Skill Forge: Broken Extra Character

Amidsttheeeriesilenceofanunfamiliarhall,acacophonyofconfusedvoicesrose,minglinginachorusofbewilderment."Wherearewe?""Whathappened?""IthoughtIdied!"Eachutterancehungintheair,atestamenttothecollectivedisbeliefgrippingtheroom.Asthehazeofconfusionlifted,disjointedmemoriessurfaced,fragmentsoflivescutshortbytragedy."Iremember...Iwasstabbed..."venturedonevoice,echoedbyanother'saffirmationofasimilarfate."I...Idiedinaplanecrash,"mutteredathird,onlytobemetwithastunnedagreementfromafellowsurvivor.Amidstthechaosofbewilderedvoices,onemanstoodapart,hisexpressionamaskofcontemplationamidsttheturmoil.Ashiscompanionsrecountedtheirbrusheswithdeath,hismindchurnedwithquestions,eachmoreconfoundingthanthelast."Igotshot...Irememberitvividly,"hemurmuredtohimself,hisvoicebarelyaudibleabovethedin."SohowamIstillhere?"Theenigmaoftheirsharedresurrectiongnawedathim,compellinghimtoseekanswersinthedepthsofhismemories.Witheachrevelationofapaireddemise—amaleandfemale,boundbythesametragicfate—aflickerofrecognitionignitedwithinhim."This...thisseemsfamiliar,"hemused,thepiecesofapuzzleslowlycoalescinginhismind.Butthepictureremainedincomplete,obscuredbythefogofuncertaintythatshroudedtheirsurroundings.Asthewords"pairs,pairs,pairs"echoedinhismindlikeacrypticmantra,asuddenrealizationstruckhimwiththeforceofarevelation."Itcan'tbe...don'ttellme..."hewhispered,hisvoicetremblingwithdisbelief.Withasenseofurgency,hebegantoscanhissurroundings,searchingforanysignorcluethatcouldconfirmhissuspicions.Then,asifguidedbyanunseenforce,hisgazeshiftedupwards,andthere,bathedinanethereallight,stoodanangelicfigurewithgoldenapparel,itsgazefixeduponhimwithawarmsmile.Thesighttookhisbreathaway,fillinghimwithamixtureofaweandtrepidation.Theman'sheartracedasfacedarealangel,hismindstrugglingtocomprehendthesurrealencounterunfoldingbeforehim.Theangel'swords,spokenwithanairofamusement,onlydeepenedtheenigmashroudingtheirmeeting."Ineverexpectedanyonetonoticeme,"theangelremarked,ahintofplayfulnessinitsvoice."Iwasconcealingmypresencetoleteveryonefullycalmdown,buttothinksomeonenoticedme.Justwhoareyou?"Ethan'sdisbeliefandconfusionintensifiedattheangel'squestion."Eh...EthanRivers,"hestammered,hisvoicebarelyaboveawhisper.AsAurelia,theangel,finallyrevealedhimselftothebewilderedassembly,ahushfellovertheroom,eachsouldrawninbyhisradiantpresenceandcommandingaura.Ethan'sgazelingeredonAurelia."Greetings,lostsouls,"Aureliadeclared,hisvoiceresonatingwithamajesticpowerthatseemedtofilltheveryairaroundthem."IamAurelia,andIshallbeyourguidetoyournewlife."AsAureliaextendedhisarmsinagestureofwelcome,Ethanfeltasurgeofrageandhesitation,"Thisitbad,reallybad."