Prince of The Abyss

...’ This is boring...’

With their plan having Kade killing the goblins, he had nothing to do but wait for him to do so... it made him wonder if this was how he felt whenever he had to wait for him.

He knew that the boy wasn’t going to be able to suddenly be able to use his Will, even if he was now technically in danger. Well, rather, the danger was around him. But he still hoped he could.

There was, of course, another method that had a bigger success chance, that being him risking his life, and Kade having to save him, just like last time.

Aether sighed. ’That’s probably not a good idea.’

Walking over to Kade, he noticed that the boy was examining the goblins carefully, trying his best to fire something just like he had done before, but nothing would work.

”Still no progress, huh?”

The boy nodded, which made Aether wonder... how did people use their Will?

After all, that was what stopped them. Kade had awakened his Will; it wasn’t that it just happened one time and then it disappeared. He had it; he just didn’t know how to use it. That was their problem.

He was able to use it in a moment of pure desperation, but why only then?

...

Aether rubbed his chin. ’To give birth to a Will, you have to have a strong will... that is the only way someone who hadn’t been given one at birth can get one... so then what does that strong Will mean in this whole thing?’

...

Maybe some didn’t see it... But he saw something very interesting... this whole thing... was very similer with his process while getting Eden.

Of course, he wasn’t born with the ability to see souls; shadows were the ones able to do so, but even while being probably the closest thing humanity has to a shadow, he didn’t get that ability at birth.

However, he had a strong soul, or rather one different from a normal soul, one more... free? Was that the word? One that allowed other souls to speak to it...

It was why he was able to awaken Eden, just like having a strong will allowed Kade to awaken the Fire Will.

So maybe if the process of awakening was similar, maybe even using it was similar. To use Eden, he uses his soul, his soul essence, not the essence from his Affinity; those are two different things...

The Reader core was truly complex; he knew this wasn’t important to his theory, but it sometimes surprised him how, in a human, one that isn’t awakened, there are many essence threads ready to be filled once the Affinity comes. All coming from the Core, which also holds your soul, has produced soul energy... that also flowed through your body... though he didn’t have that big of an understanding to know if it used the same threads, after all, in his time inside his body, he had to dive deep inside his canals to find the soul essence inside his body, so he didn’t really know where exactly the soul essence was... but he knew that to use Eden, he had to use it.

But it was such a strange process... since he didn’t use it somewhere inside him, but outside... to see others, his soul has to interact with others, to let his eyes see the world of souls...

Such a complicated process, one he mastered, yet didn’t fully understand... which made him wonder if there was another step after Eden.

But back to Kade, perhaps to use his Will, he had to use his energy, his hope, his feeling, that strong fire that burned deep inside his eyes.

Aether crossed his arms, tapping his elbow with his fingers.

But it was probably different from his in that he had to use it. Rather, he had to use it where he wanted it to come out, like to his hand if he wanted to create something there.

...

Wait, could he do that with his soul?

...

...

”Yeah, that’s a no.”

But maybe for him it will work...

”Close your eyes.”

Kade turned to him in surprise, but one glare from Aether and he had his eyes closed.

”I don’t really know how to explain it, as I don’t even know myself very well how it works, so you’re going to have to do most of it alone... but it’s not like you’re not used to it... However, I want you to concentrate.”

Kade nodded.

”Good, don’t look deep into your body... do you see anything... when you do, try to guide it towards your hand.”

Aether waited, and waited..., but nothing happened. Kade seemed to be trying his best, but nothing... which was probably his fault, after all, his explanation and instructions were very vague; moreover, letting him do everything... he had to think of another way.

”Alright then... think of it this way, your body... is a lake that leads to many rivers... yet sadly, the water is very cold, extremely cold, I mean, it’s unbearable, so there’s no life inside of it... Yet... however, inside the lake, there’s a fire, captive, very hot, but sadly it can’t do anything to heat up the water since it’s inside a cage... find it, search the waters until you find it.”

In a state of emergency... your body tries its best to do anything it can to save you, or the one you love... it may even use a Will deeply hidden inside the body... so rather, everyone is actually born with a Will, but not all are able to use it, not all are naturally gifted at using it.

Which... actually makes sense why the Fire Will Master had been the first to awaken one after birth, because the Will hidden inside of him was strong enough to actually awaken, unlike a weaker one, it was bright enough to find in the dark waters.

...’ What interesting process.’

However, did this mean that if Kade was able to awaken his Will, and maybe even be able to use it after a while... he would actually be really strong? A lowly poor boy from the lowest island in Veyr, where all the trash live... does he have the potential to one day rival the Master of the Fire Will... no, he knew he would, he knew the moment they met, that fire inside of him wasn’t normal, it might even be bigger than his.

...

”I...I see something.”

Aether instantly turned his attention back to Kade... had he actually done it, had he found that fire deep inside the waters.

”Alright... don’t panic, that’s the first thing... then slowly, try to guide that fire down the river you want to heat up, slowly, don’t rush.”

It was impressive, to think that he would be able to find something probably buried so deep inside... he had done it faster than he had found his soul... though that may be different from a Will... it’s not like he could ever know, after all, he can’t ever get a Will, since he isn’t from this world.

However, it wasn’t like it was done... it was only now starting, after all, finding something static is not impossible, but keeping track of something while moving down a fast river, flowing with the current, it’s hard to keep your full attention on it, to not lose yourself.

Aether turned to look at the goblins, who look to have started making a fire, since night was coming, that was how long they have been trying to do this... and it was a good idea to have it done by tonight, since they needed a place to rest, and they couldn’t sleep next to a goblin camp, if they caught them while they were asleep, they were dead... so they needed to kill them first.

...

”Huh?”

Aether rubbed his arm, feeling as if it was suddenly almost burning... that was when he saw a light in the corner of his eye.

”Um, Aether... what now?”

Aether’s eyes widened as he turned his head to see a massive ball of fire coming from the boy’s hand.

Had he really done it? He didn’t believe it... he knew the boy had potential, but to be able to do it on his first time, he was special, and he meant really special.

”Now? You throw it at the goblins before they come and attack us...”

...

...

”And how do I throw it?”

Aether blinked twice, with a small smile on his face, one that wished the boy was trying to make a bad joke right now... but at the same time, he knew deep inside he wasn’t... he hadn’t though this far... if he had to say he probably had to do something similer as how he uses Eden, but at the same time, they didn’t have time to do that, if they didn’t let go of the ball now, the golbins would see it.

”Well, shit.”