Prince of The Abyss

...

”It’s like looking in a mirror, isn’t it?”

Aether laughed, staring at himself. But behind his cheerful laugh was a deep madness, a rage he couldn’t control for much longer.

”Not really, we are two different beings with the same appearance. Not the same person.”

Aether rolled his eyes at his comment. He expected him to be the smartass type of guy, but he really hoped he was wrong.

The Voidpiercer Wound... this was how its manifestation looked, a copy of himself. But only a copy. Its eyes were darker; if he had to describe it, it was like a pure child that had been darkened by sin and anger. Ironic, isn’t it, since he himself fit that description too.

His hair didn’t have as much color as his did; it was less saturated. And his pin looked to be rusted.

Yet, he still looked like a perfectly made clone when it came to his face and body.

”Why am I even here, though? Last time, you just gave me your power.”

His blade sighed, circling around him slowly, with its hand behind its back.

”Last time, you only called for a little of my power, and my rage wasn’t so powerful, so I just gave it to you. But it isn’t the case now?”

If he remembered correctly, the last time he called for its rage was when he first fought The Ace, to be able to pierce his skin. It was the first and only time he had done it until now, and so he didn’t know how to use it. He was also not really mad at that time, and the only thing that had happened was that Guliot had brought him to his knees for some seconds while putting pressure on his shoulder.

But this time, he had been humiliated, mocked by even the shadows, and been called a dog. And by someone he wished to kill so dearly, to rip to shreds.

”So tell me, why should I give you my power, after you disappointed me, and fell so dishonorable?”

The blade stopped in front of him, staring into his eyes, awaiting an answer. One that would determine if he was going to help or not.

...

Aether smirked, raising his head slightly.

”I don’t need a reason. I’ll find a way to kill that guy. I hate him, and I know you do too. If you won’t help me, then whatever, I won’t give up.”

He knew there wasn’t another way, so in reality, he really hoped that it would decide to help him. Should he have said something else? Maybe he should have tried to actually make a reason or something.

Voidpiercer’s eyes widened as he paused with his jaw opened slightly; its eyes didn’t move a bit, not until its whole face curled into a wicked and cocky grimace.

”Without me, huh? Such a bold answer... I love it! Just what I wanted to hear! You say that you want to kill him, right? Very well, I’ll grant you my rage.”

...

”Use it wisely.”

...

...

His grip around his blade tightened as he jerked up on his feet. Making Mors stagger slightly from surprise. It was impressive for someone to get up so fast after being hit by his attack. It made him nervous, only a little, but even a fragment could matter, so he tried to get himself together.

Aether felt a wave of power flow through his blood, yet it felt so natural. He could breathe clearly, without any inconvenience, and the air itself seemed to be a lot more refreshing with each breath. His reflexes were through the room, alongside his senses.

Except for his hearing, since his eardrums hadn’t recovered.

There was a clear difference between what he felt the first time to now. Everything was clearer, like the world wasn’t trying to hide itself from him anymore. It was strange... but addicting.

He smiled as he dashed towards Mors, setting the sword back, pointed and aimed like a spear, waiting to strike. It had been the same attack as before, he had done the same thing, and yet he felt faster, as if the wind was carrying him around, instead of trying to stop him.

The Eight gritted his teeth slightly, seeing him fully recovered from his attack. He cleared his throat, letting out another eerie shriek that could make glass break.

As it reached Aether, it made him stop in his tracks, but only for a second or two, as he continued what he was doing before.

Seeing that his attack had done nothing, Mors cursed, gesturing with his hands for some black tentacles to come up from the ground and wrap around his feet.

Aether looked down to see that they were made from the same thing that had stopped him from saving Elpis that day.

”You see, Aether, while I had an ability before my path, it only made it so it was harder for me to gain another related to it. And not even now do I have one, so I asked the Queen for help, and she allowed me to use her power, the Abyss-”

His eyes widened as they looked at the flying blade. Mor’s cursed, as the sound of the chain attached to it echoed into the air as they slashed the air. He couldn’t dodge; he was too close to it.

So he let go of Aether’s feet and commanded the tentecles to stop the blade. And they had done it just in time, just when the tip of the blade was about to touch him.

”I didn’t expect you to throw your blade, but I wonder what you are going to do now.”

He smiled, cockily so, like always, like he wasn’t about to die just a moment ago.

But as the grip of the tentacles tightened, they seemed to be cut by the blade. Which made his raises one of his brows. And before he knew it, Aether flung his arm, making the blade slice through them, and then retreat back into his hand, the chains being swallowed by his marks slowly.

As he was already rushing to him.

”Damn, can you give me time to catch my breath?”

Mors said as he summoned a blade, he slid his right foot behind, and he clenched the hilt of his blade with both hands. He waited as Aether drew his sword back and thrusted it. He smirked as he positioned his blade so the tip of The Fool would hit right into the fuller.

But as the blade drew close, it suddenly retreated into the chains. In the fraction of a second, his eyes widened as Aether was left empty-handed, reaching towards his blade. In the blink of an eye, The Fool put his hands around the hilt of his blade and threw it away.

”You are really unpredictable, you know that?”

Mors didn’t let himself be scared by the fact that his blade was thrown away, and instead took it as an opportunity, as it also meant that Aether would be wide open. He clenched his fist and punched him in his face. Or at least tried to, since as his fist was about to hit him, Aether’s hand came from below and redirected it so it would miss him last second.

The Fool backed away, his sword coming out of his mark, as he threw it right into his chest. He tried to use the tentacles yet again, but they didn’t respond. It was as if they didn’t recognize him as their master.

...”Shit.”

He said as the blade pierced his chest.

Slowly, he felt his knees weaken as he could hardly keep his balance. But hey, he wasn’t going to die by this... right? He couldn’t; it didn’t matter if he was stabbed right in his chest, it was still just a blade wielded by a reader.

He glanced up, but instead of seeing Aether, he saw someone familiar, someone he had known since he was a child.

”Elpis?... But how?”

Was it a hallucination? Those eyes filled with conviction and honor could never be replicated by anything. So how was he here... he was dead, and he should stay that way! So how had he escaped death?

Elpis put his hand on his face, as if trying to take off a mask, and he somehow did. Out of nowhere, a half mask of a Fool appeared, and behind it stood Aether, with his blue eyes, like a troubled ocean.

”I wished for you to see your brother before you died. That way, you know who this is for. For whom you shall die.”

...

”You know, you sure criticize me a lot for killing my brother. But do you not wish to do the same thing? It’s kind of hypothetical, you know? You’re a poor excuse for a vessel, you know that, right, Aether?”

....

...

[You have killed a Bearer Devil, The Eight]

[Your knowledge grows stronger.]

[You have gained a relic]

...

”What?”