The entire party tumbled into the river as Jedd abruptly changed back to her humanoid form, each of them splashing into the water as she did.

Kaine rose first, checking their surroundings before ending his gaze upon the burning encampment now in the distance.

“Ohoho…You’re all heavy!” Jedd exclaimed as she breathed quick exhausted breaths, stretching her back about as she stood out of the river.

“At least we’re alive.” Roy mused, wiping the drenched hair off his face as he lay sitting in the water.

Rey lay beside him, her face and chest the only things above water, “That…Was fucking awesome!” she shouted out, raising her hands up in sudden exhilaration.

“Awesome? How the hell was that awesome!? What sort of sadistic fantasies do you have!?” Farvo barked back as he walked out of the river, taking his shirt off and draining the water from it.

“Hah, what a boring dwarf,” Nova mused as she somehow transferred from Kaine’s neck and onto Lara’s throughout their tumble. “I got to burn all those things, it was fun, wasn’t it human?” The demon turned its crimson eyes to Lara, who was still sitting in the water pale-faced and terrified for her life.

Kaine whistled, “Get off her.” He told the familiar and it obeyed, returning to his neck and shoulders.

“Come on, up you go.” Jedd said as she helped Lara off her ass, colour slowly returning to her face since the serpent left her proximity. “I wouldn’t exactly put it as it was fun, but that was something for sure. Where’d you find that thing Jor?...And what the fuck happened to your…colours?”

Kaine glanced at the serpent pondering how to explain and where to begin but deciding it was best to leave the worst for last. “I’m a Dark Elf now, apparently, ever since casting that damn spell when I was in a pinch. And this, is Nova, my demonic familiar who I summoned from Hell itself.” Quickly and briefly he explained as if it was nothing.

Yet each of them stared at him with wide eyes, “Shit, can we get one?” Farvo then asked.

“Hmph, none of you are attuned to darkness so no.” Nova was the one to answer, “And even if you were, you’d all probably summon some hell ant or something.” It boldly said whilst holding its own head up high.

“Well aren’t you fun to be around.” Rey mused with a chuckle as she rose. Causing the serpent to suddenly turn and hiss at her loudly, which startled Rey and caused her to fall back with a splash.

Each of them laughed, all but Lara whose expression paled once more, and Kaine who was still glancing at their surroundings.

“We should move while they’re still busy with those Gryphahs,” Kaine then proposed, “There’s a chance they’ll come after us when the fires clear.”

“Ahah…Right,” Jedd said, her amusement faltering, “Yeah let’s move out before those bastards track us. We’ll move through the river for a bit to cover our tracks, walk around the Gaizedons when we need to.” Then turning to face Kaine, a notification popped up into his view.

Player [Jedd] has invited you to join their party which consists of 5/6 players.

Do you accept?

{Yes}

{No}

Your main [Quest] will also be shared upon accepting.

“If you’ll still have us, that is.” She said, as each then turned to look at him.

Kaine sighed but then smiled. “Alright, but be careful, you’re falling behind already.” He said, accepting the invitation and with that, all of their expressions changed.

From expectant to surprised.

As they read through the quest Kaine was given.

“Death…of player…Widespr-What the actual fuck is this?” Rey said out loud what all of them were thinking.

“That, is probably the main questline for this game. Since, in Aether, the player at the start is just some unknown random civilian. Reach cap and just maybe you’ll be hailed a Hero or Champion, till then…We’re adventurers swimming in mud.” Kaine explained with a groan, “To be exact, right now, we’re an elephant’s messenger…”

“This seems like some mighty important message!” Farvo exclaimed, watching briefly as Kaine began to walk off.

The entire party began to move, as each member tried to gather their thoughts on this revelation.

As they chatted on what this quest entailed, on what they might expect moving forward.

“So will these NPCs also be…you know, hostile?” Rey mused.

“Probably, we’ll have to be careful.” Roy guessed.

“Is it even a good idea at all to go towards this city then?” Farvo questioned.

“Would you rather stay out here in the sticks?” Jedd argued.

