Chapter 506: Worst Case Scenario

’How weird.’ He thought, keeping eye contact with the Lost as he passed by it. This wasn’t the first time this happened; these Lost... were acting very strange. They didn’t move, not once; they just turned their heads to stare at him.

Were they an illusion? After all, he had no idea what his mental fortitude was at, so it could be the Abyss making him think he was going insane; it was something it would do. But at the same time, with what it has been like recently, plus since it had stopped whispering in his ears.

He didn’t think they were fake.

But rather, they were actually shadows. He just had no idea why they were acting this way. But at least it wasn’t the first time he had seen Lost act weird; back with Aeriel, they were even worse.

While it was strange, they didn’t do anything, and they were getting close to the border, so he saw no reason why he should mind them that much. Maybe they were trying to do just that, catch his attention, scare him away. It was a possibility.

"You know, if I told my younger self that I would be walking with the Abyss, she would be terrified. Never have I ever thought that I would be in this position." Elise said, chuckling.

Aether smirked, turning his head slightly. "And do you think when I was young I also expected to be the Abyss’s Vessel? Of course not; it was the biggest surprise of my life when I found out I was the Vessel of a God. Though, in the moment it happened, I had no idea what the Abyss was, but even if I did, I would never have realized it in the moment of my awakening, since it was a bit... chaotic."

Elise turned her head. "Chaotic... well, I guess, is the Withered really all that? I mean, all the stories about it."

Aether didn’t respond immediately, biting his lip as he thought for an answer. He didn’t want to lie; he wanted to speak his true opinion about the Withered. He could sugarcoat it; it would give it a good reputation because Elise was an important Celestial. But that was not what he wanted to get.

Plus, the attention might actually be a bad thing. "The Withered... you would be surprised to hear just how bad a place it is. Most stories about it are real; people are mean, they kill, steal, scam, no one cares for another, and you have to fight every day for survival. But I still love it... Many do things they would usually never do in situations where it is necessary to survive.

It’s the same for us. But at the same time, if you were to ask anyone in the Withered, they want freedom, even if only a small part still has enough hope to chase it."

Turning to Elise, he walked backwards, which the girl rolled her eyes at, since, in her opinion, he was showing off. "Since you know that I’m the Abyss’s Vessel, you also know I was the Leader of the Rebellion. I built it from the ground... many people followed me because of who I was and what I was doing. Because they saw that there was hope... and really, at that moment, the Withered were strongest."

He crossed his arms. "In the time of the Rebellion, you would be surprised just how much crime dropped, since people saw another way to survive, a way better one."

"So you’re saying that the Withered is a terrible place just because it has to be, and things can be better," Elise said, trying to summarize all that he said and make a main point, since he hadn’t done so.

"Exactly, what do you think, care to speak with your parents to vote for the Withered’s freedom?" Aether said, sticking out his tongue jokingly and winking.

The girls sighed, laughing. "And even if I did, and they somehow miraculously accepted, do you think that’s enough for the King? Not even if all the Celestial told him this, would he give the Withered freedom?"

Aether laughed, sighing. He was expecting it; he hoped, but he knew they had already answered. And really, it didn’t matter that much; he wouldn’t have started his plan if he knew there was a way faster way.

"Also, did Lilith know? That you were the Abyss’s Vessel?" Elise asked, interested.

Aether tilted his head. "Of course? He knew since the day the Rebellion fell."

She frowned. "And he didn’t tell me; how rude." Shrugging her shoulders, she sighed. "Guess I can’t ask him why since he’s dead... still don’t think I can accept it. Which is ironic; I can accept my brother’s death, because I know he wasn’t the strongest, but to admit Freedom’s Vessel died... someone with his potential and power. Not something you did every day"

"I can’t either." He said, raising a hand. "And I was there..."

...

"I wonder what he would think of everything I did since he died."

Elise’s eyes widened. "What did you do?"

"Nothing really." He said, joking... but at the same time, not really joking, as he really hasn’t done anything else but walk, sleep, eat, drink, and talk to people from other books. I mean, the longest he’s been around with another Reader was now, with Elise. That was how badly he avoided others. So he definitely didn’t fulfill his wish to meet up with others.

But at the same time, if he did, then it would be going against what he wanted; he wanted to protect them, and he would have just gotten them killed.

Turning back around, Aether looked in front of him as they passed yet another Lost. ’Seriously, what’s going on with these guys?’ He sighed, but as he did, he suddenly hit something, falling onto the ground.

Looking up, there was nothing in his way, but beyond it... was the ruin of the wall they had passed when they entered Wonderland.... Realizing it, his heart fell for a moment.

Rushing back up to his feet, Aether put his hands against the barrier, pushing against it, but nothing. As much force as he put into it, nothing happened. The Codex was also still silent, and their ability to leave Wonderland still didn’t work.

Backing away slightly, Aether stared at the Border. "Fucking shit..."

...

This was the worst-case scenario he was talking about... how much time he had spent trying to get here, and now, it was all for nothing... There was no way out, at least no obvious one. They couldn’t leave through the place they came from...

His heart raced as he clenched his fists. ’What are we supposed to do now...? How the hell are we supposed to get out now?’

Was there even a way in the first place, some... unknown way to leave this place? Was there even a guarantee that they could get out?... Was the Harbinger right? Was it better to just accept the truth that they were trapped in this place?

’No... I don’t want that... I don’t care if there is no way out; I will try, for as long as I can, to find out. And if everything fails, I will make one myself... how, I have no idea, but I will, even if it means breaking my own body.’

Elise walked to his side, resting her hand on his shoulder. "What now..."

Aether sighed, not sure what to answer, really. He had no idea what he had to do next, what he was going to try next, since really, there was nothing else to do. "... Well, wait." He said, turning to her and opening his fists. "As much as I hope I’m wrong... Wonderland is going to merge with the real world... we’ll see what to do when things start getting into motion."

But the question was, how long? How long were they going to have to wait? They didn’t have any way of knowing, really; they were probably just going to have to look around in the real world... but new things, as there might also be ones from the past.

He still didn’t understand the merge; it made no sense taking Frozen Crown into context, but it was happening even if it didn’t make sense.

And the people outside, in the real world, were also going to see this soon... what was going to happen when they did, he had no idea. The Kings will probably get involved, all of them; after all, this was a situation that had the whole world at play.

’They will have to fight it back... if the merge fully happens... I don’t think the world is ready to fight it; there is a big chance...

...

They might lose the war.’

And if they did... that was it; everything humanity has built for over the years was gone.

Aether sighed. ’I guess the quiet times of the world are finally coming to an end. We are finally facing the consequences of our actions.’𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