him. However, he knew what it really was: a gateway to Aponia's 'realm'. He wondered how he'd actually get there using it, but he'd figure it out as he went along.

Now, it was time to actually get started on his duties... 

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This chapter was so hard to write. I got stuck on so many parts, but I'm glad I was able to finish it.

Anyways, that's it for this one.