It was... strange, it really was. Walking through the Withered, it almost didn’t feel real. He couldn’t believe his eyes; he had really done it. He was back, and more importantly, he was a Seeker... and one of the Beast level nonetheless.

If you were to think of it, at the moment, he was one. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

...

If not the strongest person inside the Withered, well, at least when it came to citizens, since who knew how many other guards were inside at the moment.

Becoming a Seeker in this place is considered a miracle; there are few in the history of the Withered... though, there was another added to that small list, that being him... so, in reality, he was almost certain that when it came to people living inside this graveyard.

He was the strongest...

Which was just... unreal.

And he could feel it, the difference between the strength of a Reader and that of a Seeker; he hadn’t expected to be so clear, but it was... though, it is to be understood, Readers are much stronger than most humans, outside their powers and relics, their bodies were human, normal. When they rose in Sync and gained Shard, they gained strength, which made it so that a Reader at an Enlightenment level is definitely beyond what a normal human could achieve, but not that far away, though. Only in extreme cases could someone without awakening reach close to that strength.

But now, as a Seeker, there was no way a human could ever get near even half his power. His strength, his speed, his endurance, it was supernatural... which made him wonder just what his father felt, after all, he was a Breaker, how did the strength of a Demi-God feel like?

... Could his body even be pierced by a normal weapon now? By a normal blade?

’... I know it’s a bad idea, but I really want to try...’ So he grabbed a rock, he knew it wasn’t a knife, but where was he going to get one... without stealing or beating someone up for it... actually...

Throwing the rock, Aether walked around for a bit, searching for someone with a knife, but before he could find a person with one, he had just found a razor on the blood. He chuckled. ’I had almost forgotten for a second, finding something sharp in this place is definitely not hard.’

Picking up the razor, Aether tried to cut himself... but nothing.

He smirked, throwing the razor away.

It was safe to say, he was ecstatic with his newfound strength... but there was one thing he wanted to test more. So he went back to where the library was, the place where he had lived with his master, and then it was the home of the Rebellion.

The place was abandoned, but it wasn’t like it had been in a good conditon while he had first lived inside it. Though the dust did make him cough.

From a vague memory from when he awakened, he remembered something... he had used Abysal Matter... was that something he could do now... use it?

’Let me check.’

***

[Skills / Abilities]

Abyssal Abilities — [Shadow Speech][Mask of the Fool][Abyssal Matter]

Skills — [Echo Word],[Eden][Whispers of the Lost][Erosion]

***

Aether almost jumped, this was great, he had finally gotten a new ability, after years, and one that he could actually use to fight, an offensive... well actually an ability that could do a lot of things, and serve a lot of roles... since the Abysal didn’t have a state like most o other Affinities, and the Matter didn’t have a state like the others.

Though since he had his Codex open, he might as well check the descriptions of everything he had gotten.

[Stray of the Abyss]-A being of the Abyss, one that death is not the end for. You are a being who is wanted dead by the world, yet, to spite even the gods, you have survived. Without a home, left to wonder for a place of your own, survival is the most important thing to you. And you... will not die no matter what.

’Fits... as much as I don’t like being called a stray, it does exactly match my life as a Reader... not a good one, I must say... but I’ve accepted everything...’ He smiled. ’I’m... a new person... well, not entirely... but I’ve learned from my mistakes.’

Speaking of it.

[Shadow Speech] - You can understand the words of those forgotten and outshone. Your voice is clear to all of them; they recognize you as a part of the Abyss. Their creators’ influence is clear to them; most are inclined to listen to your voice. Be careful, those who are very loyal to their masters may lie.

Class-Seeker

Knowledge rank-Beast

Abilities evolved with their user. A very important thing, those that are given at an early age evolve, and those later are already at that level.

Aether smirked. ’That’s amazing! Finally, I don’t have to worry as much about having these shadows lie to me all the time.’ It was probably one of the best news he had heard in a while, one of the hardest things and at the same time most usefull things, was telling when a shadow was lying, their information was very precious information to him, they had a big part in his journey as a Reader, but he had to be carefull, because they may lie to him, and most did, but he had managed to find a way to tell, not all tht time, but it was useble, not however, things were much easier, he could... actually speak without having to worry that much at all.

By what he could see, most would tell him the truth, and the part with the master he expected, but what The Lost did all of them tell him the truth? They didn’t have a master... this was important because the shadows he talked to most were Losts.

So the disability the ability had wasn’t that bad if this was the case.

’Going to have to try it out... not now.’

...

He wasn’t going to check his mask; he doubted that much had changed to it, since there was no difference between when he was a Fragment and when he was an Echo, and he really couldn’t tell what could have changed about it.

...

[Abyssal Matter]- The ability to manifest the physical form of the awakened’s Affinity.

Class-Seeker

Knowledge rank-Beast

...

Aether stared, the description was so vivid, and so simple... very unlike most he had seen. He didn’t like it that much... where was the Codex that gave him riddles, like it had done when he was in Frozen Crown?

Either way... it was a good addition...

A very good one.

Aether closed the Codex.

...

’What now?’

...

He... knew he was going to have to answer this question... but he was not prepared... after everything in Demon of Dread, he was done with revenge and everything... so what was his next move... going back home? He could sneak in... but at the same time... how would his family even react?

There... was a part of him that was scared, that they might not welcome him back... he knew it was stupid, but he really thought so. Plus, with the war going on, was it really the right decision?

...

But then what?

...

Knock Knock Knock

...

Aether turned to face the door, confused... but before he could guess who it was, the door slammed open, and standing beyond it was an old man... with a weird pointy hat, and a long beard... he remembered him... he was...

Avius, the old wizard or whatever that came with Iris and Keres to hunt him, he tricked the hell out of him, but either way. What was he doing here, and how did he know he had arrived back in the Withered?

...

Then he remembered the guard that he had let loose. ’Oh...’

"Aether right... We have met before, so you probably already know him."

He did... and he was the worst person that could have come for him... since he knew about the Abyss, and a lot. It was a good thing he didn’t have his mantle on, or he might have recognised it, even if it had changed a lot. The bad thing is that he couldn’t summon Voidpiercer; he would know the blade. And he also had to worry him no seeing his mark.

"I do... what are you doing here and what do you want from me?" Aether frowned.

Avius laughed; it was clear that the boy didn’t trust him.

"Don’t worry I’m not here to fight... the King has heard that you are back, ever you, your friends... and the Abyss’s Vessel fought Lilith, and more or less, as a Seeker... he has taken an interest in you, and has forgiven the fact you were inside that Rebellion... which explained why that Demon was able to trick me so easily, but I forgive you for helping you."

Aether tilted his head. "And what does this mean?"

Avius’ smile grew wider.

"He wishes for you to come into the Blue Rose and attend the academy, and to grow."