"Aether tried to stand up with difficulty, wincing in pain from his harsh fall onto the shrubs."
"Ugh, yes, yes—very helpful comment. Damn, that fall hurt."
"Be grateful. All you got was a minor fall. Not everyone walks away from their first real battle with all their limbs intact."
"Aether sighed in annoyance before ignoring Theer and scanning his surroundings calmly. Fortunately, he wasn't far from the palace—he was at the edge of Griffin Forest."
"Well, at least I managed to escape that bull. Now I need to find another way to sneak into the library."
He began moving cautiously. As he walked, he asked Theer:
"Theer, do you know how to get into that library?"
Theer replied impatiently:
"Yes, I know—but I'm not an information encyclopedia. Nivar has changed a lot since I was last here. I'm almost as clueless as you are. I don't remember many of these buildings. I'll take over until we reach the library."
"Once again, Aether felt a hand on his own before Theer pulled him into subconsciousness and took control, saying:"
"Don't worry, I'll return your body in one piece... probably."
"Aether's eyes turned black, and Theer's rough voice emerged. He looked at his palm and muttered"
"Well, this body will have to endure my power."
He threw the scythe into the air, and it vanished silently.
"A stealth mission. Weapons would only cause noise—nothing more. Now then..."
"He looked toward the palace and channeled his energy, attempting to move. But the moment he tried, Aether's body resisted, refusing to handle the immense power Theer poured into it. This only irritated Theer, who grumbled"
"You're so weak! Your body is trying to stop me now. One step, and it screams in protest... Pathetic. Fine, I'll have to envelop your body in magic."
Just then, Aether spoke up, trying to provoke him:
"Hey, don't talk like I'm some burden! Remember—you're living in my body! You don't even have one of your own!"
"Theer laughed at his words and continued. He channeled two types of magic: the first was protection magic, enveloping the body in a barrier to prevent damage, and the second was enhancement magic, boosting the body's speed to levels impossible for a normal human."
"Then he began running at an absurd speed. Aether could only watch in horror as his body moved in ways he'd never thought possible—at a velocity that should have turned his bones to dust."
"Theer reached the palace walls, where security had been tightened due to the earlier battle. Thanks to his speed, he was able to sprint along the castle walls without engaging the guards—especially Garn. He moved along the inner fortifications, through the passage, and down into the underground library, where he landed on all fours in front of the others."
"The bizarre sight startled them. Theer stood calmly, scanning the room before walking to one of the shelves, retrieving an old red book, and placing it on the ground. He said quietly"
"Read it well, you bookworm."
"Then the glow faded from his body, and he collapsed onto his rear, his eyes returning to their normal color."
"Emily rushed to Aether, who was still dizzy from the sudden and extreme changes in his body's velocity. He tried to stand again, swaying unsteadily, and picked up the book Theer had brought. As he brushed the dust off its cover, a cloud of ancient particles billowed into his face—it seemed no one had touched this tome in years. He coughed lightly before muttering"
"Ugh... what is this? Why is there so much dust?"
"He glanced at the title: "Trial of Chaos: Guide to the Eastern Gateway." For a moment, he froze, processing what he'd just read… He decided to stay silent. They already had enough to think about; introducing a new topic would only add complexity. Emily noticed his silence and asked worriedly."
"Aether? Tell us what happened... How did you get here?"
"Well... there's a lot to explain and very little time. Come on, gather the magic books you need, and let's get out of here quickly!"
"After a moment of silence, the three realized he was right—time was limited. They split up to continue their search, each selecting what they needed. Aether emphasized bringing only essential books to avoid drawing attention to the library's disturbance. He glanced at Claire and asked why she had brought him here. She pointed to the book Theer had chosen, and Aether understood: she wanted to give him the guide to the first trial. It seemed she had finally accepted that he was the current Hero of Nivar."
"Afterward, Claire led them back through the narrow passage they had used earlier, bid them farewell, and watched as they retreated toward Griffin Forest."
"Later, upon their return to the cabin in the forest, the three sat around the fire. Aether recounted his encounter with Garn, the vivid cut on his cheek still visible despite his attempts to conceal it. Scar studied the wound and said grimly."
"That cut is from Garn's spear—Loyalty's Pike. I know it well. I still don't understand why he didn't crush you outright, but… you were lucky you thought before attacking. You didn't repeat my mistake. When I faced him before, I charged in without a plan. I know, I know—don't look at me like that. It was a stupid strategy."
"Aether glanced at him and smirked before shaking his head wryly. Emily, who had been quietly wondering just how powerful this "Garn" truly was, remarked:
"Well, I'm grateful I haven't had to meet him yet."
Aether went on to explain how he'd managed to escape and infiltrate the castle with Theer's help.
"In the days that followed, the three threw themselves into training. Their days became a cycle of exertion and exhaustion deep within the forest. Yet, throughout his training, one thought lingered in Aether's mind—Theer's words: "Read it well, you bookworm." He couldn't shake the feeling that Theer knew something about him… something he'd never revealed since arriving in Nivar."