After meeting Altajair, Aether and Aetherius continued their journey in silence, even though the air around them felt heavy with unsolved mysteries. Aether felt that something big was about to happen, but she didn't know exactly what it was. The sky grew darker, with the last rays of sunlight fading over the horizon, as faint voices began to be heard in the distance.
Aether sharpened his hearing. The sounds felt familiar—laughing, talking, and busy footsteps. As they approached, she saw the glow of a campfire in the distance, surrounded by a group of people. Instantly, memories appeared in her mind. It was the group she once belonged to before she was sucked into the world of darkness, adventurers she knew and respected.
"I know them," Aether said quietly, stopping for a moment in place. "That's my old group."
Aetherius, who was walking beside him, nodded calmly. "It's a great time to see them again," She said. "But I think it's time for me to leave for a while."
Aether was surprised to hear those words. "Leave? Why?" She asked, feeling a little unprepared to lose this mysterious companion, who, although she had only just met, had been an important part of her journey.
Aetherius smiled gently, although there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. "I have guided you this far, Aether. But now, you must continue this journey on your own strength. It is time for me to step back for a moment, so that you can grow stronger without depending on my presence."
Aether felt a mixture of emotions within her—fear of losing her guidance, but also a growing sense of confidence that she could face this challenge on her own. "But... what if I need you?" She asked, her voice shaking slightly. "What if I encounter something too powerful for me to face alone?"
Aetherius smiled wider, then she took Aether's hand gently. "Don't worry, Aether," She said softly. "Even though I'm gone, I haven't really left you. You and I are connected in a deeper way than you realize."
Before Aether could ask further, Aetherius closed her eyes and began chanting a spell in an unknown language. The soft and meaningful voice whispered in the night wind, while Aetherius' hand that was holding Aether's hand began to emit a warm pale blue light. The light enveloped the two, creating an aura that connected them on a deeper level than the naked eye could see.
"Aether," said Aetherius in a softer but more powerful voice, "I will be one with you. In that sense, even though I leave this physical world, I will still be in you—in your heart and your subconscious. You will can always feel my presence when you need me. You will never be truly alone."
The blue light grew brighter, flowing from Aetherius into Aether's body, creating a strange but calming feeling within her. Aether felt a warm and gentle energy flow into her, as if she was enveloped by the presence of Aetherius from within. As the process was complete, the blue light slowly faded, leaving Aether standing alone in the street.
Aether looked around her, but Aetherius was no longer there. Her body had disappeared as if absorbed by the night wind, but Aether could feel something different inside her—a new power, a faint but powerful presence in her heart.
"I... can still feel you," whispered Aether, talking to herself, but feeling like Aetherius heard him somewhere far away but close. "You're still there."
In the silence of the night, Aether heard a soft voice in her mind—Aetherius' voice, although faint, was still clear. "I will always be with you, Aether. You just need to believe in yourself. You are stronger than you imagine."
Aether nodded slowly, feeling calmer and more ready to continue this journey. She knew now that even though Aetherius was not physically present, she would always be within her, providing the guidance and strength she needed.
With a deep breath, Aether stepped forward, heading towards her old group. Aether entered the warm circle of light of the campfire, surrounded by her old group. There, the faces she once knew so well now looked full of relief and happiness. They all seemed more alive in the sparkling firelight, although Aether felt like she still carried the weight of the world of darkness she had just left.
"Aether! You're back!" exclaimed a man with thick brown hair with a big smile on her face. It was Aiden, the leader of the group, a figure who was tough and full of leadership. Beside her stood Beatrice, a blonde girl who was always cheerful, and Leona, a talented witch with sharp and curious eyes.
Without warning, Beatrice ran towards Aether and hugged him tightly, tears glistening in her eyes. "We missed you so much!" She exclaimed, her voice trembling with relief and happiness. "We thought you were lost... forever."
Aether, surprised by the hug, slowly returned the hug. She could feel the warmth and emotion overflowing from Beatrice, and for a moment, the sadness she felt from losing Remi subsided a little. She smiled slightly, although her mind was still filled with the chaos of the world she had just left.
