Prince of The Abyss

”Master of the Rapier,” Aether muttered under a swift breath, a self-proclaimed title, or one gifted to him by others because of his strength and skill. He didn’t believe in giving yourself titles; they didn’t mean anything. But if the others had done it...

He looked at his marks.

Voidpiercer, somehow gifted to him by an unknown person or force, a blade that should have never been created, never should have existed, and even more be given to him. A copy of a extremly powerfull blade, created by one of the first princes and later corrupted by the Daemon Lord of the Abyss to kill the gods. Its tip may have taken the life of many and tasted the flesh of more.

A blade designed to piece the world and shatter it, just like it had done with his Denial. A blade with an extremely sharp tip, and with its sides on the more dull side.

A rapier.

Light and fast.

Yet... he had never learn how to wield one.

His master had taught him how to use a normal blade; he had trained in slashing, to use wicked tactics that only a blade with a heavy core could do, not one weak but fast. He had spent a lot of time with Voidpiercer, but he had never been taught to use it.

He had learned by himself how to do damage with a blade; it wasn’t like it was anything special. Just pierce.

...

But at the same time, learning how to properly use it, to use a fighting style, sounded like an amazing idea that could help him quite a lot.

After all, if what Kael was saying was right, that the sword styles designed by the masters could stand a chance in front of the Will’s... then that would only make him a lot more powerful.

The others have failed, the Will-less have failed, even with them. But he wasn’t one of them; he had a power, just not a Will. He was a Reader; he wasn’t bound by this world’s power system, he could grow stronger with each of his kills, he had his abilities, relics, and skills. He had Voidpiercer...

And the Abyss.

...

”I see... my name is Aether.”

The man smiled at him, saying his name, pleased that now they had both introduced themselves, after all, it’s weird talking to someone when you didn’t even know their name or anything about them.

”Aether... I’ve never heard of such a name around here. Are you perhaps from a different island, and the Tides brought you here?”

Of course, he had to ask a question about where he was from... how was he supposed to answer that? He didn’t even know himself; he hadn’t had the chance to find out anything about the place where he was sent at the beginning. He didn’t know if he had originally been sent to Veyr, or another island, so what was he supposed to say...

This question was hard... well, it would be if he had to say the truth.

”Yes, I am... I’m not sure myself why I was sent to Veyr, but I was surprised by how it looked, just like I’ve heard. I’ve never been to this place, you know?”

The man’s eyes widened. ”You haven’t? Oh, that’s terrible, isn’t it?” He chuckled. ”How did you even end up at my dojo if you don’t know your way around? Did you get lost or something? And accidentally stumbled across it.”

Aether rolled his eyes. He didn’t find it funny. I mean, he was laughing at a man who had died and who had come back into a place completely unknown to him.

”Well, I didn’t know what I should do, so I just wandered around until I found the main island at the bottom, then I stumbled into the forest in hope of finding something, and here I am.”

The man tilted his head slightly.

”I see... it must have been hard not knowing where you are... and if I may ask, are you going to continue to wander these lands in hope of finding something?”

...

Aether gave him a wicked smirk that slightly caught him off guard.

”That is a possibility, but I don’t think I will. I have a better idea.”

”And what is that idea?” The man said with a more serious tone after Aether smiled, squinting his eyes to try to see what intention he had.

”Well, you see...” Aether lifted his arm forward, for him to see his mark, and Voidpiercer coming out of the mark.

He gripped the blade tightly, as Kael’s eyes widened.

”I also wield a rapier, which had been a gift from someone special to me, so that’s why I continue to use it, even if I don’t know how to use it. But since you’re the master who designed a strong technique with the rapier, maybe you could train me.”

Most of what he said was false, after all, it hadn’t been a gift; he had gotten the Card from the Jack, but he didn’t know what it held, plus, he had to find it himself to get it, and had to endure the pain at the beginning to get a grasp on its powers.

Speaking of it... since Frozen Crown, his endurance to the pain coming from his marks had gotten stronger and stronger, to the point where when he was training to get Soul Sense, he had completely forgotten about it.

It made him wonder if it was going to be something he wouldn’t have to worry about.

But he remembered that while training, his soul and body were untouched, so it meant his soul was at its peak power... that wouldn’t mean that when his soul and body are badly hurt, he could endure the pain from his marks that long.

It was still something he had to worry about, just not all the time.

The man stared into Aether’s eyes after his request... well, it was more of a demand, but you get the idea. With each second, he felt annoyed that he wasn’t answering. I mean, just say yes alread-

”No.”

Aether chuckled... then after a good second of not moving, he blinked twice, as if unsure that he had heard him right.

”What?”

The old man seemed serious, not like he had been before, but rather like when they had met.

”I will not be training you.”

...

Aether gritted his teeth as he stood up in a second, clenching his fist tight.

”And why is that? It’s not like there isn’t anyone else who would take your shitty training on. So be a good old man and teach the young your ways.”

Kael seemed unmoved by his demands, as if he was used to them, like he was used to people like him approaching him for training.

”I think not.”

Aether scoffed.

”And why is that? Did you lose your touch? Is it because you can’t wield a blade anymore because of your burnt hands, or don’t lie, you held on just well earlier. Or are you just scared to teach anyone else after what had happened?”

Kael stared at Aether challanging gaze, but Aether did not falter for a second.

He sighed, standing up, and walking over to the door, looking into the forest.

”You want my training? Fine, I’ll accept you as my disciple, but that means that we do training when I want to. And I won’t train you even a second before you do so.”

Aether stood dumbfounded, his jaw opened as if he had just heard the most absurd thing of his whole life, and in his eyes, it might have been.

”And what does that mean?”

The man turned to him and chuckled.

”Simple, you won’t get any training, but you will have to do all the jobs I make you do. It’s not that hard to understand.”

...

”When you are able to contain your anger, to get past it, I shall teach you my ways of fighting... and even gift you a something that will greatly interest you... But until then, you shall not spar with you, teach you any attacks, or even let you practice in the dojo.

So, do you still want to be my apprentice?”

Aether frowned... this was a terrible deal for him, I mean, what this guy was saying is that he was basically going to be his slave, doing everything he wished him to do, until he was able to get rid of his anger, whatever that mean, after all, everyone had anger inside of them, so how the heck was he supposed to get rid of it.

And all of that just to get some training that would probably also last a whole while and will be terrible to deal with, and a gift? Of course, he didn’t say what it was that way; he could just gift him a steel blade and say it was his reward, like it mattered, like it would help him.

It was a deal he should never take...

...

...

”Fine... I’ll do it, you bastard.”