Aedric studied Grey's troubled expression, the weight in his eyes unmistakable. "Is something wrong?" he asked, his voice calm but probing.
Grey shook his head, though his shoulders remained tense. "No… it's just hard to leave. I'm sure you understand." He hesitated for a moment, his gaze dropping briefly before meeting Aedric's again. "Is there… any way to come back? If I manage to gather more He—Demon Crystals?" There was a flicker of hope in his voice, but it was faint, almost fragile.
Leora's face softened with a touch of sympathy, though her answer was firm. She shook her head slowly. "The mechanisms need several years before they can be used again. We only chose to use it now because of the energy fluctuations that were coming from this area." She let out a small sigh, her tone turning distant. "We usually reserve it for… something else."
Grey's chest tightened as the answer settled over him, the faint hope in his expression dimming. "So… there's no way to bring more people back with us? Just the eight of us?" he asked, though the disappointment in his voice suggested he already knew the answer.
Aedric placed a hand on Grey's shoulder, his grip steady, heavy with meaning. "No," he said gently, his voice tinged with regret. "They'll have to stay behind."
Keen, though not fully understanding the exchange, could feel the weight of disappointment in Grey's expression. Elder, sensing the same, stepped forward. "How much time, Grey? Do they have a limit?"
"Elder—" Serene began, but Brawl silenced her with a raised hand before she could finish.
"Ask them, Grey... please." Elder's voice was almost a plea, a mix of desperation and fragile hope.
Grey nodded and turned back to Aedric. "Do we have to leave soon? Surely you've planned some time for your mission, right?"
Aedric met Grey's gaze evenly, his expression steady but weary. "We've already been wandering these woods for over seven days," he explained. "Our return mechanisms will cease to function in three days. I suggest we leave in two." He sighed heavily. "The timing isn't perfect, I know... but if we delay any longer, we'll be trapped here. I'm sorry."
"I—I see," Grey murmured, his voice low, as if the words were heavier than he expected.
"What's wrong?" Wild asked, stepping closer.
"We have two days. Maybe three if we push it. But they recommend we leave in two; otherwise, their device won't work," Grey said, his tone laced with reluctant resignation.
Elder straightened, his expression resolute despite the growing tension in the room. "Keen, Grey, bring them to their companions' bodies. Wild, fetch Tear from Keen's smokehouse—and find Forge; he's likely in the square. Quickly." His voice softened slightly, though his authority remained firm. "I'll speak to all of you soon. You'll have the rest of today and tomorrow to say your goodbyes. Then you leave."
Wild didn't hesitate, sprinting toward the village without a word. Brawl, Shot, and Serene stayed behind with Elder, helping him as he gathered various scrolls and books, stuffing them into weathered bags. His voice was steady but hurried, offering brief explanations about the importance of each item.
Meanwhile, Keen and Grey turned to Aedric and Leora.
"Come with us," Grey said, his tone steady but cold. "You still need to retrieve the item from your companion, right? And anything else they carried that you might need."
Aedric glanced at Leora, who gave a slight nod. "Lead the way," he said.
They approached the ten bodies. Aedric and Leora worked silently, removing identical rings from each hand of the fallen. When they reached the oldest woman among them, Leora hesitated briefly, muttering a few words of apology under her breath. She touched the golden jewelry delicately, and a small ball of light emerged from it, forming into a pitch-black plate in her hand.
"This is it," she said, turning to Grey. "We insert the crystal here." She pointed to a narrow slot in the device. "Once it's activated, it will transport the ten nearest people back to the main mechanism."
The object looked unimpressive at first glance, its surface smooth and unremarkable even upon closer inspection. Yet Grey's attention wasn't on the device itself—it was on the rings. His hand instinctively brushed against the string around his neck, where something similar dangled.
"Grey, is that it?" Keen asked, pulling him from his thoughts.
"Huh? Oh—yeah, that's it. We just have to place the Heart of Radiance inside the slot, and it'll activate." Grey repeated Leora's explanation, his voice steady but distant.
"Alright, let's head back to the others then. Wild should be bringing them shortly," Keen instructed, his tone brisk and matter-of-fact.
Grey nodded but lingered a moment before signaling them to move. His eyes fixed on the ring still on Leora's finger. "How do those work?" he asked, his curiosity breaking through his earlier detachment.
Leora turned the ring in her fingers, her gaze flickering toward Grey with a hint of wariness. She hesitated, her grip tightening slightly, the memory of her earlier suspicion surfacing. They were powerful, yes, but their strength was raw—brutal, almost primal. Could they even grasp the concept of something as delicate as Will?
Grey noticed her reluctance, his silver eyes narrowing slightly. "Relax," he said, his voice steady but firm. "I'm not trying to take it from you. I'm just… curious. That's all."
Leora's shoulders eased, though the caution in her expression lingered. "Alright," she said finally, holding up the ring. "I'll explain, but don't expect it to be simple. This might be… different from anything you're used to."
Grey nodded, his attention focused entirely on her.
She turned the ring slowly between her fingers, its faint gleam catching the light. "This isn't a weapon or a piece of jewelry," she began, her tone measured. "It's a vessel—a way to store what you can't carry. But it's not as simple as putting something into a bag. The ring responds to intention. If you want it to work, you'll need more than just strength or willpower. You need control."
