"A mortal challenging a God... only something you see in stories."

Aether laughed, finding the hint of mockery quite funny, knowing that this was all a story, one that he was meant to find the end of and change it. This world was before the one he currently knew; he had no idea what had happened in the actual story, but he knew that it had led up to what it is today.

This world had created his world, and now he had come to change the world that had created the Infinite Library. And that had given meaning to the class of readers.

"Wanderers of worlds, and the creators of the epilogue."

Raising her brows, the Queen looked at him with great surprise.

"Your words don't have any meaning. Either way, you should know, this isn't a story, and even if it was, it wouldn't be one where the shiny hero saves the world."

His arm bled as the hilt of the blade scratched against the skin of his arm. The blade fell into his hand like a feather, and yet carried the burden of all his sins, of everyone he had killed, their memories and emotions.

All were bottled up in that black steel.

"Who said anything about saving the world. The right ending isn't always the happiest."

The Queen laughed at his comment, covering her mouth with her hand, showing her elegance and pride as a ruler. The white glove on her hand, alongside her silky hair flowing down her shoulders, sparkled in the small gap where the sun's light escaped. She was a maiden of great caliber, with power and a name known by all.

"Some wise words, yet said by a foolhardy person. It goes to show words don't always depict who we are."

Aether chuckled.

"If so, then is it the same for you, your majesty? Who truly are you?"

The Queen stopped her laughter, looking down at him, her face slightly dark. Her starry eyes looked beyond the exterior, right into his soul, the nucleus of a human.

"And are you trying to say, worthless Fool?"

He opened his arms wide, a broad smile hanging on his face, as his feet moved forward on their own.

"What else could I mean by my words, have I not been clear enough. Are you truly who you say?"

The frown on her face was frightening; it had almost made him stagger, which goes to show how fast someone could change. She pushed herself from her throne, standing up.

"Shall I show you?"

She opened her arm, where a mighty spear appeared in her hand. Made out of a polished, yet blackened wood, with no hint of light.

Its shaft was covered in leather, making it so it was more comfortable to be gripped. Not that it mattered to a Breaker, but it was a nice touch.

On top rested the blade, supported by its socket, its tip was sharp as an arrow, and yet its sides were as dangerous, like razors ready to cut anything.

A spear was meant for piercing, and yet this one felt as if it could do anything it wished.

She raised her weapon, drawing it back so that it could get enough momentum to pierce even the strongest steel, and threw it straight at him.

Its speed was breathtaking; you could even see it with your eyes, even light couldn't keep up with it.

He hadn't even realized when it had burst through his shoulder. Blood spilled from his mouth onto his cloak, and yet it didn't get stained, no sign of any battle, as if it had never seen a blade. And yet, that was its strongest power.

The spear had pierced straight through, making a hole where his skin and muscles were supposed to be. It had pierced the wall, breaking it into pieces.

"...It seems I was right, if you really were who you said you were, you wouldn't have missed my chest on purpose."

His smile was irritating for the Queen; it made her blood boil, how a rat like him could stand in front of a great ruler, and smile as if they were the predator. How delusional can one be before even they realize how absurd their words and attitude are?

There has to be a limit, right?

She summoned her blade, gripping its hilt. The blade was made out of glistering blue crystal, one that was slightly transparent, like it was a recollection of a past blade, the memory of what it was supposed to be.

It was almost similar to Voidpiercer... actually identical... and yet it was the complete opposite. It wasn't the dark blade that showed the gift that was death to those in need, the blade that kept the memories of others inside of it. The blood of those whom it killed.

If he had to say, this was what the Voidpiercer was before it had gotten corrupted by the Daemon lord of the Abyss.

He felt a weird rage coming from his blade now that the Queen had summoned it, like a deep rage directed towards her blade. It was ironic that his blade held a deep hate against the blade that it had been made from, or at least, the blade from where the blade it tried to copy was made from.

How did his blade even exist? If the original blade was still alive and hadn't been corrupted yet, how did a copy of its future self exist?

It was a flaw of the world, an anomaly.

...

And yet who was he to judge? He didn't belong to this world either; they were both intruders who tried to find their home in a world that hated them.

...

The Queen made her way down the stairs that led up to he gigantic throne, her steps were weightless, you couldn't even hear when they made contact. Her gaze was fixated on him, not wavering even a little.

Her blade hung low, near her waist, as she slowly made her way to him.

If he could, he wouldn't have let her get close, moving away with each one of her steps, but she had already imprisoned him, the Abyss wrapped around his legs, not letting go even the slightest.

There was no hope of getting away.

...

The Queen raised her blade up in the air, thrusting it down upon him.

In that moment of need, Aether had gripped the blade with his other hand, cutting his frail skin even further, and intervening in the attack.

And yet he couldn't keep it for long. He pushed forward, but the tip of the Queen blade was sharper than anything; his blade had started... to break.

He smiled, trying to call himself down, but he knew that this wasn't good; if he let the tip hit him, he was dead. But if he didn't, his blade was going to break, and if that happened, he was done for!

'Shit!'

...

"Mother, stop this!"

The Queen's eyes widened as she looked behind her, where Azel was standing. When she was here, she frowned.

"Azel, didn't I tell you that day to stop getting yourself caught in my work?"

Aether blinked twice, looking between the Queen and Azel. They looked nothing alike.

"Am I missing something?"

As soon as he said that, the pressure of her blade intensified, as her gaze darted back at him.

"I'll finish you off first."

She pushed forward, his blade starting to shatter in front of him. But as it was about to break, Azel rushed forward and pushed her away, which took him and the Queen by surprise.

After the Queen had realized what had happened, she gritted her teeth, getting back on her feet.

"What do you think you're doing, Azel?"

She hid her hands behind her back, nervous of her mother's gaze.

"I...I can't let you kill his mother... if you do." She opened herself wide, without anything to protect her. "You will have to kill me, too."

...

"Brat, you should be grateful for the opportunity I gave you." She paused, staring at her blade, and letting it shatter in the air, letting it retreat in her core, where all her relics were.

"You were supposed to continue my legacy, and yet here you are, going against your own mothers. Don't you know that what I'm doing is for the best? If this Fool gets his way, the world will be destroyed, and everyone you know will die. So why do you wish to go against me, my own daughter?"

Azel smiled at her mothers, she knew she loved her more than anything. But she couldn't let her do this.

"I know, Mother... but we have to find another way. I'm sure there is, and I'm sure he can help us."

She walked close to her mother, opening her arms for a hug.

"Trust me, just this once."

...

...

"What an isolent daughter I've raised, it seems... that I'll have to change my ways next time."

...

"What?"

Before she could even realize, a blade drove straight through her chest from behind. But when she turned back, she didn't see anyone, just her shadows.

Her own shadow had betrayed her.

...

...

The sound of Azel's body falling echoed through the room.

Aether watched as her lifeless body stopped bleeding, freezing in time for eternity.

...

...

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