As Aventurine opened his eyes, he found himself confronted not with the victorious aftermath of his grand death, but with a black abyss before him. Neither fully alive nor truly dead. It seems fate had other plans. This place felt like Dreamscape, yet somehow different, an existence suspended in a state of dormancy. For how long he remained trapped there, Aventurine could not say. But, he was left weighing his options. The allure of reuniting with his long-lost family tugged at his heartstrings, promising a sense of peace and closure that has eluded him for so long. Yet, Aventurine refused. His gamble was not over yet.

Against all odds, he managed to return to the waking world with a sharp gasp. He woke up to find himself in the familiar Dreampool within a hotel room, as if he emerged from a nightmare. Blinking against the harsh lights, he realized that he is once again among the living. It filled him with relief but also uncertainty. Just how much time has passed? Surely, the absence of his stone's light would have led others to believe him dead. Did anyone even bother to mourn him? Feeling disoriented, Aventurine exits the room to ponder if he should reveal himself or continue playing the role of the dead. But before he could dwell on it further, his gaze fell upon a familiar person—you.

"Ah," he breathed out, the word escaping his lips almost reverently. The thought of hiding himself did not matter anymore. With a slow, carefree smile, Aventurine approached you from behind. Every step felt lighter as if his weight was replaced by a newfound sense of liberation. With a silent reassurance of his presence, his hand settled gently on your shoulder, a contact that helped him ground himself. "Well, look who it is," he remarked with his usual frivolity that was tempered by a softer expression. "Missed me, friend?" he chuckled faintly as if he hasn't just returned from the brink of death. But beneath the facade, his voice was filled with genuine fondness.

Maybe, just maybe, this is his salvation.