Regret (Aether's Story)

Chapter 9 : The Abyss Prince's Burden

The Abyss was quiet tonight, a rarity amidst the ceaseless whispers of despair and hatred that usually echoed through its void-like depths. Aether stood alone in his chambers, a towering, dimly lit room carved from the obsidian rock of the Abyss. It was both his sanctuary and his prison—a place where no one dared to disturb him.

He leaned against a table covered with schematics, blueprints for weapons and machines far beyond the understanding of Teyvat. Scattered among the plans were half-finished prototypes and ancient texts filled with forbidden knowledge. His hands were calloused from work, and his golden eyes, once so full of warmth and hope, now gleamed coldly under the faint glow of abyssal light.

Aether’s reflection stared back at him from a polished shard of dark crystal mounted on the wall. He didn’t recognize the man looking back. His expression was blank, his features sharp, and his once-pristine attire was now the blackened uniform of the Abyss—a symbol of authority and fear.

In the silence, he allowed himself a single thought: “When was the last time I smiled?”

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The Abyss People

The Abyss Order had grown under Aether’s leadership. What began as a fractured group of survivors, cursed and deformed by Celestia’s wrath, had become an empire in the shadows. Aether had unified them, given them purpose: to reclaim their dignity, to exact revenge on the gods who had abandoned them, and to find a cure for the curse that chained them to suffering.

Yet, in unifying them, he had also made himself their lifeline. They depended on him for guidance, for strength, for hope. They worshipped him—not as a mere leader, but as a savior.

But saviors could not afford to falter.

Aether was harsh with his soldiers, demanding perfection in every mission, every experiment, every battle. Failure was not an option. Yet no matter how much he pushed them, he pushed himself harder. He spent sleepless nights pouring over his work, delving deeper into forbidden alchemy and lost technologies.

The abyssal creatures revered him, even as they feared him. They called him their Prince, their Champion, their Messiah. But to Aether, their reverence felt like chains, binding him to a responsibility he could not escape.

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Confrontation with His Imagination

Late at night, as the Abyss seemed to hum with a low, eerie energy, Aether allowed himself to rest for a moment. He sat on the edge of a broken throne, his elbows resting on his knees, his hands clasped tightly together. The weight of his crown pressed heavily on him, and his thoughts wandered.

In the darkness, he heard her voice—soft, gentle, full of concern.

“Brother…”

He stiffened, his breath catching. Slowly, he turned his head, and there she was. Lumine. She stood before him, her golden hair shimmering, her eyes wide with worry. She looked exactly as she had the last time he saw her, before the Unknown God had torn them apart.

“Lumine,” he whispered, his voice breaking.

Her expression hardened, and her voice carried an edge of disappointment. “Look at what you’ve become.”

Aether recoiled, his hands trembling. “I had no choice.”

“No choice?” she repeated, stepping closer. “You’ve hurt innocent people, Aether. You’ve destroyed lives. Is this really the brother I knew? The one who would protect everyone, no matter the cost?”

Her words cut deeper than any blade. He rose to his feet, his golden eyes blazing with defiance.

“I am protecting them!” he shouted, his voice echoing through the empty chamber. “I’m protecting the people of Khaenri’ah, the people Celestia abandoned! I’m doing what I have to do!”