"Hey, wake up!"
Kyro jolted awake, his head lifting from the cool, hard surface of his desk. Blinking rapidly, he tried to shake off the heavy fog of sleep clouding his thoughts. The silhouette before him was blurry, but he recognized the figure's outline—the same enigmatic person he'd encountered before, cloaked in an aura of urgency and mystery.
"This isn't the time to be dozing off, my friend! We've got too much to do and barely any time left," the figure said sharply, their voice brimming with agitation.
"You're back already? I thought we still had—"
Before Kyro could finish his sentence, the figure delivered a brisk slap across his face. The sting was sharp, jolting him fully into awareness.
"We don't have time," they snapped. "We have three days—three—to make this work. Everyone is counting on us. Now, get me the aetherite crystal files we discussed earlier."
Still groggy, Kyro nodded and pushed himself off the desk, his limbs sluggish and aching. He staggered toward the tall bookshelf beside him, rifling through a stack of documents until he found the worn, frayed files. He brought them back and dropped them on the desk with a soft thud.
"Speaking of crystals," Kyro said, curiosity piercing through the remnants of sleep, "how's your research into souls going?"
The figure let out a tired laugh. "Don't even ask. I've been up for nights chasing answers, but I finally found something worth it—souls hold a potential that aetherite crystals can't even begin to replicate."
Kyro raised a brow. "Really?"
"Oh, you know I'll explain everything once we have time," the figure replied with a half-smirk. "But right now, let's focus on what we know."
Kyro gasped, shooting upright on the couch, drenched in cold sweat. His chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath, the remnants of the dream still clawing at his mind.
"That dream again… Who was that? And what were we working on?"
"Finally awake, huh?" Rena's voice pulled him back to reality. She sat calmly at the table, sipping from a mug.
"Sylmora's not going to save itself, you know," Tharic added with a wry grin.
Kyro blinked, trying to ground himself, glancing around the small cabin as the fog of sleep lifted.
"We don't have all day," Rena said, standing and setting her mug down. "If her husband is truly being held captive, we need to move now."
She strode toward the door and stepped outside. Kyro remained seated, still processing.
"What? Did you see a ghost?" Tharic teased, slapping Kyro lightly on the shoulder before following Rena outside.
As Kyro slowly stood and began to dress, Tharic's words echoed in his mind. "That look… another strange dream?"
Moments later, Kyro emerged from the cabin, axe in hand, just as Rena turned to speak.
"Before we move out, I should explain where I believe her husband may have been taken," she said, arms crossed.
"I've been tracking the area for months. Aether hunter activity is more concentrated up north. If they took him, that's where they would have gone. It's our best lead."
She paused and looked directly at Kyro. "That said… the odds of him still being alive are slim."
"Still," Kyro replied quickly, "we have to try. We can't give up without looking."
Rena nodded. "Agreed. Besides, this might give us a chance to learn more about the aether hunters' movements."
"'Us'?" Tharic raised an eyebrow, sensing a personal stake behind her involvement.
Rena met his gaze. "My reasons aren't the same as your friend's desire to free Sylmora."
"Then why help us?" Kyro asked.
"That's none of your business," she said bluntly. "Just know that I'm willing to assist. Take it or leave it."
She turned, looking deeper into the woods. "Let's head north and search for any signs we can find."
Somewhere further north…
A guard standing beside Yusef studied a tracking device. A smile crept onto his face.
"Boss. The boy and his companions are heading this way."
Yusef grinned. "Excellent. Danica's plan is working perfectly."
He turned to the six guards assembled behind him, analyzing them one by one before pointing to two.
"You two, go. Track them. The rest of us will stay behind unless absolutely necessary."
The chosen pair nodded and vanished into the forest.
Yusef then muttered to himself, "Why haven't the other two men I sent returned yet…"
Across the river, near Rena's cabin…
The woman who had cried for help outside Ashcrest stalked the clearing, eyes scanning the aftermath.
"Those two boys... how foolish could they be?" she laughed bitterly. "To believe my story without question. That couldn't have gone smoother. Even the skeptical one was duped."
Her grin faded as she stepped into a bloodied clearing—severed aether hunter bodies lay sprawled on the forest floor.
She froze.
"What the… killed by them? Impossible."
She backed up a step, eyes wide with disbelief. "There's no way they're strong enough to do this."
She turned toward the trail leading further into the woods. "I have to warn the others… before it's too late."
Back with Kyro, Tharic, and Rena…
The trio moved quietly through the thick forest, eyes sharp for signs.
"Over here!" Tharic called out, pointing to a tree.
Rena and Kyro approached. A thick, red diagonal slash was carved into the tree bark.
"What is this?" Kyro asked, inspecting the mark.
"I've never seen anything like it," Rena said. "But I doubt it's connected to the missing man. The carving looks much older."
"Still… it feels like it means something," Tharic muttered, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
RAWRRRR!!
A blood-curdling roar shattered the calm. A massive bear barreled out from the east, its eyes glowing crimson and strange aetheric energy swirling around it.
Rena turned to Kyro sharply. "Didn't you say you wanted to save Sylmora? Then prove it. Kill this bear."
Kyro blinked, confused. "What does this have to do with—?"
"If you can't protect us from this, how do you expect to protect anyone else?" Rena snapped.
She looked to Tharic. "Help him. I have a feeling both of you will be needed."
Tharic groaned. "Why is it always right after I find a clue…"
Resigned, he drew his spear and readied for battle. Kyro gripped his axe and charged forward.
