Prince of The Abyss

”I heard a rumor.” He leaned forward, staring the man right in his eyes. With a cocky smile bright on his face. Was he tied up to a chair? Was he scared for his life right now? Yes was the answer to both questions, but that didn’t mean he was going to act like it.

The man dug his elbow into his thigh and put his face into his palm. ”Oh? And what kind of rumor would that be? And chose your words carefully, we aren’t really fans of rumors.” The man laughed.

But of course they did, they were in full control after all, I mean, he was outnumbered, and not only that, he was tied to a chair, now of course, these ropes weren’t going to do anything. They didn’t know that.

But how could they? In their eyes... his mark was just a drawing, not something that hid a powerful blade.

If something happened, he was going to cut the rope and get out; he wasn’t going to risk his life for this. But only in an emergency, after all, if he did cut the ropes, they would definitely attack him, and again, he was outnumbered, and he had no idea how strong these guys were. But he did know that they somehow got information about how to harm Denial from someone who was able to beat him.

They couldn’t be weak.

Plus, if he were tied up and acted like he couldn’t get out, they would be less likely to age, think he is weak, and maybe he could get what he wanted easier.

He had lived through Frozen Crown by being considered weak, not that he wasn’t, he just had a blade and a path that were intentionally created to kill the people he fought.

”Mhm, a rumor. About the fact that you guys know how to harm Denial, is that right?”

The man raised one of his eyebrows, slightly confused. Which also surprised Aether, were these guys not the people he was looking for... that would be embarrassing, and kinda bad, since it would mean he was going to find a way to get out of this place.

And also then he would have to try and find the actual people he was looking for again.

”That was not the rumor I was expecting... but yes. It is true... but what makes me wonder is how you got to know that Denial is up there.”

Well, that was simple; he just challenged the trial, but... the thing was that he didn’t know if he should tell them that. After all, if he wanted information, he shouldn’t give out so much himself. It was insanely valuable.

Plus, if he told them that, they would question him about how he got out. And that was even more valuable information.

...

But wait... couldn’t he try to exchange that information? After all, even if he told them, it wouldn’t help; after all, they didn’t have Voidpiercer, and they weren’t a Vessel of the Abyss, not that it was normally a good thing, just for the time, it was willing to help him.

”Well, I challenged the Trial, isn’t it obvious?”

The man didn’t even let his finish before he scoffed, and his grin returned to his face.

”Yeah, not a good liar are you? If you were really inside, you wouldn’t have been able to get out... I mean, you’re not seriously saying that?”

The man stared into Aether’s eyes, trying his best to tell if he was lying, to try and catch him in the act, but he didn’t see any dishonesty in his eyes. But how was that even possible? Not many were able to get out of Denial’s trial, and those who did ascended, they didn’t leave the trial.

No one has left the trial without their hope crushed, and once that happened, you never got back up.

So how?

”...How on earth would a brat like you be able to get out...”

Aether pouted, or at least tried, since after he burst out in laughter, he had tried to act annoyed, but he just couldn’t imagine himself doing something as pouting anymore.

”Well, why would I tell you? I mean, it’s valuable information, no?”

The man scoffed; he knew that this was bait, but he couldn’t handle the temptation to bite.

”Alright, kid, we’ll tell you what you want to know about harming Denial, if we find your information useful.” He smiled.

Aether smirked.

”Well, it’s quite simple, or at least for someone as great as me. You just break out of that bastard’s illusion by getting a little angry and using something that could break the world, try a blade. And then you break the wall and jump down. Simple, right?”

The man’s smile instantly turned upside down, not into a frown, but into a face that screamed:

”Are you serious?”

”So do I get my information now?” Aether grinned; he knew the information wasn’t useful, after all, like he had said, they didn’t have the things to do it. So in the end, it was only valuable to him.”

The man looked into his eyes, almost trying to see if he was serious. But again, he didn’t see any dishonour in his eyes.

”Of course”

”Thank you-”

”Not.”

Aether continued to smile for around five seconds before it completely fell to the ground as if the gravity had been intensified by ten.

”What did you say?”

”You heard me, kid. I mean, what even was this information of yours? Do you think this is a joke?”

Aether frowned, leaning back into his chair.

”Ugh, fine. What do you want? I just need that information. I’ll do anything.”

The man didn’t respond, thinking of something, and after a while, he gave him an evil grin, which made the hairs on his skin rise up.

”Are you a good fighter?”

”No!”

He responded immediately, trying to make him think of something else. And plus, he wasn’t even lying, he wasn’t. Voidpiecer did everything; he hardly even knew how to use a rapier. He just freestyled; he didn’t have a proper technique.

”Well, if you do or not. In exchange for the information you want... we want the heart of one a statue.”

Aether blinked twice, as in the statues that could crush stone without even trying, the one he said to stay away from, those very same statues.

’Just my luck.’

Aether meled in his chair. He knew this was bad, after all, he had no idea how to beat one of those guys, but after all, he didn’t have any other way. He needed this information about most, and maybe he could find a way to beat one of those guys. He figured out how to beat the Queen, and he had no idea what he was doing when he fought her.

Plus, he didn’t have time.

Now, he had time to study the statue.

He could try to learn their movements, how they fought, and their weaknesses.

Aether looked up at the ceiling, really wondering if he was going to do this.

...

”How do you know you just won’t tell me after I do this?”

The nooked, he knew that Aether’s concern was justifiable.

”I’ll do an oath.”

Aether’s eyes widened.

”An oath?”

The man got a piece of paper and started to draw a weird symbol on it.

”Yes, an oath, never heard of one?”

Aether shook his head. ”No, I haven’t.” Maybe because he wasn’t from this world!

”Strange, either way, oaths are really powerful; most use them for power, but you could also do it for deals like this one.”

He stabbed his finger with a needle and let the blood fall on the paper, as it then started to glow.

”I vow to provide all the information needed for this young man’s wishes, in exchange for a heart that comes from a statue.”

As he finished, the ink on the paper became bright red, the same as the color of his blood. Marking the continuation of the contract.

”So, does that satisfy you?”

Aether stared for a second. He didn’t know what these oaths were, but they were really convininet, also, he heard that they could also make you stronger; he was going to have to check that. Of course, it wouldn’t transfer to the outside world, but still.

”Yes, it does.”

The man nodded before standing up.

”Let me untie you first.”

But before he could, Aether called out to him.

”There’s no need to do that.”

The man tilted his head in confusion, not understanding why the boy had stopped him. But then he saw the rope fall to the ground.

His jaw fell to the ground, staring at the boy in utter confusion.

”How.. how on earth did you do that?”

Aether smirked, very proud of himself and his little trick. He had used Voidpiercer; it was simple, he hadn’t done anything special, but they weren’t aware of his blade’s existence.

”Magic.”

Now... how on earth was he going to steal the heart of a giant rock being that could crush him before he could even realize what happened.