LII

The next morning, Aether was hurting.

You woke to his grunts of pain. His head was buried in his pillow, you noticed, hair splayed around him in a tangle, the muscles of his back constantly tensing and untensing.

You quickly slide from your own bed and rummage through your bags. Pulling out the injection, you measured the dose and gently placed your hand on his back. "Aether? Are you awake?"

"Yeah." He grits out, his fists clenching the bedsheets. "The medicine, do you-"

"I got it. Stay as still as you can." You try to keep the injection easy and quick, but Aether still winces when the needle sticks in his skin. When it's over, you dispose of the needle and sit by his side, brushing my fingers through his hair.

It's over an hour of sitting there, waiting for the medication to take full effect and ease the pain from Aether's back. "Feeling any better?"

He nods and sits up, groaning. "That hasn't happened in a while."

"Maybe you'll get another long break after this time."

"Hope so."

The two of you both get out of bed, wading through the room as you take turns in the bathroom and getting dressed.

After getting dressed, Aether sits at the edge of the bed, his hairbrush and clasp in his hand. He holds them out to you, making you laugh. You sit behind him and card the brush through his shiny hair. You create two braids on the side of his head that lead to one long one down his back.

"Alright, we're good to go." You pause for a second. "Where are we going?"

"Back to Komore Teahouse to meet Ayaka. I'm sure she has more stuff for us to do." Aether grumbles, desperately looking like he wants to call Ayaka a little shit for getting him into the situation he's in.

You laugh again and turn to Ariel, who had been sitting near the window of the inn room. "You coming with?"

"No. I'm going to go for a morning fly." Ariel stands from his makeshift seat at the window, a velvet benched pushed just under it. "Besides, there's much I want to see on this Island."

"Okay, cryptic." You lean down and kiss his cheek. "Have a good morning."

You, Aether, and Paimon leave the inn. A part of you felt jealous of Ariel. The morning was beautiful, a slightly chilly day with the sun still out and warming your skin.

Komore Teahouse was quiet when the three of you entered, a stillness heavy in the air. Taromaru sat atop his counter, barking.

Paimon scoffed, waving a finger at the dog. "Paimon has already seen Thoma's ventriloquist tricks! Thoma! Thoma!"

The Teahouse doors sliding open had you all turning around. There was Thoma, leaning against the door, his face pale and sweat lining his brow. "Lady Ayaka, is she here?"

"No, we haven't seen her." Aether answered.

Thoma's eyes widening with fear had dread curling in your stomach, and that's when you remembered. This was when the Tenryou Commision took Thoma to be the 100th vision put into the statue.

Thoma cursed under his breath, his eyes squeezing shut for a moment. "If she's not here... on my way over, I heard that Lady Ayaka had been taken by the Tenryou Commision, but I thought, surely that can't be true!"

"If they've taken Lady Ayaka, that's a huge offense to the Yashiro Commision!" You exclaimed. "What is the Raiden Shogun thinking?" Maybe the Raiden Shogun simply needed a new known character to be put in Thoma's place since he had already lost his vision? Maybe Ei's puppet just doesn't understand the weight of taking one of the heirs to such an important branch? "Where's Lord Ayato?"

"Away. He wouldn't make it time to help her anyway." Thoma groans, leaning more heavily against the doorframe.

"Did you run here?" Aether rushes forward, gripping Thoma's arms to help him stay steady.

"I tried to get here as quickly as possible to make sure Lady Ayaka was okay." Thoma squeezes Aether arms in thanks. "Clearly, she is not."

"Why was she taken?" Paimon asked, her little hands wringing.

"The Raiden Shogun intends for her to be the 100th vision bearer to have their vision seized." Thoma groaned again and straightened up. "I have to go help her. I will not abandon my Lady."

"We'll help." Aether assures him, taking the words right from your mouth.

Thoma stares at us for a moment and nods. "Thank you. Let's go."

