The following morning was an arduous, embarking back to their original rendezvous point where the group originally agreed to split up.
It wasn't long before Lyn approached a well-rested Claire with the mindset of recovery. It was either that, or an even more difficult conversation in the future.
"Sleep well?" Lyn asked.
"Yeah. I think we're good to go." Claire said, nodding, She gave a brief look of approval and remembrance to Lyn before standing up, to which Lyn acknowledged. "Where's Arisz?"
A portal opened up beside the two immediately, startling both of them. "Over here, ladies," He said. "Shall we get going? I can smell the aether already."
Their walk consisted of small tales and memories shared upon one another, primarily from Claire's adventures with Szene and her family. She reminded Lyn of the time when they had first met atop the tree in the woods on route to Qliphos, and how she enjoyed skilled climbing recklessly in the past with them.
"And Thatcher would always be watching from afar encouraging Mossen to get his arse in together, only for him to plummet down," She said, giggling at the moment. "Szene and Pirelle were always so competitive, and all of them would argue endlessly at the thought of them winning. I, of course, used that to win each climbing race every time."
"No wonder you're so strong," Lyn commented. "Anyone who spends that long of time climbing like that would get stronger in no time."
Arisz scoffed from behind, walking slowly in tandem as they were about to make their way to the rally point. "You dare call climbing a skill?" He bragged. "The true display of art is through the-"
"Art of deception." Both Lyn and Claire replied in unison. "We know." Claire said.
"As long as you both know," Arisz chuckled. "Although the more you speak against it, the less I'd want to teach you both."
Upon reaching the rendezvous, Lyn and the others caught Alfaic and Ardine kneeling by the sandy shore. From a faraway distance, the oceans glinted with an ultramarine blue-colored hue, nearly blinding their vision the moment they looked further. Upon further glance after covering their eyes, they were shocked to see what appeared to be several hundreds of small blue Figments swimming across the shore in front of Alfaic and Ardine.
Many of them dove into the water after creating a makeshift diving board with the sand beside them. Groups of them relaxed afloat in the water, while some ran laps back and forth with the intent to race each other.
Lyn and the others approached Alfaic and Ardine, eyes solely fixated on the miniature species enjoying the scenic swim. She had a brief glance over at Alfaic's pleased look, making her remember their passionate kiss during the festival.
"Had a good night sleep?" Ardine asked Lyn. "Didn't know you three were going to be out that late. We would've wanted you to report back sooner."
"Yeah, well…" Lyn began, trying to obscure details of their conversation. "We wanted to have some alone time together. You know, girl talk."
"Arisz sure is a pretty one." Alfaic teased.
"Shut up, Alfie." Arisz grunted.
Alfaic approached Lyn with a grin on his face. "Anyway, look what the chief sent us this morning," He continued, pointing to the hundreds of Figments in the shallow ocean. "She probably forgot it would've been impossible to cross the ocean with all five of us, so…"
Claire stepped in, wanting the group to know how unsure she was of the support. "Sorry, maybe I'm a bit confused. How are these little guys supposed to help us cross?"
"Friends! Friends!" Several small ruby colored Figments approached Lyn and the others behind, generously greeting them with waves from their small stubby hands. "We help you. We together make strong. Good?"
"That's nice, but… how?" Lyn asked.
"Don't underestimate the value of teamwork, Lyn," Alfaic said, hyping up the Figment crowd. "These guys were just taking a short break. They've got some magic that could be of use for us."
Claire leaned down with a cheerful grin on her face. "Alright, you little cute ones," She began. "Work your magic and let's see what you can do. We need to cross the ocean, okay?"
The center ruby Figment gave a thumbs-up - with only three fingers. The three then stacked on top of each other, with the top most one shouting an echoing chant of the Figment's ancient dialect. Most of it sounded like the sound of rapid spitting; Lyn and the others could have sworn they had said, "Atapatoo!" multiple times.
The rising chant lifted the spirits of the hundreds of Figments parading in the ocean. They quickly swam to shore and began climbing upon one another, like ants moving back and forth rapidly from their nests. Once they moved in a specific motion, they infused their crystalline limbs with each other to create a solid bond with one another. As seconds passed, they began to form a rectangular shape, with several more Figments curving themselves on the side to form an arch.
