The King of Ashes

Arthur Leywin's POV:

It's raining again…

Well, no, it's always raining now.

The clouds never go away, how many years has it been since I saw the sun last…? Who knows, but that's not really important. Seeing the sun again was always something I thought about, but the thought of seeing it again, after everything, was well, far-fetched.

The rain wasn't rain.

It was the ashes, nothing but ashes.

Yet it felt fitting to call it rain.

I'm lonely…

I want to go home already…

Kukuku… look at me in my delusions of grandeur, going home, preventing this place, this burnout hell, from being born, how absurd…

I sighed as I thought of home again, and well, the rather apparent lack of company.

I thought for so many years to think of where I went wrong, what was my mistake, was it letting myself feel? I… I don't know, I don't think I ever will. But… I don't regret being a loving son and brother to my family, or promising to be together until the end with Tess… The only thing that I regret now, well, now that my story has met its end, is the fact that even after loving them, I'm alone now, more than I ever was before, even as Grey I wasn't entirely alone, I had someone, someone who cared despite their otherwise empty emotional state, just like me, a husk of a man with demons too evil to share with the world, but… he had some shred of humanity which I had long since snuffed out in that life, and I thoroughly envied him for it.

Oh, Alexander… I'm rather surprised you didn't join the fun all those years ago.

'Reminiscing again? Jeez, Princess, you've got to get your head in the game, if we're going to go back to the past and save the world like total badasses, I can't have you looking like a kicked pup staring off into space like you're trying to remember something precious to you all the time.'

I laughed, it felt awkward and forced, but it was genuine all the same.

How long had it been since I had last laughed?

I looked down with a kind, gentle, warm and patient expression on my face, just like grandma once had, a smile that could warm this cold place even just a little.

How long had it been since I had last smiled?

'Thank you, Regis, for giving me hope for all these years.'

Regis leaped from my core and landed with a quiet *thump* in front of me, he had a smile that mirrored my own on his face.

'No Princess, thanks for being patient all these years, even if we aren't making much progress, we are still moving forward, don't give up, not just yet.'

'Regis is right papa, we'll keep moving forward, and when we're ready, we'll go back and save everyone, just like we have been preparing for all these years.'

The smile on my face widened as I looked at my daughter with pride on my face. She had grown into a fine lady, modest and lovely, kind and warm, patient and gentle just like her mother had been before she passed away.

As her father, I couldn't have been prouder.

Despite our situation neither Regis nor Sylvie had complained, not even as a joke, they kept their faith in me even when I didn't have an ounce of faith in myself, and now as a reflective old man I couldn't help but laugh that I had been blessed by such wonderful companions, even if they didn't get along perfectly, and even if Regis was a little… no, a major piece of work at times, I couldn't have asked for a better family to spend my years with.

And for the first time since that day…

We saw the sun meet the horizon and dip below creating the most beautiful yet tragic sight I had ever seen, the clouds and sky were a mix of purples and pinks, oranges and reds, and the sun at the center looked almost like gold, twinkling in the sky with the earth covering beyond the horizon, glossy obsidian that looked like the night sky, with ash that looked almost like dying stars riddling the surface, the contrast was so profound that I couldn't help but capture this moment in time forever within my eyes.

I closed my eyes… and when they were opened again.

The sunset had been captured within them like precious jewels, the heterochromatic eyes on the foundation of a perfect white sclera that reflected a radiance and mixture of the different colors hidden within the picture, the eyes shined like a feline's eyes and glowed in the darkness that once again enveloped us.

Their perfect clarity enraptured the world… and yet.

They felt regretful, tired and profoundly lonely.

They felt murky, misty and so incredibly lost.

They felt overwhelmed.

They felt…

Human.

—

I don't even remember how long it has been anymore, all I remember is that it has been years since that day, and no I'm not referring to the day this wasteland came about mind you, I'm referring to that day that I had changed my eye color in hopes of seeing that sight once again and maintaining hope.

We've made progress!

After years of nothing, we had growth! Life was beginning to bloom once again. I was certainly proud of our accomplishment, we had helped this world regrow its once-abundant life in these fields that were once the home of the elves, the first of the world to become this…

Well let's not dwell on the past, after all, what's important is the future, the growth is beginning to cover the majority of Dicathen, and the clouds that had once blocked out the sun and smothered the life force of the world away have receded.

Our progress in Aether had continued and I've learned things that no one but me could imagine doing, even Regis who had always been able to keep up with me on a physical level could no longer do what I could on a technical level, and Sylvie was the same, both were incapable of reaching to the heights that my control and influence over Aether I had reached.

Unfortunate as it is that I won't ever be able to teach them to master Aether, as I had that, was alright, they were just happy that our progress showed results and that eventually, we would all be going home once more.

—

I had gained a new ability, this time it was unrelated to Aether or Mana, it was something intrinsic to my soul, you could call it the equivalent to Cecilia's being the 'Legacy' but it was not the same thing.

I could increase the potency of my abilities and expand the possibilities of my abilities. I've learned that includes my abilities with Mana just as much as Aether.

For Mana, more testing is required, because well, I can't use or control Mana more than to a degree. But with Aether, the difference in potency is, frankly, terrifying.

Think of it this way.

If Aether and Mana would be compared a white core is comparable to the first stages, or layers, of an Aether core, which means that Aether is somewhere in the range of a thousand to ten thousand times more potent than Mana, although at the same time it is hundreds if not thousands of times more scarce a resource, there is only really enough for one person to have an Aether core, that one being me.

Now take any number in that given range, and multiply the potency by ten times.

