[Location: Unknown]
I woke up, blinks against the haze of clouds swirling round me like a dream. The air was thick and cool but not unpleasant against my skin. As I moved, I quickly checked my body for injuries. Relief washed over me; I was still in one piece.
I glanced down, at the platform upon which I stood-it was covered in quarts. Quarts shimmering and covered over in thin light that filtered its way through the fog-it was stunningly beautiful. It felt perilous beneath my feet, though, and I couldn't help but step forward cautiously along its cold and unforgiving surface.
"Leo! Lynsithea! Jade!" I yelled, my voice carrying out into the empty space, but no one answered. Panic flared for an instant as I fished the Nova Watch from my wrist pocket, its screen remaining a blankness that lacked even the static signal of this eerie plane.
I kept taking another few steps, testing the ground, my heart pounding in my chest. The fog swirled around, thickened, and I felt the ground give way beneath me. I gulped in sharply and nearly lost my footing as I teetered on the very brink of the edge. I had to stretch out a hand to steady myself up against the cold quartz wall. Its slick surface grounded me.
"Get a grip, Zane", I breathed under my breath, my voice shaking with fear through the thickness of the fog. I needed to get my bearings and find my friends somehow. I took a deep breath in and steeled myself against the fear and continued walking cautiously down the platform, scanning the mist for signs of movement or sound.
As I moved forward, I walked cautiously to the side on the platform in search of another exit. I peered out into the mist and looked for any recognizable thing. I hit a solid pillar with a bad step.
"Ow!" I muttered, rubbing my forehead where it had hit the quartz. The quartz was unmoving, and I spent a moment getting my breath back. Just when I was going to be angry enough to swear at myself for being such a klutz, a very familiar hooting boomed through the dense mist.
"Snowy?" I shouted, a flame of hope rising in my chest. I hardly had one eye open, but that voice was unmistakable. I froze for a second just to centre myself and then pursued the noise, the gentle rhythm of it guiding me through the haze.
At every step, fog parted a little, as if approaching me to my feathered companion. I ran forward, giving no heed to anything but the hooting of her, the way it would pierce through stillness like a beacon, "Hang on, Snowy! I'm coming!"
I circumnavigated another pillar, and as I swung around, the fog was clearing just enough for me to perceive a feeling of movement. I plowed through the last wispy tendrils of the mist and came into view of Snowy sitting on a low ledge of rock, where her snowy feathers glowed softly in the dim light, watching me with bright, questioning eyes, as if urging me on.
"Thank God," I exhaled, relieved. "Lead the way, girl." She turned at once and took flight, slicing through the air, disappearing into the fog ahead of her. I followed, my heart beating in hope as I hoped that she would lead me to safety or my friends.
I followed Snowy, chasing her through the adrenaline pumping in my veins and closely trailed as the fog grows thick once more. Then out of nowhere, a sharp slice cut through the air. I had barely enough time to shift when it did. That arrow whizzed straight into the quartz platform with a full hollow thud; shards scattered all about.
"Snowy, watch out!" I screamed as, instinctively, I flipped myself around to shield her with my body. My heart was pounding inside my chest as I spun round to peer through the thick mist in case the attacker appeared.
"Who is there?!" I yelled, trying to keep my voice firm with a mix of fear and obstinacy. The fog brewed ominously, covering everything within a shroud of mystery.
And out of the dripping mist, came a figure, indistinct silhouette of shadow-the shape menacing, yet he stood there as though veiled by some presence partially obscuring. He loomed there, a sort of ominous absence of movement in that silence.
"Who are you?!" I demanded again, stiffening my grip around the hilt of Aether, prepared to defend myself if needs be. Tension hung in the air like a knife-wielding electric sharpener and still, the figure did not speak, its intentions unreadable.
The fog closed in around us, the quiet stretching uncomfortably between us. I could feel myself tense, screaming at me to be prepared, not let my guard down. "Show yourself!" I urged, my voice calmer than I was feeling. The figure shifted slightly, and still no words came.
"Why are you here in this holy ground?" The voice spoke back through the mist, low and deep, sending shivers down my spine.
"What?" I exploded. I sounded incredulous. "I'm not speaking to you, human" she said, her voice smooth, her tone cold, as though she were emphasizing a point by saying the word.
