Prince of The Abyss

Staring death in the face, not something anyone could get used to. And yet, for how long was this the life of a Reader? It’s either you, or your enemy.

Aether sighed, a loud thud echoing through the forest as his body hit the floor, resting against one of the trees, resting a hand in his hair. He heard footsteps, not bothering to look.

”Are you alright?” Sena leaned down with her usual stoic smile. Yet this time, Aether’s face didn’t budge. He just gazed towards her.

”Uh... you’ve been beaten badly... wonder if the girl in the Academy would still be all over you if they saw you like this.” The girl chuckled before touching the wound on his face. Watching it slowly close up.

”Is this some sort of ability? I didn’t expect it.” She continued to examine his wounds, as Aether stood quietly.

”It’s... from a relic,” he managed to murmur under shallow breaths.

His eyes moved towards the beast’s dead body.

The ground under him felt as if it wasn’t there, as if it had completely vanished. His heart was beating faster than ever. And yet... there was only one thing on his mind.

Shame.

A common sin for humans and also a blessing. Confidence, one of the most important qualities for a human to have, whether it’s making connections or just convincing others, it’s useful.

But it also has a role in battle; that’s where it’s a double-edged blade.

If two warriors were to fight, with the same skill and abilities, with the only difference being confidence, which would win? The answer is simple.

So then how could it also be a sin? If it comes with only good?

Just like anything, people can get too much of it. A person with too much tends to forget its worth. And it’s the same in this situation, in his situation.

To think he would become the same as those he used to mock back in his early days, those who used to look down on him... had he really fallen that low?

As Aether stared at the blood, a blue light shone in his eyes as he slowly looked up.

[Mental Fortitude: 82]

Seems like an old friend of his has come back. This wasn’t Demon of Dread anymore, so he was going to have to take care of his mental health too from now on.

’How lucky...’

Aether groaned as he slowly got to his feet, the wounds on his body continuing to heal as the night took its effect.

”Let’s... go.” Aether slowly said to Sena before starting to move back towards the village.

Nova’s eyes widened as she started to circle him, examining his every movement. ”Alright, what’s wrong with you?” She said, frowning.

Aether smirked. ”A lot...”

...

He shouldn’t let it bother him that much; if he did, he would become just like he was before. He had wanted a change... and he was going to go back on the first upset.

With how much effort he had put into it, it would be as if he was insulting himself...

Sena’s smile came back as she walked in front of him, turning to face him, as she walked backwards, as if nothing in the world could harm her. ”If you say so.”

She poked his cheek. ”So what’s next?”

Aether opened his mouth to answer, but before he could, Sena put a finger on his mouth. ”Let me guess first, dumbass.”

...

”We’re going to challenge the next guardian, right?” She smirked, but it slowly fell into her tilting her head, as he noticed that he wasn’t smiling back.

”I’m not sure...”

As much as confidence was a burden, it was also important, as without it, you become a hollow shell of what you used to be.

Sena frowned, displeased with that answer. ”What do you mean you’re not sure?”

His hands trembled at the thought of fighting the next guardian... and yet he wasn’t scared of it, with the journey he’s had, for something to have that effect on him... it would have to be terrifying.

Rather, he was afraid of himself, of getting too overconfident again.

He clenched his fists as he refused to make eye contact with Sena. It surprised the girl; after all, it wasn’t like him.

A deep exhale left her mouth. ”I swear you’re like a child.”

She stopped moving, making Aether run into her, before he could be brought up to reality.

”You know what’s the difference between a Reader and a Baby?”

’Another joke?’

Aether sighed, knowing there was no escaping it. ”Enlighten me.”

Sena chuckled. ”Not much actually. Both learn to survive, and both fail. But a Reader can cry about it as much as we want to.”

Aether tilted his head; it didn’t seem to be like the usual joke she used to make...

His eyes sparkled a bit.

”A Reader learns to keep going, no matter what is in front of them, or what they have passed. As much as we wish, at the end there’s not a lullaby and the stars above us; there’s no one to take care of us but ourselves.”

She chuckled. ”And if you were to believe it, guess who the worst enemy of a Reader is...”

...

Aether’s body didn’t move, like stone, and yet, his eyes widened.

”The hardest thing a Reader has to deal with is themselves; the same person that gives them strength is also the same that binds them down... I don’t know what happened, what is going on inside your mind. As much as I can control fate, people are a mystery to me, but what I know is that if you keep crying about it like a child, you don’t deserve to be called an Awakened.”

...

Aether smiled, his eyes moving up to stare into Sena’s. ”There are twelve guardians; if we don’t move fast, we might as well waste all of summer.”

Sena scoffed, her smile still on her face. ”You’re such a man-child, I swear.”