Yes, you heard me, ten times.

In other words, the ability allows me to reach a new stage or layer of strength by only activating the ability.

The other thing that makes this ability incredible is that I can use it without a time limit, however, it comes with some drawbacks, for example, it affects my mental state and increases the strain on my body a hundredfold. It also functions somewhat as a beast will for example.

So… this is not an ability that can be used for more than one attack at a time, the strain and effects on my psyche are rather severe, even more so than it seems just looking at it on paper.

Other than the insights into Aether I had gained, I made no new progress, at this point I have reached beyond where even the Djinn could have obtained knowledge because of my Aether core, knowing this, I also have nearly reached the peak of obtainable strength, right now I would say that my insights into Aevum, Spatium and Vivium are at around, 85%, 90%, 90% completion respectively whereas my insights into the usage of pure Aether are at perhaps, 50%, even with a core to command Aether it isn't possible to command it like one can Mana, an unfortunate truth I had to learn to live with, and even further, the applications of Aether are rather limited.

'Enough Princess, we have to listen to you thinking about your abilities and how much more you need to improve all the time already. Give us a break, even for just a day will you?'

I put a sheepish smile on my face, it felt awkward and uncomfortable, I scratched my cheek a little nervously as well before responding to my companion.

"Sorry Regis, I was just thinking about how much further our journey is."

The voice that came out of my mouth sounded hoarse and felt foreign like it didn't belong. It took me a moment before I realized that I was the one who had spoken, something that I hadn't done in some time.

'No worries Princess, though it was nice to hear her majesty speak outside of my head for once.'

Sylvie approached Regis and *thumped* him.

He stumbled forward but maintained his stance, giving a quick glare to Sylvie.

'Hi papa I'm back.'

'Hmmm, how is your progress coming along?'

Sylvie had been working on using Aether's Aevum and Vivium genus to turn back time and restore life on Alcraya and Eptheotus, a time-consuming but safe job for her.

'I'm finished as of today, it seems like we've all made immense progress these last few years.'

I smiled genuinely, it had been a productive few years, and we weren't going to be leaving this place as a wasteland, it was something we had agreed upon when we first decided to try and make the journey back in time.

I had of course improved my hand to hand, and sword combat over the years even learning to use more weapons than before, however, I hadn't learned to use my new Aetheric abilities as a tool in battle as if everything went to plan, then I would not need Aether, something that was bittersweet as it saved my life and just it's presence in my life had improved my ability to protect my family, but it would prove a crutch to protecting my family as it would make us everyone's targets, I would know, after all, I experienced that in my past.

'Enough moping, let's get back to work Princess we still have a ways to go before we'll be finished mastering Aether, just like you said just after the world fell apart, well master every aspect of Aether, maybe we'll never master or even obtain Fate, but that doesn't matter, I'm making you stick to that promise in this world, even down to the most impractical ability, well that is a good 99.999… percent of the abilities that we've learned, so let's get a move on so that we can get back home already a princess. I bored of learning useless tricks'

'As much as I hate to agree with Regis…'

'Alright I get it, I'm getting back to work.'

'After all, you are our ride to the past.'

Ouch, do they just see me as their ride to the past?

—

It had been many years since I last heard that wonderful noise…

The birds were singing a duet as they danced around each other in the sky, they were in a mating ritual, I didn't care about that though, the only thing I cared about right now is that they were the results of my labor, the proof that my journey in this wasteland alone with only Regis and Sylvie was at its end.

We had brought back the trees, the grass, the land…

But we never made the progress necessary to create animals…

Until today…

I let a warm smile radiate on my face and looked up to the clear skies as I sat on a bench just listening to my accomplishments sing and dance with each other.

Today wasn't the day that we were going home, no, but it was the day that I completed my understanding of Spatium and Vivium, two pieces of the puzzle.

Sylvie came up behind me and a lovely laugh escaped her lips as she began to cry seeing the simple, yet infinitely complex creation.

Regis had arrived to see what the fuss was about and almost had the wise idea to eat meat for the first time in ages.

Sylvie rather obviously shut him down, but she was also looking at the birds like a predator.

I laughed at the sight of my daughter remembering her love of meat. I decided to make the occasion special by creating meat for all of us, including the birds if they wanted it, and preparing the food to be like my own mother's cooking.

There were only a few things I remembered about my mother, one of them being her cooking, and the other being that I loved her. The rest was blurred images lost to time.

The same applied to my father and sister and Tess. I remembered little details that I loved about them but not much else, not even their names. The only people whose names I could remember now were the names of those I loved in a way that was so complete that I could never forget them completely.

Tess and Ceara…

Such a sad truth that comes with age…

We often drift away from those we have lost to time.

It's been… give or take a million years, so don't blame me if my memories are starting to go faulty.

The sun began setting so I told Regis and Sylvie the news.

"Regis, Sylvie, it's almost time, I have the insight now."

When they heard my voice they looked at me with radiant smiles and responded.

'Finally Masochist, you better not make us wait much longer, we've already waited for a megaannum to go back.'

'Wait, Regis, since when do you know what a megaannum is?'

Regis huffed indignantly before responding.

'I read too, and look through Princess's memories.'

He grumbled the last part but the others heard, and when they did they began laughing at his expense.

'Come on, let's go, dinner's on me tonight and…'

'More mushroom soup, it's good but we have that all the time.'

Regis and Sylvie grumbled at the same time.

'Nope, today I learned how to create animals and therefore flesh so…'

'MEAT?!'

'Yes Sylvie, we're having meat.'