Aromatic Precipices: Perpetuity of Ardor

“Umm… Anyone care to explain what just happened and where we are?”

Licht’s confusion bounded through the strange space. Like Lacia, he’d also been transported somewhere. It seemed that, maybe, he would finally get to experience the storied white room Mana had talked so much about. The space was as quiet as a blanket of snow. It was just so… empty.

He looked down at his hands to find his physical form had been abandoned. Looking around, the only thing he could see was an expanse of white and the mystifying red door behind him; it was an expansive void of nothingness, yet something about it didn’t seem as empty as it felt. In fact, the air was warm and full of kindred compassion. Turning around, he caught a reflection of himself in the red door, a mirror-like fixture that revealed more than he’d expected: he was a body of ethereal, white light.

A familiar voice caught his attention. “I promise I’ll explain everything, Licht, but first… Can you retrieve Lacia from my neck? This is a bit much.” It was Mana, elegantly seated beneath a white-marble gazebo.

“How did you even know it was me? I don’t even recognize myself, probably because I’m currently made of light or whatever, but…” He realized Mana was the only one who had maintained a physical form. “How is it you recognize me or Lacia? And why is it you’re the only one who has a physical form here? Where are we?” Questions rolled off his tongue like a freight train.

She pointed at Lacia, incessantly clinging to her. “Lacia first. Questions second.”

“Right…” He walked over to Lacia, wrapping his arms around her waist, surprised he was able to grab anything at all. “Lacia, chill out. I know it’s been a while since you’ve seen each other,” he urged, “but there are some questions we really need answered here.” He pulled her waist. “Work… With… Me… Here—” His foot slipped, but he somehow managed to peel her off Mana and onto himself as they tumbled to the watery floor in a heap—an unexpected surprise.

Lacia rubbed her tailbone. “Ow…What the hell, Licht?” She paused. “Wait. Licht?! You’re here, too?”

“Observant, are we?” he mumbled. “Yes, I was transported with you, but I don’t exactly know how or where we are.” He turned around, readdressing Mana. “This isn’t quite what I had imagined when you shared those stories of this place, you know? Assuming that’s where we are, that is.”

She stood up, brushing the wrinkles from the skirt of her dress. “I missed you too, Lacia, but please refrain from almost strangling me next time,” she smiled threateningly. “I owe you two an explanation but, for now, it’s better if I show, rather than try to explain, my story.” A small colorful bubble appeared in the palm of her hand. It shimmered as if it were refracting a summer’s sun. “This should help explain things.”

“Mana—”

“We have incredibly limited time, Lacia. I’m sorry, but this will have to suffice for now.”

A bench manifested from thin air, white marble with an ornate, vine-like pattern. She motioned for Licht and Lacia to come closer as she stepped out of the gazebo, taking a seat as the tiny clink of a teacup on porcelain raced through the otherwise muted soundscape. Licht blinked as her form briefly shimmered, changing her appearance.

She donned the same striking white and gold trim dress, complimented by a pair of opaque black and gold-trimmed tights. The outfit was even more marvelous up close as Licht watched her transformation with his own eyes. It took a moment, but he recognized the outfit—the same one she was wearing the morning he and Brendan found her passed out on the porch: the same shimmering ruffles in the skirt, corset ribbon in the back, and the daring way its asymmetric length brushed the backs of her legs.

“I’m sure you remember that time back in the car, when I made you and Brendan wear those stuffy outfits,” she said, addressing Licht. “Those were because my temper was a little flared, sorry. You’ll find your next outfits much more desirable as you will be needing them eventually. I was just frustrated back then and thought that hearing you and Brendan complain would ease my own worries a little.”

“You’re making my head spin, Mana,” Lacia said. “What all happened between the three of you?”

“Enough conversation. I’ll explain everything when this memory bubble finishes.”

As if on command, a small bubble grew from Mana’s palm, hues of green, orange, and maroon coming into sharper focus before mixing with innumerable other colors. Images formed within the bubble’s glistening sphere, playing back like a movie but with arguably greater clarity. It continued to grow until Licht was engulfed, finding himself on the receiving end of a myriad of emotions: red represented the anxiety that had filled Mana’s veins like poison, orange portrayed the fire of friendship she’d felt was unraveling before her— It was a melting pot of everything she’d felt since they first split up, but the first scene started in the last place he’d expected.

***

Licht rubbed his eyes, realizing he’d regained his physical form. As his eyes adjusted to the sudden low light, he found himself standing in the center of their suite back in Seria—two years ago. The same sheer curtains hung over the windows, the dirt on the wall from the tug-of-war with his boots—even the same disorganized pillows on the couch where Mana sat when they first walked in. He felt like he’d walked into the past, though he subconsciously knew he was supposed to be there.

The cold tile beneath his feet and faint sunlight peering through the curtains told him it was early as he glanced at the time on the stove: 5:30am. A small creak from Mana’s bedroom door spurred his curiosity; later that morning, he and Brendan would find her passed out on the porch, a supposed visit with the mysterious Omnis.

