He raised his glass, for everyone around him, for everyone that had fought with him, this was all for them. The others followed, raising their glasses too.

It was for how far they have gotten, and more importantly, for them.

Aether downed the drink, as if there wasn't another day to live.

Sitting back, he looked at the table in front of him, filled with food. Never in his life would he have ever thought that he would see a table with so much food again. It reminded him of his past, and to share it with the people you trust and you know most.

He couldn't replace it with anything; he would have been dumb if he had chosen hope. It had been a childish wish, after all; what would have been the point?

He knew he had made the right decision, no matter who told him otherwise.

Hearing his stomach growl, he picked up his fork and knife and cut some of his meat. How much he missed doing this, it almost made him shed a tear...

The others also started to dig in, after all, who knew when they would get the chance to do this again, to eat like a family...

...

...

It almost reminded him of his past, when he had dinner with his father and sister.

"Riven, slow down, you're going, you're acting like a pig." He said, hitting the top of his head with his hand.

His choice had been obvious; he couldn't have betrayed his friends, the people who trusted and needed him. And for what, for his childish wish to go back home for his selfish self, who still had hope for the warm baths and not having to worry about anything.

That wasn't who he was anymore; it was great that he finally realized this.

Eating a chunk of meat, he looked at the other side of the table, where he saw his child self staring him in his eyes, with tears flowing down, with blood on his hands, and a knife that he had only used for eating until that moment.

It was himself from that day, the day that shaped him into who he is today.

...

No one could see him, but himself... a boy who was scared of mystery, who didn't know what killing is, and felt guilty for taking a life, and at the same time, a boy who had sworn to take down the whole Kingdom.

They shared a similar goal, yet they were the complete opposite; he wasn't that boy anymore. He wasn't just all talk. Back then, what had he done after declaring his goal to destroy?... He lived in the illusion that he would find a way back home, not doing anything to get stronger, to actually fight back, and in the end, that had cost him the life of his master.

A boy who had seen only sunshines and rainbows until now... he wondered, at this moment, while it was looking at him, did it recognize himself. Did he realize the one he was staring at was him, or did he think it was just another murderer from this wicked place?

'The latter.' He could see it in his eyes, the confusion. Yet at the same time, he didn't care.

...

After all, he had already let go of his past the moment he had chosen not to go home.

...

...

He looked at the seat opposite him, not empty.

...

...

Riven, Lyra, Aura, Kaden, Alexis, Milo, and Nick.

The members of his personal squad. He didn't know why they had joined him until now, but after hearing their stories, he couldn't help but trust them, feel their sympathy. Maybe that's why they also followed him; he also shared a dark story, one they couldn't find relatable. They shared the same enemy.

Riven had been the first to join, and the only one to do it because of him being the Abyss; he already knew his story; he hated the Blue Rose because they had killed his father for no reason. The boy was loyal, the best right man he could have chosen. The boy could have betrayed him many times, like that time he had gone into a long sleep after forcing a false memory on all the Withered.

He had been the one to assemble the squad, so he could have killed him and been the leader himself. And yet, he had been against it, even making sure the others knew he was the leader.

Lyra, while she was a hassle to deal with, being more strict and stuff, he couldn't say that he didn't trust her, the most, second only to Riven. He had originally used her to trick Avius, but the girl had figured things out and followed them to join them, however.

She was originally from the Blue Rose, but after her family got into a conflict with a Celestial family, they got exiled, just like his master... maybe that's one of the reasons he cherished her so much. Either way, the girl has proven herself many times; she deserves to be called his left hand.

Aura, while she was picked by Riven, and the last to open herself to him, he couldn't hate her. The girl had really liked the Blue Rose in her childhood, but after a noble had tricked her by making her work for him in exchange for helping her get inside the Blue Rose, she had grown to hate the Blue Rose and had lost most of her trust. Which explained why she was the last. She was also very important, since her powers, while not that great, allowed her to heal.

Milo, at first, ironically, didn't like the boy, but now, they were like best friends, maybe because they were born in the same month, aka November. Either way, the boy had been used by the Blue Rose as a child for his affinity, which is why he now uses his smoke against them; he was probably second to him in how many of people from the Blue Rose he had killed. Maybe that's another reason why they got so well together.

Kaden and Nick were brothers, born and raised by their single mother, who did everything in her power to provide for them, even letting a noble abuse her, just so they could survive. And yet, in the end, she was killed by the same noble, right in front of them.

It was that type of story that made his blood boil, that made him hate the Blue Rose even more. He respected them quite a lot, since they were very calm and patient, while he, if that had happened to him, would have been the exact opposite.

And last but not least, Alexis, the girl, was originally from another Kingdom, but was sold to someone from the Blue Rose. Her time there was rough, and she had endured many types of torture until she couldn't take it anymore. And when that type came, she was thrown out like she was nothing but a toy, not a human being with a soul.

...

Many people who look at the rebellion consider them the villains, the ones who are evil, but they don't get to see their stories, the reason why they do all of this. Yet... even if they were considered monsters by everyone outside the Withered, he wasn't going to let it stop him.

It didn't matter what others thought he was, a monster, a rebel, a prince, a hero, a villain; he didn't care if people thought he was evil or good. He knew who he was, and he knew what he was doing was the right thing, and in the end, wasn't that the most important thing?

Plus, this rebellion had gotten him something better than the power of freedom... friends... no, a family he could care for.

...

...

After the feast they had been gifted by the people near the camp for saving them, they left. They still had lots of things to do. He actually wanted to clear another book soon, since even if he was still done, the others still needed sync, and he wasn't going to let them go alone. He wanted to be sure they were safe.

...

He wasn't going to let them die.

...

"Aether, can we slow down? It's hard going so fast with a full belly." Said Riven, pleading to him while resting his arm on his shoulder."

He sighed, slowing down his pace. While he knew they had to get back, as a leader, he still had to think of the well-being of his people.

...

Around him, he heard laughter and chatting; it almost didn't seem like they were some evil rebellion, for once, they were just a family walking together, spending time together.

...

...

...

...

...

...

Aether suddenly heard laughter from inside the shadows. It had been faint, faint enough for the other to not hear it, and continue walking while he stopped.

He looked around, but didn't see anything.

Yet as he stared at the shadows, he felt someone breathe down their neck and whisper into his ears.

...

...

"Freedom has arrived."

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