The world shifted an instant. One moment, the trio of Ayame, Elektra and Akeno stood in the cozy, albeit tense, living room. The next moment, their reality had blurred, colors streaking together like paint across glass.
For a heartbeat, Ayame, Elektra and Akeno all felt a strange sense of weightlessness, their stomachs twisting as though they were falling & flying simultaneously, the laws of physics disregarded.
The world shifted in an instant. One moment, Ayame, Elektra, and Akeno stood in their cozy, albeit tense, living room. The next, reality blurred, colors streaking together like paint spilled across glass. For a heartbeat, Ayame felt weightless, her stomach twisting as though she were falling and flying simultaneously.
And then, stillness.
When the world snapped back into focus, Ayame gasped, clutching her chest as her breath hitched whilst she regained her balance.
As she and the others looked around, they were flabbergasted by an ethereal landscape unlike anything the trio had ever seen, it was an expanse of extraordinary beauty, with vibrant flowers of all colors swaying in the breeze.
Wisps of silvery mist danced in the air, swirling lazily around jagged crystal formations jutting from the ground. Towering trees with translucent leaves shimmered faintly, while being occupied by mystical animals.
"Where… are we?" Ayame whispered, her voice trembling with awe as her vibrant pink eyes darted around the breathtaking scenery, taking steps forward.
Arthur turned his golden gaze towards her, his expression as stoic as ever, "This is the Valley of Eternal Dreams." He stated.
The trio stood frozen, their eyes wide, their breaths caught in their throats as they absorbed the gravity of Arthur's statement.
"T..That's impossible." Elektra's voice cut through the silence like a knife, her electric eyes darting across the valley with shock as she took in the sights, "The Valley of Eternal Dreams... This place isn't supposed to exist."
Akeno's eyes eventually darted to Arthur, a curious gaze in her Fox eyes as she spoke, "You...Did you create this place? Are you the mysterious Valley overseer?"
Ayame's pink eyes darted up to meet his golden ones. "But why? Why did you bring us here? Why show us this?"
Arthur didn't respond, his piercing gaze instead settling on Ayame as he spoke, "You could think whatever you want. We're here for Ayame, lets go."
Arthur walked forward moving deeper into the Valley. Soon, they passed the invisible barrier and the Tower of Aetherium appeared, all its grandeur & magnificence on display, alongside the mystical creatures that roamed freely.
"Woahh, this place is insane," Ayame muttered, walking around curiously as her eyes darted, taking in the beautiful vision.
Her pink eyes were wide and glimmering as she gazed at the crystalline flora and shimmering mists that drifted lazily around them. Every breath she took felt pure, as though the air itself carried the essence of life.
But it was the Aether that truly captivated her.
Tiny particles of light, golden, silver, and faintly prismatic, began to swirl gently around her. They moved with purpose, gravitating towards her in lazy spirals, like moths drawn to a flame.
"Ayame…" Akeno's soft voice carried a hint of both awe and caution as she noticed the phenomena, being more attuned to Aether as a Spirit, "Do you feel that?"
Ayame paused, her hands stretching out into the air around her as if she could catch the light with her fingers. She closed her eyes for a moment, inhaling deeply.
"I do," she said softly, her voice trembling with wonder. "It's… it's like the entire Valley is breathing with me. Every breath I take, every step I make, it feels like the Aether here is responding to me."
Elektra arched an eyebrow, crossing her arms and Arthur himself halted his movements and listened to her explantation, "Responding to you? What does that mean?"
"It feels…" Ayame hesitated, searching for the right words, "It feels like home. Like I've been here before, even though I know I haven't. Like the Aether itself knows me, welcomes me."
The particles of Aether swirled more vibrantly now, coiling around her arms, her legs, and the golden strands of her hair. They sparkled with an almost sentient energy, as though rejoicing at her presence.
The trio continued walking, following Arthur, who remained silent as he led them toward the Tower of Aetherium. But before they could reach it, a soft sound broke through the ambient hum of the Valley.