“Breakfast,” she mumbled. “So hungry…”

“Of course you’re hungry,” he replied, but she didn’t respond. “Oh, so I can’t interact with you in this space. It seems I’m just meant to be an observer, then. Now that’s interesting…”

He followed her outside, noticing the illumination of the mark on her neck. He knew this was the lead-up to her first meeting with Omnis, but what did the mark on her neck mean, and why was it there to begin with? Was it something that Omnis had given her, or was it something else?

Without warning, the scene changed, melting into pools of color, reshaping themselves as he suddenly found himself standing in the center of a run-down amusement park. Rusted rides swayed in the gentle night breeze, the groan of metal fading into the whispers of the wind. He could hear water splashing against the boardwalk pier somewhere, the salty spray drifting through the air as he traversed the abandoned fairgrounds. He ran his hand along torn shreds of tents and the cool, metal bars of ride gates, feeling the loneliness of the atmosphere. It seemed the place had been forgotten for some time, indicated by the tattered tents, rusted rides, and shards of glass from broken lights.

He turned a corner, surprised to find Mana. She was lifting herself into the orange cart of a Ferris wheel. He moved closer, watching as she overturned a beaded bracelet in her hands. Their rounded shape and thin, leather band told him it was likely another set of elucidation stones, but why would they be in an abandoned amusement park, of all places? Without a closer look, there was no way to tell for sure, but if she still had the bracelet, he might be able to ask her about it later.

A sharp gasp broke the otherwise tranquil night, startling him. He spun around only to find himself alone, aside from Mana in the cart, but she hadn’t made a noise. Was it just the wind? Using a portion of the mana he’d been storing, he sent magical threads through the fairgrounds, seeking out any other, possibly hidden, sources of mana, though they came up short. There had to be someone nearby. He was certain the wind didn’t make human, gasp-like noises. He redeployed the strings, urging them to dig deeper—to go beyond the physical realm, somewhere beneath the physical plane of existence.

A minute later, he had his lead. One of the strings had curled itself around something. Tracing it back to a deep sublayer of the current space, he tugged on the line, estimating its size and weight: it was light and felt a little larger than something he could fit in the palm of his hand. He yanked the string, pulling whatever it was towards him, but before he could examine it, the scene shifted again.

Now, he found himself at the Gila Border Gate, minutes after Lacia and Aria had performed the hihoyou with Hika’s help. The explosion had cratered everything in its wake, forcing ash and smoke miles into the sky as seawater flooded into the crater, submerging the scorched earth beneath the salty waves. The heat and luster had transformed the glacial landscape into a boiling sea. While it wasn’t surprising, he didn’t see any of his friends—not Mana, Brendan—even Ahzef was noticeably absent from the picture which was a relief.

The gasp came again, affirming his earlier suspicions. “Whoever you are,” he started, “if you’re just as surprised to find this thing as I am,” he said, realizing he was holding the mysterious object from the amusement park, “that narrows down my options to a single person or, should I say, being.”

He turned the object over in his hands. Its golden gloss reflected the smoldering embers that lingered from the explosion. He raised his eyebrows, realizing what he’d just found. At the time, he didn’t think about what had happened to the second halifer but, now that he thought about it, it made sense that Aria would have dropped hers during the initial fight with Ahzef. The devils were in hot pursuit of Lacia, and Chiipha’s princess whom he had yet to meet, but the halifers were quite literally keys to opening the doors between Earth and Chiipha, but they also hid a darker secret: if one knew the proper spell, they could just as easily find the Erill Gate.

“Hika, you can show yourself,” he said cautiously. “Everything’s okay… ish. Lacia’s alright—everyone’s alright.” No response. “Hika, it’s going to take all of us to put an end to the Rezertia and Nertiia. Please, help us out here.” He sighed. “Mana was supposed to be showing me something, yet I wound up here which means I was probably meant to find you.”

His plea worked. Moments later, Hika revealed herself. He was relieved it was really her, but he was just as wary that one of the devils had managed to separate him from the rest of the group. There was only so much he could do alone; Hika’s presence was just enough to calm his nerves, though she looked a little worse for wear.

Despite the singed ends of her hair, tattered and dirt-smeared dress, she seemed to be doing okay as her feet dangled over the edge of the crater where she sat, emotionless. While her presence was reassuring, her appearance left much to be desired—it was startling. Blood dripped from a series of fresh cuts across her cheeks, worsened by the purple bruises under her eyes. Did she get into a fight with someone? Even with the limited understanding of the Aurei, Licht knew that her disheveled appearance wasn’t normal; Aurei took pride in their pristine appearance— something was off.

She wore the same green dress she had the night at the border gate, but it was just as singed as her hair. The golden trim had faded to a dusky brown and one of the back straps had snapped. