"Yes?" Sky said, confused as to why a little girl was watching him.
"My name is Ennith, the Monarch of Ether. What is yours?" Ennith asked in the same monotone voice she usually talked in.
"I'm Sky," he said warily.
"That is not a name."
"I guess it's not? I never really thought about it."
Silence loomed between the two before it was broken by Ennith, "Why does ether favour you?" she asked.
"Ether? What do you mean?" Sky asked, confused.
"The etherlines, they favour you. I can see it in your eyes and the way you move. You are not like the others," she said as she looked at him intently.
"I don't understand what you're talking about."
"Ever since I saw you, I knew you were different. I do not know what it is, but there is something about you that etherlines are drawn to. They move freely through you as if you're a part of them."
Ennith's words left Sky feeling uneasy. He didn't know what she was talking about and didn't like how she looked at him. She looked at him not like a human but as a toy or an object.
"What do you want from me?"
"I want to know why ether favours you," she said plainly.
"I don't know. I've never noticed anything special about myself."
"You are lying," she accused him.
"I'm not!" he protested.
"Everything okay in here?" The guard wondered in, interested in all the commotion. His eyes widened at the sight of the monarch, and he bowed in respect, "Monarch of Ether, I apologise for the disturbance. I will leave you two alone," he said before quickly leaving the room.
Ennith turned her attention back to Sky and narrowed her eyes at him, "You will tell me what I want to know," she said in a cold voice.
"Or what?" he challenged.
"Or I'll make you," she said plainly.
Sky could see the cold intent in her eyes, and he knew she wasn't bluffing. He didn't know what she was talking about, but he knew he didn't want to find out. He looked at the etherlines around the girl and was awestruck. The ether lines were thick and dense around her, and they moved chaotically. The way the etherlines moved and bulged made it seem almost unnatural.
Whenever Sky manipulated ether, it wasn't forceful like this. Instead, it was always gentle and slow. He simply guided ether and didn't take hold of it. It was only when he learned how to manipulate specific attributes that he started using his will to manipulate them, and even then, it was never forceful. Rather than guiding, it was more of a light push.
"Why do the etherlines that intersect you look so chaotic?" Sky asked, ignoring her threat.
Ennith was short and looked like a kid. Still, the chaotic etherlines around her made her seem older and more intimidating.
Ennith's eyes widened in surprise. She knew very few people who could see etherlines, let alone see how chaotic they were.
"What do you know about etherlines?" she asked in a mix of shock and anger.
"I know they're lines of ether flowing through the world. I also know that they can be used to manipulate ether."
"That is all?"
"Yes, why? Is there more to it?" he asked, curious.
Ennith was silent for a while as she collected her thoughts. She had met other people with Ether's Eyes, but only people who had studied ether for decades. How did this young man in front of her gain such a skill? A Neenies trait is intellect and the share of knowledge. With this in-depth knowledge of ether, they naturally become more powerful as their comprehension of ether and how to use it extensively increases.
"The etherlines are the pathways of ether. Just like rivers or roads, they are the paths that ether takes. And just like rivers or roads, they can be navigated. The difference is that while waterways and roads are physical, etherlines are not. They are the pathways of the ethereal."
"Ethereal?"
"Yes, ether is the ethereal substance that makes up the universe. It is the building block of all things, both physical and non-physical."
"So, etherlines are like rivers of ether? That's something I already knew," Sky said, trying to understand what she was saying.
"Yes, but they are more than that. Etherlines are also the pathways of thought and will. Just like how physical objects have mass, ether also has mass. And just like how physical objects have gravity, ether also has gravity. Etherlines are the gravitational pull of ether."
Sky looked confused and lost. Ennith realised this was too much for him to understand and decided to explain it differently. But before she did so, she questioned why she was telling him this. He was a human, and humans were more talented with attributes, not ether. Even if he could see etherlines, it didn't matter. Humans couldn't use etherlines the way Neenies could.
"You mentioned earlier that you know how to manipulate ether. Can you show me?" she asked.
Sky didn't know why, but he felt this was important. He nodded and focused his attention on the ether around him. He reached out to the ether and started to guide it to flow around him. The ether responded to his will and began swirling around him.
Ennith's expression changed from a blank canvas to one of shock and disbelief. She had never seen anyone manipulate ether the way he did. Everyone stores ether internally, and only the higher races are capable of manipulating ether externally. And yet, this human in front of her was not only manipulating ether externally, but he was also doing it without using any attributes. This was something that she had thought was impossible.
"How are you doing this?" she asked in a whisper, her voice full of disbelief.
"You feel the ether around you and simply guide it with your will. It's not difficult," Sky said, shrugging his shoulders.
"But that's impossible! Humans can't-" She cut herself off. Although she thirsted for knowledge, she had to remember her position. She was one of the six monarchs, a powerful force within the Central Kingdom. She couldn't let her emotions get the better of her.
"What can't humans do?" Sky asked, his expression turning serious.
Ennith took a breath before continuing, "How about we make a deal? I've been told that you were bought by the Nightbride house. How about I transfer you here under my wing? In return, you will teach me everything you know about ether," Ennith said, her voice dripping with honey.
Sky looked genuinely surprised. This was the last thing he expected this conversation to go. He thought she discovered his darkness attribute and would execute him on the spot. Instead, she wanted to make a deal with him. But it was because of this reason that he couldn't accept.
"I'm sorry, but I can't accept your offer," he said, shaking his head.
"And why not?" she asked, her voice laced with anger.
"It's nothing personal. I just don't think it would be a good idea."
"Fine, then I'll just have to force you to comply," she said, her voice full of venom.
Suddenly, the atmosphere in the room changed. The air became thick and heavy, making it difficult to breathe. Then, suddenly, everything was back to normal, except Ennith was gone, leaving Sky alone in the room.
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