CLASH!
The bear met him head-on, claws slamming into Kyro's axe. The force of the blow nearly knocked him off his feet.
"Ugh!"
"Strong… but still unrefined," Rena observed from a distance, eyes narrowing as she watched Kyro's movements. Her gaze shifted to the axe.
He's wielding that heavy weapon well… but something's off.
She focused on his aether flow—it was stagnant, unmoving.
"Why hasn't he tapped into any aether? He's holding back... or he doesn't know how to access it at all."
Before she could dwell further, Tharic made his move.
Wind Technique: Gale Step!
A gust of aether erupted beneath Tharic's feet as he dashed across the clearing, landing a flurry of swift strikes on the bear, drawing its attention away from Kyro.
"Thanks," Kyro said, catching his breath. "If only I could use aether too…"
He slammed his axe into the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust and grass that obscured the bear's vision. Using the distraction, he rushed in—but the bear, sensing his presence, swatted him violently into a tree.
CRACK!
Kyro slumped, groaning in pain.
Tharic continued darting around with Gale Step, keeping the bear on the defensive with relentless, agile strikes.
Kyro slowly rose again, determined. He grabbed his axe and ran back in.
"Why isn't he using any aether?" Rena wondered again.
As the dust cleared, Kyro seized the moment. From behind, he swung his axe with all his strength, striking the bear across the back.
The beast howled in agony. Tharic took the chance to pierce its chest with his spear.
The bear staggered, bellowed one final time, then collapsed. The strange red aura faded away.
"The aether... it's gone," Kyro noted, watching it dissipate.
CLAP. CLAP. CLAP.
Rena applauded from afar, her expression unreadable.
"Well done. That went smoother than expected," she said as she approached. "Someone tampered with that bear's aetheric flow—forced it into a frenzy."
She looked at Tharic. "You fought well. Better than last time."
Tharic grunted, catching his breath. "Thanks… I guess."
Then she turned to Kyro.
"As for you, why didn't you use any aether? You talk about saving others… but without your friend, you wouldn't even be able to save yourself."
Kyro tightened his grip on the axe, feeling the disappointment and doubt from Rena.
"Because as of right now, I am unable to use any aether."
"Unable to use it? I've never heard of such a thing. What do you mean?" Rena asked, narrowing her eyes slightly.
Kyro looked away for a moment, as if reliving something buried deep.
"The first time I tried channeling Aether… my body couldn't handle it," he began quietly. "At first, the flow was calm, but then it turned violent and unstable. Before I knew what was happening, I was on the ground, screaming in pain. I completely lost control… and then blacked out."
Even as he spoke, Kyro made a deliberate effort to omit what he'd seen during the time he was unconscious—visions he still didn't fully understand, moments that left him questioning reality.
"Since then," he continued, "it's like my body refuses to even try. The moment I think about drawing in Aether… it feels like my body panics. Like it's reliving the trauma."
Rena folded her arms, thoughtful. "That's... unusual. I've never heard of someone being rejected by Aether like that. But I guess for someone who can't wield it, you handled yourself well against the Aether-corrupted bear."
Kyro gave a faint nod, unsure if it was meant to be a compliment or a warning.
Rena's expression shifted to something more serious. "Based on what you've told me, once this mission is over, I'm taking you to the best medic I know in Sylmora. This… and your memory loss… it's no trivial matter."
"But—" Kyro started.
"I won't take no for an answer," Rena cut in sharply. "You have no idea the kind of danger you're playing with. If you keep going like this, you will get yourself killed. You say you want to save others, but if that's true, then you need to learn when it's time to save yourself."
Tharic exhaled heavily beside him. "She's right…as much as it sucks to admit it."
Kyro looked between the two of them, struck silent. What they said rang true in a way that settled deep in his chest.
"They're right…" he thought. "How can I expect to save anyone when I can't even protect myself? If I keep going like this, I'll be nothing but a hypocrite!"
Rena seemed to notice the weight of his silence and softened slightly. "But that's a matter for another time. Right now, we need to stay focused on the mission."
She pointed toward the patch of grass just beyond the bear's lifeless body. A set of footprints led deeper into the forest.
"Looks like we've got our next clue."
Meanwhile, high above in the forest canopy…
Perched on thick branches, the two guards Yusef had sent were observing the trio from afar.
"They managed to take down the bear…" one of them muttered. "I'll admit—it wasn't our strongest, but still, they're not as weak as we thought."
The second guard's eyes narrowed, his voice low with confusion.
"Wait… something's off. Weren't we told it was just two boys?"
The first guard nodded slowly, still watching the scene below. "Yeah. That's what Danica reported."
The second guard pointed subtly toward Rena. "Then who the hell is she? She didn't even lift a weapon during that fight, but the way she carries herself… something's not right."
The first guard's eyes locked onto her, finally sensing the same tension.
The second guard's face twisted into concern. "And don't forget, we haven't heard from the two scouts we sent out yesterday. Do you suppose…"
He trailed off as the implication sank in.
The first guard's expression darkened. "No way… you think she had something to do with it?"
The second guard swallowed hard. "It's the only thing that makes sense. If the boys didn't take them down, someone else did. And she's the only unknown."
A cold silence passed between them.
"We need to report this to Yusef," the first guard said, his voice urgent now. "Immediately."
The second nodded, and without another word, the two slipped back into the forest shadows, vanishing into the trees.