Damien and Ty stood before Lake Aestus with the others waiting closely behind them. Water from the lake began to swirl around the group as they created two breathing pockets to enter Aestus. Damien, Treya and Via were in one pocket while Ty, Faye and Aaron were in the next. Aaron tried to mask his disbelief as they descended into the depths of the dark lake. Faye took notice of his shifting expressions and his alternating gazes.
"How can you see where we're going?" Aaron asked. "Even when guiding us here through the forest, you guys didn't need a light."
"Call it a form of evolution." Faye answered. "Living down here for generations has forced the people of Aestus to adapt to the conditions down here."
"You've developed a sort of night vision."
"You're a smart one." Faye replied.
"Thanks."
This is insane. Aaron thought. There's so much to take in with this situation. We began talking underwater like it was natural. If this is an application of water essence then this stuff is incredible.
As the two bubbles detached from the suspended lake, Aaron was gifted the view of Aestus for the first time. The artificial sun was dim, but bright enough to illuminate the entire cave which housed the village.
"Welcome to Aestus." Both Elder Treya and Faye said to Aaron and Via.
Elder Mildred and Kenzo awaited their arrival in the landing zone while majority of the villagers were fast asleep. Both bubbles made their way to the ground, and the water from each bubble flooded into the soil around them.
"Welcome back sisters." Mildred stated.
Mildred took glances at both Aaron and Via but didn't acknowledge them anymore than that.
"I assume your trip was successful?"
"In many ways, but this isn't the place to talk about that." Faye replied.
"What happened with Mai and the others?" Treya asked.
"They fought a stage one Arashi on their own." Mildred replied. "They won but it wasn't exactly easy for them. Mai and the boy are resting at sister Aira's residence. The child is recuperating at her own home."
"Once their all alright." Treya said with a sigh. "We should prepare for a gathering in the morning. I'm going to sister Aira's place to talk with him. Kenzo would you accompany me please."
"...Kenzo." Aaron muttered to himself.
"When you get to Aestus, ask Kenzo to show you Kaden." Aaron remembered the words of the unknown man that appeared to him before.
Then... is Kaden really here? Aestus, Kenzo... Kaden. He's walking away Aaron, come on, call out to him. If there's a chance I have to take it.
Aaron took a step forward and hesitantly raised both of his frozen hands towards the backs of Kenzo and Elder Treya. Before he could mutter a single letter from his lips, a blade of ice extended towards his neck. The tip of the blade pressed against his skin just enough to draw a single stream of blood.
"You remember what I said right?" Damien asked. "Don't try anything down here, you won't be shown any leniency in terms of punishment."
"Stop it!" Via shouted.
She tried to step between Damien and Aaron but Ty held onto her shoulder.
"I must ask you both to be as quiet as possible." Elder Mildred stated. "We don't want to be disturbing the villagers with something like this. Of course if you don't comply we can always freeze your mouths shut."
Aaron nervously swallowed while glancing at the ice blade that was puncturing his neck. He then looked back at Kenzo who was further off into the distance and slowly dropped his hands.
"I'm alright." Aaron said to Via with a reassuring smile.
Via quickly calmed herself but kept a worried expression on her face.
"Now then, sister Faye is there anything in particular you were planning on doing with them?" Mildred asked.
"I would've preferred if sister Treya had stayed for a little longer, but this can wait until morning." Faye replied. "Damien heal his wound and place both of them in holding. Ty you'll be with us for a little longer."
"Yes ma'am." Ty responded.
Damien healed the cut on Aaron's neck whilst escorting them around the outside of the village.
"I have a question." Aaron said.
"What is it?" Damien replied.
"...Is there someone in this village named Kaden Adams?"
"Hmm, doesn't ring a bell to me. Why?"
"...It's nothing." Aaron replied.
They approached a stone structure which appeared to be built by the first people of Aestus. The walls were giant stone slabs and there wasn't even a roof on it.
"What's this?" Via asked.
"This is where you'll be spending the night." Damien answered. "Would you both so kindly step inside for me."
They complied with Damien and walked in. Once inside, the ice that was covering their hands immediately began to thaw. Damien then started to pull water from a nearby stream and covered the door with it.
"Their leaving us in here without restraints?" Aaron questioned.
"Don't worry, I'll be back to feed you in an hour or so." Damien said from the outside.
"You understand we can fly straight out the top of this place with our essence right." Via stated.
"You can try, just try not to hurt yourself. I'm not healing anymore injuries. This building has a rune underneath it that's activating an invisible barrier. Anyone inside that barrier cannot release essence of any kind."
Via immediately raised her hand and attempted to release a gust of wind, but was unsuccessful. Damien then froze the water he was gathering which sealed the only entry and exit point of the building.
"I'll be back!" Damien exclaimed as he walked away.
Aaron placed his hands on the ice and pushed against it, but it didn't budge.
"This ice isn't cold at all." Aaron stated.
"They're going to take you away..." Via said.
"What are you-"
"I knew very well that using that lake was forbidden, but I was desperate. I couldn't stand being alone anymore... but it looks like that outcome was inevitable."
"Don't talk like that!" Aaron exclaimed. "No one deserves to be alone. In my opinion solitude is the worst torture anyone can endure, and you've endured it for long enough. I'm not going anywhere, I promise you that."
"But when morning comes-"
"I'll find a way to get us out of this. Just leave it to me."
I just need to find that guy named Kenzo again and hopefully he can help us. I can't hesitate like last time, especially if there's a sliver of a chance that Kaden is here somewhere.
.....