A gentle whinny.
The group stopped in their tracks as a figure emerged from the glistening mist. A creature of legend, of beauty so profound it seemed sculpted by divine hands, stepped into view, a Unicorn.
Its coat was a flawless white, glimmering faintly with streaks of pale gold and silver under the valley's ethereal light. Its mane cascaded in soft waves of starlight, and its spiraled horn shimmered with prismatic energy. Its eyes, deep pools of crystalline blue, locked onto Ayame.
Elektra's jaw fell open. "No way…"
Akeno's golden eyes widened, her tail bristling slightly. "A real… Unicorn…"
But the Unicorn paid them no mind. It stepped forward, its elegant hooves barely making a sound against the soft moss, and stopped just in front of Ayame.
Ayame's breath caught in her throat as the majestic creature lowered its head slightly, its horn glowing faintly with Aetheric energy.
"Can I…?" Ayame whispered, her pink eyes darting briefly to Arthur, who gave a slight nod.
Slowly, carefully, Ayame raised her hand and reached out. The Unicorn didn't flinch, didn't retreat. Instead, it pressed its head gently against her palm, and Ayame felt a rush of warmth surge through her fingertips and flood her entire body.
The Aether around them brightened, shimmering like thousands of tiny stars caught in the air. Ayame's hair lifted slightly in the breeze, her pink eyes glowing faintly as she smiled, a smile so pure, so full of unfiltered joy, that it seemed to light up the space around her.
"You're… beautiful," Ayame whispered to the Unicorn as she pet it. The creature let out a soft, contented sound, its tail flicking behind it as it nuzzled her hand once more.
Elektra, still wide-eyed, stepped cautiously forward, her hand reaching out. "I mean… if Ayame can do it, maybe I can, "
The Unicorn's head snapped up instantly, its crystalline eyes locking onto Elektra with a sharp intensity. It let out a snort, stamping one of its front hooves against the moss-covered ground.
Elektra froze mid-step, "Whoa, okay! Chill! I'm backing up!" She raised her hands defensively and took several steps away, "Point taken, magical horse. I'm not worthy."
Akeno chuckled softly, her tail swishing behind her as she spoke. "It seems the Unicorn recognizes something in Ayame. A connection, perhaps."
Ayame turned back toward her friends, her pink eyes still glowing faintly. "I… I think it does. I can feel it." She glanced back at the Unicorn, her voice softer. "It trusts me."
The Unicorn let out another soft whinny before it turned and gracefully trotted back into the silvery mist, its presence lingering like the faintest of melodies carried on the breeze.
Elektra crossed her arms, huffing slightly as she spoke,"Figures. Ayame gets all the cool magic animal moments."
Arthur finally spoke, his golden gaze fixed on Ayame. "The creatures of this Valley are deeply attuned to Aether. They can sense its flow, its purity. And they can sense when someone is… in harmony with it."
Ayame tilted her head slightly, "In harmony?"
Arthur nodded. "You are not merely a guest here, Ayame. The Valley is responding to you because, in many ways, you belong here it seems. Soul Magic is mysterious, as I told you, I myself don't truly understand all of its effects."
The weight of his words settled over the trio like a blanket of snow, soft, yet heavy with meaning as they arrived at the Tower. Entering the tower, Arthur didn't spot Ellara, and thought she was probably studying Magic.
With that thought in mind, he turned towards Ayame, "Now... tell me precisely. How do you feel, both physically and mentally."
Ayame furrowed her brow, closing her eyes as she focused on the sensations coursing through her body. The oddities she'd been experiencing since her awakening suddenly became much clearer in this tranquil space.
"I feel… alive," she began softly, "Like every nerve in my body is more awake. My muscles feel denser, yet lighter. I don't feel weighed down, but I can sense this immense power coiled inside me, like a spring waiting to snap forward. My vision… it's sharper. I can see details I never noticed before, even the faintest movement in the mist. And…"
She hesitated, her pink eyes opening slowly, now faintly glowing, "I can see Aether. Not just faint flickers, but rivers of it, flowing around us, through the air, and even through you."
