Ascension Of The Villain

Vyan stirred in the middle of the night, blinking his eyes open to a world bathed in soft darkness. The faint pitter-patter reached his ears, rhythmic and soothing like a lullaby played by the sky.

He sighed softly, recognizing the familiar, gentle cadence—it must be the start of the summer rains. A half-smile formed on his lips as he let himself relax against the pillows.

Turning his head slightly, he found Iyana nestled close to him. She was fast asleep, her body curled up naturally into his side as if she had always belonged there. For a moment, he simply watched her—the way her light-colored hair fanned behind her head, the subtle rise and fall of her chest with each steady breath.

His heart warmed at the sight, and he couldn't help but smile. Holding her a little tighter, Vyan closed his eyes, hoping to drift back into the realm of dreams.

With her in his arms, the world outside felt distant and unimportant. Here, with her warmth against him and the rain whispering outside, he felt safe—truly safe in a way he only felt with her presence.

And yet, even after half an hour of trying, Vyan couldn't fall back asleep. He felt restless all of a sudden.

His mind drifted to Aster. Vyan felt safe here with Iyana, but who was there for Aster? Was Aster sleeping properly? Was he at peace, or was he still sitting in the same position Vyan had left him yesterday evening?

He was too busy with the books to have checked up on Aster. How idiotic of him. He should have been paying more attention to Aster personally.

Vyan glanced at Iyana, careful not to wake her, and gently released his hold on her. She murmured something unintelligible but didn't stir more than that, settling back into her sleep.

Quietly, Vyan slipped out of bed, put on his slippers, and moved out of the room. He glided down the hall and descended the stairs. The rain continued to drum against the roof, a muted hum that filled the house. There was a small ball of fire in his palms as he was too lazy to carry along an actual candle.

When he reached Aster's room and soundlessly pushed open the double doors, his heart clenched at the sight.

Just like he was afraid, Aster was still in the same position he had left him yesterday. Only the location was different.

Aster was now curled up by the side of his bed near the nightstand. But something was different. His hands were pressed hard against his ears and his eyes squeezed shut as if warding off some unseen terror.

A wave of worry washed over Vyan. Lighting up the candles in the room with magic, he hurried to his brother's side, kneeling before him.

"Ash?" he whispered softly. "What's wrong?"

Aster didn't open his eyes, continuing to tremble. "It's... it's…" His lips moved, but the words seemed trapped, unable to find their way out.

Vyan's brow furrowed as he searched his brother's face for some clue, some hint of what had frightened him so much. The last time it was Vyan trying to touch his hand, but what could it be now? What would trigger such a reaction in a room that Aster was all alone in?

Vyan's gaze shifted around the room, looking for any signs. There were no windows here, so he couldn't have probably seen something outside the window—

Pitter-patter.

But the sound… the soft patter of raindrops.

A realization began to dawn on Vyan. The rain.

Considering where Aster was kept all these years, Vyan suspected that Aster might have forgotten the sound of rain. In that underground cell, even the roars of thunder might not have reached him, let alone the sound of rain.

"Hey, hey," Vyan whispered, reaching out to gently take Aster's hands, pulling them away from his ears. "It's okay, Ash. I am here with you. It's just rain. Do you know rain? The harmless water droplets falling from the sky?"

Aster didn't believe his words and hysterically tried to cover his ears again. But Vyan's grip was strong.

"No, stop. Listen closely," Vyan insisted, firmly yet tenderly. "It's not anything scary. It's… uh, a rather soothing sound." He squeezed Aster's cold and trembling hands gently, his heart breaking at the sight of his brother so lost, so afraid of something as simple as summer rain. "Just try to listen to it.

It has a nice soothing rhythm; it's calming." He kept his voice low, calm, and soothing, like he was trying to coax a frightened animal out of hiding.

But it wasn't working.

Vyan's mind raced, the steady thrum of rain in the background almost mocking his desperation. Come on, Vyan, think. Think, think, think.

He needed to break through to Aster, to find a way past the fear that had his brother locked in its grip. What could reach him when soothing words couldn't?

Then, like a flicker of light in the darkness, an idea took shape in his mind—a memory, a pattern he had seen play out countless times in the past.

"Hey, Ash," Vyan murmured softly, his voice steady though his heart was anything but. "Look over there. Isn't Vee scared too?" He pointed to an empty corner of the room.

Aster opened his eyes, hesitant and confused, and slowly followed the direction of his finger.

Vyan's breath caught in his throat as he watched his brother's gaze shift. "Shouldn't you assure him that he doesn't have to be scared because it's just the rain?" he continued, his tone gentle but laced with a quiet urgency.

For a moment, everything was suspended in a fragile stillness. Vyan kept his thumb moving in slow circles over the back of Aster's hand, feeling the tremors there. His eyes remained fixed on his brother, his heart pounding in sync with the rhythm of the rain.

He didn't know if this would work or if it would only make things worse, but he had to try something—anything.

Aster had always been the brave one when Vyan was afraid, even if that bravery was just a thin mask hiding his own fear. To reassure Vyan, Aster needed to believe what he was saying, even if he was convincing himself in the process. For instance, if Aster needed to tell his little brother that ghosts didn't exist, then he had to push that belief deep into his own mind, past the doubts and fears.

So, this was Vyan's best bet. Create an echo of the past where Aster was the protector, where his words became truths to shield them both from the unknown.

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