“Whether they are hostile or not we shall see, that…thing, mentioned that we are its entertainment now. I doubt it’ll actually mess with the game’s main storyline, not too much at least.” Kaine said, “I’m curious about…something else thou-”

“We…We’re actually going to have to finish this game…don’t we?” When minutes later, Lara suddenly spoke up and the party paused in their steps. Looking back at her, who was usually silent.

Bringing up the one thing each of them seemed to have been avoiding this entire time…Bringing up their imprisonment.

“Entertain me, players, as I watch you fail…” Lara repeated the dark being’s words, as her gaze slumped down to the lazy waters that ran past her feet. “For death in here, shall mean death in truth…” She began to shake, glancing back at the still rising smoke and flame beyond. “How…How long are we going to be here for? Are…are we just its play things now?” She asked, turning back to find Jedd standing before her, as she suddenly pulled Lara in for a hug.

“I don’t know, but we’re together and that’s what matters.” Jedd assured her friend.

“Don’t fool yourself,” Kaine then suddenly said, as he gazed at Nova who slithered across his raised arm. “You still need to harden yourself, we’ve all felt it, real pain and real injury. You all saw those animals wielding weapons and armour back there. Are they real? Are they not? It doesn’t matter, they’re fucking real enough to kill you. It doesn’t matter how long it takes, it doesn’t matter for how long we’re trapped in here for. What matters is how long you survive for, am I wrong?”

None of them answered.

“Lara…” Kaine was about to continue but feeling the eyes of each of them upon him, Kaine suddenly froze.

A feeling filled him at that moment, a moment that reminded him of the past.

A past he cherished, a memory he dreaded. Reminding him, of who no longer stood by his side, and why.

Kaine turned away, “Let’s go, we’ve probably got a long road ahead.” He told them before continuing to walk.

Don’t…look at me like that.

Kaine thought, regretting ever speaking up.

I can’t, I can’t satisfy those expectations…I failed before and I’ll just fail you too. Please…not those eyes.

He dreaded those gazes deeply, feeling as if further weight was put upon his shoulders. Growing completely silent for the rest of their walk, while the rest watched him awkwardly as they followed.

Many among the party wanted to ask, as they saw his confusion and pain, but many didn’t know what reaction to expect when they asked or how even to bring it up in the first place. Not knowing, whether they should even ask at all.

“Alright…seriously what’s up with you?” All but Rey who was either too dense or just didn’t care…

As some silent minutes of walking later, she asked him that question as she caught up with his pace. The party faltered in their steps at Rey’s brashness, but Kaine did not stop moving, so they continued walking forth as well…

“You freeze when faced with a cornered animal, but you put yourself in danger for people you don’t even know right after. You fight like someone who’s had more than just previous experience with the game, you seem to really enjoy it too, not that I blame you for that…It’s just that, really I can’t figure you out.” Rey then barraged him with words, while continuing to walk beside him.

Kaine only sighed as he continued to walk, not answering her question as Roy stalked up to his sister and pulled her back.

“Oi you’re going too far-” Roy tried to say but Rey pulled away, suddenly rushing to stand in Kaine’s path. Lips pursed with annoyance, and eyes wide with resolve, as she met his dreadfully cold gaze.

“People think I’m an airhead cause of how casually I act, but I see right through you mister cool.” She exclaimed, as her tone suddenly grew more emphatic. “Our father is a scientist of a massive pharmaceutical company, we never see him at home or otherwise.” She said, gesturing at her brother. “Jedd’s mother left, and her father is a good for nothing drunk. Lara’s older brother is a criminal facing life in jail. Farvo’s…” she glanced at the dwarf, unsure how to say it.

“My wife is a victim of suicide.” Farvo then said with a sigh, walking up to Kaine and Rey. “Point is kid, we’ve all got our demons. We can see that yours are constantly edging you on, clearly we can see that. We’ve gotten…over ours, together. So if you need an ear, we’re used to it, and damn good at listening.”

Kaine’s eyes widened as they spoke, he had never considered sharing his problems before, not once.

His mouth opened, as if to speak, but a wide melancholic smile grew over his face instead. His gaze rising up to stare at the night sky, unblocked by any city lights, it seemed like the entire galaxy was alit above them. “You can’t stomach my demons.” He coldly told them.