"I missed you guys too," Aether answered softly, although there was still a hint of doubt in her voice. She was happy to be back with her old group, but there was something unusual about the timing and manner of her return.
Leona, who had been silent and observing Aether carefully, stepped forward. Her face was full of confusion mixed with wariness. "Aether, where have you been? We've been looking for you for a day and a night. You just disappeared without a trace."
Aether frowned. (One day and one night? That's impossible). In the world of darkness she explored, she felt like she had been gone for decades, even years. There, she has been on a long journey, through a world full of shadows and threats for seven years. However, here they say she was only gone one day. She swallowed hard, feeling confused.
"One day?" Aether asked, her voice sounding dazed. "It...it doesn't make sense. It feels like I've been gone for years."
The group fell silent for a moment, looking at Aether with confused faces. Aiden frowned, looking deep in thought. "Years? What do you mean, Aether? You were only gone for 24 hours. We started to worry when you didn't return before nightfall, but... years?"
Leona, with a serious expression, looked at Aether with deep eyes. "Years, you say?" She asked in a low voice but full of curiosity. "What actually happened? Where did you go?"
Aether opened her mouth, trying to explain, but she stopped, unsure how she could explain everything she had experienced. The world of darkness, R'lyeh, her encounter with the yellow-robed creature, Aetherius Seraphina—it all felt like a nightmare too hard to believe. And time... time there goes differently. In the world of darkness, she felt like he had spent years struggling and surviving, but here, only one day had passed.
"I... don't know how to explain it," Aether finally said, her voice sounding tired. "Where I went, time passed differently. I felt like I had been there for seven years, but... here, it seemed like time had barely passed."
"Like a black hole," Aiden muttered with a focused gaze, his eyes narrowed as if trying to digest what he had just heard. "You know, the theory about warped space and time. You might have been in a place where time passes much faster compared to our world."
Aether nodded, although the explanation did not completely resolve her confusion. "Maybe... I don't fully understand, but I know I experienced something different there."
Beatrice, who was still standing next to him, looked at Aether worriedly. "You look very different, Aether. It's as if there's something heavy you're carrying… something we can't see. What happened to you there?"
Aether wanted to explain everything—about Remi, about the world of darkness, and his meeting with Aetherius Seraphina. But, just as she was about to speak, another voice broke the atmosphere. Heather, one of the calmer members of the group, came forward from behind the campfire. "That's enough for tonight," She said in a soft but firm voice. "Aether just came back and he must be exhausted. We can discuss all this tomorrow, after we've all rested."
Finn, Madeline and the rest of the group nodded in agreement. Heather had always been the rational voice of the group, and this time she was right too. The night was getting late, and although they were curious, they all knew that Aether's exhaustion was real, even if he didn't admit it.
Aether felt relieved that she didn't have to explain everything now. "Heather is right," She said quietly, looking at Beatrice, Leona, and Aiden. "We can continue this conversation tomorrow. I... need time to organize my thoughts."
Beatrice nodded with a gentle smile, although worry was still visible on her face. "Okay, Aether. We are here with you. rest comfortably tonight okay."
They finally decided to set up a tent around a campfire. One by one, they started looking for their respective places to sleep. Aether sat alone for a moment, staring at the gently blazing fire, her thoughts drifting back to the world she had left behind. Even though Aetherius now resided within her, the feeling of alienation from her experiences in the world of darkness still haunted her mind.
When he finally decided to lie down and try to sleep, Aether heard Aetherius' voice in his head, soft but full of warmth. "You'll be fine, Aether. Get some rest tonight. This world is waiting for you, and you're not alone."
With a faint smile on his lips, Aether closed his eyes, letting the warmth of the campfire and the faint presence of Aetherius lead her into a peaceful sleep, for the first time since her return.
Tomorrow, she knows that further explanations will come, and together with her old group, she will begin to find out the truth behind her dark journey and what awaits them ahead.