He waited patiently until he watched both Kade and Lucien leave through the gate. And the moment they did, he let out a deep breath. What if it was the last time they met? Well, he was going to have to take responsibility; if they left, it was definitely going to be because of his conversation with Kade.

Though he doubted that much could ever break that boy’s resolve.

But this was not that they were gone; it was time for him to actually start. Night was still dominating the sky. And at the moment, it was hard to see him. To the point that people walked past him, never even knowing he was there. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

This was one of the biggest advantages of being the Abyss Vessel. During the night, if you didn’t want to be seen, people were going to have to put some effort into seeing you. And this was also the case this time.

While the sun was up, sure, ideally, it was better to move around with the clothes he was given, that way he didn’t stand out ot anyone. But at night, what was the point? Plus, he wasn’t going to trade the mantle’s ability for looking the same as everyone else.

If he got caught, it was over no matter what. No matter what he was wearing.

Aether walked slowly through the city, passing by the little people that were still awake at this hour, without them noticing him. It was funny how he could just kill any of them whenever he wanted, and no one would ever know what had happened. But what reason would he ever have to do something like that? He wasn’t a monster.

He was here for the shard, nothing else, not to kill.

Of course, if he needed... he wasn’t going to hesitate, but for the time being, there hadn’t been any inconvenience in his time in the city, that is, if you didn’t count his talk with Kade, but related to the city and its people, they hadn’t bothered him at all. Even while it day time.

And he wanted the merit of clothes. He really did think they made a difference, looking as everyone else really did help to do things without anyone batting an eye.

After a while of walking, Aether finally reached the tower. Staring up, he still couldn’t reach the end with his eyes. It reached too high. Though it was a little weird looking at it now. Before he thought that it was alive, and had a small theory of what was going on, but not only was he wrong, but he also had no evidence when he did it, which is probably why it was proven wrong quickly.

Now knowing the truth, it felt as if he was standing next to a real being, one with memories and emotions.... made you wonder if you can call it a human. After all, if being human meant having memories of the past, and having a choice in what you do, and then being able to bear that weight, then was the tower not a human?

It had memories, and each time it sacrificed an island, it had to bear the memories of everyone on that island. It had been the one to decide to kill them, so it was its job to take all of theirs sins... so again. If this was what all being a human meant... did it mean the tower was one itself?

Yet, if you asked anyone if they think it was one, they would laugh at you. After all, it was a building, and even if it was alive, it wasn’t a human, but rather a monster... really, funny how we call everything a monster the moment they get qualities only humans have.

It made him wonder, if the Book-spawn creatures that killed humans just decided to stop, what were they even going to call them? They weren’t monsters anymore, after all, they weren’t hostile, they didn’t try to attack them, to kill and eat them. So then what were they? A human could never call them a human; it’s their pride, a monster like it can never be one of them. So it was going to have to find a term that suited it, but in the end, it failed to find one that would make the creature be on the same level as them.

After all. Humanity is the most complex and special mortal race... right?

’With how subjective the term human is, it makes you wonder how many different pairs of eyes don’t see you as one, and instead, see you as a monster. Someone who does the earth no good. And only lives for chaos.’

It varies for everyone... but he was sure that almost everyone had someone who saw them as a monster. No matter if they were a stranger, friend, lover, of familiy member. As kind as you try to be, someone would still consider you a bad person. Someone who, in their eyes, is not a human.

’I feel like one day we will stop calling ourselves humans entirely, until it becomes a compliment.’ Though... he had to say, it would be pretty funny, saying that someone is human to compliment them. ’Looking human tonight, eh?’ ... Never mind, not only is it creepy, but it’s also not fun at all.

But enough of that, he was here on a mission, which was to get into the tower. Not to get sidetracked by the slightest things. Though it wasn’t like he was not used to it until now. It was as if his mind was running away from him, and wandering around, showing him all kinds of stuff inside his own brain. Completely forgetting what he was even supposed to do.

Aether walked closer to the entrance of the tower. Looking around, just in case anyone was around. Before he finally pushed the door open.

The moment the door opened, yellow light spilled out from the inside. Aether quickly raised his hand to cover his hands, in case the light was dangerous, he would be close.

The light radiated, but it was not bright enough to blind him, no. It was rather... soft, warm. calm. I had a strange feeling. But the light put him in a calm state.

Like the tower was trying to welcome him in.

Aether stepped inside slowly, the door closing behind him with a low groan that echoed through the hollow structure. The sound traveled upward endlessly, disappearing somewhere high above, into a darkness even the golden light could not fully reach. Before coming here, he expected the inside to be pure darkness, and that he was going to need Eden to see anything in this place... but now that he was here. It was definitely not the case. He could see quite well how the light moved around in the air. And more importantly.

In the very center of the tower was a yellow crystal.

It was massive.

No... massive wasn’t enough to describe it.

The thing stretched upward like the heart of the tower itself, and really... it was the heart, this tower needed something to feed itself, something to give it the power to make the city float, and not fall. And if he had to say, this was probably the thing that was holding the lives of hundreds in its palm... well, it didn’t actually have a palm. But you get the idea.

Veins of yellow light moved around it, creating a beautiful painting, before going inside the crystal, almost like blood flowing through translucent flesh. Every few seconds, the crystal pulsed once, and the entire tower answered with a faint tremor.

’It really beats like a hurt... interesting.’

Aether stared at it silently.

Then he noticed it.

Aether followed the yellow light, watching their every curve, trying not to get caught up in their body and lose their path, and when he did, he noticed that they all led back to the floor.

The wasteland below.

His eyes narrowed.

It was the same light, the light he was seeing at the moment.

It was the same yellow glow he had seen every time an island was destroyed.

Well, it made sense... and it wasn’t like he wasn’t expecting it, after all, in his theory on how the tower eats the energies, the same thing happened. But seeing it with his own eyes and confirming his theory did feel great.

After all, in such a complicated situation, figuring things out really did raise his pride... but at the same time, since this theory was correct, then it also proved the fact that he didn’t have much time left... and by what he could see, the shard was in fact... not here.

Aether frowned, biting his finger... not in anger, but rather in annoyance, after all he had done, it wasn’t in the city... but where? Under the ground again? How were they supposed to get down this time?

He sighed. ’Either way, it’s time to leave to actually leave this place... damn, I’m really not going to like explaining everything to Kade and Lucien.’...

But before he could take another step.

The ground started shaking.