"What do you mean… they managed to bring it back?!" Alisa Elianore shrieked, her voice slicing through the twilight silence at the edge of the small base near the Ao' Forest. Disappointment blazed in her eyes, her face flushed with barely restrained fury. Without a word, she turned and left, leaving Kaito rooted to the spot, the evening breeze whispering sadly around him.
Kaito remained still, tree shadows flickering across his grim expression. The night wind tousled his unruly hair, but it couldn't calm the tempest inside him. Leaves drifted down—fragments of shattered hope.
Aether…
The name pierced his ears, no longer a whispered mystery, but a harsh, threatening reality. Aether existed. And it was a terrifying threat.
Western Route to Headquarters, the Deadly Sichibukuten Forest
Claude sprinted, Franz and Araka panting behind her. The night air hung heavy and humid, the scent of damp earth mingling with the oppressive aroma of the forest. Their steps halted abruptly; the atmosphere shifted, growing menacing.
Araka staggered and dropped to his knees, crimson blooming on his lips. His raven-black hair paled into ghostly white, his face drained of all color.
"Araka!" Franz yelled, catching his frail friend. "No… not now…"
Claude's jaw clenched. She knew this would happen. Araka's illness, kept hidden for so long, had struck back with brutal force. They lifted Araka, running with desperate speed towards headquarters.
But, mid-journey… a miracle unfolded.
The blue crystal around Araka's neck emitted a blinding green light, like a miniature aurora blooming in the dark forest. A warm aura enveloped Araka, swiftly closing his wounds. His breathing steadied. Araka opened his eyes. They blazed a fiery red, but now shone with a fierce awareness.
Claude and Franz were stunned, staring in disbelief at the inexplicable miracle.
"The crystal… it actually reacted," Franz whispered, his voice trembling.
Araka slowly rose, touching the now-calm crystal. "This is the Amotra Crystal—an ancient relic I found five years ago. They say it can cure any illness… and now, I'm starting to believe it."
Franz stared, incredulous. "So… you're healed?"
Araka shook his head slowly. "Not completely. But enough to keep me alive."
Claude let out a long breath, relief flooding her. "Alright, let's go. The others must be waiting."
Headquarters, Western Region of Ao' Forest – A Terrifying Silence
An hour before Lixs' departure. The sun had set, painting the sky in hues of orange and purple. Claude returned to her eerily silent home, a silence that felt oppressive.
"Lixs?" her voice echoed in the empty space. No answer.
She rushed to her brother's room, finding the door unlocked. A neatly folded letter lay on the old wooden table. Claude snatched it up, her heart pounding as she read. Her face tightened. Her expression changed drastically.
"I'm going to search for clues about Mother. Don't worry about me. I have to do this myself."
Lixs' journey was a continuation of his missing father's quest. He and his sister, Claude, were determined to find their mother, a mystery that had haunted them for years.
Claude clutched the letter, her brother's words echoing in her mind. "If you don't return tomorrow… I'll come for you."
Night Sky Above Sichibukuten – A Journey Towards Hope
Soaring on Zyxion's back alongside Zuxsin and Zaresha, Lixs gazed at the starlit sky. The city of Vurce shimmered like a sea of stars in the distance, its glittering lights captivating. The city's bustling sounds faintly reached them from above.
"Zuxsin," Lixs broke the silence, his voice a whisper on the night wind. "The thing we're looking for… what is it, exactly?"
"Acrota," Zuxsin replied, his voice heavy. "An ancient bottle. They say it can cure any illness… maybe it can save my little sister."
Lixs fell silent, Zuxsin's words piercing his heart. He bowed his head, fighting back the tears threatening to spill. Zaresha placed her hand on Zuxsin's cheek, her voice gentle. "I promise I'll help you find it. We'll find that bottle together."
A faint smile touched Zuxsin's lips. For the first time that night, a glimmer of hope pierced the darkness.
Vurce, International City of Sichibukuten – A City Full of Mystery
Vurce bathed in light, vibrant and bustling. Lights danced, accompanied by laughter, music, and the delicious aromas from every corner of the world. Lixs was mesmerized, his eyes wide with wonder.
"This… is incredible…" he whispered, his voice full of awe.
Zaresha chuckled. "First time in the city?"
Lixs nodded. "Thank you… for bringing me here."
Zuxsin turned, a slight smile on his face. "Vurce isn't just a city. It's a hub for merchants and power-seekers. If Acrota really exists, this is probably where it is."
Suddenly, Lixs' expression turned serious. "Zaresha, we need to land. Now."
Zaresha raised an eyebrow, then nodded. "Right away, Commander."
Zyxion beat his wings one last time before vanishing in a green flash of light. The three of them descended, like falling stars to earth.
They explored the city while Lixs savored Vurce's culinary delights. After eating, he spoke to Virellia, inquiring about the bottle. "Do you know where it is?"
Virellia was silent, her eyes gleaming mysteriously. "If you want to know, I can help, but you must break the seal that binds my mind."
Lixs fell silent, understanding. Virellia might hold the key to the bottle's location, but the seal on her mind had to be broken first. The condition: finding another part of Virellia that was sealed away.
Lixs didn't know where that part was yet. He planned to search later. At that moment, he was called by his two friends. He turned, startled by Zuxsin's despairing face.
"Zuxsin," Lixs whispered, placing a hand on Zuxsin's shoulder. "Calm down, we'll help you find that bottle."
Meanwhile, Zaresha asked Zuxsin about the bottle's origins.
Zuxsin recounted his story. A year ago, he met an old man in a robe who spoke of a bottle that could cure a rare disease. Strangely, after their conversation, the old man vanished, leaving a book behind on the ground. Zuxsin picked up the book and read it, believing in its truth.
Lixs was suspicious and asked for the book. Zuxsin showed it to him. The book lay open, page after page, filled with ancient, indecipherable script. Lixs then showed the ancient piece of paper he had found.
Zuxsin understood Lixs' meaning, nodding his head. "Maybe there's a connection between this book..."
"Could this be a missing page from that book?" Lixs asked, hope glimmering in his eyes.