The rain was heavy, everyone who has lived more than a year in the Withered would know what this means, a merciless hail is going to fall on the district, destroying must that comes in its path. That was why the Marketplace was in a chaos much greater than he could have ever put it in with just memories.

Everyone was rushing to pack their stuff so the heavy hail wouldn't destroy anything and all their sales with it. The entrance was blocked, with everyone trying to get out. But the Marketplace wasn't the only place where people were causing chaos; no, the whole district was trying its best to find a safe place.

Hail wasn't uncommon, but each year close to winter, there was one much stronger than the others combined, and that time was just around the corner.

The Princess had gotten quite lucky to find him, since if he hadn't guided her, she would have probably been caught up in this mess. And with how fragile she looked, she wouldn't have lasted.

And with the death of the Princess inside the Withered, the King would have definitely annihilated the district in revenge, and all its people with it.

But with everyone desperate to survive, it was the best time to cause chaos, which was what he had done; he had stirred up memories, and made it so communication was even harder than before in big crowds.

But that was all, since he had something to do.

Something more important than his goal, at least for now.

...

The heavy hail came, destroying mostly everything it came across, from stands to relics, the heavy pieces that fell from the sky like judgments for the sins of the district didn't let anything look up at it.

Most have hid in places where they were safe, some who weren't able to get all their stuff and find a safe place, accepted their fate.

But he, he had other things to do.

Inside the Withered, not far away from the Marketplace, was a place high up on the ground, even above the walls. No one knew how it was created, but most say that it was a volcano that existed way before the Codex.

Its summit stood high, almost to the point where it was above the clouds, so even with its height, the darkness still covered everything around him.

Or at least, that was what normally happened.

His teacher had taught him this: that one day of the heavy hail, the clouds were broken by the hail, revealing the world to anyone who stood on top, and most importantly.

The Sun.

It had been a while since he had seen the Sun of his world. Clarisse went every year here to see it, but she wouldn't take him with her, saying that it was too dangerous to stay in the hall at this time of the year.

So this was his first time seeing what she saw, how the clouds were broken in too with the Sun standing right in front of him. Its warm gaze fell on him, as its rays blinded him.

Tears leaked out because his eyes were not used to the light, he was being attacked, and yet he couldn't look away.

...

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

...

"You know you can't just use this ability because you feel lonely."

Aether chuckled, looking at his blade.

He had used his ability to get its rage, well, at least that was how it was meant to be used; he liked to use it to talk to summon, since with his whole plan, he couldn't talk to many people, well, at least not at this part of the plan.

So he got lonely.

And his blade was also someone who knew more about him than anyone, well, excluding his own shadow, but it couldn't talk. And it would be weird to talk to your own shadow.

He wasn't that crazy.

"The Withered, it's the Outskirts, right?"

Voidpiercer looked surprised by his sudden statement, but nodded his head.

"Then Frozen Crown takes place... I see, makes sense.

He crouched down, looking below the summit, and he squinted his eyes to see the people still left on the street, and how the hail was still raining heavily, just like it was from up here.

He had pieces fall on him, but because he was so high up, they couldn't gain enough speed to do lethal damage. Did they hurt? Yes. But with how much pain he has borne until now, it was practically non-existent.

"You know, it's times like this when I forget what kind of world I live inside."

He let his cloak vanish into the air. Looking at his hands, they were clear, with no speck of blood on them, yet this was only the exterior. They have been dirtied by blood more than he could think. Even when they were physically painted in blood, he still bore the sins of those who had died because of him.

The ones whom he had to sacrifice to the sun, and those who had to suffer for him to create chaos, and those who will come for this very same reason.

People in the present have had to suffer for him to change the future.

It made him wonder if he was really making the future a better place, or just neglecting the present.

...

"Many have died, and many would also soon meet their demise. But... I'll gladly bear their blood if that means that I can save more in the future, even if they don't exist now."

...

"Bold claim for someone who hates people deciding the world he lives in more than anything. Aren't you hypocritical, Aether, to force your world onto others?"

Aether stood up, dismissing his ability, and being left alone with only the hail to keep him company.

"I am well aware of that, but that is something for me to bear."

...

"And are you sure you can handle everything? Your shoulder seems heavy. To carry your own sins, and of those who suffered because of them?"

Aether's eyes widened as he was caught off guard. He turned around to find a young man with black hair and blue eyes standing behind him. He looked to be around his age, with a giant scar going across his face.

His tunic was black, rough, and heavy with grime and dampness from the endless rain that poured on the Withered every single day. The lines were rough, done more than once.

The sleeves were torn, but pieced back together as if he had tried to save them at all costs.

His trousers were made out of dark wool and patched at the knees and hems.

On his feet, he wore some shoes from leather, yet shoes were an exaggeration; it was rather what remained of them.

He had a belt, where his knife was being held; everyone had one. It was essential for survival outside the Marketplace.

...

"Who even are you?"

The boy laughed, but reddened from embarrassment; it seemed as if his whole confident act had been torn into.

"Well, where are my manners? My name is Riven, and you... are Aether right?"

Aether tilted his head slightly, not sure of how to answer. He was suspicious of the boy, yet couldn't find any hint of bad intention from him, and neither was his shadow acting weird; it was just nervous, just like him.

"Yeah, that's right."

"Sweet! It was so nice to meet the Vessel of the Abyss-" Before he could finish what he wanted to say, Aether had summoned his blade, and drove it near his neck, threatening him, with the side of his blade even causing some blood.

"How do you know about that? Choose your words carefully."

Riven raised his arms in defense, trembling and trying not to get killed.

"You have that mark, the mark of the Abyss, my father had told me about from his travels inside the Blue Rose. Listen, I won't tell anyone, I promise."

He cursed under his breath. He had thought that no one from the Withered would know what his mark meant, but it seems he was wrong. And how had his father learned this from his visit inside the Blue Rose? Did he meet with someone who knew a lot about the Abyss? He knew that people like that most likely existed, which was why he had painted those marks in the first place, but what were the chances of him finding one?

"You promise?

"I do!"

Aether sighed, letting his blade retract into his marks and stepping back.

"But only under one condition.

'Of course.'...

...

"I don't have money-"

"I want to join you."

...

"What?"

The boy chuckled.

"You see, I had hoped that Praise would come and save us all, but after my father was killed inside the Blue Rose, after he was told about the Abyss... I have come to hate the Blue Rose and Praise... that i why I want to join you."

...

"I wish to see the fall of the Blue Rose as much as you do."

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