“Try us.” Jedd said, finding a small boulder sticking out of the river to sit down on. “I need a short break anyway, and it’s not like we haven’t got the time.”

Kaine’s smile faltered, then disappeared entirely. His gaze falling to glance between Roy and Rey, “I had a sister once, too. A mother, as well. But never a father…No…never a father.” He said, sighing then glancing back at the smoke now barely visible behind the pillar of steam that slowly moved towards them. Kaine walked over to Jedd’s boulder, finding a spot to sit down as well.

“Alright then…let me tell you a story.” He said with sorrowful eyes, staring at the water as it flowed by. “There was a man once, who owned great power within his sector of the human race. He did as he wished, owned whatever he pleased, and all the while screwed everybody else over. This, gained him too many enemies to count. This man, also once had a wife. A wife who gave him two children, the eldest a girl and the youngest a boy.

This man was obsessed with power, but also obsessed with what would happen with that power after he passed away. He was growing old after all, so out of the entire family, it was his son who he looked most expectantly at.

His wife though, wanted nothing of that for her children.

And his enemies, drew closer each day.

So, she ran. She took the two children and ran, away from them…and him.

He chased them. Spending who knows how much wealth, although it barely touched his coffers. He hunted them down, angered at the loss of his precious fucking heir. This caught the attention of his enemies of course…And guess what happened next. He didn’t find them first, but his enemies did.

We-They were held hostage, hostages to politics between colonies. His enemies asked for a lot, but not something he couldn’t lose. But of course, still he didn’t want to lose it, he hated losing. So, he didn’t pay, costing him his wife’s life as a warning.

Leaving the two children motherless, alone and afraid as bad men held them imprisoned from a bad father.

The ‘bad men’ warned that the sister would be next, and then the son if no deal is struck. You’d think, the father would have paid at this point, but no…No he had to make a point…He had to show them that nobody fucked with him. So what did he do? He paid someone else, he paid someone even more money to retrieve his heir and kill the kidnappers.

I guess, the men he paid, weren’t worth the money he dished out. My sister died in the crossfire, slowly she died in my fucking arms, but retrieve me they did. So maybe in his twisted jacked up mind, it was worth the pay… They brought me back before that fucking monster, cause he’s no father of mine, less so a man.”

Kaine rose, not meeting any of their eyes, as each lay frozen. Paralysed from his story.

“I was retrieved, but happy he wasn’t, for what kind of heir does a god damn cripple make?” Kaine hissed out, causing even Nova to shudder as she lay around his neck. “Outside this place, my legs might as well not exist, my left arm barely moves and there’s a fucking bullet stuck in my spine.”

He then glanced back at Rey, “You think you’ve got demons? Well I must have the fucking devil, lucifer himself, whispering into my damn ear.” Cold and sorrowful amusement filling his entire expression, as Kaine feared what he would do if he didn’t laugh. Glancing away then in shame.

“I can’t blame you for asking and I’m sorry for snapping at you…But there it is, this is what I am. Broken, prisoner in both worlds. But even then…But even then…Even then I will live, because my sister told me to. Even then, I won’t be hateful, I’ll risk my neck for anybody I deem in need because that’s what that man wouldn’t do…Or at least, I’ll try.” Kaine said, clenching his hands into fists.

As his eyes narrowed, keeping the memory at bay.

“If I need to...” His expression then, growing cold once more, as he failed to hold the memory down.

Remembering as he stood over that injured mercenary, knife clenched in his hands and holding it to the man’s neck.

As he stared into his eyes, the eyes of a cornered being, terrified.

Kaine remembered that moment above all, when his rage made him cross the line, a line he shouldn’t have crossed.

No…No never again.

“So, if you still want to put your trust in me, go ahead. But I warn you, I’m a ticking fucking bomb with a broken timer.” Kaine warned them, taking a deep breath from talking so much right after.

And silence then followed, the sound of water rushing past, the occasional breeze blowing through the tall grass, was all they heard for several long quiet moments.