Arthur nodded once, pleased with her observations. A golden glow formed in his hand, and a tome appeared. A blue ball-point pen in his hand as he began to write out what Ayame said for his research.
"And mentally?"
Ayame tilted her head, searching her thoughts, "I feel… clearer. More focused. My thoughts are less jumbled, and I don't feel overwhelmed as easily. There's also… a sense of connection. Like I'm tethered to something far bigger than myself."
Arthur's golden eyes glimmered faintly, "Hmm quite interesting. You seem to be able to sense my Soul instinctively due to the Soul Binding. Also, it seems I am sharing my perfect connection to Aether with you, which is why you can see and use it to such a precise level."
Arthur said, writing down more notes in his tome.
Akeno twitched her ears as she sat near Ayame, "What about her powers? Can she still cast magic the same way? Or has her affinity changed?"
Arthur raised a hand, and with a faint ripple of golden light, the stone platform expanded outward, creating an enormous, flat arena surrounded by shimmering mist. "Let's find out."
He stepped back, gesturing toward the open space, "Ayame, show me what you can do. Don't hold back."
Ayame swallowed nervously, her fingers curling into fists. The weight of everyone's attention pressed down on her, but her body thrummed with potential energy, urging her to move, to act.
She took a deep breath and extended her hands, calling forth her Mana.
What happened next startled everyone.
A geyser of pure white-blue energy erupted around Ayame, surging upwards into the sky like a raging vortex. The air crackled with raw power, and Arthur's golden eyes narrowed slightly in assessment.
Elektra stumbled back a step, shielding her face from the intense pressure, while Akeno's fur bristled instinctively.
The Aether around them reacted. It didn't just flow into Ayame,it swarmed her. The particles danced and spiraled around her form as though drawn to her essence, her soul.
"Whoa…" Elektra muttered, blinking rapidly as she shielded her face from the swirling wind. "That's not normal."
Ayame opened her eyes, and they glowed with brilliant intensity. She lifted her hands, palms facing forward, and willed the energy to condense. The vortex coiled in response, shrinking into two spheres of shimmering white-blue light hovering above her palms.
"I… I didn't even have to try," Ayame whispered, her voice trembling with exhilaration. "It feels so natural."
Arthur observed silently before speaking, "Your affinity has evolved. The Aether recognizes your soul's transformation and responds to you instinctively due to your connection to me. Your raw power has multiplied exponentially, but you still seem to be lacking control."
Ayame hesitated for only a moment before she thrust her hands forward. The twin spheres shot out, spiraling through the air before colliding against the far edge of the arena.
The resulting explosion was deafening. A shockwave rippled outward, and crystalline shards from the ground shattered into glittering dust.
A massive crater smoldered where the energy had landed, faint traces of Aether lingering in the air like glowing embers.
Ayame stared at her hands, trembling slightly, "Did… did I do that?"
Arthur just nodded, writing down the level of power he felt in her attack, how efficient her Magic usage was, and more, all for his research on Soul Magic.
Akeno approached cautiously, her tail flicking behind her, "She's going to need training—serious training."
Arthur nodded. "And she will have it. I will personally oversee her development."
Ayame's heart pounded as she looked up at Arthur, her pink eyes filled with a mix of fear, awe, and determination, but also worry, "I'll do whatever it takes. I don't want to hurt anyone… and I want to understand what I've become, but I also need to return to my normal life. I am a Professor, and a SuperHero, I can't abandon my duties."
Arthur's stoic expression softened just slightly, almost imperceptibly, to the point he didn't realize it, before he spoke, "Fine, I'll figure out a way to monitor you while you are on your day job."
"Get on your training for the time being. We'll head back to the city Sunday night. I'm heading to the lab to organize my research for the moment." Arthur said and left, the stars shimmering overhead as Ayame moved to continue testing her powers.