"Human?" My heart pounded; she knew I was human. "I was speaking to your companion." she said.
"Snowy?" I breathed, looking at my owl as though just noticing she was there.
Snowy hooted, ruffling her feathers, staring at the dark shape before her with her questioningly tilting head.
"I see," said the figure, her voice shifting subtly as if she was remembering something.
Abruptly, she stepped forward out of the fog and I felt myself taken aback. Standing before me was an Aurelian, yet not like those I'd met so far. Her features were humanoid, but her eyes gave away a more avian peculiarity, sharp, bright, shining with a sense of wisdom as if ancient. Her hair was a fountain of hair and feathers, every strand sparkling in the light, and her feet were something like a bird's, claw-tipped and balanced.
"Come with me," she said, her voice hardening yet softening at the same time. "I will take you to your friends. Do not worry; they are all safe."
"Who, who are you?" I stuttered, still dazed by my reaction to her appearance.
"My name is Kira," she said with a small warmth glowing behind her austere expression. "I have been protecting this sacred place for centuries. You and your friends entered a place of sanctity."
"Sacred?" I echoed, shivering slightly at the word, and glancing nervously over my shoulder. "What do you mean? We didn't intend to intrude."
Kira regarded me with a sharp birdlike stare over the gauze of fog that hung between us. "Intentions are nothing here. What matters is that you are not alone."
"What are you talking about?" I asked, but curiosity stirred inside me, though caution ruled my tongue still more closely.
"Follow me," she repeated, her taloned feet striking the quartz platform without making any sound.
Looked over at Snowy, hesitantly, while barely fluttering an eyelid at Kira's appearance, I knew I had to rely on my gut. "Lead the way," I replied, determination creeping back into my voice.
As Kira took me through the fog, which was thinning and revealing even more of that bizarre landscape around us, I asked, "What are you?" To my own befuddlement at this creature walking beside me, I was unable to keep my brain processes under wraps.
"I am an Avian, Mastered of the Zephyred Essence, I can control wind and storms, a power granted to them by their gods, Zephyros and Seraphim. Known for their graceful movements and aerial agility, Avians like me, are deeply connected to the skies and are considered guardians of sacred places like the Seraphic Ruins." said Kira, and here her voice was calm but resonated warmly, like a gentle wind blowing down through the trees. "And I'am the One of the last ancient beings still here in Aerathis."
"Last?" I asked, interested, as unease twisted in my stomach. "What happened?"
She paused, her avian eyes reflecting a mix of sorrow and determination. "Avians and Aurelians lived in harmony until humans arrived in this world. At first, they seemed peaceful, even friendly. But everything changed when IRIS Corp discovered this sacred land, Seraphim Temple. We tried to stop them, but they nearly wiped us out."
I felt the weight of history in her words. "Then what happened here?" I asked.
Kira's face darkened. "It was the so-called IRIS Corp, that uncovered this ground. They took from us, something meant to never leave here."
Towards a great edifice, I could hardly take my gaze off a terrific representation of Seraphim, a goddess with angelic beauty, sporting six wings that glittered even in the dimmest light. "This, was once our beacon of hope."
She turned to me, her voice full of regret. "You humans stole the most holy piece of relic in this world, the Seraphim's Tear."
"Seraphim's Tear?" I asked my mind racing. "What is that?"
Kira's voice drops into a softer tone as she walks deep into the ruins, now even more reflective-sounding, almost reverent.
"Zephyros and Seraphim were not just gods; they were the very element of balance in our world. Zephyros, god of heaven and storms, the realms of the sky. He had unmatched power over the wind and the weather, though he was so strong, his heart went out to Seraphim, goddess of beauty and land. Where Zephyros mastered the storms, Seraphim had controlled life on earth. Together, they were wholesome, two forces in harmony."
I could hear the awe and respect in Kira's voice and couldn't help but imagine how absolutely spectacular these gods must have been in their prime.
"Zephyros was head over heels in love with Seraphim that he built this temple to her as a gift.". It was a place of prayer but also the testimony of their love, built with his mastery of winds and her elegance over the land. Every stone, every archway, was there to pay homage to her beauty and them to be in harmony with each other."
