Soon after, both Aqualina and Aether returned to the Academy. As they parted ways, Aether’s demeanour shifted. Without wasting a moment, he set out on his next task.
“Celestia, did you send the package?” he asked as he strode purposefully through the Academy’s gates.
“Yes,” Celestia appeared beside him, her steps hurried to match his.
“Shouldn’t you take some rest?” Celestia inquired with concern. She had noticed the toll his recent activities had taken on him… both physically and mentally.
Aether had been pushing himself non-stop.
Aether shook his head firmly, “I can’t afford to waste time… I don’t know exactly when it’s going to happen, but before that, I have too much to prepare.” His mind drifted to the ominous rainbow-crystaled creatures that had been lurking deep within the Pyra Empire. Three weeks had passed, but there had been no incidents in the Empire…. Unlike before!
‘Which means,’ Aether thought, his brow furrowing, ‘One of us might be the trigger for that incident’ he thought because that incident happened only after they entered.
“I see…” Celestia nodded, though the details were beyond her comprehension. She could tell from his serious tone and intense focus that Aether wasn’t acting impulsively. This wasn’t the carefree Aether she had known before.
Something had changed in him.
‘What could have caused this?’ she wondered.
Lost in her thoughts, she was startled by a gentle pinch on her side. She flinched, turning quickly to look at Aether. He wore a teasing smile, his eyes glinting with mischief.
“If you think I’m worn out just from one little outing…” he leaned down, his voice dropping to a low, seductive whisper, “then you’re seriously underestimating me, my sexy maid~”
Celestia’s face flushed a deep crimson, and she instinctively quickened her pace, trying to put some distance between them. Her heart raced, and she could feel a tingle of heat pooling inside her. ‘Damn it! He’s getting more dangerous by the day!’ she thought, her body betraying her composure as she trembled under the weight of his voice.
Aether chuckled softly at her reaction, his mood lightening momentarily before his focus returned.
He soon arrived at the usual restaurant where he, Thalia, and Raven often met to discuss matters of importance.
“What’s your plan?” Celestia asked, casting a quick glance toward the two women seated inside. Thalia and Raven wore serious expressions, a palpable tension hanging between them.
Aether followed her gaze, his eyes narrowing as he took in the sight of their sombre faces. Guilt was written plainly across their features.
He smirked, shrugging nonchalantly, “Nothing. Go fetch the carriage,” he instructed as he stepped forward.
Inside, Raven’s soft voice broke the silence, “Do you think he’ll come?” There was a distinct note of guilt in her words.
Thalia sighed heavily, her frustration evident. “I’m not sure. I’ve been trying to reach him, but it seems he’s been out of reach, likely with his Master.”
Raven nodded, biting her lip anxiously.
“But even if he were here…” Thalia added, her voice growing quiet, “I doubt he’d want to see us after what we did.”
Raven winced, the weight of regret sinking deeper into her heart, “M-Maybe we shouldn’t have pushed him so hard…” she muttered, guilt gnawing at her conscience. She had tried to manipulate Aether’s feelings for her, to take advantage of the pure affection he had shown.
‘How far have I fallen?’ she wondered, a sinking feeling of shame settling in. Yet, despite her guilt, she knew—like it or not—that it had been necessary. It was the only way to secure the future of the Phoenix Bloodline.
Thalia let out a long sigh, “Yeah… I think he really loved you—not just his blood..lin..e…” Her words trailed off as her eyes widened.
Sensing the sudden silence, Raven glanced toward the window, her heart skipping a beat. Aether stood outside, staring at them through the glass with a piercing intensity.
His eyes held a mixture of longing and hurt, emotions that cut through the distance between them.
“A-Aether?”
“A-Aether?”
[+200 AP]
[+200 AP]
They both shot up from their seats, determination flooding through them. They had to ask for his forgiveness. They had to make things right.
But just as they moved to the door, a carriage passed by, momentarily obstructing their view.
When the carriage cleared… Aether was gone!
“H-He’s gone?” Thalia gasped, her eyes wide with disbelief.
“D-Did we imagine him?” Raven whispered, her body trembling as she recalled the look in his eyes—the sadness, the pain, and that faint, trembling smile. Guilt surged through her, nearly overwhelming.
[+200 AP]
Meanwhile, Aether sat inside the carriage, gazing out at the passing scenery, when he noticed Celestia’s amused expression beside him.
“Why didn’t you confront them? You had the perfect opportunity, especially with how little bit of emotionally unstable they seemed,” Celestia asked, her curiosity piqued as she studied Aether’s calm demeanour.
