The Extra's Transcension-Chapter 89: Return [2]

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Tchaaa—!

Lyrium’s eyes flew open at the sharp sound, a jolt of urgency surging through him. In a single breath he snapped upright, muscles tensing as if every nerve had been yanked awake.

"Eyy, eyy, eyy!"

Ren exclaimed in surprise as he shot up from his chair, rushing forward to stop Lyrium before he could take another step.

"W-Where...where am I? What is this place?"

Lyrium shouted, his voice cracking with confusion and panic. His mind felt like a storm-tossed sea, every thought colliding and scattering as he spun in place, eyes darting to the unfamiliar walls, the strange shadows, the air that felt too heavy, too wrong.

"This isn’t, this isn’t anywhere I know. Why can’t I remember how I got here? What happened to me? Someone tell me what’s going on!"

"Hey, hey, hey, Lyrium, Lyrium, Mate, listen to me!"

Ren’s voice rang out urgently, cutting through the chaos like a lifeline. He stepped closer with his hands raised in a calming gesture, his own heart pounding.

"It’s me, Ren. You know me, remember? I’m right here. Breathe, alright? Just breathe and look at me. I’ve got you."

Lyrium blinked, his frantic breathing slowing as recognition finally settled in. His voice softened, almost hesitant, as he said,

"Ren... it really is you. But... wait a second, what did you just call me? Did you... did you just say a name?"

He tilted his head, eyes narrowing with a mix of curiosity and unease.

"I could swear I heard you call me something. Tell me again, what was it you said?"

"Lyrium?"

Ren replied, his brow furrowing in genuine confusion.

"Yeah... I called you Lyrium. That’s your name, isn’t it? Why? Did I say it wrong or something?"

’Lyrium... he just called me Lyrium.’

The thought echoed sharply in his mind, each word ringing with a strange weight.

’If Ren is here, and he’s calling me by that name, then... what does that mean? Where exactly....’

"We’re... we’re at the academy?"

Lyrium asked at last, his voice low but edged with a cautious urgency.

His eyes searched Ren’s face for any hint of confirmation, the question hanging between them like a fragile thread.

Ren gave a small, almost casual shrug as he answered, his tone easy but reassuring.

"Infirmary, to be precise, the academy’s infirmary,"

He said, gesturing lightly to the neatly arranged cots and the faint scent of herbs in the air.

"You gave everyone a bit of a scare, so they brought you here to rest."

"What, why? What happened?"

Lyrium asked, his voice sharp with confusion as he pushed himself a little more upright on the infirmary bed.

Ren’s expression tightened with concern, and he leaned closer, lowering his voice as though the memory itself might disturb the quiet room.

"You really don’t remember?"

He asked carefully.

"We were in the library, doing some research, on that energy you know, old texts, dusty shelves, the usual. Then, out of nowhere, this... this voice just cut through the silence. It wasn’t like anything I’ve ever heard. And right after that, this strange... being, some kind of presence, appeared. Before I could even react, you just collapsed. Completely unconscious. It was like someone had flipped a switch and you were gone."

Ren continued, his words spilling out in a steady stream.

"After you went down, I didn’t know what else to do, so I called a few of the academy’s professors, especially Miss Alicia. They all rushed in and were checking on you nonstop until just a few minutes ago. You had everyone worried sick, Lyrium."

Lyrium blinked, trying to process it all.

"Wait... how long was I asleep?"

He asked, his voice a mix of disbelief and concern.

Ren tilted his head, thinking for a moment before answering.

"Hmm... maybe around fifty minutes? Give or take a few. Not too long, but long enough to scare the hell out of everyone."

Lyrium fell silent, his gaze unfocused as the room around him seemed to blur.

’Wait... so I’m back? he thought, the words tumbling through his mind like fragments of a dream. No... that’s not it. I was never truly gone. Or... maybe the timeline itself has been reset, just like that strange being, that entity, said in that endless dark place.’

Memories flickered like distant lightning behind his eyes, the echo of an otherworldly voice, the chill of a void without end.

’I remember... yes, I remember him holding that Book of Destiny, its pages glowing with something ancient, inevitable... and then... everything turned to darkness.’

"So... I’m back... as Lyrium Blackwood, not Ash Niclose anymore,"

Lyrium muttered, his voice trembling slightly as he tried to piece together the fragments of his memory.

"But... wait... then what about Ember? And... and everyone else in that village? What happened to them?"

"Lyrium!!!"

Ren suddenly shouted, his voice sharp enough to snap Lyrium from his spiraling thoughts.