I looked around and saw the intricacy of carvings and the ethereal design of the temple. It was hard to believe that such a great thing had come to such destruction. Kira caught me staring and said on.
"But as with all great tales, their love inspired envy. Zeal, the goddess of famine, could not bear the view of their happiness. She was envying Seraphim's beauty, envying the love Zephyros bore for her. So, in her twisted malice, she unleashed a curse upon Seraphim."
"What sort of curse?" I asked, half waiting to feel the heavy hand of the answer already.
"The life energy of Seraphim was bound to the land that she so lovingly tended. Seraphim slowly beginning to suck out her bloom, beauty, and strength as the fields that she loved were losing their fertility. Zephyros was convinced that he had to save Seraphim and started war against Zeal. His storms ravaged through the heavens in a pitiful attempt to shatter the curse, but by then it was too late. The curse had gained control."
But in Kira's eyes, I saw the pain as the story unfolded before me. It tightened my chest while reading it.
"Zephyros refused to give up. On his final act of devotion, he sacrificed himself, merging his soul with Seraphim's in hopes that this would heal her. His essence entered into her being one with the very land that she ruled over. When Seraphim regained consciousness and saw what she had done, when she saw the lifeless body of her beloved, she wept. It is said that one of her tears turns into a gem, the Seraphim's Tear. That tear held the memory of their love and the power of Zephyros himself."
Kira's voice dropped, laced now with anger. "That is the relic IRIS Corp stole-the essence of a god's love and sacrifice, taken for their twisted uses. They did not desecrate only our sacred ground; they tore the heart out of this world."
I gulped hard, the profundity of what she was saying sinking in. "What happens if the Seraphim's Tear is destroyed?"
If the Tear is broken, the equilibrium between heaven and land will crumble. The storms will rage uncontrolled, rending the sky apart while drying the land to dust. Even the fiber of Aerathis will begin to unravel; and it will all start to die, just as Seraphim did.
It really hit me like a punch to the gut. All this destruction, all this loss, because of human greed. Because of people like me.
Kira glanced at me, her eyes sharp. "That's why you being here… it's dangerous. If you're anything like the others who came before, your presence alone could spell disaster."
So I opened my mouth to say something in response, but closed it again.
What was there really?
She had all the right to hate me. All the right to doubt me. And for some reason, that wasn't the reason I was here. I was here to find answers. And perhaps… for a chance to make things right.
I gulped, the tension between us so thick it could be cut with a knife. Kira's eyes narrowed slightly as she kept her gaze on me. Her bird-like features betrayed no emotion, but her words made my stomach turn.
"If you really hate humans so much, then why didn't you kill me the moment you saw me?"
Just before Kira's feet resumed their steady beat, they paused for a moment. The fog had nearly cleared by now, and the remains of the temple began to emerge-shattered quartz pillars, broken statues, a place that once throve in tatters.
"I was going to," she admitted, her voice cold and matter of fact. "Your kind has done nothing but destroy. The moment I realized you were human, I considered ending it right there."
I shivered, my fists clenched at my sides. She wasn't lying. I could feel the raw, simmering resentment in her words.
"But," she went on, looking down at Snowy, who let out a soft hoot as if comprehending the conversation, "you are lucky. Your feathered friend here said you were friends. Particularly with the Sylph princess."
"Lynsithea," I whispered, my mind flashing back to her.
Kira nodded. "The moment I learned that she was with you, I stayed my hand. I know the bloodline of Calyx. I know what they stand for, and if Lynsithea has chosen to trust you, human or not, I will honor that. for now."
I took a deep breath that I didn't even know I'd been holding in. "You were going to kill Jade?"
"I was prepared to. When I felt the presence around her, the urge was to terminate it. But Snowy cleared you. Had it not been for that owl, you and your friend would not be walking this temple."
The weight of what she said settled in, the gravity of how close we had come to death sinking into my bones. Snowy had just saved our lives.
"I don't trust humans," Kira continued, her voice hardening once more. "And I don't see any reason to begin now. But if the Sylph princess believes you're good enough to extend her trust, then that means something in Aerathis. It doesn't mean I won't kill you in your sleep if you overstep the line, though."
