The darkened space around Arthur and Aether warped. Ten, maybe fifteen feet ahead, a spiral of blinding white light distorted the air. A being shrouded in flowing silver emerged, hiding behind the veil. No eyes. No mouth. No form beneath the cloth, only presence. No footsteps. No sound. Not even a breath. Only silence.
It lifted its invisible hand that soon looked pale, lifeless, yet unwavering. And in its palm lay a small marble that emitted an almost blinding purple light.
"Time's stopped…did you do it?" Aether asked Arthur, standing in alert. His focus was fully on the being that emerged from the thin air.
"It was integral." Arthur replied in a grim tone, the excitement on his face gone, replaced by a dead serious look. Both their cloaks remained still in the air, the dust and the rocks of the moon froze mid air.
Arthur took a few steps forward, while Aether remained still in his place and observed the being in silence, his gray eyes following every movement done by it quietly.
"You didn't take too long… it's impressive how you managed to get what I wanted." Arthur whispered once he was close to the being, its hand still stretched out towards Arthur. It held the marble and it kept glowing, even though the time was stopped which made Arthur frown a bit.
"Even with time frozen... it still glows? Impressive." With a thoughtful look, he lifted his hand and took the bright purple marble in the palm of his hand. It was then when Arthur felt that as his soul was being squeezed by some kind of unseen force. He let out a shaky breath and looked at the marble, it still surrounded his hand with its energy even though the flow of time was stopped.
Closing his fingers around the marble, he felt a ridiculous amount of discrepancy between him and the marble. It was strange. When he looked back at the being, he felt that same feeling chasing after him.
His hand trembled slightly as he opened the fingers again, looking at the marble with a hint of apprehension.
The being cloaked in flowing silver pulled back his hand, disappearing as it went back and only the silver cloak remained wrapped around an unseen body.
"Beware... the core holds power no mind can fathom, no mind can tame… Child of Fate… I hope you put it into good use." Arthur flinched as he heard a voice that sounded familiar to Aether, but it held no human emotions or warmth. Slowly, his gaze rose towards the being and nodded grimly.
'What's with that ridiculous name?'' Arthur thought, feeling a bit weird about the name. It was that moment when Arthur realised that voice rang through his head and it never spoke directly to him.
'I… thought it never spoke… So why?'
The silver cloak disappeared without creating any disturbance, as if it wasn't even there to begin with. The rocks and moon dust that froze mid air started floating again. Both their cloaks draped back.
"You've started the flow of time again I suppose?" Aether asked gently, his shoulders visibly relaxing.
"Yes. The time is only stopped to a certain degree around my hand. Come here, take a look." Arthur replied, as he gazed at the marble. He still felt anxious about that being speaking but couldn't help the satisfaction that was creeping into him.
Aether was silent for a moment and then let out a relieved sigh, taking a few steps closer to him until he was beside Arthur. A hint of curiosity flickered across his face as his eyes traced the marble intently. He swallowed softly as he felt the overwhelming pressure from it and said, "What is it?"
"The marble of genesis. It's the very core of the betelgeuse."
"The very core of the... betelgeuse..." Aether whispered softly, trying to wrap his head around the situation.
Hearing his whisper, Arthur chuckled and shook his head. "Don't worry, I know how to handle it."
Aether was silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on the marble but then nodded.
"But what was that thing?" Aether asked curiously.
"The Soundless, that's all I know about it..." He paused for a moment and then added with a smirk, "Don't worry younger brother, you know I can even have ties with devils."
Aether huffed at his arrogant words, shaking his head in amusement. He watched as Arthur closed his fingers around the marble again and watched it disappear, the residual energy lingered around his hand for a moment before disappearing completely. He didn't question where it went, perhaps he already knew...?
But one thing was definitely plaguing his mind. Why the hell did he call it The Soundless? What was the reason? He wanted to ask but decided against him since they had other important things to do at the moment.
For a moment, they stood in silence, looking down at Arthur's now-empty hand. After a short pause, Aether broke the silence. "We're going to be late there."
Arthur grimaced at his words and let out a long sigh, shoving his hands in the pockets of his white, pristine pants. "Yeah, we should go."
Aether nodded in return, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Let's go then. We might already be late but at least we could still discuss what "she" told us to do."
"Yes. That's right. Though I wonder if we'd be able to arrive at the banquet in time." Arthur then lifted a hand and a portal tore open before them, spilling blue light into the emptiness of space.
The moment after, they both were gone. The portal itself disappeared swiftly.
VOID~
The balcony stretched from the royal wing's second floor, carved from old stone and framed by arches worn by wind and time. Below, waves crashed against the fortified base of the castle, thick slabs of ancient brick, darkened by the salt and storms of centuries.
The ocean was endless from here. Its waves always crashed against the base of the castle relentlessly, but that sound was sometimes soothing, sometimes not, but alive, moving, roaring in the distance like a beast with no name.
Void stood still, his figure draped in a long, ornate Duke's coat. Deep navy, silver-threaded patterns that flickered like constellations when touched by the moonlight, half-washed in candlelight, half-soaked in moonlight. The glass of red wine in his hand tilted, catching a fragment of the stars… yet untouched.