“I still don’t get you,” Rey then said, her expression pale white from the story she had just listened to. “But I guess…that’s normal, how the fuck could I get you?” She chuckled awkwardly, “Sorry…I should just keep my stupid mouth shut huh?”

“Demons or D-Devils, we’ve all got t-them, it’s true.” Lara then suddenly spoke too, “Reyrey, you’re too f-forceful but, I think you were right to be this time. J-Jor, you’re weird, I mean we’re all weird but you’re the w-weirdest person I’ve ever met so…I g-guess that’s a r-record. What I’m trying to say is…Everyone has problems, and yours might be out of this world but…uhm.”

Jedd sighed as Lara looked at her with pleading eyes, “What Lara’s trying to say is that, no matter how fucked in the head you are, no matter how broken or torn you might be. Imperfect, you’re our kind of guy, cause we dislike the perfect. We hate normal, abnormal is what we are and what we attract so abnormal is what we’re used to.” She walked up to him, slamming her clenched fist into his shoulder.

“You’re a Crow now, might as well call you a full-fledged member. Cause shit backgrounds is what we have mastery in, and you wanna know what we do with em?” Jedd asked with a wide grin, a contagious grin as the pale expressions of the rest faded at her words.

“What?...” Kaine asked half-heartedly.

“We play the shit outta the night, or fuck around all day. Anything to make these seemingly meaningless lives of ours have meaning. Cause together, while broken, we make something whole and meaningful no matter what we do.” Jedd said, causing Kaine to feel something pull within him.

As he stared at her damn grin, her eyes resolved too, fully believing the words she spoke.

“And this world, dangerous as it is…Like I said, as long as we’re together, nothing else fucking matters.” Jedd then walked forward, giving them all her back. As they gazed on at her, staring at her back which showed only raw strength of will. “Cause whether we’re running, afraid or tired. Whether we’re laughing, crying or bloody insane. Whether we live, or die. We do it all together.” She glanced back at him, “Welcome to our little fucked up family, Jor.” She told him.

Kaine suddenly felt the pull in his chest twist and turn…Something he had never felt before, that he had somewhere he belonged? He didn’t understand, he just couldn’t put this feeling into words at all.

But he didn’t need to put it into words, he felt it, so it was real. He felt it and that’s what mattered.

Family…

Something he had lost years ago.

And along with that feeling, he also felt something else…as he stared at Jedd. A feeling that, he did know, that he did understand…which caused him great embarrassment as he noticed it. Glancing away while a slight tinge of redness flushed his face.

“What’s...that?” Rey then suddenly said, causing Kaine’s shoulders to shudder.

Shit, is it showing?

He asked himself, but then saw Rey rush past both him and Jedd, she had noticed something…But not what he thought of at first.

Confused, they all followed after her. And as they moved, the sound got louder, clearer.

The crash of water resounded before them, as the river got faster around their feet.

They stepped out of the water, watching as many more rivers began to merge into the one they had been following. Creating a fiercer rush of water, that after several more meters reached a sudden drop.

Rey got to the edge first, glancing first at the large waterfall to their left before staring off at what lay beneath. “Holy shit.” She said with length as if something had taken the breath out of her.

“What?” Her brother, Roy asked as he and the rest then reached her side.

Kaine followed her sight, as did the rest of them, and their eyes widened to their fullest by the sight.

“What…What is this?...” Farvo mused in astonishment.

As they stared down at the gathering below, although too high to make out details of appearance it was obvious that these weren’t human…

Kaine though, who’s sight was excellent at night, made out much more than that.

From Gnolls to Goblins, Kobolds and Trolls, even Lamias and Harpies…Monstrous humanoids of all kinds gathered below, an army of unprecedented size which only grew larger and larger…As more marched in from every direction, the sound of their stomping feet almost equalling the rage of the waterfall.

“This is where…those Gnolls were headed to?” Roy mused.

“Yeah…Oh holy fuck, yeah…” Farvo agreed, his mouth laying ajar from the sight.

Kaine though, only had one thought in mind, as he glanced away from the army and back to Jedd.

I found it, sis, I found the person I’ll devour the world for…