Alfaic smirked as if he initially knew their true perfectionist prowess and talent, while Lyn, Ardine, and Claire both amusing watched as the Figments constructed a boat hospitable for the five of them with just their bodies. Once the vessel had been formed, the final three ruby Figments molded themselves into a steering wheel, while the Figments in the boat's rear began flapping their small feet repeatedly to create speed and torque.
"That's impressive." Ardine complimented, chuckling at the sight of their magical transformation.
"Hope they don't mind the five of us standing on top of them," Claire said, inching toward the newly formed boat. "Okay, little guys, we're coming aboard."
As the group hopped on board, the Figment boat swayed side to side as it attempted to balance the five. After careful movements among them, Arisz approached the steering wheel, placing his hands on the shiny red material the Figments established. The rear Figments flapped their feet until they blurred entirely, as the human eye couldn't comprehend the amount of speed being applied to the vessel.
A massive jolt forward skyrocketed the five through the ocean, propelling instantly at speeds ranging fifty miles an hour. Lyn and the others, with the exception of Arisz who kept his composure, flung against their backs toward the deck. Alfaic transformed back into a sword to avoid balancing on his two feet while the other three struggled to even stand back up.
"HEY! Can we maybe go a bit SLOWER!?" Claire shouted at the top of her lungs as cascades of salty sea water flew into her mouth.
"Woohoo!" Lyn cheered, raising her hands up in the air to feel the water splashing against her palms.
"You absolute psychopath!" Ardine shouted, covering up his mouth as he tried his best to not puke up from motion sickness.
All at once, the Figments ceased movement, lowering the speed of their vessel immediately. The three of them toppled forward, slamming their bodies against each other. Arisz remained still, looking down with an awkward stare. "What a dramatic troupe you all are," He said. "Now if you don't mind, I need my concentration. The aether is quite far, so enjoy the ride."
"Never thought I'd see the day," Alfaic commented, laying flat on the vessel's ground to avoid being tossed around like a toy. "The day where you're in the pilot's seat instead of me."
"Jealous, Alfie?" Arisz chuckled. "Just be glad you lot weren't there when he crashed the previous boat during his naptime."
Lyn giggled. "Sounds as careless as Blade usually is." She said to Claire.
"Yes, careless indeed, now, can we please go a bit slower?" Claire requested. "I'm asking politely!"
The group shared a laugh as the Figments honored their request. After the aether's obscuration gradually revealed itself as they sailed the oceans with their vessel, Lyn and the others were stunned at the grand vistas and numerous sights nearly untouched by the Rot Mother's influence.
These lightly visible locations spanned across miles, and revealed undecipherable information about METIS and its history just by looking at the ridiculousness of its compositions.
Two colossal stone towers separated by a massively long stone bridge that spanned for miles on end was the key point of interest that marveled Lyn, Claire, and Ardine upon first glance. Hundreds of large chunks of ancient stone chunked away from the bridge floated above the bridge, suspended by aether and by first glance, time. Although the landmark seemed close at first, the scale of the bridge was so mighty that Lyn could have sworn it was almost an entire continent away.
Oversized chunks of vibrant coral decked the sea, jutting upward from the aether's siphoning force. Floating ancient towers decked in colors of bronze and cerulean sheen surrounded multiple islands across the overworld. Twinkling cruxes of aether formations sparkled through the horizons, making the skies seem as if it was midnight's glorious stars. Their marvelous sheens sprinkled golden dust in the ocean, carrying the scent of burnt incense arising from their orifices.
Claire kneeled beside the vessel and extended her hand to drag through the cold waters. Tiny golden rocks and beads tickled her palms, leaving behind a trail of iridescent dust stuck to her. Ardine stood beside her and watched as the suspended rocks in midair had emerald green tethers imbued within them, reminding himself of the rocky formations across D'Avuzel's outskirts.
Lyn turned to Alfaic, who exchanged glances with her immediately. "Wow, I mean..." She was utterly speechless. "This is what you saw when you told me that story about your brothers?"
