Leo sat in a dark room enclosed from everything else, only a small window letting little light through from the outside.
His legs were bound by chains from the ankle down and his hands from the wrist down.
"How long has it been, days?
I don't like not knowing the time." Leo twisted his right wrist like turning a nob. "Should I just melt the chains off…" Leo stood up.
"Where would I even go to from here if I escaped, it would just end up making the situation worse, even worse than I previously made it." Leo sat down once again.
He stared at the door that was hardly differentiable from the walls, after a while he took a deep breath then exhaled.
"I've tried inhaling aether in this place, it now does nothing, I'm now realising how bad this curse is.
I could've asked the the lady how to rid myself of it, could've asked her so many things that could've helped us.
but strangely enough…I don't regret it." Leo
smiled softly, he looked up at the ceiling wondering how this all happened.
***
– Days ago, the reveal of aether –
Leo and his peers walked in behind Heimer, Gustev, Ricia, Ren and Lana, walking to the podium in the main camp.
The other commanders had discontent on their faces, most especially Milsted. "As expected Heimer was hiding something, but I didn't expect it to be to this extent.
Only seventeen people in the dangerous place the world has become, who knew how far they had to go.
And yet no casualties…there's something wrong somewhere." Milsted thought, his expression changed to a smile as Heimer and the others drew closer.
The special unit lined up to the left of the podium, all standing upright with their arms to their side.
Gustev and the others merged with the other commanders and Heimer stepped up to address the soldiers.
"We've journeyed far, farther than we would've imagined before setting off even reaching beyond the fourth sector.
I would like to speak about the world outside but more details will be revealed later.
There were monsters much like the goats outside the wall, some even stronger than them." The image of the chameleon came to Heimer's mind.
"We have decided to call them the corrupted." At Heimer's words their faces all tensed up. "However they are different from the ones that laid waste to the entirety of the fourth sector.
Those ones we'll be calling spawns and they shall not be appearing for the meanwhile." He started walking side to side. "I know you all may be wondering how we did this without any casualties.
And for that I'm here to tell you, we didn't hide, neither did we run, we fought back and won.
Even when confronted with more than a thousand we fought." Heimer expressed his deep emotions with gestures, wasted on the eyes of the bewildered listeners; they had gone silent.
"Rubbish!
We fought that day with meticulous planning, and still barely, just barely won.
You're telling me seventeen fought a thousand?!" Milsted said with rage.
Heimer turned towards him as they began a heated argument. "I don't recall stuttering…" Heimer said.
"Don't give me that!
Do you take us for fools?"Milsted replied.
"Milsted isn't that enough, I assure you he isn't lying-" Ricia stepped in.
"You were there that day, you saw what a clash with those ferocious beasts does, how strong they are.
And you're confidently supporting this lies? You three as well." Milsted's voice sounded angrier with each statement, he dragged his hand across hinting at Gustev, Lana and Ren.
Gustev nodded. "He speaks the truth and nothing but it."
"Wha-" Milsted was still pointing fingers, whilst facing the commanders he saw their faces freeze, shifting to that of fear.
In that moment Gustev had a worried look on his face. "Is this really the right choice.
Alast it couldn't stay hidden for much longer." Sweat rolled down his cheeks.
"So it's finally time…remember what I told you Heimer.
Will you be able to handle their anger." Lana thought.
Mumurs erupted, the army were so loud that not even the drummers were unfazed; now unable to sound order as they distanced themselves from their drums.
The crowd steered clear of the podium with a terrified look on their face.
What was once a nonsensical rumour — that of Heimer obtaining powers had become a reality with Heimer manifesting his armour and axe.
Leo thought looked at the terror that loomed in the faces of those who were strangers to this.
The way their faces shrank at the sight of it was an eye opener.
"Heimer…what is this?" Milsted asked.
"This is the power that I used to fend off disaster." The form of the axe changed between multiple weapons. "It is the power of the paths, it is whatever I want it to be.
It is aether." Heimer answered his question casually with his now golden eyes showing no flinch.
Milsted's eyes widened, still terrified. "Since when did you have this wizardry, are you one of the monsters, it all makes sense now!
All your achievements, your inhuman strength all of it can be attributed to this." Milsted raised his arm.