We walked on, the mist lifting further, Kira's words weighed upon my chest like a stone. As I walked on in the Seraphic Ruins, my mind spiraled. A world, once peaceful as is, was torn apart by human greed, something not new to me. Aerathis was much the same as Æsir in so many ways: once thriving and vibrant with life and energy, it had been laid low by the same hands that had raised it up.
At Æsir, man had achieved a delicate equilibrium. Then there came the Quantum Exodus, and they abandoned it all to chase some imagined future off in those doors. Here at Aerathis, they scarred and ran, but not here-they stayed sucking life from a something ancient, and holy.
Two worlds, both ripped asunder by the same insatiable lust for mastery, for power.
What right do humans have to come into a place like this-one that's housed with gods and memories-tearing it all up?
We moved with destruction, wherever we went, but still thought we could possibly outrun it. The truth was, it caught up with us, from Æsir to Aerathis: no one escapes their mistakes.
It was Kira's story of Zephyros and Seraphim that echoed my mind. The sacrifice. The grief. The Tear itself, holding the very essence of love and loss. It brought me thinking about all that I lost, my family, my past, even a belonging in the world. Just like Seraphim, left with the scattering remnants of something whole, something broken by the cruelty of fate.
That moment, I was small against such a gigantic space, standing in the ruins of something much more majestic than I could ever be and wondering if maybe there is hope left.
Was I just another cog in the wheel of destruction?
Another human wandering through the wreckage we created, or could I be something more?
Aerathis and Æsir weren't that much different, but their upbringings were. Both were abandoned to die by those who were supposed to love and care for them. But if Seraphim's Tear still existed, if even a shard of hope existed of restoring it, perhaps there was a chance for something better.
Kira had every reason to hate me. The truth was, maybe I hated myself too. But as we walked, I knew one thing: I had to do something. If we were the reason everything was falling apart, then maybe, just maybe, I could be part of putting it back together.
I wasn't running anymore. I finally had a purpose-even though I didn't really know what it was yet.
She turned to me, softening a little with her eyes, though the sharp glint of her gaze never lost any of its intensity. "Come," she said steadily. "I'll take you to your friends."
I hesitated for a moment, trying to digest everything she told me. I felt the burden of her words, the history of Aerathis, and the destruction of humans for years; everything was chasing in my head like a storm. However, there is no chance to store all this information in my head now. My friends, Leo, Jade, and Lynsithea are somewhere there, and I have to find them.
Kira walked on, her pace light and deliberate. Snowy leapt up, flying overhead, as if guiding us. I trailed along in silence, with emotions tangled inside me. The fog was clearing, opening out to clearer skies ahead, as we strode out to the outskirts of the ruins. The air felt cooler and crisper, almost as though we were rising.
"How far are they?" I asked, speaking out to break the silence.
"Not far," Kira said without looking back. "They are safe."
I quickened my step to keep pace with her, casting nervous glances at the mist retreating into the distance, half-expecting to see something else come forth from the shadows. The place's strange serenity had an eerie edge to it, like the calm before the storm.
We walked in silence, the wind picking up slightly. Wet earth and stone smell filled the air. Kira was walking faster and I followed, my heart throbbing with this expectation. Snowy swooped ahead of us softly hooting and for that reason, I somehow found reassured.
As we turned the corner, the fog just pulled back to yield a meager pathway that led toward a generally open area. In the distance, I saw them, Leo, Jade, and Lynsithea, all three of them bent around a crumbling stone pillar. Relief flooded over me.
"There," Kira said quietly. "Your friends."
I ran off without another word, my voice catching in my throat as I called out to them. "Leo! Jade! Lynsithea!"
They turn their heads up at that and were running over before they reached an angle equal with my face, their eyes wide with relief.
"Zane!" Jade shouted her voice a mix of worry and relief.
Leo made a smirk, though he looked just as relieved. "Took you long enough, man. We were starting to think you'd gotten yourself into more trouble."
Lynsithea smiled soft and dreamy, her eyes sparkling with relief as Snowy landed on her shoulder gently. "I am just glad you are safe."
I nodded, breathless but relieved. Kira stepped back, watching from afar, her presence silent and still.
"We need to move," I said, taking a deep breath. "There's so much we need to discuss. but for now, we have to get out of here."
And with that, we followed Kira, the ancient Avian who had led me to this place. We did not know what dangers lay ahead, but at least we were together. And for now, that was enough.
