'I should really stop saying rejected hero awakening seriously. They both didnt leave me for hours' as Ananke continued 'Awakening… Do you remember vague memories of something cold transparent like rock chained up or being drowned in your dreams'
'Is that related to awakening?'
'Yes but for now what is important is that you rejected the hero's awakening or to be more clear, that voice. Not many people are given a chance to get awakened and let alone stay the same regardless of accepting or rejecting it.'
'I mean I just woke up, how would I even know what is going on. No one told me it was a hero awakening. It just kept on whispering to not give up and other one telling to do so. Doesn't sound like something noble like a hero's awakening.'
'Well don't worry much. There had only been a single case of someone rejecting the hero awakening before and nothing happened.'
Smiley asked curiously 'Who is that person?'
'I am… wait by some chance, do you not know who I am?'
'A man… known for kidnapping people?'
Ananke sighed. 'I thought I was pretty popular. I wonder why you are even talking to me. I am worried for you now…'
Smiley was smiling as if he had taken it as a compliment. Ananke thought to himself 'Something is really odd with that' as he looked at his smiling face.
Smiley said 'I know you are thinking of something rude'
Ananke sighed and said 'Let me introduce myself. I am Ananke, kind of a hero who isn't a hero but still is a hero? Its complicated but all you need to know is that I also rejected the hero awakening. Do you recall anything about awakening? Awakening became an common knowledge afterall.'
'Now that I remember Elenbel, that weird man from the room, was talking about awakening and then killing a hero. I thought it was just an exaggeration or figure of speech'
Ananke asked 'Elenbel? Wait, do you mean the one from the void room?' spoke with concern. Smiley replied with 'Yea? Is that bad?'
'Not really. Those are called "Protectors Of The Veil" or "Void Boss". They are basically the protector of the veil core and are chosen at random from some other world that connects with ours. It is said that they feed off from our world and leave behind dead terrain. The void we were in was a bit different from your usual one and they call it "New Voids or New Veil". They started appearing just a few centuries ago and rarely show up. The thing is those protectors hardly talk let alone give their name. They look hostile and unfriendly towards me so it is weird.'
Smiley recalled how carefree and arrogant he acted in front of Elenbel and thought 'You sure you are not the problem'
Ananke continued 'But remember that these new voids have strong protectors compared to old voids. Do not try to go inside one of them alone again. I am only one of few who can do it alone after all.' as he pointed his fist with open thumb towards him with his usual careless smile.
'By some chance you know what they mean by void connecting together worlds?' ask Smiley
'Not much is known but it is like a portal between two different worlds and the terrain is exchanged during that or that is what they say. Not a good trade if you ask me, their terrains are usually dead so whoever is trading them is getting scammed. The terrain inside the veil is what their terrain looks like. You really had no idea of what you ran straight into…'
'Haha… Lets blame the string of doom'
'Death… not doom.' as he sighed. 'Actually you know what doom sounds better. I should change it.' Ananke commented.
'You say as if you named it'
'haha… I mean no one knew it except me. They all probably died'
…
Ananke responded 'Well that is why you are lucky to have survived even after following it'
The kid asked Ananke 'Hey, do you think you made a mistake not choosing it?'
'It sounded like a scam to me trying to take advantage of the situation.'
'Let me rephrase that… Do you think I made a mistake by not accepting the hero's awakening?' asked Smiley with a serious look as he stared at him.
'I doubt it. It sounded like a bad merchant to me trying to take advantage of the situation. It seemed more desperate and tried to force it on me.'
Ananke looked at his face, which still seemed concerned as he looked at Ananke.
'You do not need hero awakening, I felt as if it was restricting me and keeping an eye on me so I did not take the offer. The hardest part is gone. That pain while being drowned is the only reason why others accept the voice to save themself but it doesn't get any easier either.' said Ananke while the kid rubbed his eyes as he looked at Ananke's foot once again as he moved his eyes around a bit.
As Ananke said to him in a gentle voice 'Don't be disappointed. Trust me, you missed out on nothing. I am the strongest out there and the only one alive who defied it and I can still use my rose of awakening normally. The only difference is that those who accept it wake up instantly and those who do not pass out till they overcome the trail by world or something.'
After all, it was every kid's dream to be a hero they all read about.
But Smiley still looked a bit concerned as he said 'Hey. I thought I was seeing things yesterday but… What is that weird mist looking thing behind you?'
The mist was enormous and spreading all around behind Ananke. The kid was able to smell something off from that shadow. It had a unique smell. A smell that one can not describe or remember where it is from but one can easily identify the smell. When asked, no one else is able to smell it yet he smelled it during the burning down of his home and then on the battlefield after waking up and now yet again but this time, the smell is way more enormous.
Ananke's eyes widened for a moment as he said 'You… are probably imagining it…'
'Keeping secrets are we? Fine I will not tell you more about the three chains—' as he was saying but got interrupted by a sudden knock at the door.
Knock knock. The door banged and the kid went closer to check who it was.
'Three chains… not two?' questioned Ananke.
"It's me." An unfamiliar voice came from behind the door
The kid replied 'Who are you?'