Heimer kept his composure. "... If that's what you intend to believe then so be it, but allow me to finish speaking.
Now if I may-" Heimer turned back to the soldiers, the soldiers standing at the front of the podium all aimed their guns at Heimer.
"What's the meaning of this Milsted." Heimer asked as Milsted walked past him.
He collected a gun from one of the soldiers and aimed it at Heimer.
[Gasp] "Milsted!" Lana cried out.
"Shut up! You're like him as well aren't you!" Milsted's eyes were filled with rage and confusion.
He pointed the gun at Lana, then Heimer again switching between them.
"His inexperience shows." Gustev thought.
Heimer grabbed the barrel of the gun and pointed it to his head. "I and the special unit are the only weilders of this power.
And I'm their leader, if you want to shoot anyone it would be me."
"It all makes sense now!" Milsted pressed the gun against Heimer's head.
The guns of the other soldiers were pointed at the special unit.
Leo's eyes turned black and they shook as he watched Milsted's finger go to the trigger, at that moment he had nothing in his head except for the memories of that very day.
His surroundings were silent to carter for his anxiety but even then...
(Bang.) That sound had lingered in his mind, Leo acted on impulse and attacked Milsted pushing the gun off his hand.
"What?!..." Milsted thought as he saw the barrel of the gun melt by Leo's hand. [Thud] Leo threw the gun to the ground.
Looking at Leo's eyes he was even more terrified"-He- he's a monster!
Seize them!" Milsted screamed.
-
All who went on the expedition were taken into custody, all but Heimlich partly because they had no knowledge of him being a part of it, and neither was he present.
With the knowledge of aether becoming widespread from multiple publications, it was the biggest news in recent times.
Some took it as hope, but the majority shunned against it; to them the weilders of aether were nothing but monsters.
-
In a room lit by a torch, Heimer sat behind the table with his arms cuffed and in prison wear.
Four others stood before him, three were commanders Granit — a middle aged man with black hair and slanted eyes and short black hair, and Wilson — a middle aged man with shaved hair and grey eyes, the third was Milsted.
The last was woman with a book in her hands, writing down what was being spoken, a record of sorts.
"...Why should we believe what you say sir?" Granit asked.
"Because I have no reason to lie, neither have I ever told one." Heimer replied.
"So you're saying the world we know is different than this, and that pillar of light was a passageway you call the commandments?" Granit asked.
"'A' commandment, there are thirteen of them and this was the thirteenth, they will appear year after year each with their sprout down to the first." Heimer elaborated.
"And you say you got that Information before the expedition or from it?" Granit asked.
Heimer squinted his eyes. "What matters is that we know more now."
"Before or after?." Granit asked.
"I'm thinking of an expedition to explore the vicinities outside the barrier." Heimer said.
"What makes you think you'll keep your position or your head?" Milsted asked. "You and your group of heretics shouldn't be allowed to meddle in this empire's affairs.
For all we know you're the cause of these monsters appearing in the first place."
"It looks like you have little trust in me, Milsted." Heimer deflected the question.
"You kept your powers hidden from us for seven months, you broke that trust first.
Hiding information does not count as lying so back to the question;
Before or after? You should be able to answer this." Granit pressured.
"What does the army plan to do with me and my men?" Heimer asked deflecting once more.
[Bam!] Milsted slammed his hand on the desk. "Answer the damn question Heimer!"
Heimer stared at him blandly then looked at Granit. "Answer me Granit."
"Not until you answer me first-" Granit was interrupted.
"The board are thinking of killing you and the special unit off and handing your bodies over to the research team." Said Wilson to the displeasure of Granit.
"Those old fools" Heimer frowned.
"You haven't answered my question sir." Granit said.
"Bring a member of the board here, I will only speak to them." Heimer swung his chair around.
They were frustrated but there was nothing they could do, prying information wouldn't work for Heimer.
Torture would be their last resort as a sort of respect towards him.
The others had left the room, only one remained with Heimer, it was Wilson he was about to open the door and leave.
"You did good there, unlike the others you have the composure required for a commander." Heimer said.
"It's nothing like that, just take it as a sort of atonement for voting against you, I didn't know what you were capable of, but I now do.
Wishing you luck supreme." Wilson walked out.