“~Wakey~Wakey~”
Aether’s eyes slowly fluttered open, his vision adjusting as he took in the sight before him. Celestia stood nearby, gazing at him with an amused expression.
Aether let out a soft chuckle before lifting his body, feeling a slight ache lingering within him. He glanced around the unfamiliar room, realizing that they were inside what appeared to be a hotel or an inn.
“Why are we here?” Aether asked with a faint groan, his voice carrying traces of exhaustion.
His body still throbbed slightly, not from the battle he had fought earlier, but from something far more sinister. That strange violet energy that had surged into him was still affecting his body.
Regardless, he knew he had no time to dwell on it. His mind quickly sharpened, gathering scattered details through his connection with the countless puppets he had spread throughout the Empires.
Celestia’s playful demeanour faded as her expression turned serious. “We are currently staying in an inn near the teleportation station,” she explained, her voice carrying a hint of concern. “You collapsed all of a sudden, and I had no choice but to bring you somewhere safe. Are you alright?”
Aether exhaled, then flashed her a reassuring smile. “I’m fine… can’t you tell?” he teased, his voice carrying a lighthearted charm as he suddenly reached out and gave her a playful slap on the butt.
Celestia jolted slightly before turning to him with a deep frown, her expression caught between annoyance and confusion. “Why do you always hit my butt?” she huffed, rubbing the spot he had just smacked.
Even though the hit was light, the difference in their strength made it sting. Her lips pressed together as she narrowed her eyes at him, her tone laced with curiosity. “You do a lot of things, but I’ve never seen you slap anyone else’s butt before. Why only me?”
Aether grinned, leaning back lazily as he observed her reaction with amusement. “What? Can’t I touch my lovely’s cute little ass?” he mused, his voice deep with mischief as his fingers twitched, as if tempted to do it again.
Celestia let out an exasperated sigh, crossing her arms as she turned her head away. “You’re impossible,” she muttered under her breath, though the faint blush dusting her cheeks betrayed her. She knew him too well to fall for his teasing, yet she still found herself flustered every time.
Aether chuckled softly, but his mind quickly returned to the pressing matters at hand. As much as he enjoyed playing around with Celestia, there were more important things he needed to take care of.
The Void Empire had started to move, and that could only mean one thing—opportunity. If things went according to plan, he would soon be swimming in wealth.
Celestia stole a glance at him, her lips pursed as if debating whether or not to say something. Eventually, she sighed and shifted the topic. “Anyway… Raven has already returned to the Empire,” she informed him, keeping her voice neutral as she watched his reaction.
Aether gave a slight nod. Raven had played an invaluable role in recent events, ensuring that the deadly arrows that could have caused mass destruction were neutralized in time. More than that, she had been the one responsible for getting Helena and the Archpriestess to the battlefield at the perfect moment.
If it weren’t for her speed and quick adaptability, Aether knew things would have been much harder. The timing was everything in battles like these, and Raven had executed her part flawlessly.
Aether let out a deep breath as he stretched, his body gradually adjusting to movement again. He absorbed the information from Celestia while simultaneously processing the flood of updates coming through his puppets’ network.
Once he had gathered enough data, Aether’s lips curled into a smirk, “Alright, let them handle their tasks for now,” he murmured.
“For the moment, I have someone I need to visit.” His grin widened slightly as he leaned closer to Celestia.
“Shall we, Darling~?” he whispered as he suddenly pulled her into his embrace, holding her as if they were about to waltz.
Celestia’s face turned a shade darker as her breath hitched for a brief second before she let out an amused chuckle, “Anytim—HIKK!” Her words were cut off by a sharp gasp as she felt his hand smack her ass once again, this time with a little more force.
Celestia’s eyes immediately welled up as she turned to glare at him, her expression a mix of betrayal and shock. Aether blinked, realizing a little too late that he might have overdone it. ‘I need to hold back next time,’ he thought to himself, suppressing a chuckle.
Without another word, he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss against her lips. “Sorry~” he whispered playfully before, in the next instant, a thick veil of black mist swirled around them. Within seconds, their forms vanished from the room.
…..
Deep within the Zephyra Empire, somewhere deep forest,
Drip…
Drip….
The sound of liquid slowly splattering onto the forest floor echoed through the forest.
Following the source of the sound, one would find something truly unsettling.
There, nailed to the trunk of a towering tree, was a figure.
His body was drenched in blood, his skin marred by bruises and deep gashes. His chest rose and fell in shallow breaths, barely clinging to the fragile thread of life. It was as if something was gnawing at him from the inside, eating away at his very essence.
“Arrhh!” A strangled groan escaped his lips, his voice hoarse and weak.
Alaric’s vision blurred as he struggled to stay conscious, his mind spinning in a haze of pain and confusion. “W-Why…” he muttered, his words barely above a whisper.
Why was this happening to him?
Where had he gone wrong?
What had he done to deserve this fate?
He had fought for what he believed was a better world. He had sacrificed, endured, and followed the path he was given. And yet, here he was, suffering at the hands of something he couldn’t even comprehend.