"More or less," Alfaic said, crossing his arms. "The air's a lot breathable today than it was fifty years ago. And the Stone Crux Bridge is still standing. We always used to ride through it to admire the scale of it all. Felt like it could go on for infinity."
"So," Ardine interrupted, approaching the two of them. "Where's the aether trail taking us?"
"Oh, come on, old man," Claire giggled, swaying her palm up and down. "We finally get to reach these oceans and that's what you're focusing on? That's just disappointing. Look how beautiful everything is, and it's all thanks to these little guys!"
"I'd be cautious," He said, shaking his head in disapproval. "Who knows what's out there in these oceans. Besides, I'd like to stay focused on the task at hand. We'll have plenty of time to admire the place after we kill the Rot Mother. Who knows, it might be even more beautiful afterward."
"Let her be a kid, for once. She deserves it," Alfaic said Ardine, turning to Arisz afterward. "So, Arisz did you hear?"
"It'll be quite a ways," Arisz said, continuing to steer the vessel. "Marksman," He called to Ardine. "The sun is shining brightly across the oceans. Some of the fish underneath are attracted to the light. Your talent in sharpshooting might be helpful in catching us some grub for a change."
"I volunteer to dive to catch what he shoots." Claire said, raising her hand.
Ardine grabbed her hand and yanked her back. "No, you're not. It's too dangerous."
"What are you, my father?" Claire teased. "Come on, I could really go for a nice swim right about now."
Lyn shrugged. "You two just be safe," She said, sitting down on the vessel's formed seats. "It does feel quite nice here. Very peaceful, for a change."
As Claire and Ardine leaned over the vessel to search for schools of exotic fish, Alfaic sat beside her and folded his hands on top of his lap. He bumped her shoulder with his own to attract her. "This is as close as we can get when it comes to what I experienced back then," He said. "Even though the Rot Mother has done irreversible damage to this world, there's always a part of it that's worth dying for, even if it is temporary."
"If this is how life can be without her, I'm committed," Lyn said. "But we have to stay focused."
A relaxing period of time passed as Lyn and Alfaic laid back, soaking in the delicate sprinkles of water spraying against their rosy cheeks. The serene sound of splashing waves filled Lyn's ears with harmonious solitude. At first, she was frustrated at the mere concept of humanity and its beauty, but after experiencing it through thick and thin, she was beginning to understand why such trivialities weren't trivialities at all.
"So, Lyn." Alfaic began, clearing his throat.
"Hmm?" Lyn opened her eyes.
"Arisz wanted me to ask you an important question. Seeing as he's focused on the trail, I'll handle it for him. He wanted to know-"
"The animal most attuned to your soul." Arisz interrupted.
"The... what?" Lyn shook her head, perturbed.
"Spirit animal," Alfaic corrected in a more simple manner. "He wants to know
"Oh..." She uttered, astonished at the question out of the unknown. "You know me. I know more of the Rot abominations than animals."
"Have you heard of constellations? In the moonlight, the stars align and form outlines of these legendary spirit animals. The Orsa that shines underneath D'Avuzel resembles a cat. When you think about it, cats do seem like perfect animals in how they take care of themselves, so I think it fits the motto of D'Avuzel really well."
"What else are there?"
"I haven't seen them before, but I remember the stars aligning in the far west called the Miruman. It's in the shape of a dragon. Depicts deadliness."
"You really believe in that stuff?" Ardine asked, listening to their conversation.
"Well, when you live over fifty years traveling endlessly on a boat, the mind starts to grow a bit more superstitious than normal. There's nothing more to interact with than what you see around you. That, and as a traveler myself, you have to make history for the books. What better way than to describe something everyone sees at night?"
Lyn nodded in understanding. "Then, what animal is the fiercest of them all?"
"Fiercest?"
"Something that's fierce... maybe even feared."
"You want to be feared?"
"Am I not, already? They used to call me the Lightning Huntress."
"A lion, then."
"Lion?"
"Slow down and hold it steady, now!" Claire called to the Figment vessel with a gentle tap. "I think we've got a big one in sight, old man."
