Act 1, Chapter 13: Steal A Soul For A Second Chances

The temporary death had bewildered me. I want to open my eyes with such force, but millions of locks had tightly locked my eyes, further plummeting my body into the blackened abyss.

No matter how much I had to steal a soul for a second chance, it all always in vain. Like the mirage of Sisyphus, helplessly pushing the boulder of vanity.

This blackened void has no sounds nor memories.

Void.

Of everything.

But then, there was a muffled voice that's under the water. Sounded almost like an argument.

"Ray? Buddy?! He’s literally breathing! That means he’s—"

“For the love of God! You’re going to ruin his coma!”

These hazy voices suddenly kicked out my fraction of memory. It's obviously Beck, Billy, and Ambriel talking to each other. It was no surprise that these are my closest friends, who are always looking after me whenever I'm sick or something.

But without any warning, my body suddenly went light, like 10 tons of dumbbells converted into a soft feather. In which I had to take the chance to open my damned eyes.

I was lying down on the hospital bed, an infusion was injected into my entire arm, and a respirator mask was on my mouth. The bandages covering some of my body’s parts are from the fiery accident I've experienced.

I do not know how the medical teams treated this kind of wound. But I still could feel the wound inside my chest after the metal debris brutally stabbed my belly from that previous horrific crash.

Right as my consciousness came back to normal, the pain still ravaged my body. I moaned in pain in a slight clench and closed my eyes.

The latter flinched, noticing my sudden awakening. Beck, Ambriel, and Billy approached me and quickly sat beside me with a massive gratitude washed over their faces like a sudden miracle.

"Ray Buddy! You’ve finally awoken! Maybe it’s just me, but I can’t stop hearing him groaning in his coma."

Beckett, with his usual enthusiasm, subtly clenched my right shoulder with a tear of gratitude. But it is such a shame that Billy, his younger brother, just added salt into my wounds with his sardonic comment on my current condition.

"Ah. That dumbass finally wakes up, huh?"

Ambriel quickly clasped my left hand and couldn’t stop spouting her gratitude as she cushioned it and somewhat collided with the infusion.

"Jesus Christ, Ray! I'm so grateful you're still alive after that horrific accident."

But it is such a shame that their gratitude is somewhat bugging my quiet time from what I’ve experienced in my coma’s dream.

"Guys? Can’t… you…”

Unfortunately, Ambriel just cut short my stuttering statement as she hugged my body with a tear of relief. Sobbing endlessly as if I had almost died, but mentally.

“Please… for the love of God… Don’t get yourself killed like that! I saw it from the distance and saw you get out of that burned plane, looking at you removing the metal debris on your chest. Please… it was so damned stupid and painful to watch… Please… stop!"

"Can’t you please…"

But unfortunately, Billy just worsened my mood as he cut short my stuttering statement with an assertion from my previous recklessness.

“The commander wants to further reprimand you for your stupidity due to ignoring the order of AWACS. But at the same time, the latter squadron should be grateful to you for stalling those Jasmine men from chasing our guys.”

With a subtle, frustrated moan, I then warned the latter as I slightly raised my tone, almost asserting myself.

"Guys… I’m saying… Can’t you at least… Leave me alone for a bit."

"Leave you alone?! After risking your pitiful life like an idiot?!”

Billy's assertion jolted me to death. Despite his younger age than me as a late high schooler, he was more like an older brother than Beckett himself. Shamelessly putting my head in a dunce hat because of that.

But then, Beckett just worsened my mood with his usual enthusiastic statement that tired me to death.

“Dude! You have no idea who you are dealing with! A freaking 57th division of the Royal Valusian Air Force, Jasmine Squadron! And the leader? Ooooooohhhhhh! I would crap myself if I had to dogfight him.”

I just don’t want to bug it any further, as I responded with frustration in my weakened groan.

“What’s… the deal… with that?!”

Billy then sat beside me as he further elaborated with a hand gesture.

“General Emmanuel Pepin Bouquet. The hero of the 10 Years War, who ever plummeted the iron fist of Conzi a million feet underground. But now, he had to plummet us into the ground. Thanks to your stupidity.”

But Beckett just won’t shut up as he doubles down on it.

