In a dark void, Elior looked around staring into the nothingness before being interrupted by a voice familiar
"Brother… are you there?"
Elior turned, his eye widening as he saw his sister, mother, and father standing across from him.
The emotions hidden within Elior began to well up
*SOB, SOB*
"Mom, Dad, Sis…. I am sorry", Liam said crying
His family walked up to him and stood smiling as he knelt before them, tears streaming down his face.
Liam stood up slowly before looking his parents in the eye before speaking up
"I am dead huh".
A small grin came across his face as Liam said "Since I am dead…. let us go as a family!".
As Liam tried walking, Joseph pushed him back
"Sorry son, but you cannot follow us", Joseph said
Startled Liam responded "What do you mean Dad?"
Janice cut the tension speaking up "You have a world to save, your book, your new world" as she smiled at Liam
"No mom, I don't care about this world, I just want to be with guys again as a family"
The place became silent as Joseph, Janice and Jeanne looked back at Liam smiling
"This is not our final goodbye Liam, you will see us again but this is not your time," Joseph spoke softly.
Liam knelt down begging, sobbing "Please come back, let us stay together".
The family just kept walking away smiling as they turned back
"Don't leave!"
*GASP*
Faintly Elior woke up, his eye still dim but showed that he still had little life, all he heard was a distinct voice in the background.
"Don't die Elior!", Aria said healing him faintly.
His pulse was slow but he was still there showing life within him.
"A-ria," Elior said slowly.
Aria sobbing face showed a faint smile as she said "Never do something so reckless!".
Laughing, Elior said "I know!".
Aria continued healing him, she was able to keep him alive but was not able to heal any of the bone cracking due to her arcana reserves being nearly depleted..
After some time, Elior sat up, glancing at Aria, who was sound asleep — her arcana reserves completely drained.
"I am still alive, Aria is still asleep and the Aetherseed has been gotten".
Elior smiled faintly. "I saw my folks… huh."
Standing up sluggishly, Elior looked at the time "Oh, it is 8pm now".
'I cannot wake Aria up, So I am going to carry her on my back'.
Lifting Aria up, Elior felt the throbbing pain in his ribs and shoulders, the blood on his head and face had dried up.
Staggering away, Elior walked away from the Silver Willow the same way he and Aria had come in. The plants glowing light acted as a path with which both Elior and Aria left the Silver Willow.
Leaving the Silver Willow staggering, Elior carried Aria on his back. Though his strength was nearly gone, he carried Aria safely on his back.
'I have to get her home safely, that was the promise I made to her'
As Elior kept walking, he was getting closer and closer to Solariath staggering with Aria sleeping gently on his back.
As Elior saw Solariath, the strength in his legs gave up as his body was numb and brain had started becoming dizzy.
'I have to make it back for her sake'.
'I can't give up'
Elior body had given up on him but he still tried to crawl desperately.
'I hope someone see us.'
As Elior was feeling his mind fading away he saw both Alaric and Seraphine running towards them with worried expressions.
"Good," were Elior final words before slipping into the darkness.
Walking up under the shimmering light, Elior eyes opened slowly seeing a drip bag strapped to his hand.
"Where am I," Elior said faintly
"In your room," Alaric said cutting in.
"How long have I been out," Elior said
"Two days" Alaric said
"You had three cracked ribs, a slightly dislocated shoulder and a mild concussion", Alaric said
"I don't need to ask what you are badly injured but I hope you would tell me"
"I and Aria just had a little journey and things got rough along the way", Elior said looking away.
'I cannot tell him I took both me and Aria to the Silver Willow'
'He would be in fumes'
"The Academy opens in three days time and by the healing mage from both your mother and her friend, you will be fit tomorrow"
"Understood sir", Elior said simply
"Let me allow have some time to yourself," Aluria said as he left the room leaving only Elior inside.
"Glad you are back home son," Alaric said walking through by the corridor.
As Elior laid back on the bed, his mind drifted back to his family telling him to go back
"You guys still want me to live but I want to be with you guys"
"I wonder if I save this world, I will be with you"
Sighing Elior said "Status"
The blue screen appeared
[Arcana Rank: F (Apprentice)]
[Quest: Save the World and Its Characters]
[Strength- E]
[Speed- E+]
[Agility- E]
[Intelligence- B-]
[Luck- E/S] became C temporarily when fighting the Vermis Nocturne
Mana Stats
Wind- Lv2
Darkness-Lv1
Void-Not unlocked until mastery of Darkness
Chrono-Not unlocked unless at death's door
Weapon:Kurotsume(Awakened)
[Percentage till you become Initiate- 35%]
Seeing the percentage till Elior could become an Initiate was just at 35% made Elior skin crawl.
"Just 35%, that means I still have to work more harder"
Dismissing the stats screen, Elior chanted "Items"
The items section opened
[The Lunathorn Veil]- Stabilizes mana, unlocks techniques for Kurotsume.
[The AetherSeed]- Boosts Arcana Rank potential by 200%, evolves Kurotsume.
"Hmm, so my potential for growth increases by 200%, real neat" Elior said smirking
[The AetherSeed]- If eaten, it takes twelve hours to fulfill process
"Twelve hours huh," Elior said staring back at the fruit.
"Why don't I just take it since I am still healing up"
Elior bit into the fruit, it was as sweet as he had described it and simple to finish.
*Thud*
Elior clutched his chest as his heart began to burn. He laid down back on the bed.
"It has begun huh".
Elior could feel his heart pulsing with new life as arcana flowed into him.
"This is amazing", Elior said
In his amusement, Elior began a wave of drowsiness wash over him.
"I am slipping up aren't it"
"At least the process would continue on its own, it is still a win-win situation"