---
[Meanwhile at Wei's IRIS Corp tower]
Alektos squirmed uncomfortably in the stiff janitor uniform. He looked at the IRIS Corp logo stitched on the chest and fidgeted with the cleaning equipment they held in their hands. "You sure this's gonna work?" he whispered, his eyes darting to the elevator panel lighting up.
With his mop standing by his side, Parveen nodded definitively. "Relax, we have this. Be normal. No one asks questions of the janitors."
Soft chime and slid open the elevator doors revealed a slick passageway lined with armed guards stationed at every corner. The two exchanged a quick glance, then silently wheeled their cleaning cart forward. Stepping into the corridor was invited, and Alektos immediately felt the eyes of the guards, but he didn't look up, instead focusing on something visible on the floor as if it had been the most interesting thing he'd ever seen.
"Keep moving," he murmured to himself as they reached a place by the corner. He did not waste time but bent down and started scrubbing the floor. Alektos did the same, crouching to clean though his nerves were anything but at rest. His heart thudded in his chest as he dipped the mop into the bucket, the sloshing of the soapy water louder in his ears than it should have been.
"Don't look up," Parveen whispered sharply, catching Alektos's wandering gaze. "Just keep cleaning."
Alektos swallowed hard and nodded, focusing on the rhythmic swish of his mop against the polished tiles. The guards remained stiff and silent, but their presence was like a dark cloud hanging over the whole hallway. It felt like each step they took was being monitored, scrutinized.
A few tense minutes had elapsed when one of the guards stepped forward, his boots thudding loudly in the otherwise silent corridor. Alektos felt the sweat slide down his neck as the guard's shadow loomed over them. He tried to hold his fingers a little tighter around the handle of the mop, fighting the urge to look up.
"You two," the guard barked. Parveen froze for a heartbeat, then slowly stood up, wiping his hands on his uniform.
"Yes, sir?" Parveen's voice was steady, casual, as if he wasn't standing in the middle of one of the most secure places in Aerathis with nothing but a bucket and mop between him and discovery.
"Make sure that area by the security room gets cleaned up too. Some idiot spilled coffee," said the guard, annoyance blending with a lack of interest in the tone.
Parveen nodded quickly, offering a small, servile smile. "Of course, sir. Right away."
As the guard walked away Alektos breathed out slowly without even realizing he had been holding his breath; Parveen looked at him and smiled. "See? I told you, no one ever questions the janitors."
He stilled, his heart beating against his chest as he listened to the unmistakable sequence of footsteps coming down the hallway. "Alektos, geee-eed up!" he hissed, casting a worried glance at the door.
"Almost there!" Alektos taunted, his fingers flying over the keyboard. Finally, the progress bar hit 100%. On the screen appeared an oracle-like message: "Done! Now—"
Before he could get another word out, the door swung open and a guard stepped inside with a puzzled expression across his face as he took in the sight of Parveen and Alektos. "What are you two doing in here?" the guard asked him suspiciously.
"Uh, just cleaning!" Parveen stammered, gripping the mop tightly like a weapon. "You know how it is—making sure everything stays spotless!"
"Ah," said Alektos hastily, stiffening up, wiping at his sweat-drenched brow. "Just working. Didn't mean to disturb you."
The guard scowled, looking them over, his eyes shifting over the cleaning equipment strewn about the room. "You should be in the East Wing, not here," he pointed out, folding his arms over his chest. "Now exactly what are you two doing?"
"Just… following orders!" Parveen blurted out, cursing himself in his head for having said that. "The supervisor sent us. Cleaning schedules and all that."
The guard took another step into the room, still suspicious. "The supervisor? Which one?"
"Ahem, uh… Supervisor Marlo!" Alektos said on the wing of desperation. "He, um, told us to check the security room because of some… spillage?"
."Spillage?" The guard raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying the story.
"Yeah! You know, the usual." Parveen flailed her arms out to the sides, trying for a semblance of sincerity. "We just want to make sure everything is safe and clear for everyone."
The guard glared at them for a moment, and Parveen's heart thudded in his chest. She could feel the tension thickening the air. Finally, the guard resigned himself with a look that still said he wasn't entirely sure. "Alright, but don't think you're getting out of a shift that easy. Get back to your post when you're done here."