Lyrium blinked rapidly, his eyes refocusing as he returned to the present.

"Y-yes? What?!"

He stammered, still a little dazed.

Ren threw his hands up, exasperation written all over his face.

"Dude, you just went off into your own head again, literally! One second you’re here, the next you’re lost in some other world of your thoughts!"

"Oh... I’m sorry for that,"

Lyrium said quietly, his voice soft as he looked down, feeling a little embarrassed.

Ren let out an exaggerated sigh, shaking his head.

"Haaah... fine. I’ll just go call the nurse. Stay here and don’t move, alright? I also need to let Miss Alicia know what happened."

With that, Ren began walking toward the door, his steps quick but measured, leaving Lyrium alone in the quiet room for the moment.

"Haaa..."

Lyrium exhaled a long, heavy breath, trying to process everything that had happened up to this moment.

His mind replayed every detail, the dark void, the strange entity, the Book of Destiny, and the sudden return to the academy’s infirmary.

"So... if I’m really back, then..."

He murmured to himself, the thought trailing off as a sharp determination lit his eyes.

He straightened, a quiet strength settling in his voice as he called out clearly,

"Arise."

But nothing happened.

"Um... Arise?"

Lyrium’s voice wavered slightly as he tried again, a flicker of doubt creeping into his tone.

"Wait... what’s happening? Where is the system?"

He muttered, panic starting to nibble at the edges of his thoughts.

"System!"

He shouted louder this time, his fists clenching. Yet still, there was nothing, no glowing interface, no floating icons, nothing at all appearing before him.

The emptiness in front of him felt heavier than the silence of the infirmary.

"No... no, this can’t be happening! I can’t lose it... not now!"

Lyrium shouted, his voice trembling with frustration and fear. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"Even if the system didn’t really benefit me all that much, I... I can’t just lose it!"

It was true, the system hadn’t really given him much advantage.

But that didn’t matter. It had been the very first thing he received after transmigrating into this world, the first link to his new life.

Losing it felt like losing a part of himself, a tether to everything he had started to understand and control.

"No... I can’t,"

He muttered, lifting his hand to cover his eyes, a wave of sadness pressing down on him.

Khrrrrrrrrrrrr—!

A strange vibration cut through the silence.

"Hmm?"

Lyrium murmured, lowering his hand and looking around, trying to locate the source of the sound. His eyes scanned the room, tense and alert, until something caught his attention.

"What the hell...!!"

He exclaimed, staring in disbelief.

It was coming from his own hand.

"What the hell is this?!"

Lyrium shouted, panic rising in his chest.

His hands were vibrating, really fast, so fast that they blurred before his eyes. He grabbed one hand with the other, trying desperately to stop the shaking, but it was no use.

The vibration didn’t stop; instead, it began spreading, passing through the hand that was holding it, sending a strange, electric-like tremor through his entire arm.

Slowly, almost unbearably, the vibration spread. First his hands, then his legs began to shake. Gradually, the tremor crept up through his body, reaching his stomach, his chest, and finally every inch of him.

"Why... why is my entire body... vibrating?!"

He shouted, his voice trembling uncontrollably. Even the sound of his own words quivered, his vocal cords shaking with the same unstoppable rhythm that coursed through him.

Ren was just stepping into the room, the nurse following closely behind him, and Alicia walking calmly beside them. The three of them paused at the doorway, taking in the sight before them.

Lyrium stood in the center of the infirmary, his form blurred by the rapid vibration of his body, trembling so violently that it was almost impossible to focus on him. Their eyes widened in shock at the unnatural sight.

"Umm, Lyrium! What did you do now that your body is vibrating like this?!!"

Ren shouted, panic creeping into his voice.

"I..."

Lyrium began to answer, but before he could finish, his body suddenly collapsed, passing through the floor as if it weren’t even there.

Thud—!

Before the sound of the thud even echoed fully, Ren spoke calmly, analyzing the situation with unnerving composure.

"Wait... so this is the infirmary on the fourth room of the fifth floor, and directly below this is the dormitory,"

He said, his voice steady as he gestured mentally at the layout.

He continued, counting off on his fingers,

"If this is the infirmary here, then... one, two, three, four, five..."

He paused briefly, thinking.

"...And directly below this would be the fourth floor. The room just beneath this infirmary room would be..."

Both he and Alicia spoke in unison, their voices calm and measured.

"Margaret Windsor’s room."

A scream erupted from below.

"Ahhhhhh! Lyrium!!!"

Ren simply nodded, almost casually.

"Fair enough."

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