Prince of The Abyss

Aether's breathing had gotten heavy, which was not a good sign.

The grip on his blade tightened as he pulled back, looking around, he was surrounded.

'Damn it, there are too many.'

Fighting one of them already took out a lot of him, since he needed to do it while not getting hit, but doing so constantly, one after another, it was a matter of time until his body gave up.

He had already killed many, and it just didn't seem to be enough.

He needed to get out of here, regroup with Kade, and see what to do after they get together. They might need to run away. After all, their lives were what mattered the most; they didn't need to save the village, it was preferable that they did, but they weren't going to die for it.

Looking around for a way out, Aether noticed a small gap between two of the scorpions. He quickly pushed off his feet, running through the gap before the scorpion could even see what happened.

After getting through, he quickly turned back just in time to deflect the tail of one of the scorpions. His life flashed as he looked at the poison slowly dripping.

He ran; he didn't stay and fight. It was useless.

After all, while he was dying fighting the scorpions that were after him, many others were already here, destroying the city and killing everyone.

The village was in shambles.

Many screams echoed in his ears, each probably marking a death they weren't able to prevent.

But he expected it, to see others die, even if he wanted to save the city, he wasn't enough of a lunatic to think that they were going to be able to save every single one.

It was unavoidable; in a battle with so many enemies and few allies, it's only a matter of time before some die.

And really, it's something you have to understand and accept.

In every battle, people die; you never should expect to be able to save everyone; you would just destroy yourself mentally with guilt if you did so.

...

'What a hypocrite I am...' He clenched his fists, reminding himself of a certain battle, one that he wanted to be the hero of, and save everyone... only for them to all die.

The battle that had been haunting him ever since he entered this book.

Navigating the battlefield wasn't impossible, but sometimes he had to stop and deflect an attack. Outside of that, the worst thing was looking around and seeing others die.

The people of the village were trying to fend for themselves, lighting up torches and fighting, but it backfired, as with the torches, the monsters were able to light up some houses.

It was a bad sign, even if they beat everyone, how were they going to be able to save the village from the fire?

There was also something that he had noticed, or rather not noticed

Someone was missing.

'I guess a big mouth is all you are, Lucien, you damn lumping moron. Your people are dying, so come on, save them.'

In the end he reached Kade, who looked to be exhausted, looking at their battle, the boy did his best to dodge the many attacks of the scorpions, trying his best to get a hit in with his blade, knowing that its fire could do some damage after, but seeing how little he had killed, he probably had been been the one on defense for most of the time.

Luckily for him, he was here.

Aether clenched Voidpiercer, thrusting it in the head of one of the scorpions from behind, catching the other off guard. Kade glanced at Aether, but one look from Aether and he understood that it wasn't time to be shocked; after all, he gave him an opening.

The flames on his blade erupted as he poured his energy into it, before slashing through the body of a scorpion.

Even if not much had changed, all that had happened was his joining the fight; the balance had changed drastically. Not only was there not only one person they had to attack, but they also couldn't just corner Kade, and they were also caught with their guard down.

And it wasn't like they were going to let this moment go.

Aether, seeing Kade attack, took out his blade from the dead body of the scorpion and dashed forward, thrusting it into another, with Kade slashing the others with his fire.

...

It wasn't long until the last fell.

Aether took a deep breath before a big smile appeared on his face. He never though thery were going to make such a good team.

Glancing at the boy, he also seemed to be happy but also surprised, like he didn't understand what had happened.

"Good job, you did well," Aethers said, playfully punching his shoulder. The boy chuckled. Pushing him back in exchange.

"Thank you... I'm sure the me who, from the day we met, would be happy with who I've become, and will continue to become. And it is all thanks to you."

Aethers checks flushed red.

"Come on, don't embarrass me, plus, it's not like this is done."

As he said that, he looked behind him at the horrible sight in front of him. The city was really in ruin... There was no saving it.

"... It seems we lost."

He could hear the boy groan behind him.

He was probably upset, after all, this was his first failure, the first time his newfound strength couldn't help the others around him.

"It's not your fault, so don't beat yourself for it. We tried everything, but it just wasn't meant to be. And trust me, being so stubborn to let go of a few deaths would not do you any good, I mean, take a look at me."

The boy chuckled a bit, rolling his eyes at Aether's last comment.

"I know... but I still want to try to save this place, even if it isn't possible, I want to try."

Aether sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Fine, fine. Let's see what we can do."

...

It was useless, and they both knew that, and yet they continued fighting until the end. Even with them continuing to kill the scorpions, the damage was already done, and still going on.

As much as they tried, it was over. Even the people of the village knew that, as most started abandoning their homes and running away.

They were walking in a ruin rather than a village.

Yet... then he noticed someone...

'Lucien?'

The magician seemed to be on the ground, lying against a wall, gasping for air as a scorpion slowly approached him. He seemed not to have had any injuries, meaning... he most likely had not fought one monster this whole time.

'Pathetic, truly pathetic, a weak Will-less hiding behind the persona of a powerful Will user.'

Aether dashed forward, killing the scorpion before it could notice him. Taking the blade out of his head. Aether turned to face Lucien.

"You know, your presence here is ruining the battle aesthetic if you are not going to fight and just run around in fear. You should just get out of here."

Aether looked the magician straight in his eyes, so that he could get his massage. He wasn't joking, and he wasn't going to continue helping him if he got in more and more fights that he couldn't win.

Even now, he only did so because he had the shard and needed him alive. But at the same time.

It wasn't like stealing it off his dead body was impossible. Even if stealing from the dead was not morally correct.

His morality had long left him.

And yet... why did he seem a fire inside the magician's eyes... it hadn't been there before. So why now that his people and home have fallen did his will start burning?

'Strange...'

But he didn't think much of it as he turned around to leave.

...

But with the corner of his eye, he saw it, the stinger of a scorpion heading straight towards him. One had been caught up in the moment to see. And one that was too close for him to avoid.

His eyes widened in terror as it slowly got closer...

Would he be able to survive a sting from the beast? After all, he never tested if its poison was lethal... but what were the chances it wasn't...

'Damn it!'

He gritted his teeth.

Even if it wasn't lethal, the attack was going straight to his face, so not even his mantle could help; he was going to die from the attack either way, so whether the poison was lethal or not didn't even matter.

Kade also couldn't help; the boy had also been caught off guard. He was too far away to try and attack the creature; he also still hadn't learned to use the Will outside of his blade, it was his decision to do so... but in a moment like this, you really regret it...

...

And yet, as the tail was about to hit him... from the ground, a wall emerged blocking the attack, and giving him an opening to kill the beast.

He clenched his blade before thrusting it into the scorpion's head.

...

Yet, where had the wall come from?

Aether stood frozen for seconds before he looked behind him, at Lucien, who himself looked shocked, checking his hands.

"You have to be kidding me..."