The vessel slowed to a halt before Ardine fired his rifle, striking a black bass directly in its flank. It rose up from the ocean slowly. Ardine placed his rifle to the side and gently lifted it out of the sea. The glittery golden sand tickled his fingertips as he placed it down below his feet.
"Wow, nice shot!" Claire complimented.
"Good eye," Ardine said. "Fish dinner tonight, before we get lost in the sauce."
"Just looking at this fish makes me hungry now," Claire whined. "Can't we stop by the nearest beach and cook it?"
"Mm, guess we could. Haven't had breakfast in a while," Ardine said, gazing over to Lyn and Alfaic discussing about the lion being their spirit animal. "Thoughts, folks? Fish lunch instead of dinner?"
"With the salt... from the ocean... to season it," Alfaic said, leaning forward with a smirk toward Lyn. "How about it?"
"Yeah, that does sound nice. I've never tried fish before." Lyn said.
"You're allergic to apples too," Ardine commented. "Arisz, did you hear us? We're-"
"We're close," Arisz interrupted as his voice trickled down to the lowest of all pitches. His fervent gaze slanted sideways as he began to pinpoint the Rot Mother's essence. "I can smell the aether already. It's close by, but I can't get a clear reading on it. Sneaky fuck's cleverly hiding, but you can't hide from me, you rat."
"He's... really into it." Claire commented.
Alfaic approached him and placed his hand on his shoulder to grab his attention. "Hey, let's take a break. The others could use some R&R. If we're really nearby, we won't need to go too far if we dock close to another shore."
"Sure, take your sweet time, Alfie," Arisz mumbled sarcastically. "Makes the anticipation of battle much shorter."
After disregarding his innate sarcasm, Arisz docked the Figment vessel on a nearby small island with several coconut trees peaking in the center. Ardine and Claire helped carry the fish and start the fire by shredding bark from the tree. The two handled the affairs of the food, while Arisz led himself independently along the shore, sitting by the Figments and speaking to them.
Lyn watched as Alfaic and Ardine sent sparks onto the wood Claire gathered. After piercing the bass through the mouth with an elongated stick, they watched the fish roast together, by the campfire.
Ardine stood up and grabbed a device from his leather pouch, turning away from the two. The other three exchanged unusual glances with each other on the reason for it, before Claire stood up and watched him closely.
"Day 3 since the journey to find the lost fragments. We have some faith now, which is good, but I'm not feeling too confident about it all. Where there's aether, there's trouble. An unresolved trouble of something I'd not like to experience myself. I'm the only one here without unimaginable powers. An ordinary man. But here's to hoping I can make a big difference." Ardine spoke in a hushed tone.
"What are you doing?" Claire asked, laughing at his self-talk.
"Recording information, in case we come across something," Ardine said, revealing a voice recorder in his palms that ran on cassette. "Bought it at the D'Avuzel bazaar. Figured it could be worth something after this is all over, you know."
"Ooh, can I say something?" Claire asked, leaning forward.
"This is a strictly me thing, only," Ardine said, moving the recorder out of her reach. "Think of it like a personal diary. Would you want to go through someone's diary without their permission?"
"Maybe if they got on my nerves, which you definitely apply to, old man."
"Hey, food's done." Alfaic said, eyes pinned toward the cooked bass. "Lyn, would you like to do the honors and take first dibs?"
"S-Sure," Lyn said, leaning forward. She grasped a big chunk of meat from the bass's flank, noticing the textured salt from the ocean coating it generously. She placed it on her tongue and felt the meat melt down her throat. The perfect balance of saltiness and buttery flavor enriched her mouth with a cacophony of delicate unknown flavor. "Wow, that's... really good," She chuckled. "I never thought of food to be this good."
"Miss Apple," Ardine joked, placing his recorder away. He leaned forward and took a small snippet of fish as well, dropping it in his mouth. "When this is all over, we should have a feast to celebrate."
"Parsnips!" Claire exclaimed.
"What?"
"Parsnips. I like... parsnips. Szene and the others always stole them off the farms to give to the men in war. If there was a little extra, we'd take some for ourselves."
"Ooh. I want to try." Lyn commented.