The only thing that kept him holding on, the single hope burning within his soul, was the belief that his Master would come for him.
Alaric clenched his teeth, his vision growing hazier by the second. He trusted his big brother more than anyone else.
After all, hadn’t they both agreed? Dora’s death had been necessary—it had been for the greater good. Even though it had shattered him inside, he had done what needed to be done.
He had followed orders. He had believed in the cause.
And now, all he could do was wait.
Master would come.
Master would save him.
He just had to endure… a little longer.
“A-And then… I-I will… kill th—”
“For that, you need to be alive, right?”
An indifferent voice sliced through the heavy silence, abruptly interrupting Alaric’s weak, trembling words. His breath hitched, and his bloodshot eyes slowly lifted. Through his blurred vision, clouded by the blood dripping down his face, he could make out two figures walking toward him.
“H-Hey… H-help me…” Alaric gasped, his voice hoarse but tinged with hope. His swollen lips trembled as he looked toward the approaching figures. If they helped him—if they untied him—he could escape. He just needed to hold on a little longer.
“Help you?” A mocking chuckle followed. “That’s rich coming from someone who literally slaughtered his own people.”
Alaric’s body stiffened. Those words… that voice… His blurred vision finally sharpened just enough to catch a glimpse of the man standing before him.
“A-Aether…?”
“Yours truly~” Aether grinned, his expression playful yet unreadable. Then, as if suddenly struck with overwhelming sorrow, he clutched his chest and let out a dramatic sigh. “Oh my… I can’t believe someone would do this to you. How pitiful you look…” His lips quivered as if on the verge of tears, but his eyes glimmered with amusement.
As he spoke, he reached out and patted Alaric’s battered body with sympathy.
Alaric’s teeth clenched, his fingers twitching in rage despite his exhaustion, “Y-You… You’re the one who did this to me, you basta—”
Before he could finish, a violent coughing fit wracked his body, crimson liquid spilling from his lips as pain tore through his already broken form.
“Easy now, easy…” Aether’s voice remained light, almost friendly. “We wouldn’t want you to die too soon, would we?”
He pulled out a high-level healing potion and, without waiting for permission, poured it into Alaric’s mouth. Alaric greedily swallowed, his throat desperate for relief. The cool liquid soothed him momentarily, but he wasn’t naïve—he knew it wouldn’t truly save him.
Kaelen’s venom was already burrowing deep into his body, eating away at his insides like a relentless parasite. The potion could do little more than slow its spread, just enough to keep him alive for now…. And that was all Aether needed.
Moments later, Alaric spat onto the ground and let out a harsh, bitter laugh. Despite his weakened state, he glared at Aether with unwavering defiance. “Don’t think… I’ll tell you anything,” he sneered, his voice slightly stronger now. “I know why you’re keeping me alive… but you’re wasting your time.”
Celestia, who had been silently observing with amusement in her expression vanished, replaced by a cold, piercing gaze. Without warning, she stepped forward, and before Alaric could react—
Slice.
“ARRHH!”
A bloodcurdling scream tore through the forest as agony shot through Alaric’s body.
He looked down in horror—one of his fingers had been severed, fresh blood pouring down his trembling hand.
“You have some nerve,” she said coolly, her voice devoid of emotion. “Is that really how you speak to your king?”
Alaric panted heavily, his vision spinning from the pain. His body shook, but he still managed to glare at her through gritted teeth,
“K-King? What nonsense… are you spewing, woman?” He let out a dry, raspy laugh despite the searing pain in his hand. “You think… just because I’m strung up here like a damned animal, I should suddenly recognize him as a king?” His lips curled into a mocking sneer. “How laughable… Maybe he’s brainwashed you into believing that nonsense. Hah… After all, he’s still nothing more than a pathetic serv—”
SLICE.
Before he could finish his insult, Celestia moved in an instant.
“Arrhffff!”
A muffled scream erupted from Alaric as fresh blood spilt down his chin—his tongue had been cut.
Aether sighed as he reached out and gently patted Celestia’s shoulder. “Calm down, Darling,”
After a few tense seconds, she exhaled and looked away. “Sorry… I just…” She clenched her fists as if forcing herself to regain composure.
“It’s fine,” Aether said with a small, warm smile. He stroked her hair affectionately before shifting his gaze back to Alaric, whose body was shaking violently.
Aether clicked his tongue. “Oh dear… We didn’t want him to bleed out too soon.” He retrieved another healing potion, and then casually poured it into Alaric’s mouth. The severed tongue began regenerating slowly, the blood flow subsiding as the wound closed up.
Aether crouched beside him, resting his chin on one hand,
“Anyway… I’m here to ask you something, Alaric.”
“I’d rather die than help you!”
Aether arched a brow, “Hmm? Is that so?” His lips curled into a slow, wicked grin, his eyes suddenly glowing with a deep, crimson hue, “Let’s see about that…”
Yet—
“What?” Alaric frowned as if nothing happened!
“Huh?”