Prince of The Abyss

”How long do you think it would take them to realize what has happened?”

Aether didn’t answer, using some bandages he had borrowed to wrap around his leg and stomach. The healing of his pin had done some good work, healing the wound on his face, to the point that you couldn’t see it anymore.

But it wasn’t enough.

’I’m going to have to be more careful... quite hard when being reckless in battle is something I always do.’

Finishing with the bandages, he threw them away, lying down on his bed, while staring at the ceiling.

”I don’t know, probably a day or two, which is why we should leave tomorrow.”

Sena tilted her head. ”Why? You think they would know that we killed their guardian?”

He scoffed, raising his arm in the air. ”Of course? It’s not that hard to figure out. Two unknown strangers have come to your village, questioning about the guardian, and then the next day, when they weren’t around, it died. You have to be stupid not to figure it out.”

Sena chuckled, sitting down on her bed. ”I guess when you say it like that... But we don’t have to leave. I can just try to control them, you know?” Aether waved her off. ”And what, travel with more people? Not only will they slow us down, but they will also eat through our supplies. It’s not worth it.”

Sena got up, with a deep frown, and leaned above Aether. ”What supplies? We don’t have any, dumbass.”

...

”I forgot.” Aether stuck his tongue out.

Sena stared at him, and Aether stared back, before the girl started to stab his eyes with her fingers. ”You’re really annoying, you know that; you don’t make a good leader.” She said, backing away from him.

Aether rubbed his eyes, which had gotten red. ”Well, I never really got the opportunity to learn, like any Withered child. I had to learn to survive, so can you blame me?”

Her eyes widened for a second before she chuckled. ”I admit, I forgot for a second, but can you blame me? You don’t fit in the Withered stereotype everyone has.”

Aether sighed. ’Of course I don’t, because I’m not Withered-born; I only came when I was nine.’

Getting up from his bed, he walked slowly to the window, looking beyond it, to where the forest was.

”What do you think happens now to the forest and this village, now that the guardian is dead?” He turned his head slightly to face the girl.

”Nothing?” She said, confused. ”Why would something happen? For the voice to get out, all have to be dead; the question should rather be, what will happen to the world once all the guardians are dead.

Aether frowned, annoyed by her. ”Alright, smartass, I’ll tell you what will happen when the voice gets released, and all the guardians are dead?”

Walking up to him, Sena chuckled. ”How would I know? Probably the world will fall or something.”

The most obvious answer. After all, it wasn’t hard to determine what the evil in this world truly was. So if they were to kill all the good, and only the evil would remain, what else would happen?

The world was going to fall.

Aether smiled. ”You asked me if I was fine with being the villain of this world.” He fully turned to face her, resting against the wall. ”But you never said if you were fine with it.”

Sena smiled, putting a finger to her lip, but with just one look, you could tell she wasn’t putting that much thought into it. ”I think you can answer that question yourself.” She said, letting her arm fall to her side, before poking his chest. ”So what do you think. Am I the person who would let the world be destroyed for my own benefit?”

Crossing his arms, Aether sighed. ”You would let our world be destroyed if it meant you benefited from it.”

Nodding, Sena rested her arms on his shoulders. ”Exactly, but don’t lie; you’re similar. You said it yourself, you’re egotistical.”

”Isn’t it better to believe you’re cocky than to be without knowing... well, I guess both can be true at the same time; what happened earlier is a prime example.”

Backing away, she chuckled. ”Exactly, now come on, let’s get some sleep.”

...

But Aether didn’t move; he just stood by the window, smiling.

”I hope you know this will mean that we will be enemies soon.”

She stopped in her tracks, turning around, confused, but still smiling. ”What do you mean?”

Aether stared at his hands for a second before clenching them. ”The Third Rebellion, I will make it happen. If I can’t find someone to help me, then I’ll do it alone, just like before. But I can assure you, it will happen, no matter what. The Withered will be free.”

Leaning forward, she chuckled. ”And why are you telling me this? Aren’t you afraid I will tell the King about it, or anyone else? What if I tell Lilith, and he comes to beat you up again? What will you do-”

”You won’t.”

Her eyes widened before backing up. ”You’re right. I won’t.” Her purple string wrapped around his finger, dragging him forward, until they were face to face. ”But how did you know?”

Aether scoffed in absurdity. ”You said it yourself: you would let our world fall if it benefits you. And how does me getting beat up, or locked up by the King benefit you? You said I was tied to the future, you’re interested in me, enough to make you keep quiet.”

Chuckling, her strings let go, before she backed away and sat on her bed. ”You’re right, on the dot... But this-”

”It also means you won’t help me, because even if you’re interested in me, the Blue Rose benefits you a lot more, so you would never go to war against it. I know Sena. I’m not dumb; that’s why I said that we will be enemies.”

Sena frowned; this was the second time she had been cut off... ”So what, you think you can take on the Blue Rose alone? How did that go last time?”

...

”Who knows, maybe I won’t be alone.”