"Once we get the opportunity to try the juiciest cut of steak, I'd be down for that," Alfaic commented. "In my travels, you only get the best of the best in the North. This one gigantic island, all managed by this one legendary elderly farmer. Breeds the best cows to the point where everyone wants a piece of his pie. So... naturally, he makes so much money out of it."
"And he's still breeding? Even with the Rot around?" Claire asked.
"The Rot can't quite get to him on his small private island. And someone needs to run the business. He doesn't have anyone to pass it off to. The thought of all that meat makes me salivate."
"Same. This fish won't cut it." Ardine said.
Lyn smiled at Alfaic. "Feel free to show us wherever and whenever after this is all over." She said.
"Now that's a bet." Alfaic commented.
Suddenly, before Lyn and the others could speak more about the trivialities of food, an ear-splittingly loud crackle forced the four to cover their ears in unison. A large rippling fault slashed through the center of the island, sending the cooked fish tumbling down on the shifting sands. Housed in the center of the damaged island was a large dome-shaped well erected out of stone, ascending to the top from an unknown underground system. Its entrance opened, revealing a large circular elevator with ancient hieroglyphics and symbols etched by design inside.
"HAHA!" Arisz's voice sounded the end of the well's arrival. "I've FINALLYDONE IT!"
"Done what?" Ardine asked.
"Attuned to the aether hidden underneath this island," Arisz clarified, walking toward the group. "Turns out Mother Bastard kept it sealed all this this time to prevent the unworthy away. It takes a true display of talent, like myself, to see the way through. This... abyssal elevator will most definitely take us to the next fragment."
"How could the Rot Mother do that?" Claire asked. "The idea of sealing her fragments and keeping them away from hiding... makes me think she's not this scary big monster that everyone else believed she was. Hiding herself all because if they found her, they'd realize she was just a person."
"That makes some sense," Ardine said. "I can't imagine a giant monster sealing an ancient tomb like that."
As the four spoke more about their theories on the Rot Mother's existence, Lyn thought of her relationship to her. It was still odd, despite Alfaic and Nia's information about the "truth." She didn't find it one bit acceptable that she was the daughter of a world splitting monster. All of it pointed toward the Rot Mother being a human, or individual much like her immortal species tethered to the aether of life after losing her thought upon it.
Just as she was about to present her findings to the others, she caught the proclaimed hooded figure who allegedly stalked the group from the beginning of their journey inside the abyssal elevator with their back turned. The hieroglyphs inside the elevator flickered in bright blue, triggering the elevator's mechanism. As it began to descend, the figure turned around and stared directly at Lyn, obscuring their eyes and nose entirely until they vanished underground.
"HEY, WAIT!" Lyn shouted, her voice calling to the figure. Without another word, she sprinted toward the elevator embedded in the stone well and nearly tripped. The others watched as she stumbled, nearly collapsing, her arms flailing to regain balance.
"Lyn!" Alfaic called out.
But before Lyn could reach the abyssal elevator, the platform activated with a mechanized groan. The hooded figure descended the shaft, leaving Lyn with nothing to chase after. Alfaic and the others rushed toward her in alert.
"What happened?" Alfaic asked, scanning the shaft.
"I saw someone go inside," Lyn said, her voice trembling with urgency. "It was that hooded person who's been following us. Just like the chief warned!"
Ardine didn't hesitate; he hated being watched in secrecy. He swung his rifle off his back and held it by his side.
Claire and Arisz did the same, yet Claire's gaze flicked to Alfaic. He stood absolutely frozen with his brow curved downward. There was something hidden that conflicted with his mind. She could read it in the way his eyes avoided Lyn's. She was reminded of his father. But she held her tongue, unwilling to destroy the trust Lyn had placed in him in their previous conversation.
"To the bottom of this, then," Arisz muttered, his voice filled with irritation. He planted his spear into the ground and used it to steady himself like a cane as he approached the elevator. "I've been getting bored, Alfie. Some action would be nice."
Alfaic exhaled slowly, then nodded. "Are we ready, then?"
Lyn stepped forward, her eyes beginning to flare with anticipation. "Yeah," she said firmly. "Let's finish this."