Behind him, crimson curtains swayed gently, their folds glowing gold under flickering candlelight. The soft rustle of fabric, the rhythmic crashing of the sea… and silence.
His midnight hair, long and shadow-woven, shifted like liquid midnight as the wind brushed past, crimson eyes that looked like two gems of ruby, glowing with a subtle, calm radiance.
"Ah, I'm so tired." He mused to himself in a half exhausted tone. The events from earlier hadn't been so easy after all.
The glass of wine held in his hand was untouched. And the smell of aroma filled his nostrils.
"Still don't drink…" A soft voice followed his ears, He didn't need to turn to know who it was. He felt it, like the sea felt the pull of the moon. It had been a long time since he had heard that voice and he couldn't help the way the corner of his lips curled up.
The person stepped into the light, white hair catching the gold like winter catching fire. The waves didn't stop, but for a moment, it felt like everything else did to him. A small smile cracked at the corner of his lips as he replied in a gentle and polite tone.
"Well I thought it'd be better if I had someone to accompany me in this desolate space."
The figure appeared from the room, now standing beside him. A girl who looked like she was in her twenties— her figure neither too small nor tall, but resting gently above the average. Slim and graceful, like someone carved out of snow with hands that understood silence better than words.
Her hair looked finer than freshly fallen snow, spilled like silver silk across her shoulder, icy white, yet warm in its quiet shimmer. And then her eyes… Two deep blue crystals, catching the crescent moon's light like a still lake beneath the stars. Eyes that didn't need to speak to be heard.
Her skin was delicate and pale, not sickly, but soft like untouched snow. The kind of softness that felt unreachable, like a winter dream you'd never want to wake up from.
"Well, now you're not. But why did you say that, though?"
She asked, her gaze falling down at sight of him holding the glass of wine that was yet to be touched. Her gaze soon followed to his face, a delicate smile formed on her face.
"It is lonely when you don't have the person beside you…" He paused for a moment and then added, "who you have deeply engraved in your heart…"
Void's voice came out softer than intended, his gaze fixed on the stars. The wind disrupted their conversation, making him shiver slightly.
The girl stood there silently as she listened to him, the smile on her face soon turned melancholic for some reason. Letting out a shaky breath, she said, "I know… you don't have to tell me about that person, so that I already know who it is."
Void let out a weary chuckle and broke his gaze, drifting towards her. The subtle frown on his face told the exhaustion that was evident on his face. Their eyes locking with each other, as a comfortable silence fell for a moment between them. After several seconds, Void broke the silence. "How have you been… Charlotte…?"
Charlotte's eyes sparkled under the blue light of the crescent moon, and the look on her face made Void's heart skip a bit. He waited as she replied after a short pause. "I've been fine. How about you…Void?"
Void let out a sigh and gazed at her face for a moment. Despite the exhaustion, his smile never wavered. He didn't like it when people were close to him or talked to him too much, but it was different with Charlotte. It was because she was someone who was close to him, very close…
"I've been fine as well. It's been almost six months since the last time we met, huh?" Void replied.
Charlotte chuckled, nodding her head. "Rose's father held a royal banquet, so it was obvious that he'd invite us well."
"Royal privileges." He snorted and let out a soft scoff.
Charlotte looked at him, amused. "Lean down a bit, you're ridiculously tall." Void gave her an unamused look but obeyed nonetheless. She wasn't really that short from him, she could reach out if she wanted to touch him… but where was the fun in that?
Pondering for a moment, he set the glass of wine aside, on the edge of the wall and leaned down forward towards her. "Yes, what is it, milady?" The sarcasm in his tone wasn't lost to her.
Charlotte lifted her hand up, pinching his cheek gently. "You could've come to meet me, yet here you were, waiting like always. You shouldn't do that to a lady, you buffoon."
She spoke as though annoyed, but her words held no real heat behind them. This was quite familiar to Void, but not now. It was rare to even see her now, which made his heart ache with a sense of helplessness.
Despite everything, Void couldn't help but let out a chuckle, feigning hurt. "That's so rude, milady…" He let out a sigh before continuing again. "Even if I wanted to… I couldn't."
His gaze fell on her face, noticing how close they were. For a moment, he was lost in thought, and after a long pause, he continued. "You're a Princess of another continent. And I'm just a knight serving a Princess of another… I just didn't want to get you in trouble, or in any kind of gossip."
"I know… I just wanted to lighten up the mood a bit." Charlotte spoke, her voice tinged with longing. It was not everyday that they got to see each other after all. She caressed the spot on his cheek where she had pinched him in a silent apology.
Void's eyes widened a bit before he closed them and leaned into her touch ever so slightly. Relishing the ever-so-rare moment with her.
After a moment, she slowly, reluctantly withdrew her hand, not wanting to get them both into trouble if anyone saw them together. Letting out a sigh, she spoke softly. She leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows on the edge of the wall and rested her face in her hands.
Void watched her every movement, his heart feeling full just with such a simple moment. 'It's not simple for me.' Watching as her gaze followed the crescent moon, that looked lonely— but it wasn't, it was accompanied by the stars, even if they weren't close by. They were there.
