ATREUS
I stand atop the desert of arcane red sand never known my father and as of recently I watched as my mother and my friends mothers get eaten alive by the Abysal ones. Our teacher rotting somewhere in this forsaken place.
But I sharpened by hate and strengthened by bonds step forward into the maw of a long dead god to see the dawn.
"Its safe now Jin." I rasped it seems that my voice hasn't recovered from the screaming I did two days ago.
My shadow in the shape of my small frame disperses into different small shapes. said small shapes were my friends my comrades as Tatiana's mother would say these small bandaged individuals were the most important thing to me.
We are all dressed in grey rags and white bandages with the only visible parts of our bodies being our eyes and hair.
"Is this the place Alpha?" Jin asked with a tired voice Alpha is my nickname that my mother gave. And only a few of my friends call me by my given name.
I look at Jin he is tired and could not blame him for being tired after all his shadow magic is the only one that can hide us from the Abysal ones. He wont be any use in fight now.
'I'll have Issei and Rachel flank him for his safety.'
I look at Jin and reply.
"W1ho knows maybe this is the end for us all...but if Mr World is right the eyes and the maw should be the..." I trailed of.
But Jin merely nodded. "I get it lets just hope that Arthur and Tenma stay safe."
"Speaking of safety." I began looking at the boy on Jin's back. "How's the hero doing."
Jin grimaced and looked at the girl standing next to him the girl with yellow hair and brown eyes smiled.
"Don't worry Ben is still breathing but his out of mana....so he'll be asleep for the whole journey I think." I sighed I need Ben no we all need him not because of his cool metal magic but because of his confidence when it come to well everything.
At that moment a gentle hand grabbed my shoulder. I look to my right to see a grinning boy with brown hair and green eyes.
"Don't worry boyo you still have me and Rachel if you wanna burn some Abysal bad guys." I nodded at him and moved to face all of my friends in the dark cave I rubbed my hand together flames appeared all my friend stare in wonder my flames which are comprised of different hues like yellow, red and orange the same colour as the dawn.
'Dawn fire.' Its the power that I've inherited from my mother.
"This is it we either die trying to be free or survive to see a new world." I say with "Ire" burning in my heart they all cheer in small voices afraid that the monsters of these cursed lands will hear us.
I move at the front of our group with Jin in the middle with Issei and Rachel flanking him. As we walked our path illuminated by my dawn fire we see different paintings on the carven walls depicting different figures battling or eating with each.
"These must be the gods that mom talked about." I turned to see Raven looking at a wall painting depicting a man dressed in strange black clothing throwing what looked to be a star at a beast with countless arms.
"Rav come back or you might get lost." A teasing voice said.
"Shoosh Rufus or should I say Viole." Raven said sticking his tongue out at Rufus. The golden eyed boy greeted his teeth and said angrily.
"I hate that girly nickname." the boys were bumping foreheads ready to fight as per usual.
'I swear by the lord of Hope if these two idiots get us all killed I will haunt their remaining family as a ghost.' I thought to myself with both amusement and anger.
"Both of you quiet down." Zeke Said with a strong voice the two trouble makers settled down as Zeke and Caera Arthur's sister separated them.
'Like cats and dogs.' That's what Ben's mother had used to describe Rufus and Raven's relationship.
"Adrius stop mocking Rufus and Rufus stop teasing the poor lad." Caera scolded the boys with an icy tone.
Zeke moved to walk beside me and sighed. "I'm sorry about the two fools Atreus." I gave him a nod and he returned it the was no need to say anything because we both understood what needed to be done.
I found that amongst all my friends Zeke is the one I am most similar to firstly we both don't talk much secondly according to Mr World we're the smartest and cool headed of our group but both Zeke and I know that we are no different from our friends we are as scared as them in fact it was me and him who screamed the loudest as our mother were being killed in front of us.
After walking in silence for what seemed to be an hour we finally arrived at the end of our life's journey awaiting for us at the end was a giant black door taller than anything I've ever seen with the only acception being the god's head.
'When you see a black door it'll be Subaru and Tenma who would be the keys to unlocking them.' That's what Mr World had said to us all before we fled for the gods head.
'Poor Mr World his probably rotting in the crimson desert by now.' I think to myself suddenly feeling the urge to cry but I push that feeling down instead I embrace my Ire.
I take a breath and rasp out. "Before Su does his thing we should take a role call." I sighed and began the tedious task.
I decide to rush the role call not without giving anyone a chance to answer.
"Ben, Caera, Issei, Jin, Subaru, Raven, Rachel, Rufus and Zeke."
'Wait there's only ten of us ?' My body shutters with an almost primal furry. But I manage to calm myself and asked through greeted teeth.
"Where's Aether?" Issei gives me an apologetic smile.
"Where." I growled
"Wow calm down his with Arthur's group." Issei says while raising his hands to placate me.
"When!!" I snapped
Jin sighed as if realising a part of his soul from his body.
"I think....its when you were still crying on the way to the gods head he must've snuckout when we went our separate ways with Lin, Tenma and the rest."
'I want to scream I'm in a nightmare.' Why do people like to do stupid things it was the same just a moment ago Rufus and Raven's argument could have attracted a Demonic or Abysal horror I am breathing a little harder now I might collapse I'm seeing stars the dawn fire on hand is fading slightly.
"Aether could be dead by now." I whispered to nobody in particular.
"Calm down Atreus." Zeke says trying to console me but how could I be calm when Aether could be dead in the crimson desert. Somebody place their hand on my shoulder its Subaru he gives me a stern nod Caera places her hand on my other shoulder and offers me a calm smile.
I breath in and out and circle my mana within my body the feeling the mysterious energy gives me comfort. After I've calmed myself I begin to think with a cooler head.
'If Aether left at that moment he should be with Arthur, Jaeha and Tenma by now.' I pray that he still lives so that I may send him to the goddess of Starlight's divine kingdom with my own hands.
I sighed deeply I could tell that my sigh contained a portion of my very soul.
I give Subaru the nod.
"Do your thing Su." I say deadpan.
Subaru's crimson eyes gleamed as violent purple energy gathered at the centre of his palms in the shape of a ball he grimaced then he shot the violet energy towards the towering black door.
Then....nothing.
I waited knowing what will happen next.
Then the giant door collapsed into itself as if being hailed by some primordial force then it shrunk into the small ball of purple energy that Subaru had launched.
Behind the door was either freedom or death.