Grey raised an eyebrow, curiosity flickering in his silver eyes. "Control?"
Leora hesitated, her expression thoughtful as she searched for the right words. Finally, her gaze sharpened. "You and your people seem to rely on raw strength, but that won't help you here. You need to use something else—a force that exists in the world to interact with the space."
"You mean Will?" Grey asked, his voice steady.
Leora and Aedric's eyes widened in unison, shock flashing across their faces.
"Y—yes, exactly," Leora stammered, recovering quickly.
"How do I use Will to… access the storage?" Grey pressed, his tone serious.
Leora exchanged a glance with Aedric before turning back to Grey, her demeanor more focused. "To access the storage, you need to focus your Will on the ring. It's not about pushing or pulling—it's about aligning yourself with the space it holds. Think of it as a locked door. Your Will is the key."
Grey's brow furrowed slightly, confusion clouding his expression. His gaze flicked between the ring on his finger and Leora, her words seeming to drift past him. He remained silent, but the blank look on his face spoke louder than any question.
Leora hesitated, her words faltering. "You've… never done this before, have you?" she asked, her tone tinged with uncertainty.
Before Grey could respond, Aedric stepped forward, his calm demeanor breaking through the tension. "Let me handle this," he said evenly, placing a hand on Leora's shoulder. She nodded, stepping back without protest.
Aedric knelt beside Grey, his expression patient but firm. "This might feel unfamiliar," he said, resting a steady hand on Grey's shoulder. "But it's not as complicated as it sounds. Sit."
Grey obeyed, lowering himself to the ground and crossing his legs. Aedric moved behind him, placing a hand firmly between his shoulder blades.
"Close your eyes," Aedric instructed, his voice steady. "Take a deep breath. Forget the ring for now. Forget everything. Just focus on the world around you."
Grey hesitated, drawing in a slow, steady breath. At first, his instincts pulled him inward, his body responding as if to enter the calm of his mental space—a process that felt natural. But his focus was interrupted by Aedric's voice, breaking through his concentration.
"The energy you need isn't inside you," Aedric said, his tone calm and grounding. "It's around you—flowing through everything. Relax and let yourself feel it."
Grey recalled the sensation during his trial—the sharp pain, the raw clarity as the world revealed itself in countless glowing nodes of light. He reached for that memory, searching for the same feeling, but still, nothing came.
Then, Aedric's hand on his back grew warm, a subtle pulse of energy flowing into him. The sensation wasn't intrusive—it was guiding, coaxing him to open himself to something larger.
And suddenly, Grey saw it.
The clarity stunned him, just as it had during his trial. The pain he had felt then wasn't present, but the vision remained the same. The world unfolded—not in shapes or shadows, but in countless nodes of light, scattered yet connected. They shimmered in varying colors, alive and pulsing with a rhythm that resonated with the very fabric of existence.
Even the air hummed with the flow of Will, weaving through the space around him. But the brilliance was fleeting. The world dimmed, leaving only faint traces—small red nodes, floating like embers in a pattern, their glow faint but steady.
"Do you see them?" Aedric asked, removing his hand. His voice was steady, grounding Grey in the moment.
"Yes…" Grey whispered, his voice barely audible.
"Now," Aedric continued, his tone firm but calm, "extend your hand toward them. Don't grab them—guide them. Let your intent draw them in."
Grey raised his hand, his fingers trembling slightly as he concentrated. The red nodes wavered, their movements erratic, but slowly—deliberately—they began to drift toward him. They gathered around his palm in a soft, glowing cluster, their faint warmth spreading through his hand. The sensation was unfamiliar yet harmonious, as if the nodes resonated with something deep within him.
"Keep your focus," Aedric instructed. "Feel their rhythm. This connection—this understanding—is what you'll need to use the ring. Gather the energy and place it into the ring. It will feel as though your mind is drawn into it. Then, simply imagine grabbing or placing whatever you want—so long as it's not a living object. That requires an immense amount of power to perform."
Grey opened his eyes, the faint glow of the nodes lingering on his hand before fading away. Slowly, he nodded. "Thank you."
Leora, who had been quietly observing, chimed in, "One more thing—items stored in the ring won't last forever. After a year or so, they'll start to deteriorate. So don't keep your things in there forever."
Grey took in her words, his expression thoughtful. "Thank you," he said softly.
From the side, Keen shifted, having stood silently through the exchange, his arms crossed. "Grey, care to explain?" he asked, his tone light but curious.
"They helped me understand Will," Grey replied, turning to face him. "I think they might be able to help Tear, Serene, and Forge too."
"Really?" Keen's face broke into a smile. "That's great news. Let's head in and tell Elder."
Grey stood, brushing off his hands as Aedric and Leora stepped back. For a brief moment, he glanced at them, his silver eyes carrying an unspoken gratitude. The tension that had first surrounded their presence felt lighter now, replaced by the faintest flicker of trust.
The four walked together, making their way back to where Serene, Shot, Brawl, and Elder waited.
For the first time since the strangers had arrived, it felt as though their presence wasn't a threat—it was an opportunity. Not everyone outside the village was out to harm them. Some, perhaps, could offer something valuable. Something that could help them grow, adapt, and survive the uncertain road ahead.