"Of course!" Alektos said, grinning through clenched teeth, slowly backing away from the console. "Thanks for understanding!"
Just in time, Parveen took a deep breath in relief when the guard turned to leave. "That was way too close," he muttered to Alektos.
"Yeah, but we've got the map," Alektos said, downloading the data onto a small drive. "Let's get out of here before he changes his mind."
Alright," Parveen replied, keeping her suspicious eye on the door as she and her husband gathered her things. "We have to move fast."
With the map firmly in hand, they slipped out of the security room, ready to carry out the next move at hand, still feeling their adrenaline.
As the elevator hummed beneath them, Parveen and Alektos exchanged relieved glances-the tension still thick in the air. Parveen glanced at his comm device when it buzzed. "It's Sasha," he muttered, tapping the screen to answer. "We're in the elevator."
Sasha's voice crackled through, sharp and tense. "Are you two all right? I've been watching the cameras. I saw a guard enter the security room."
"Yeah, we're fine… somehow," Alektos said, leaning against the wall of the elevator. He rubbed his temples, feeling the pressure still upon him. "It got a little dicey, but we got the map. Parveen almost blew our cover."
"Hey!" Parveen shot back. "I didn't see you coming up with any better excuses."
"Not the time, you two," Sasha interrupted, her voice slicing sharp over their jokes. "Good job getting the map, but focus now. We don't have much time. You need to find out where they're keeping this Elthernium gem and what Wei's planning with it. I can't keep Dimitri distracted forever."
Alektos straightened himself. "Any idea where we should start looking?"
A stutter from Sasha as she hesitated. "The map you downloaded should be full of access points. Look for any securely locked areas, closed zones. That's where they'd store something like the Elthernium."
Parveen furrowed her brow, peeking sideways at Alektos. "And what if we encounter more guards?"
"You'll have to get creative," Sasha said decisively. "Listen, I know this isn't easy, but if Wei actually does have the Elthernium, then that is much more significant than we could have imagined. We have to find out why it's here and what he plans to do with it."
"We'll handle it," Alektos said, though his voice was hardly full of assurance. "Just. keep Dimitri occupied as long as you can."
"I will," Sasha said, her tone saturated with responsibility. "But don't take too long. Dimitri is getting more suspicious every minute."
The elevator continued its ascent. Alektos opened the map file of his device. "Okay, Parveen. Let's find that gem."
Parveen nodded. "Hope this plan works. We're playing with fire here."
"It'll work," Alektos said, though he was hardly convincing himself. "It has to."
Alektos peered at the map on his device, his eyes tracing out the layout of the building. "Wait… there's something odd here," he muttered to himself, zooming in on an area near the reception office. "There's a missing room."
Parveen leaned in, peering over Alektos' shoulder. "What do you mean, missing?"
Alektos tapped the screen, pointing out the gap. "Check here. This is a sort of hidden section that doesn't actually appear on the real map. Too close to the reception for it to be some kind of mistake."
Parveen arched her eyebrow. "A secret room? That's seriously suspicious as hell. I wonder what's inside."
Alektos nodded his head. The way his mind reeled with connection. "Precisely. If there's one place they'd keep their most cherished item, say, the Elthernium gem, it's somewhere they wouldn't want anyone to know about."
Parveen rose up, looking towards the elevators, which opened with a soft ding. "Well, no better time than now, really. Let's go take a look and see if we can get caught snooping around before it happens."
Alektos opened the door of the elevator and moved out into the empty corridor with eyes flicking in every direction. "Keep close and casual," he said under his breath. "We can't risk attracting too much attention." Parveen grasped the mop and continued in their character as janitors along the corridor. "You think they have it really guarded?"
"Probably," Alektos whispered back. "But something tells me it's worth the risk. If that room's not on the official map, there's something in there they don't want people to see."
As they reached the reception office, Alektos glanced around, making sure no one was paying him any attention. "Okay, the missing room should be just ahead".
She nodded, her hands grasping the mop more firmly. "I don't know what we're going to find, but I have this feeling about this."
Alektos smirked, but the tension in his voice gave away his nerves. "Let's hope whatever is in there isn't waiting for us."