Prince of The Abyss

Aether was walking through the Great Harbor; he had no reason to do so, but neither did he have anything else to do. Well, he could try and take a quest, but doing it alone? Plus, he needed to keep an eye on Kade’s condition. The boy looks to be feeling just fine so far, meaning his recovery is going well.

Yet at the same time, if he were to stand by his bed all day, he would get bored, so he just decided to explore.

And what better place to explore than the most complicated market zone he has seen? Truly, a maze disguised as a plaza.

’Woho...’

And it was as bad as he remembered it; the light kept getting in his eyes, making him even more confused than he already was. The constant screaming made his ears want to bleed.

Like, he probably didn’t even have the money to buy most things in this place, so why did they keep screaming?

Aether sighed, continuing to walk, as he put his fingers in his ears, trying to stop the sound, the screaming. And they got quiet, but at the same time... now they felt as if they were inside his mind.

”Come here.”

”Come here.”

”Come here.”

”Come here.”

...

’Wait...’

...

They were inside his mind.

At that moment, Aether let his arms fall to his sides, as everything around him started to stop, almost like it had frozen.

There was only one thing that still stood.

A Lost.

One that was quite tall, and wearing some great armor... if he had to say, it was the shadow of a Guard that had died.

Which wasn’t... unexpected, since guards die. It wasn’t something unheard of, after all, they are here to protect people from criminals, they aren’t invincible to their attacks, however. So one can die, it’s very plausible.

But seeing one was weirder than seeing a Lost of a normal human...

Plus, for a Lost to have the guts to come to him and speak to him.

It wasn’t something that happened daily.

The Lost did have some sort of hierarchy. But it was just based on what they had. It wasn’t something complicated.

The shadows of civilians listened to the king’s shadow.

But in this hierarchy, there was something important for him.

He usually never gets called out by the shadows of normal people; he usually has to talk to them. But ones that are higher up, they had a lot more confidence and pride. Ego.

Just like this one had.

”What is it?”

The Lost crossed its arms.

”Follow me.”

Aether rolled his eyes. At least try to convince him, he wasn’t a child to just follow a stranger if they said so. Even more, one that was a shadow. Honestly disappointing. It has been a while since a shadow has spoken to him. It was like they had gotten a little scared since he became an Echo, when he was a Fragement they wouldn’t let him have his piece and quiet.

”And why should I follow. The least you can do as a guard is give me a reason.”

...

...

”Death, a lot of death.”

Aether’s eyes widened...

He didn’t waste any more time.

There was a chance that it was lying to him, trying to trick him into a trap. But at the same time, he could handle a trap, but if it was speaking the truth, something is happening, or will happen, that will cause the death of many.

...

...

Following the Lost, it led him to the gate of the Great Harbor, at first he had thought it was making him leave, and if it was, he would have stopped following. But no, it led him behind a cart near the gate.

And... nothing happened. That was until the guards started talking.

One of them sighed. ”Man, I’m a little scared, you know? With this whole Tides thing?”

The other was a little confused by this comment, not getting what the first was trying to say.

”Why? You just have to not die, and you’re good.”

The first quickly responded, a little annoyed.

”I didn’t mean that, you idiot. You know, how many Civilizations in Stormfell have started sending people to the Tides to help...”

The others’ interest piqued. ”Wait, they have? Why?”

...

”Do you really not know anything?”

He sighed.

”The monsters in the Tides have started getting more hostile, a lot more hostile, starting to attack the city. There are also said that some terrible beasts have awakened... the city is in a war that could mean its destruction. So Layer 0 has started sending guards to the Tides to help. I was worried the king might send us too.”

...

...

...

That was... not what he expected to hear.

The Tides was being attacked?

But why? Why now? It looked just fine the time he was there.

...

Was it his fault?

...It actually was a very plausible answer. Not in the sense that it was because of what he did there. But because of who he was.

A Reader.

And this was a bad thing for all books.

Whenever a Reader enters a book, or one is created for him, most of the time, a conflict happens, if it wasn’t already happening.

And if he had to say, this was this world’s conflict, the battle inside the Tides... which probably meant he was going to have to partake in it if he wanted to get out of the book.

Which just went to show... just how difficult a Seeker class rank.

To beat it, you have to save a city from a storm of monsters...

And sadly for him, the book was also a Titan rank, so the monsters were in no way weak.

’Well... I guess I’ve... dealt with worse? As strong as the monsters coming were, none were on the level of a Breaker Godspawn.”

But the only difference between the time he fought the Queen and now.

...

Was that he didn’t have anything to help him, no advantage.

He had to say.

...

He was a little scared.

...

But that was for the future; he still had to complete the quest Kael had sent him on.

It was worrying that he had to say...

...

...

...

Opening the door to the room, Kade was inside. The boy seemed to be awake again... could this guy not let himself rest, like if he were in his place, he would have slept all day...

Ironic that humans say these kinds of things. How crude is Envy.

When he was injured, he did the same thing; heck, when he was injured, he worked in the Inn.

”So how do you feel?” He leaned on the doorframe.

The boy smiled at him.

”I’m good, the only thing that still hurts a little is my leg, but only when I try to move it.”

Meaning they still had some time to spend inside this place, outside the time they had already spent...

...

They were already in the fall.

Just how fast time passed. Last year, at this time, he was inside the Tides, then, while training, he turned fifteen.

And now, soon, he turned sixteen.

If it weren’t for the family sticking around to help pay for his treatment, they would definitely not have the money to treat him. So he had to thank them for it.

Though it made him wonder just how much money they had.

If they wanted to help, he wasn’t going to stop them, even if they spent all their money. Plus, they wouldn’t stop even if he told them to. In their eyes, they had to reward Kade for helping them, for saving them, even if that meant spending a lot of money.

Even if this was their job. So they had long paid them for their services.

Heck, they paid for their stay and food.

They were going to go broke if they continued like this.

...

”Alright. Tell me when you feel better, we’ll leave when you do.”

With that, he was about to leave when the boy stopped him.

”Wait.”

Aether slowly turned around, surprised.

”Go without me... I know you don’t, and it makes me... happy. Which is also why I’m not asking you to get the part for me... But what you can do is at least find out how to get to it, and maybe how to navigate the tower for when we go there together.

...

I just don’t want you to waste time because of me...”

Aether sighed... it was true, in the time he had already waited for the boy, he could have probably gotten the part and already be going to the next... that he couldn’t deny... and if it was just getting to know the places, it wasn’t that bad.

”But what if something happens to you?”

The boy chuckled.

”Aether, this is one of the most important places in Stormfell, im safe, trust me.”

...

...

...

Aether clenched his fists.

”Fine. I’ll go find this thing.”