Kyro opened his eyes, plummeting into an endless black void. As he descended, faint whispers danced around him, gradually crescendoing into a cacophony of voices that echoed in his mind.
"Are you truly certain about this?"
"I cannot fathom your perspective!"
"Did you even contemplate the consequences of your actions?"
"In what realm do you believe you reside?"
"What has become of us? Our shared dream?!"
"The path you have chosen…is fraught with peril…remember this."
The voices surged in volume, forcing Kyro to plug his ears to stave off the impending pain. Suddenly, he crashed onto the rugged cliffside of a mountain, surrounded by towering trees and the relentless roar of crashing waves. Just as he attempted to rise from the harsh impact, a final, piercing voice rang out,
"I wish…you had never been born…"
Kyro sat up, gazing at the dark expanse of the night sky, his mind swirling with the echoes of the past.
"What was that? More fragments of memories?"
His gaze shifted forward, and he was startled to see a floating purple crystal suspended in the air. Instinctively, Kyro sprang to his feet.
"What is that? Perhaps my soul crystal? Have I already reached that level on connection?"
Kyro stepped cautiously toward the Aetherial Crystal. As he reached out to touch it, an invisible forcefield flared to life, stopping him just short. Then, a faintly glowing symbol appeared in the air before him—a circle inscribed with cryptic words he couldn't decipher. Before he could react, the crystal erupted in a flash of blinding light, engulfing him in its brilliance.
When the radiance finally faded, Kyro blinked—and found himself staring at a reflection.
But it wasn't a mirror.
The figure before him had his face, his build, even the same axe slung across its back. Yet something was off. Its skin was a shade darker, and its eyes burned with a fierce, unnatural ruby glow.
"What is happening?" Kyro exclaimed, disbelief washing over him as he confronted the apparition.
Without uttering a word, the clone brandished its axe and lunged at Kyro. Reacting swiftly, Kyro drew his own weapon, and the two clashed in a fierce battle.
"Who are you?" Kyro grunted, struggling to keep pace with his relentless counterpart.
The figure remained silent, delivering a powerful kick that sent Kyro crashing into the nearby trees. As he struggled to regain his footing, the clone pursued him, intent on delivering another blow. Kyro, slow to rise, hurled his axe in a desperate attempt to defend himself against the relentless onslaught.
"Ugh…this isn't what I anticipated at all. What am I meant to do?"
*****
Meanwhile, on another front…
Oliver sighed, disappointment etched across his face as he regarded his son. "Really, Hunter, think about it. This is the most joy I've witnessed from you in 10 years. You shouldn't squander it away, languishing in your Inn forever."
Hunter responded with a grave demeanor, "I made a promise a decade ago. I intend to honor it until my last breath."
Oliver regarded him with pity, realizing there was little he could do to sway his son's resolve. "If that is your wish, then so be it. But at least consider it. In any case, I must attend to some matters. Please look after Tharic when you can."
"Are you sure you'll be alright on your own?" Hunter inquired.
"Do not worry; I'll manage. I've learned a thing or two over the years," Oliver replied confidently.
With that, Oliver slung his backpack over his shoulder and ventured deep into the forest on his journey. Hunter settled beneath the shade of a tree, seeking a moment of peace. However, tranquility was short-lived as he heard rustling in the nearby foliage.
"We are close to that burst of aether, I can feel it!" one voice exclaimed.
"So very close!" another voice chimed in excitedly.
Without hesitation, Hunter drew his bow, nocking an arrow, prepared to defend against any disturbance that threatened Kyro's safety.
"Show yourselves!" he shouted.
The mysterious voices shrieked from beyond the trees.
"Damn it! I knew it wouldn't be that easy!"
"Perhaps if you weren't so sluggish, we could have arrived sooner!"
Hunter steadied his aim and released a flaming arrow toward the source of the voices. The trees ignited, and the figures emerged, howling in agony. They bore a striking resemblance to those who had previously lured and attacked Kyro. Just as Hunter prepared to unleash another fiery arrow, a spear hurtled from the right, striking both figures in the chest, ending their lives before they could react.
Tharic leaped down from a tree, standing triumphantly atop the fallen foes, retrieving his spear.
Hunter, impressed by the boy's accuracy, clapped and said, "Impressive, lad!"
Tharic shrugged, "It's nothing. Just doing what I must survive."
"Survive? I could have handled them without a scratch, and they wouldn't have touched you."
"Don't concern yourself with the details, old man," Tharic replied, turning to walk deeper into the forest.
Hunter chuckled, "I may have some gray hair, but I'm not that old."
"Regardless, come sit with me. I wish to know you better."
Tharic, uninterested in conversation, remained silent as he continued forward. Suddenly, arrows shot past him, igniting in flames, creating an impassable barrier.
Realizing he had no choice, Tharic begrudgingly walked toward Hunter.
Hunter smiled, "That's more like it."
As Tharic approached, he spotted Kyro lying motionless on the ground. He pointed and asked Hunter, "What is happening here?"
