"Aether stared into the man's eyes with an intensity that should have been a warning, but the fae's arrogance blinded him to the danger. He tried to push further—and the moment he did, Aether suddenly blacked out"
"He woke later in Scar's cabin. Scar was busy organizing items on the other side of the room, while Emily—unusually—was deeply engrossed in reading the Hero's Guide. Aether was baffled; Emily usually avoided reading at all costs."
"Noticing he was awake, Emily rushed over to check his eyes and assess his awareness. A moment later, Aether's eyes flew open fully, and he looked down at himself in a panic. His body ached strangely—not unbearable, but a deep, persistent fatigue, like he'd been through intense physical strain"
"What are you doing?! And how did that book end up in your hands? You can barely stand the sight of paper! Wait... Where's Claire?"
Emily flushed, both from the accusation and the realization that she'd let her concern show so openly. She replied in an irritated tone, trying to shut down his rapid-fire questions:
"Stop throwing questions around, you idiot, and just listen to us first!"
Her sharp tone silenced him. Scar sighed nearby and added calmly:
"Listen to her, boy. You almost got us into serious trouble back at the crossing."
Aether fell silent, though confusion still clouded his features. Emily began with a simple question
"Alright, what's the last thing you remember?"
"...I remember us entering the crossing... and I think some guy tried to touch you or something? Yeah, that's it. After that, nothing."
"Well, that was a full day ago, for your information. You're right about what happened, but... you really don't remember anything else?"
"No. Why? What happened?"
Emily glanced uncertainly at Scar, who continued cleaning his knife with a detached calm.
"I told you... he wouldn't remember. Go on, tell him."
"Okay... Listen carefully, Aether. After that guy tried to grab me, you got angrier the more he provoked you. Then... I think rage took over. Your eyes turned completely black. What was even stranger was that the guy you were holding looked into your eyes and dared to say, 'So you have an aura too?' But the next moment, pure terror filled his face and he ran away from the crossing like he'd seen a ghost or a monster.
Then you turned to us. Your voice was rough and unfamiliar. We asked if you were okay, but you answered in this strange voice: 'Are you his friends? Don't worry about that fool—my aura scared him off, that's all. Now take good care of Aether. Don't let strangers near him.'
After that, the blackness faded from your eyes, and you collapsed. We brought you back here after getting what we needed from the crossing. Claire... she said she had to go. She told us she'd look into what happened to you using the palace library—she believes there might be records about this kind of... episode. She said she'd plan a way to get you inside later."
"Aether nodded slowly, processing everything they had told him. Before he could speak, his stomach growled loudly—a sharp reminder that he hadn't eaten since the previous day. Scar brought over a bowl of steaming soup and handed it to him."
"This will help restore your energy. You need to regain your strength before we face danger again."
Aether accepted the bowl quietly, his eyes shifting worriedly between Emily and Scar before he finally spoke:
"Alright... what's the plan now, exactly? You haven't told us much except that you want something called 'hope energy,' if I remember correctly. What did you mean by that?"
Scar sat down on the floor, his gaze steady as he looked at Aether:
"I explained it to Emily while you were out, but I'll go over it again so you understand.
I was summoned as the Hero of Nivar, and as I said, there was no enemy—until Shadow appeared. He was... a part of me. The legend of the Hero of Nivar states that once the hero masters the four stages of magic—'Chaos,' 'Combat,' 'Negotiation,' and 'Peace'—they must journey to a gate in the northern lands known as the 'Gate of Written Fate.'
Only the hero can open this gate. Once inside, they gain limited access to the Five Threads of Destiny: 'Sorrow,' 'Joy,' 'Tragedy,' 'Surprise,' and the final one, 'Deviation'—which represent the phases of every living being's life. With this access, the hero can alter the destiny of the villain of their era, stopping them before they fall completely into darkness. The hero can then live a normal life, free from the burden of battle.
However, when I reached the gate… it only opened partially. My spirit was incomplete—Shadow had separated from me. That's why I can't enter now. And that's also why I summoned you in the first place."
"Aether nodded slowly, absorbing Scar's words. He looked down at the Hero's Guide in his hands, then back at Scar with a determined yet confused expression."
"Alright... so we need to train in the four stages of magic, right?
"Scar gestured to the book Emily had been reading—the Hero's Guide. Aether opened it to the page titled 'Chaos' and read aloud"
"The first trial: 'Chaos.' You must first be strong enough to summon your personal weapon by whispering the following symbol: 'Blade.'"
Aether looked up at Scar, who replied calmly:
"Don't ask me about this... Everything in that book relates to you alone. I have no knowledge of it, but what you just read is correct. Go on, try it."
Aether raised an eyebrow, glanced at Emily, then looked down at his hand and whispered:
"Blade."
"Suddenly, a scythe materialized out of thin air and embedded itself into the ground with a terrifying roar. Emily gasped and hid behind Aether, while Scar trembled slightly. Aether, however, remained eerily calm. He approached the scythe without a word, gripped its handle, and spoke in a rough, unfamiliar voice"
"Well, Aether... don't misuse this weapon."
"He then turned to Emily and Scar—they realized it wasn't Aether speaking. The entity inside him addressed Scar directly"
"You, boy... train him to use the Crimson Scythe."
"That name froze the blood in Scar's veins. He nodded hastily just as the black glow in Aether's eyes faded. Aether stumbled to his knees, leaning against the scythe lodged in the ground, panting heavily"
"Dammit, Theer... Was it necessary to throw me out like that?"