BLITHE  —  Devourer of Worlds
Chapter I.VI

Blithe couldn't remember everything that happened after, or rather, she was on autopilot.

Her mind was racing with thoughts she needed to organize and plans she needed to execute.

What was she going to do?

How was she going to face her father?

…

She paused.

The thought of facing her father sent a shiver in her spine.

That long-lost memory from before flashed in her mind again.

Remembering and seeing that large hand come towards her face from a tiny lens made her tremble.

That man wanted her to lose the ability to feel and to care.

That made her a perfect tool to carry out his orders.

Perhaps, he had already experienced rebellion once and was adamant that she needed to have no emotions.

Remembering how he always frowned whenever she didn't respond the way he liked, she knew one thing—

He must definitely not find out what had happened to her at this time.

—

Blithe stood at the entrance of the Dark Emperor’s throne room composed, her face not a hint of emotion.

The large doors opened for her as she walked in, a line of guards on the side.

Stopping in front of the man sitting on the throne, she knelt on one knee and bowed.

“I greet the Dark Emperor. Father, I have returned,” she said.

“Blithe,” the man acknowledged and smiled.

“Stand up, stand up! It's been years since we last saw each other,” he beamed, clearly in a good mood.

“Yes. And I come bearing good news of the task given to me,” Blithe stood up straight as she started her report.

“Excellent work, my beloved daughter,” he stood up and placed his hands behind him. “The destruction must’ve been glorious. I wish I could've seen it.”

Blithe itched to ask a question, and against her better judgment, she did.

“Then, why couldn't you come with us?”

The Dark Emperor raised an eyebrow.

“If you wish, you can come with us so that you can witness the destruction first hand, I’m sure my henchmen would be honored by your presence,” Blithe swallowed and added to control the damage of her impulsiveness.

She didn't know if that would worsen the situation or not, so she added a touch of flattery with it.

The Dark Emperor laughed and waved his hand. “I would love to, but alas, I have other important things to do. I trust that you can handle it in my stead.”

Blithe simply nodded, afraid that any other form of response would raise suspicions of her awareness.

Silence crept inside the throne room and Blithe waited for her father to speak again or dismiss her.

“Actually Blithe, I’ve heard of a report from one of your henchmen earlier,” he started.

Blithe remained still.

She remembered another henchman stumbling upon her afterwards, other than the red-haired henchman.

At that time, she gave an excuse that the now-dead henchman was in the way when she created a black hole to kill a survivor. She hoped that he wouldn't mention it to anyone else.

Figured he would tell everything to her father.

“I heard that you killed one of the henchmen I’ve assigned to you,” he looked at her. “You’ve never done this before, so I’m quite curious why you did that. Tell me.”

Blithe looked at him, no emotions showing on her face. She had to maintain it no matter what is to come after this questioning.

“That henchman is simply a casualty. I was doing my job and he was in my way. I didn't intend to kill him,” she gave the same reason as the henchmen from before.

“Hmm, is that so?” the Dark Emperor stood from his throne and beckoned one of the people standing guard at the side to approach him with his finger. The guard enthusiastically went to him and stood straight, saluting him eagerly by the Dark Emperor's new-found interest in him.

Shadows then came up from the ground and took on the form of sharp blades, stabbing the guard.

The guards in the throne room flinched but not one of them dared to show any more of their shock and panic, fearing that they would be next.

They looked towards Blithe. She stood there emotionless, not a hint of panic on her visage even when some of the blood splattered on her left cheek.

The Dark Emperor stared at her, checking for something. They stared at each other for a few seconds before the Dark Emperor laughed.

“Hahaha! Alright! Alright! I believe you! Well done on completing your mission! You may go now, my beloved daughter,” he grinned as he signalled for one of the guards to clean the body of the man he just killed.

Blithe curtsied. “Thank you, Father.”

She turned her back and walked towards the exit. Once outside, she waved her hand in front of her.

As the black hole materialized in front of her, she entered it. It collapsed as soon as she disappeared.

The Dark Emperor sat on the throne as he watched the body of the guard he murdered get dragged away.

“Ah, she's got me worried there for a little bit,” he sighed.

“But then again, the chances of her rebelling unlike that other ungrateful child is zero. My plan this time is perfect after all,” he laughed to himself.

—

Blithe stood at the middle of her room inside the black hole.

She stood there for what seemed like an eternity. As time went on, her lips started to tremble and her hands started to shake.

Hunching over to the ground, she hurled, the intense emotions she's been pushing down overflowing the moment she was alone.

She hurriedly wiped the blood on her face.

Looking at the blood on her gloved hand, the face of the guard who had died before her flashed before her eyes. He was so full of life, excited to be called by the man he idolized. And then he wasn't. She gagged again at the memory.

The tears in her eyes silently fell. No cries, no outburst—she was just… tired.

It was a miracle she was able to hide her emotions. Otherwise if she had shown it, she knew he would not hesitate to end her there.

Blithe looked around her room.

Her thoughts from earlier became a certainty. She now fully knows why her father insisted that she had no emotions. She needed to do everything flawlessly with no remorse.

To strip her off of her freedom to feel and to think, was the perfect plan to keep her as a puppet.

That thing he did earlier to test her indifference — it was such a cruel thing to do.

My beloved daughter.

Beloved? It was a lie.

Beloved was the family she found earlier.

Beloved was the baby innocently stretching their arms at her.

Beloved were the two children who were hiding behind the wall to survive.

Beloved was the lives she took with indifference.

Blithe walked towards her bed, falling into it with no care.

Her hands gripped the cover tightly before closing her eyes and falling asleep.

—

Blithe dreamed of the star systems she destroyed, the screams of terror and the people lying lifelessly on the ground.

It then shifted to her other dream where a large hand was coming close to her face.

It was the same dream, only there was something else after it.

A woman's anguished and fragmented voice echoed inside her dream.

“... at's wrong…”

“Blithe, what's wrong?”

“...you do to her…”

“WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER!?”

Her eyes snapped wide open as the piercing scream from her dream jolted her awake.

Her vision was blurred from the tears continuously flowing from her eyes.

She sat up in a daze, not bothering to wipe her tears from her face.

She can't help but be frustrated and tired that she couldn't escape, not even in her dreams.

Although the last part before she woke up was something new, it didn't matter much.

Blithe was once again awake and left in her thoughts to wallow.

She looked at her hands and wondered about the next thing she was going to do.

What if she left? Stay in the space of her black hole?

No. It wouldn't change anything. She’d live her life running in fear.

If she fought her father, would that change things?

She shook her head.

No. She knew her father was more powerful than her. It would only end her life.

…

But then again, that didn't sound so bad. With that, her sins would be paid with her life and she would no longer bear these overwhelming thoughts.

But… wouldn't that be the easy way out? While the Luminars she destroyed didn't have a choice to live or die, she would choose her own death?

She stared at the ground blankly.

Her eyes then widened with a sudden realization. With her current status and knowledge, she’ll be able to help Luminars in secret. She can operate behind the Dark Emperor instead.

It won't change her past, but she would be able to give others a chance to live.

It’s a risky plan but at least this would ease the thoughts and guilt she has been harboring.

She stared at her hands.

She had the power to create black holes including the one she was inside of. She just assumed it was a privilege to not be destroyed within it because she was the one who created it but what if there was a chance where she could also make it so that other people can enter it without breaking apart?

Her thoughts drifted towards that red-haired man from before.

She narrowed her eyes as she looked at her hands.

She closed it tightly, brimming with a new resolve.