"Couldn't tell you. At the moment Kyro was about to draw his aetherial art, his body was unable to take it, causing him to knock out unconscious."
Tharic couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity.
"And this is the guy talking about saving Sylmora from its miserable fate. Please, give me a break."
Hunter shrugged, "I admit, it would seem odd for someone to pursue such a lofty goal if they can't grasp their aether properly."
Silence went through the air for a while. Then Hunter brought up the question on his mind, "How are you doing, though Tharic?"
Confused by what he meant, Tharic said, "Doing? Better now that I see this idiot on the-"
"No, that's not what I meant," interrupted Hunter. "I'm asking about your mother."
Tharic was taken aback, "How did you—"
"Your father confided in me about that night. And from the way you have been talking, I can tell that the pain still lingers deep in your heart."
Fury ignited within Tharic, realizing his father had divulged such personal information.
"Listen, I don't know what your agenda is here, but you have no right to meddle in my family's affairs, regardless of your connection to my father. Focus on this foolish child on the ground, and I'll handle things from here," Tharic declared, storming off toward the village.
"I admit, perhaps I was a bit too insistent on the subject…" Hunter mused as he watched Tharic retreat toward Pinehollow.
He turned his attention back to Kyro.
"How much longer will you take?"
*****
Kyro and his clone engaged in a relentless exchange of blows, each strike resonating with intensity. Yet, Kyro felt his strength waning, his movements growing sluggish as fatigue set in.
"Ugh, how much longer can this go on? This clone shows no signs of weariness."
Like Kyro, the clone seemed to reach its limit, its movements sharpening and accelerating, leaving Kyro struggling to keep pace.
"What the—"
In an instant, the clone propelled Kyro into the air with a powerful kick before hurling its axe with deadly precision toward Kyro's abdomen.
Kyro barely had time to react as he was sent spiraling back into the black void that had led him to this strange realm, where his soul and self collided.
"Damn it, did I…fail?" Kyro thought, clutching his stomach in agony.
Suddenly, he awoke in the real world, gazing up at the blinding sun, with Hunter slumbering against a tree nearby.
The flames of the torches flickered out as Kyro searched for the soul crystal with trembling hands, but to his dismay, it was nowhere to be found.
Frustration welled within him as he looked down in disappointment.
"How did our brave hero fare?" Tharic mocked from behind, teasing Kyro once more.
Kyro remained silent, his gaze fixed downward. He attempted to draw aether into his palm once more, only this time, nothing happened.
Tharic chuckled, "Well, there goes your little dream, doesn't it?"
Recalling his earlier resolve and his quest to recover his lost memories, Kyro refused to back down. "Not at all. I will still embark on the journey I've set for myself, with or without aether."
Tharic's expression darkened, frustrated that Kyro had not learned his lesson.
"Just how foolish can you be? This country is far from being saved. Go save yourself and live your best life!"
"Listen, I may be foolish or whatever you wish to call me, but I know who I want to be right now. And that is someone who can restore faith in humanity for the people of Sylmora."
Tharic clenched his jaw in frustration, realizing he had failed to sway Kyro from his path.
Meanwhile, Hunter stirred from his nap, roused by the commotion.
"Will you two keep it down?"
"Tsk…old man," Tharic muttered under his breath as he retreated into the forest, out of sight of both Kyro and Hunter.
As Hunter rose, he inquired about Kyro's ordeal. Kyro recounted the events, omitting the voices he had heard during his descent into the void. He wished to keep those memories close, avoiding unnecessary attention. However, Kyro did tell of what the clone said at the end.
"Interesting. The thing you saw was likely your soul crystal. But a soul withholding your aether till you understand yourself, huh? I wonder, what does it know about you exactly that is preventing the soul from letting you have any sort of aether control?"
He then turned to Kyro, seeking clarity, "Well, this was all very unexpected to say the least. Given all this, though, are you still determined to pursue your journey?"
Kyro nodded resolutely, leaving no room for doubt.
Hunter smiled, "Still so steadfast in your path, huh? Well, I certainly won't hinder you. Unfortunately, I cannot accompany you on your journey from here on out, so you will have to venture forth alone."
Though saddened and alarmed by the news, Kyro understood that Hunter had not initially agreed to follow the path he had chosen.
"I promise to return and visit you once my journey concludes!"
Hunter chuckled, "I look forward to that! Let us return to the village and rest before we plot our next course of action."
Kyro nodded, and together they made their way back to Pinehollow village.
Meanwhile, in a distant place…
A lone figure sat in the heart of a vast, shadow-drenched chamber, surrounded by piles of ancient books and scattered papers. The dim light caught the edges of his wooden mask—marked by deep blue claw-like scratches over the right eye socket—while his real eyes glowed faintly from within.
"A few more months," he murmured, "and we'll finally set everything into motion."
BOOM.
Thunder roared outside, rattling the chamber. The desk trembled, papers lifted into the air, and books crashed to the floor.
"Just a little more Aether…" he whispered, leaning forward, voice tightening. "Then freedom—true freedom—will be within our grasp. For the sake of our country."
*****