-

The crowd watching this farce of a ceremony is small but enough to draw your ire. How can so many people be okay with just watching this go down? Tearing away something so vital from someone that they have the potential to go insane?

You and Aether push through the people until you're at the forefront. Ayaka kneels between two guards, her head held high as her hair waves in the gentle wind. The Raiden Shogun stand on the wooden construction platforms surrounding the statue of the omnipresent god, her presence spreading over the entire area, making it crackle with electro energy.

The Shogun holds her hand out, that dangerous, purple energy crackling and weaving between her fingers. Ayaka's vision is just as affected, twitching and sparking until it's pulled from the tie and her back, whizzing through the air to the archon's waiting hand.

Before you could so much as open your mouth, Aether jumps in between the two, snatching the vision and landing in front of Ayaka with it clenched in his hand, a glare sent the Raiden Shogun's way.

The two guards rush into action, spear pointed toward Aether, but a simple flick of his sword has electro energy crashing into their chests, knocking them down. Aether races to free Ayaka of her bonds, but a bolt of electro hits his hands.

"Capable of using elemental energy without a vision. You are an exception, it appears." The Raiden Shogun glides through the air, electro creating steps beneath her feet so she could descend and face Aether properly. "Exceptions," she glared at him. "The enemy of eternity."

A burst of electro appears around the Shogun, a harsh breeze ruffling your hair, nearly making Thoma fall over, and he would've if you hadn't caught him. You were stunned for the moment, not just from the wind, but from the portal that had started swirling over the Shogun's chest. It was a black, little void that screeched as she pulled her sword from it.

Quickly, you grabbed Thoma's hand and pulled him down the little hill the crowd was watching from, approaching Ayaka from behind.

"You will be inlaid upon this statue!" The shogun declares, slicing her sword. Though you couldn't see the effects, you remembered what they were. The world shattering around Aether, dissolving into a black emptiness.

He turned around and you could see the fear on his face as he began running towards. A part you wanted to start running towards him, to take him in your arms and tank the brunt of the blow. Before your body could commit to that decision, as your mind had, Aether was swallowed up and struck by lightning.

The whole experience for him in the plane of Euthymia had lasted merely a moment in the real world, and now he lay, collapsed, stark red and irritated burns shaped like lightning crawling their way across his torso, to his neck, and no doubt down his legs.

"Aether!" You screamed, dashing towards him right with Paimon right behind you. Thoma had been left alone to undo Ayaka's bonds, something you hadn't realized he was managing very poorly at due to his weak fingers.

You fell beside Aether, your hands hesitating to touch his body. As gently as you could, you wrapped one arm under his back and another around his head, cradling him to your chest.

You could hardly think. Aether didn't look this hurt in the game, why did he look so injured now? Why were their scars creeping over his previously porcelain skin? Why were his eyes not opening even as you caress his cheek, whispering his name and asking him to wake up?

You hardly registered the Raiden Shogun approaching. It was a jerk of your hair from Paimon that had your head snapping up to see the puppet, walking forward like a predator with her sword held high, prepared to strike.

You had only a second to turn yourself over, using your body to shield Aether's. But instead of a sword, you feel a body fall against your back and the wind from the strike. It's a miracle you're not blown away by the sheer force, but the wind doesn't muffle the distressed scream that tears from Ayaka's throat.

A viscous liquid drips down your back, soaking into your clothes. Thoma is on top of you, his body limp and lacking breath. His hair intertwines with yours as his forehead rests on your nape.

You feel frozen, your hand clammy and gripping Aether far tighter than they needed to.

A blast of ice hit your back and Thoma was lifted off a second later. Ayaka's chilly hand grabbed your upper arm and pulled you to stand. You did so, shakily, holding Aether's body in your arms.

You were in a daze as you ran alongside Ayaka, who was practically dragging Thoma's bloody body, tears streaming down her face, her vision right in its usual place. Aether didn't move in your arms and getting him medical care was the only thing keeping your legs pumping forward.

You could not have him die with Thoma.

A/N - I hope everyone had a good holiday season!