“Listen here, dude! You are literally facing the ace of all aces, and you still come back alive like this! Though… despite your injury.”

That’s it! I’ve just had enough of them, like a damned idiot that just doesn’t want to shut up!

“Guys… please… get out! I just want to—

But it is such a shame that Billy just further doubled down on my plea of frustration with another reprimand. Almost like a mother warned her child despite her child having a massive injury.

“Rayburn Yorkshire! Bravery without discipline is just suicide! How many times did the commander have to reprimand you for your ignorance?! How many times did the Rexus leader have to reprimand you for your dangerous flying that led to a mid-air collision?! And how many times did you have to get yourself killed in the unavoidable state of danger?!”

"You're lucky that you've finally met a pilot like General Bouquet. But it’s completely stupid to confront him. Because concurrently, you’re still not at his level! You have to be grateful that the goddess gave you a second chance to redeem your nonchalant action."

Suddenly, Ambriel asserted me back with a softer tone, right as she cushioned my left cheek with a bandage and covered it.

“Rayburn. We come here to protect you from further plunging yourself into the abyss. Not everything had to be done with bloodied sacrifices. In fact, we could solve this problem diplomatically.”

This is it! They have fueled the fire of my frustration! Henceforth, I cut her short and retorted the latter with a raspy tone, almost fighting the pain in my belly.

"Talk is cheap! This is war! It's all about life or death!"

"No matter how much we spill lots of blood to protect everyone, everyone that you're protecting will die."

"Because fate will always be fate. And all we had to do was to take it."

But Billy? He further doubled down as he subtly slammed the table and glanced at me with a sharp look like a drill officer.

“Dumbass! Listen up! The reason why you get shot is not lack of luck. But due to your ignorance of the mission update!”

“Did you know? The majority of Valusian squadron leaders prefer to fight in the most random formation to trick the enemy into thinking—"

“I don’t freaking care! I just want you to get out and leave me alone for a bit!”

“Do you want to further kill yourself?! If you want to, we’ll just take off your—“

This is it! They have gone too far, as I had to let it all out to them.

“GET THE FUCK OUTTA HERE, NOW!!!”

But it is such a shame that I felt the pain in my chest that was worsening right after I retorted to all of them. I clenched my belly from the ravaging pain, as if millions of swords impaled my very soul.

It worried my friends even more, witnessing my sudden outburst and the pain that was further scorching my belly like a torture device. As if my anger will just further be fueling the pain even further.

Despite that, I don't need to be pitied. Because pitying me is just bugging me further and hindering my progress on facing hard times.

But before the latter was about to cool me down, I then looked the other way as I pleaded for the last time. With an almost teary tone.

“I just… want you… to get out… for a bit…”

“I need a moment of peace…”

“Just… leave me alone… for this time…”

Seconds feel like a century. Until the latter had agreed with each other, stood up from the chair, and given me their farewell before leaving me alone.

Ambriel cushioned my cheek gently and advised me.

"Ray, I know what you're thinking. But please, cool yourself down if you wish to survive longer."

Beckett then patted my right shoulder.

“Alright… please… Don’t push yourself, dude…”

“Always remember: die smart or die fool. Your choice.”

Right after Billy’s harsh warning, the latter finally left me alone in this infirmary room. Giving me a great moment to think.

I lay down on this hospital bed while looking above at the ceiling, contemplating my life choices, and thought to myself.

“What is the point of being an ace pilot? Does raking more than 5 kills make that necessary? Or was it something else much deeper than that?”

But then, a nagging question also popped into my head.

"Wait, how long have I slept?!"

Right as I glanced to my left to check out the calendar and the alarm clock, it said 1450 hours, 1 August 2024.

And to my surprise, I've been in my coma for around 2 fucking weeks!

But even so, I could feel the weight of my eyes was further plummeting me back into my slumber. So I take a deep breath and close my eyes slowly. Foolishly hoping that I will have a pleasant dream right after I had to steal a soul for a second chance.

Note: My greatest apology for a late release. You know, college stuff and even doomscrolling on Twitter/X. But anyway, here's the new chapter for you which somewhat still using the help of AI (Grok). But I nonetheless tweak it with my own flairs to make it "Somewhat still human."

Anyway, enjoy! ;););)