Sun

The battlefield halted at its peak. Humans, elves, and elementals, all ceased activity. As the golden ring spread beneath their feet, all their eyes were glued to the human at the center.

His figure, basked in light, narrowly floated in the air. His posture, of a beseeching lowlife under the gods' watch; was meek yet firm.

Bloody cloak fluttered around. His hood slipped down. A young, tender face. Gentle, each feature delicate, carefully drawn. Unkempt dark-blue hair danced about.

It took a second for the frozen field to come back to life.

The elementals began to move upon seeing the spreading light. Some, the largest and darkest, darted away from the elves. As if running away from the golden circle, they rushed to the boundaries of the village.

They sought refuge in the jungle. 

Remaining there were the tiny ones. The slightly corrupted, confused ones. They who were still invisible to the human eyes, yet driven by the desires of evil, found themselves basked in warmth. Thus, towards the source of heat, they surged onward.

"What in the..."

Raising his head, Claus couldn't take his eyes off the up ahead.

The swarm of enemies rushed to scatter. The shadow cast upon the dome shattered, and a golden glow covered the floating human's body.

He stood there, unmoving, as if calling upon all the light in the world. To the onlooker, he seemed like an everlasting glow, a spark that'll always shine, till eternity. One second, hearts raced at the celestial stage, and the other, calmed down, due to the heavenly authority.

Flabbergasted, they all were.

The golden circle under Ian's feet continued to spread, as if there was no end to it, as if it was going to engulf the whole land. The whole world.

Small elementals swam towards him, mingling and fiddling, encircling the boy. They pursued warmth. They sought their lost light. 

Saphire blue pupils shifted from the horizon back to the lowly earth. No emotions were apparent in them, yet they shimmered with all kinds of feelings. Cold, but amiable. Locking eyes into the innocent gazes of the corrupted, a fragile smile emerged on his face.

His fingers released from their tight clasp.

Ian moved ahead a hand. 

".....?"

Reaching forward, he softly touched the tiny elemental's head.

And then-

SHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Light exploded. 

Golden flash shot from the tip of his finger. 

A glow blasted, dying everyone's vision gold. 

It burgeoned, spread out, and burst like a bomb. Rays of light fired everywhere. Gold took over the whole land.

Intense. Too bright. Too warm. Unreal.

How could a human do this?

No.

Sun has descended down. 

Exposed to the pure Aether, the elementals froze. As warmth embraced them, dark specks of dust seeped out of their bodies. 

Corruption was being changed away. Light was returning to them. 

The explosion didn't stop. It extended in all directions. Akin to the sun rising at dawn, the golden hue expanded out.

Those unable to shut their eyelids quickly felt pain surge in their heads. Their eyes teared up, not sure if they were due to the bright light or the inflamed emotions.

Exposed to such an intense scene, none could do anything but gape at the scene unfold. 

The bright halo reached the boundaries of the village, passed it, and spread out. Just like the golden circle that spread beyond the bystanders' sight, the light too, dashed outside, obliterating impurities in its path, like an eraser deleting the ground of all mistakes.

A trail of charred dust was left wherever the sun glowed. Colors returned to the tiny elementals, while the huge ones, those running away from the fear of the light, shattered as soon as dawn touched them. Whole being consumed by evil, no room was left for Light to return to. 

Shaaaaaaa.... 

Despite it seeming like an eternity, the whole thing lasted for barely 5 seconds.

The next instant, everything died down. 

The light gradually faded. The surroundings returned back to normal. The Aether circle vanished leaving only fine grains of golden dust behind. 

Dead silence engulfed the area. 

Everything was gone.

All the enemies were either purified or dead. 

As the dreamlike show ended, the person floating a bit mid-air, the saint, gradually moved down, his feet slowly touching the ground. 

Ian heaved heavily. His gaze sank down. 

"Huff..."

His body tilted, breaths turned into gasps.

'It's over...'

At least most of it.

"Huff... Huff..."

As his shoulders slumped, he moved his hand up, clenching the left side of his chest. 

His heart was racing.

Like a fiery ball bouncing around the walls of a room, his heart was smashing to his chest from all directions. Fierce. A stinging pain ran down his chest, to his back, and through his left arm.

'It isn't that bad...'

He didn't use his power too much. The palpitations were bearable. For this much Aether used, the side effects weren't too grave. 