Knock Knock
"Nobody's home." Kaden muttered.
"Is that so?" Elder Treya responded as she entered the room.
"So you'd enter someone's room once you know there not their? I gotta watch out for you Granny Treya."
"Seems like your coming along alright."
"I was never really hurt." Kaden stated.
"That's good to hear... The Gate of Pride is ready for you when you are ready for it."
Kaden rose from his position in bed and sighed while scratching his head.
"So I can finally start my journey home."
"Are you eager to begin?" Treya asked.
"Sitting around here isn't getting me any closer to home. I still can't release water essence but I shouldn't need it for these first two gates right? Aren't they close by?"
"...You won't need essence at all for any of the gates. We suggested you learn them for the journey to get to each gate safely."
"Then, what are the gates testing?"
"They're mental test, which have been said to be emotionally draining." Treya explained. "Because of this I must ask you, are you prepared to do this?"
"Good thing I'm not a very emotional person." Kaden replied with a smirk. "I'll be fine if that's the case."
"...I hope that confidence carries you far." Treya said with a grin. "You should spend tomorrow preparing for a short journey. You could be setting out as early as the day after."
Treya quietly left the room and closed the door behind her. Kaden fell back onto the bed and stared up towards the ceiling.
...So it begins.
.....
Several hours later.
Kaden spent the entire day sleeping and resting his body, so he now found himself wide awake early in the morning. He silently moved through the house, carefully making his way down the hallway when one of the doors flew open. He paused and observed the door as a shadow exited the room and joined him in the hall. The shadow stopped and gazed directly at Kaden who was still stood frozen.
"Kaden?"
"...Mai?"
The two of them left the house together and didn't start a conversation until they were outside.
"...So I guess you're restless as well?" Mai questioned.
"Yeah, I'm not one to stay doing nothing for a long time." Kaden answered. "What about you? I hope you're not going back to the surface already."
"No, I'm not going up there. If you don't have anything in mind, would you care to join me."
"Where to?"
Mai and Kaden ventered to the pond where they regularly trained their water essence. Kaden was sat with his legs folded, meditating once again to try and release his essence. Mai was sat beside him in the same position, but she had her hands out in front of her.
"This feels even more difficult now, because I'm holding in my air essence." Kaden stated.
"I can't help you with that since I only possess one elemental essence." Mai replied.
"What are you tryna do?"
"I'm attempting to form liquid water in my hands." Mai answered.
"It's possible to make water from scratch?"
"Not exactly. It's possible to create liquid water from moisture in the air. You can use water essence to pull water molecules in the air closure together and form a liquid. Kenzo and the other guards use a similar technique for their ice weapons. They use water essence to compact water molecules so tightly together that it forms a solid. The ice isn't cold at all but it's still ice."
"That's crazy." Kaden exclaimed. "You're changing the state of matter in water with essence. That's some precision to control it on a molecular level like that."
"Yeah. You know, you tend to talk as if you're very knowledgeable at times."
"You're saying that like I sound dumb most of the time."
"I wouldn't use the word dumb, I'd say you come across more uneducated." Mai clarified.
"I don't think that's any better." Kaden replied. "...I'm going to face the first gate tomorrow."
Mai abruptly turned and faced Kaden with her eyes widened out of shock.
"So you're leaving?" Mai asked.
"Not for long. I'm only going to do the closest gate and then come back. At least that's what I think, Grams only gave me a day to prepare."
"...Are you happy?"
"...I don't know yanno." Kaden replied. "I wanna go back to right some wrongs that I've been ignoring. This experience, you know, dying and all that. It's probably the most extreme wake up call a guy like me could get. I procrastinated a lot and wasted not only my time, but other's time as well. When I get back I'll start taking things more seriously, because I realize the time we have isn't guaranteed. There's also a few people I have to apologize to for wasting their time."
"That's an admirable thing to do." Mai stated. "For what it's worth, your time here wasn't wasted in my opinion. You're a very memorable person who's left a rather interesting impression on several individuals in this village. Me in particular."
"How so?"
"...I've never been able to talk with anyone in this village the way I've talked with you. You approach me no different than you approach anyone else, and for that I say thank you." Mai said with a warm smile.
"Y-yeah, you're welcome." Kaden replied with a flustered face.
That's the first time I've seen her smile like that. If this was the old me I probably would have tried to seduce her by now. Back home, girls only came to me for sex and my money. This feels better.
.....
Later that morning.
"Rise and shine." Damien exclaimed.
Aaron was sat against the wall in the back left corner of their prison, already awake and waiting. Via was still asleep with her head rested in Aaron's lap. Damien melted the ice and removed the water which blocked the entrance.
"Let's go you two." Damien said.
Aaron carefully moved Via onto the ground and stood up.
"I have a request." Aaron stated.
"Denied." Damien immediately responded.
"Could you at least give some consideration for what I have to say?"
"What is it?"
"...I would like to speak with those ladies again. They're some sort of matriarchs here right?"
"Oh, if that's the case then sure. That's actually where I'm taking you two now."
"Is it okay if I go there by myself first?" Aaron asked.
"I have my orders kid, I need the both of you to come now. This is a situation where I have little to no say in."
Damien then funneled a single stream of water inside and sprayed Via's face with it.
"Let's go, you don't want to keep them waiting." Damien exclaimed.
.....
"I wouldn't happen to be late am I?" Asked a relatively young woman as she entered the Elder's Courtyard.
"You're right on time Sister Claire." Elder Faye replied. "If everyone is ready, we can now begin our Elders Garthering."