Chapter 11: Shadow of Denial

“Aether… what is it that you desire?”

Aether raised a brow. He tried answering, but nothing quite came to mind.

“I… I’m not sure,” he muttered, burying his face in the ground, almost embarrassed.

Before, he wouldn’t have even hesitated. Back then, his dream had been obvious:

To awaken.

But now…?

He had awakened. And it had turned out to be more of a curse than the blessing he’d imagined.

“I don’t think… there is something I desire,” Aether said quietly.

He looked at the figure in front of him. Its eyes were like a once-gentle sea struck by a storm. Calamity rippled within their depths.

Its hair shimmered like sunlight. That golden hue had to be a gift from a god, there was no other explanation for such beauty.

Pinned within the soft rays was a delicate hairpin, shaped like a moonflower, forged from some rare, expensive metal.

Aether stared deep into the figure’s eyes, ready to ask his own question.

“W… What do you desire?”

The figure tilted its head, smiling brightly.

“What do I want?”

It burst into laughter, hysterical and raw, leaving Aether frozen in confusion.

He hadn’t made a joke.

So what was so funny?

“It’s simple,” the figure said, voice calmer now. “I want to be free. To escape this district.”

The laughter died, replaced by a sharp, arrogant grin.

“And I’m sure that’s what you want too. After all, who would know better than yourself?”

Aether blinked and looked at the figure,

who indeed… was himself.

An uneasy chill crept up his spine.

Was that really what he wanted? His life wasn’t that bad. Clarisse was a good teacher, stern but kind. She cared for him. He was even beginning to enjoy life a little.

So why would he want to leave?

Well… the answer was obvious. To him, and to the other him.

Clarisse was going to die. And when that time came…

What would he have left?

He clenched his fists and lifted his chin.

“I want to enjoy my life to the fullest… until the day I’m alone again.”

His voice echoed in the silence.

The other him said nothing, only smiled. A knowing smile. A cruel smile.

Then the world shattered. Light pierced through his eyelids.

“Aether. Wake up. Now.”

He blinked, dazed. The dream slipped through his fingers like mist.

Clarisse stood over him, arms crossed, impatience written across her face.

“Get your sorry ass up. We’ve got company.”

Still groggy, Aether sat up. “Who… what?”

“A Blue Rose noble,” she snapped, her tone dipped in venom. “Highblood. Too polished for this district. Which means…”

Aether’s eyes sharpened.

“A target.”

Clarisse gave a sharp nod. “A big one. So don’t screw it up. This isn’t some street drunk we’re scamming. This one could have us gutted if we mess up.”

She turned, cloak trailing behind her. “Get cleaned up. You’ve got ten minutes.”

Aether rubbed his eyes, frowning. “Why should I? I’m just staying in the shadows. Shouldn’t you be the one getting ready?”

Clarisse paused and turned with a look that made his soul tremble.

Whatever she had planned, it wasn’t good.

Aether briefly considered running. But he wasn’t faster than Clarisse.

She was a Seeker.

He was just a Reader.

She glanced back at him and smirked.

He looked so flustered, so adorably helpless.

In her mind, the kid was going to be a heartbreaker one day.

Well, today… he’d have to be a man-killer too.

[…]

’Curses, how did I get into this situation?’

Aether moved through the Withered Sector like a feather, his steps elegant, practiced, graceful.

’Curse you, Clarisse. Curse you!’

His face burned red with humiliation.

He pulled the oversized shawl tighter, trying not to shiver in the wind. His blonde hair now reached the small of his back. The shimmer of the relic hidden under his collar glimmered faintly.

“Relic only works for a few hours,” she’d said. “So don’t get dramatic and blow your cover.”

He tugged at the skirt, if you could call it that, made of layered linen stained with soot and mud. His hands itched to rip it all off and run.

He didn’t look like a boy from the Withered.

He looked like what Clarisse had made him: a street girl with enough charm, enough dirt, and enough deadness in her eyes to seem real.

His voice would hide.

His body would speak.

It had to.

Then he heard it, wheels grinding across cracked roads.

The noble’s caravan.

This was the sign.

As you might’ve guessed by now, Clarisse’s evil plan was to use Aether, dressed as a girl, to get close to the noble and locate his wealth. Then steal it all.

Aether could rely on the shadows to find out where the goods were hidden.

From Clarisse’s perspective, it was genius.

Aether, though, was ready to strangle her.

She’d always said he had a natural beauty. Maybe even noble blood. But little did she know, he had more than noble blood.

He was the heir to Caelurea’s throne.

…Or at least, he had been.

And even she hadn’t expected him to look this good as a girl.

The plan was foolproof.

What bastard wouldn’t be charmed?

Of course, if things went too far, she’d jump in and save him.

He was a child, after all.

Then came the moment, the wheels stopped.

Aether’s heart thundered.

It was time.

One of the shadows shifted, waving its hand.

Run away, it warned.

’Why?’

He looked around, confused, until it was too late.

“Hello there, princess.”

Aether’s heart dropped. This wasn’t how the plan was supposed to go.

He was supposed to approach him, not the other way around.

He froze.

Maybe he could run….

No. Clarisse would skin him alive if he came back empty-handed.

So he turned to face the man.

And froze.

Staring at his golden eyes, he felt his heart filled with regret. As his snow-like hair was being gently played by the wind.

Aether remembered.

This man had been there when everything was taken from him.

The prince of this kingdom.

His mouth went dry. His skin turned cold. The shadows had vanished. None dared linger near him now.

The man stared at Aether.

Then grinned. Like a wolf.

“How interesting…”

Seconds later, a blade pressed against Aether’s throat.

Time slowed.

Was this how it ended?

After everything?

He hadn’t even ascended yet.

He hadn’t seen his family

again.

No.

No, he wouldn’t die here.

Fire roared inside him.

He would kill this bastard.

Even if it killed him, too.

Then, arms wrapped around him, his own arms.

Aether looked behind him.

And saw himself.

The one whispering violent thoughts into his mind.

If it was him, then…

Wasn’t it always just him all along?

He stared at the ground as time crawled forward.

A grotesque smile twisted his lips.

> Override request pending…> Request grant—

But then time resumed.

He blinked and was back.

Clarisse stood in front of him.

His hands, dripping with blood. Not his own.

Clarisse turned her head.

Blood spilled from her mouth, but she still smiled.

“Hey there, kid… You should probably run.”

Aether shook his head. His eyes dropped to the sword in her side.

Blood poured like a river.

“Oh, you’re not worrying about me, are you? Do you think your teacher would die this easily? That’s disrespectful, you know?”

Her skin paled. She was fading. He couldn’t let this happen.

But he was too weak.

He couldn’t even move.

The royal drew his sword from her.

She staggered, but was still ready to protect Aether, who was still frozen behind her.

“Listen to me, Aether. I don’t know if I’ll survive… but I’ll hold him off. So please. Grant this old woman her dying wish.”

“Run.”

Tears spilled from Aether’s eyes.

“Oh, and once you get back,” she added, her voice breaking. “Check my room. I left something there for you.”

Seeing Aethers’ confused face, filled with tears, and pale. She couldn’t help but laugh.

“What? Thought I wouldn’t remember? “It’s your birthday today, isn’t it?”

“So… happy birthday, you rat.”

Aether couldn’t speak.

He nodded.

Then turned

and ran.

Like the coward he was

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