'It's alright. It's just palpitations.'

Feeling lightheaded, he staggered on his feet, knees too weak to hold his weight. As he felt his body sinking, two strong hands clasped his shoulders firmly. Someone held him standing, helping him lean on them as support. 

"My lord!"

Kieran's voice was distant and dull.

"Huff... Huff..."

His chest was exploding. Ears buzzed, his mind whizzed. Everything was distant from him. Far away. He stood there alone, separated from everything. The world was covered in a pane of glass. Foggy, unclear.

'...It's alright...just palpitations.' His mind struggled to snap out of the daze. 'It's alright. I didn't use too much Aether. I-I didn't-'

His hands moved up on their own to his head. A bundle of hair was yanked out ruthlessly. Lowering them, he stared at the uneven strands in his palms. He watched them up close.

They were light blue.

'I didn't use too much. I didn't. I'm sure. I didn't.'

He shook his trembling hands. Sweat-soaked hair strands got thrown to the ground, swept away by the wind. Ian rubbed his palms at his cloak. Got to clean away the disgusting impurity. He had to wash them. He had to wash them clean. 

'My hood. Why isn't it on? Gotta cover it up. Cover it. Cover it.'

Cover it up. Hurry and cover it. They'll see it. They'll see it all.

His hands scrambled around, but the hood was out of reach. He couldn't grasp it. His fingertips were tingling. Left arm was numb with pain, right one injured and bloody. He couldn't grab the cloth. He couldn't cover it up. 

A gush of heat rushed up his neck. 

"Gasp!"

He had to cover his hair.

"Gasp!"

'It's alright. It's alright. It's alright.'

Repeat this over and over. Things will become alright.

Repeat it.

Again.

Everything's alright. 

Nausesness disrupted his thoughts. Disgust took over his body as he bent down. One hand covered his mouth and the other coated his hair. Half his hair. A part of it. Better than all being exposed. Safer that way.

'I've got enough Aether left. I've got a lot. A lot. Brimming with it. I've got a lot. It's alright.'

Chills ran down his back. He was about to poke. The racing heart was jumping out of his throat. Taking a breath was hard. It was impossible. 

Was he about to die?

'IT'S ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT. ALRIGHT.'

Repeat it.

Again.

Again. Until things are alright.

Repeat it. 

"Huff... Huff... Huff..."

"What's the matter? Your Highness?"

"Ian? Ian? Hey, Ian!"

"Hey, he doesn't seem to be fine!"

"Let me take a look. Raven, let me examine him."

Different voices entered his ears, distant, faint, filtered by an invisible layer. 

-M-master...

Tap tap tap 

Something soft tapped him several times. It was tiny. It was warm. 

-Master, are you out of Aether? Let me give you some. I'll-

-No!

As if struck by lightning, Ian pulled his body back in an instant. His vision cleared up. A tiny wolf stood by his side. 

-Don't need. I don't need it. I've got enough. It's alright.

Light returned to his vision. Still struggling to breathe, he took a look around. A few young faces were gathered around him, inspecting him up and down. 

'Don't. Don't look at me. Leave. Don't look at me.'

Trembling fingers finally managed to grasp his hood and pull it up. Ian pulled the cloth as far down as it reached, covering half his face. 

"Are you alright? Where are you feeling discomfort? Sir Ian? Let me examine you."

A slender hand was reached out towards him. Ian's arm moved faster. He pushed Eleen aside.

"I-I'm fine." 

Scrambling backward, he distanced himself from the others. They were peering at him. Looking at him like that. Not pleasant. Not pleasant at all. 

"Side e-effect," he barely uttered through his parched lips and gasps. "It's alright."

His body felt like a swollen pile of meat. Exhausted, aching all over. Ian dragged himself up to his feet. Swaying around, back hunched, drenched in sweat. 

Raven rushed to support. He got pushed away.

-Master. Master wait. Where are you going? Master!!

He stumbled forward, destination unknown. Bumping into a few people, he found his way out of the crowd. Once his racing heart had calmed a bit, when his mind operated a tad, Ian found himself crouching behind some trees.

"Huuu... Damn..."

He didn't use that much Aether, yet this thing happened again. 

'Argh... embarrassing...'

The hood was pulled further down. He grabbed the hems of the cloak, covering his whole body in it. 

"Huuu...."

At least, everything was sorted out now.

Everything was alright.