Void gazed at the ethereal scenario unfolding in front of him, a certain ache in his heart that would always flicker for some reason whenever he was with her.
He didn't speak, no words were needed. Following her gaze and slowly looking at the dark sea in front of them, the sound of the waves creating a soothing symphony, he closed his eyes for a moment, his hand coming up to touch his cheek where she had pinched and caressed him. His heart was strangely calm.
For a moment, they both stayed silent. A comfortable silence fell between them and they both stood in each other's presence, the distance wasn't enough between them, yet they were still too far away from each other. Just like the setting sun and the sea.
Charlotte glanced at him from the corner of her eye, a delicate smile forming on her face. She gazed back at the moon and spoke.
"Rose told me what happened today."
Void's gaze snapped, his focus on her now. He nodded and leaned against the wall beside her, a certain distance between them, not much, but it was there.
"Did she, now?"
Charlotte nodded. "Yes, she did. You were pretty belligerent towards the guy, huh?" She asked, her crystal blue eyes slowly finding their way towards his face.
Void scoffed and held a sarcastic retort back, but alas… "A commoner is a commoner, just like a snake is a snake. No matter what you do, how much you've cared for it…it'll still try to bite you."
"Hmm. Not everyone is the same, you know?" Her gaze followed his eyes, looking into the distant dark sea, and she continued. "Just because a few were…it doesn't signify that everyone is. Do you understand me, Void?"
"I know…but I can't help but be cautious. Who knows what his intentions might be towards Lady Rose. I can't let the same thing happen to her either… I still regret not being there that day…" He clenched his fists, though he remained composed, his voice turning melancholic. "She's barely above 17…"
Charlotte's expression softened ever so slightly, she covered his clenched first with her delicate hand. "You're quite the assiduous moron, huh?" She sighed, giving his hand a gentle squeeze that seemed to melt under her touch. "Gray, was it? She told me about him…and it doesn't seem like he's that type of guy… You need to know how to trust other people's judgement, Void…"
He gazed down at their joined hands. Fervent, he sighed, a bit reluctant to admit that she was right. "I suppose… you're right, but I just can't help it, you know? Not after everything that has happened before…"
"I know. But just this once, trust her judgment." He was reluctant, he didn't want to. He didn't want to make the same mistake again. But… "Sigh. I suppose I can. I was acting impetuously, huh?"
His reply sounded mellifluous to her, calming her a bit. "Thats good, you should also apologize to him when you get the chance." She smiled, a chuckle escaping her lips.
Void scoffed, trying to stop the way the corner of his lips curled at her laughter. "Yeah, sure… whatever you say, mildly." His gaze flickered back to the untouched wine glass. He sighed and picked it up, bringing it to his lips.
"Though… there was something about him. Something felt wrong with that boy…"
The snowy-haired girl looked at him, following every movement.
Her expression shifted to thoughtful, then confused. "What do you mean by that?" she asked, watching him as he took a sip.
"Don't be furtive. Tell me something, will you…?"
His expression grew more austere. Taking a few more sips, he finally spoke."It's like… he isn't even alive. Like he's hollow from the inside. The first time I stood near him… I didn't feel his mana core at all. There was no flow of magic around his body. Just a dark abyss that…"
Charlotte fell silent, her eyes widening ever so slightly at his words.
Magic and mana cores were what signified a person's worth in this world , and hearing that he didn't have a mana core or magic at all…startled her.
"Are… are you being serious?" she whispered, holding her breath.
The knight nodded, sipping his wine again.
"Yes. Hard to believe…I wonder if he even knows he has no talent for magic."
Charlotte nodded slowly, a hint of realization blooming."I see."
Void's fingers tightened around the glass. "But that wasn't the strangest part," he said. "It wasn't emptiness I felt inside him…It was movement. Like something was stirring in the dark. A presence that felt...It's indescribable. But it weighed on me."
A faint chill ran down Charlotte's spine.
"I don't think Rose felt it," he continued,
"since she's still in her mana core developing stage…But the king definitely sensed it…"
"…I hope everything stays fine," She murmured.
Both of them fell silent, gazing at the dark sea above them. The sea wasn't silent, but they were.
Void sighed softly and finished his wine, setting the glass aside. "I hope so, too…let's just enjoy the ephemeral moment for now."
Charlotte nodded, a soft smile flickering across her face, she replied gently. "Mhm…let's do that. But you better apologize to him soon. Hehe."
Void smiled and gazed at her face. "Yeah, yeah…I will."
The wind breeze was slightly cold due to the ocean, but masked by the warmth of the room and their presence. Like a person standing in front of the empty furnace— everything around them was like a blur at that moment, all that mattered was they both, each other.
GRAY~
Standing outside a building that looked like a herbalist shop in a thin alley, Gray pondered for a moment. "Ugh…I came back a little too late after the time I spent with her… I don't know if I'll even survive Miss Rebecca's scolding."
Gray talked to himself. He felt a hand on his shoulder from behind, and it sent a chill run down his spine. "Welcome back Gray…"
'Oh, heavens…save me.'