In The Midst of Snow

Till We Meet Again

Alatus - no, Aether - took a step back. Fear grew in the pits of his stomach as Aether wrestled with the right words to say to the awaiting other Alatus.

"I...didn't mean for that to happen," were the words that came out of Alatus' mouth. "You weren't supposed to die. I didn't expect for the Unknown God to be there and..."

Their surroundings warped along with the other Alatus. For a moment, all he could see was a hurricane of indescribable colours.

And then, he was in a dark cave.

Not like the cave he was in right now in reality. This time, the cave's ceiling stretched into the unknown. Despite the entrance or exit being within sight, the cave walls emitted a dim glow of purple that lit up the otherwise dark cave.

Aether looked down, and horror crept up Alatus' spine. There, on the floor, missing several limbs and bleeding from a puncture to his chest, was other Alatus. The other Alatus took in a deep, shuddering breath, as if every breath hurt. Aether rushed to his side, bending down and trying to cover the endlessly bleeding wound with his bare hands.

"Hang in there, Xiao!" Aether begged. Tears welled up in his eyes as he tried fruitlessly to stem the flow of crimson red. "Please, don't leave me!"

"Then, brother, why didn't you die instead of him?"

Aether turned around fearfully. Strutting out of the shadows, a red-gold sword in grip that pulsed with divine energy, was...a girl that looked exactly like Aether.

"Lumine," Aether whispered.

Her eyes glowed. Almost as if the elements of the world acknowledged her command, she began floating, staring down at them like dirt found under her shoes.

In an echoing voice, she declared, "No, I am the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles. This is what I have been talking about. The arrogation of mankind will only bring suffering to everyone. Even the final Yaksha had fallen to the doom of the likes of you."

"No! It's not like that! I only-!" Aether began, but was cut off as he felt a chilling presence at his ear.

The voice, so much like Alatus' own yet not, murmured sadly, "Then, why did you leave me to die?"

In Aether's shocked state, a pair of arms slowly entwined themselves around him, almost as if embracing him. But suddenly, without warning, they pulled him down, deep into the ground and he was falling, falling-

Alatus' eyes snapped open. He looked around, and sure enough, he was back in that bat-filled cave with Aether sleeping peacefully by his feet. But even as Aether's soft snores and the drip drop drip drop of water filled the air, his mind was buzzing with the ridiculous nightmare he had witnessed.

He...had died? And it was Aether's fault?

No, Alatus clenched his fists. If it was truly Aether's fault, he wouldn't have a nightmare about it. Maybe indirectly, he was involved, but it wasn't mainly his fault. This was a self-blaming, guilt-ridden nightmare; Alatus had seen the pattern enough to guess the victim's situation from their dreams.

Below, Aether was still conked out without a care in the world. Instead of a glowing sun, Aether was more of a calm river of water when asleep.

Alatus bent down, hand reaching out, wanting to gently comfort the boy in his sleep. However, at that moment, he sensed a malicious presence and immediately leaped back, ready for combat.

He squinted at the tall, black silhouette against the stark white snow. Although, upon recognizing the silver white hair and the black, flowing overalls, Alatus quickly bent on one knee and bowed his head.

"My Lord."

A silky voice, one he knew too well, spoke from the entrance of the cave. "You seem to be having fun, Alatus."

Alatus held his breath. He was really hoping that his interaction with Aether would go unnoticed, if only to prevent his master getting more of an upper hand than he already had. Secondly, to ensure that Aether came to no harm; by both his hands and his master's.

Alatus kept his head down, praying that his master would overlook this. The rustle of cloth indicated that his master had moved.

Anxious, Alatus looked up, only to meet the soulless red blood eyes of his master's boring into him.

"Do you know this boy, then, Alatus?" his master inquired, a haunting smile that could only mean doom on his face.

No, he had to get his master's attention off of Aether. Alatus opened his mouth, ready to tell a lie. But it was at that moment he felt his heart falter, like a hand had grasped his heart and was squeezing it tight. Holding back a scream, Alatus gritted his teeth, not wanting his master to realise he had nearly told a lie.

He had no choice but to tell the truth; he had nearly forgotten the curse that his master had put upon him as soon as he became his subject. To not lie, betray, or harm me, your master, in any way.

"I don't...exactly know him," Alatus said, voice nearly a growl. The most he can do is not give away too much. "I just met him today."

The master hummed, straightening back up and giving the sleeping Aether a once-over.

"Funny thing, really, that you considered a mortal like this as an acquaintance." His master shook his head like a disappointed father. "I wonder if he'll still consider you someone friendly when he discovers you ate his dreams."

Alatus very much wanted to proclaim that he did not eat Aether's dreams, only his nightmares. He was helping him, not taking away his will to live, motivation or identity.

What's the difference, though? another part of him questioned. Nightmares are a form of dreams, after all. You horrendous being. You never know when to quit, do you?

So instead, Alatus kept quiet.

After a few seconds when neither being said anything, the god sighed. "Come now, Alatus. We have stuff to do."

"Yes, master," Alatus replied solemnly. He followed behind his master's shadow. At the entrance of the cave, he spared a longing glance back at Aether. He doesn't know why, but he wanted to know more about the boy and be by his side, as odd as it sounded. However, he held himself back and it was with all his willpower that he turned back to the howling wind and whipping snow with his master.

I hope we don't ever meet again, Aether.

It wasn't long after that did Aether woke up. Rubbing at his eyes, it was then he realised that there were tears in his eyes. Had he been...crying?

"Xiao?"

A/N:
Alatus: And then I said, "I hope we don't ever meet again, Aether." You know, like a liar.