Extra's Ascent-Chapter 90: Appeal To Be Normal... Be Average!

Aldrich and Aydin stood in quiet awe, gazing at the tiny creature curled up in the remnants of its shattered eggshell. The newborn familiar used the broken pieces as a makeshift nest, its small body rising and falling with each peaceful breath.

"Pick it up," Aydin urged, his voice filled with excitement. He was eager to see the familiar up close.

Aldrich hesitated. Witnessing the birth of a life firsthand stirred something deep within him. It was overwhelming, but in a way that left a warmth lingering in his chest. Slowly, he extended his hand and gently cupped the delicate creature, lifting it with the utmost care.

"It's... beautiful," he murmured, captivated by the small, slumbering form. The soft fur, the rhythmic breathing, it was so fragile, so pure.

Before he could dwell further on the moment, the door to their dorm swung open abruptly. Saldrich stepped inside, her expression tense with urgency.

"Al... there's something you need to see," she said, her tone leaving no room for delay.

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Aldrich moved swiftly through the crowded halls, barely registering the faces he brushed past in his haste. His heart pounded with anticipation as he neared his destination.

Reaching the door, he placed a hand on the handle, hesitated for a fraction of a second, then pushed it open.

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And there she was.

Fiona.

She was awake.

Though still in bed, she was sitting up, her upper body no longer confined to unconsciousness.

"Fiona!"

Relief surged through him like a crashing wave. Without a second thought, he crossed the room in a heartbeat, falling to his knees beside her and pulling her into his embrace.

"Aldrich…"

She uttered his name softly, a hint of exhaustion in her voice, yet it carried the same relief he felt.

"Oh, thank the Lords... you're okay."

His arms tightened around her, one hand resting against her back, the other securing her close. He could feel her warmth, her presence real, alive. The fear that had gnawed at him for days threatened to spill from his lips.

"I was afraid you'd never wake up again," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper, thick with unspoken emotion.

For a moment, they remained like that, two souls finding solace in each other's presence. But Fiona, always direct, always searching for answers, was the first to pull away.

"What happened to me?"

Aldrich had hoped she would rest before facing the truth, but Fiona wasn't one to wait. And so, he told her everything. Every event that transpired while she was unconscious. Every detail. He left nothing out.

By the time he finished, Fiona's expression had shifted. Concern, frustration and something dangerously close to fear clouded her gaze.

"You can't, Aldrich. You can't fight him. He will—

"He will what?" Aldrich interrupted, his voice sharp. "Beat me? Humiliate me? Ruin me?"

Fiona faltered at his intensity.

"You think I don't know that already?" he continued, his frustration spilling over.

"If you know, then why try to do it? "

"Because I have no choice!" he snapped. "Dante made that deal. He tied my hands so now I have no choice but to fight."

Fiona searched his face, trying to understand. "But you agreed to the terms too, didn't you? Almost as if... you wanted Dante to lose."

Aldrich recoiled at the accusation. "Are you insane? Why would I want that?"

"That's what I don't understand, either," Fiona pressed. "Why would you?"

Silence settled between them.

Aldrich stood, restless, his thoughts a tangled mess. He took a few steps away before turning back.

"You're right," he admitted, voice quieter now. "A part of me did want Dante to lose."

Fiona inhaled sharply.

"But why, Aldrich? What possible reason could you have?"

"Because... I'm weak."

The words cut deeper than he expected, yet saying them out loud made them feel undeniably true.

"I'm weak. Insignificant. Even my sister thinks so," he continued, his voice laced with a bitterness that had been festering for too long.

Fiona studied him carefully.

He scoffed at her silence. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because, Aldrich... you're confusing me."

"How?" he challenged.

"We all have limits. Even Ian strong as he is wasn't able to stop what happened. And isn't that why we're here? To learn? To grow stronger?"

If so, why was Aldrich blaming himself? Why the need to shoulder the burden supposed to be shared by all those present that day?

"It's different for me," Aldrich muttered.

"Why?" Fiona demanded.

Aldrich exhaled slowly. "Because I never wanted to stand out. I never wanted to be in the spotlight. I was content with being just another face in the background."

Fiona listened intently.

"I've had power before, Fiona. I know what it's like to be at the top," Aldrich confessed, his gaze distant, lost in memories. "But the burden that comes with it? The constant expectations, the unrelenting pressure... I wanted no part of that."

He looked at her then, his voice unwavering.

"I just wanted to be... average."

Fiona blinked, taken aback.

"I thought... if I stayed in the background, I could focus on what really mattered. Not fame, not power, just existing. Just living."

"But then…" His hands clenched into fists. "My selfish desire to be ordinary got you hurt. My reluctance to grow stronger made me weak, and that weakness put you in danger."

His voice wavered. "If I had just been stronger… maybe none of this would have happened. Maybe my sister would believe in me. And maybe, just maybe I wouldn't be this much of a liability to those around me."

Fiona reached for his hand, her touch grounding him.

"Aldrich."

He met her eyes, uncertain of what she would say.

"Do you know why I invited you to the party on the day we first met?"

Aldrich frowned, caught off guard.

She smiled faintly. "I was once the centre of everything. I had the spotlight, the attention, the influence. But then… life changed. And when I returned, everything I once had was gone."

She looked away, momentarily lost in thought.

"I came back to a world that had moved on without me. My best friend replaced me. My family barely acknowledged me. And one day, while I was out alone, a rarity in itself, you approached me."

A small chuckle escaped her lips. "With the corniest line I'd ever heard."

Aldrich winced. "It wasn't that bad."

"It was," she teased, then nudged him lightly. "But it made me laugh. And do you know why I accepted your offer that day?"

He shrugged. "Because I'm irresistibly handsome?"

Fiona rolled her eyes and swatted his arm. "Hardly."

Then her expression softened. "Because you were... normal. You weren't trying to impress me. You weren't part of that world. You were just you, a guy unaware of who I was, of my identity as Fiona Helmswoth."

Aldrich exhaled, a weight lifting ever so slightly.

"Being average isn't wrong, Al. But being strong doesn't mean you have to lose yourself, either."

He let her words settle.

"Thank you, Fiona," he finally said, covering her hand with his.

Their eyes met, and for a brief moment, the world outside ceased to exist.

Without thinking, Aldrich leaned in, closing the space between them.

And this time… he didn't hesitate.

Their lips met, slow at first, tentative. But as Fiona responded, the hesitation melted away, replaced by something deeper. His hand found its way to her neck, pulling her closer, their breath mingling as they lost themselves in the moment.

For the first time in a long while, Aldrich wished time would stand still.

If only for just this moment.