Aether leaned as he asked, “Emotionally?”
“Unstable?”
“Before that?”
“Little?… Ha…” Celestia nodded in understanding.
Aether let out a sigh, a sly smile tugging at his lips, “Yes, But not enough… right now, I need them even more unstable. Their guilt is a powerful weapon, and it will eat them alive from the inside out. The more they believe they’ve hurt me or tried to manipulate my feelings, the worse it’ll get for them. Whatever they’re scheming… they’ll feel it back tenfold.
That guilt will suffocate them.” His voice grew colder, sharper as he stared ahead, calculating his next move.
Celestia watched him in silence, her eyes narrowing as if trying to gauge the depth of his plans. Aether’s smirk faded, and he let out a half-hearted chuckle, “Looks like I’ve become a heartless monst—”
Before he could finish, Celestia gently placed her hand over his mouth, silencing him. She leaned closer, her voice soft but firm. “If there’s a heartless monster here… it’s me. Not you.” Her gaze held a fierceness that surprised even Aether, “You’re doing what’s necessary. And believe me…
one day, they’ll understand that.”
Aether’s smile returned, but this time, it was more genuine. He pulled Celestia into a tight embrace.
Meanwhile, back at the Academy…
“Look at this!” Aqualina announced proudly as she stood in Aria’s room, rolling up her sleeve to reveal a newly etched tattoo on her forearm.
Aria’s eyes blankly stared at the tattoo, her expression unreadable.
She remained silent!
Seeing no reaction, Aqualina’s grin widened, as if sensing victory. “Fu~Fu~ Poor you. What can I say? He loves me so much more than he loves you!” she taunted, her tone dripping with smugness.
But Aria didn’t rise to the bait. Inside, her mind was working swiftly, ‘So, she’s a target too?’ she thought, piecing together the puzzle. Aether had refused to reveal who exactly he needed to save, mentioning only that there were ten people. ‘If Aqualina’s one of them, then that leaves eight more mysterious bitches he needed to save and then he will finally get free from the eternal slave!’
Aria, too an understanding woman, though she wanted to argue with him that he would let other bitched just die, but saving them would help his freedom…. she understood the bigger picture.
So no matter how much it pained her, Aria had to accept that painful truth…. Reluctantly….. Bitterly… But it was the only path forward.
Aqualina, however, mistook Aria’s silence for surrender. She let out a dramatic sigh, feigning exhaustion. “Damn, he didn’t even let me sleep all night,” she said, rubbing her back as if sore from her supposed triumph.
Snap.
Aria’s patience finally snapped. In an instant, she leapt at Aqualina, tackling her to the ground. “YOU BITCH!!” she shouted, initiating what could only be described as a ‘friendly fight’—though there was nothing friendly about it.
At the same time, elsewhere in the Academy…
“So, Aether just randomly came up to you, hugged you out of the blue, and told you he was sorry? And that he was proud of you?” Liora asked, her brow furrowed in disbelief as she listened to her son’s account.
Kaelen nodded awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Y-Yeah, Mother. It caught me off guard. He was… different. Emotional.
Almost like he thought I was going to die or something! I couldn’t make sense of it, so I figured maybe you did something, or he told you something I don’t know about?” He sounded genuinely confused, still grappling with Aether’s sudden outburst of affection.
Liora’s expression remained unreadable as she processed her son’s words, ‘Something is definitely going on with my husband,’ she thought, though she kept her suspicions to herself. Stay updated via empire
“Did he say anything else?” she asked, her voice calm but laced with curiosity.
Kaelen paused, thinking for a moment. Then, with a chuckle, he recalled, “Yeah… he said, ‘If you die again, I’ll definitely come and kill you.’ Hahaha! Can you imagine? How could he kill me after I’m already dead?… It’s funny that Aet–ahem Father, talk like..
that…..” He laughed, finding the statement absurd, though his amusement quickly faded as he noticed the serious expression on his mother’s face.
Liora stood up abruptly, her lips curling into a dangerous smile, “Looks like someone needs more training,” she said ominously.
Kaelen’s heart sank. His instincts screamed at him to run, but before he could even think, he turned on his heel and bolted for the door.
Unfortunately for him, Liora was far quicker. With ease, she grabbed his tail and yanked him back, dragging him across the floor like a helpless dog.
“NNOOOOOO!!! HELP ME FROM THIS MONST—ARRRGGGHHH!!!” Kaelen’s screams echoed through the Academy halls as construction workers (Darkfang tribe that helping the academy) nearby glanced over, chuckling at the scene before returning to their work, completely unfazed as if they were used to this!!!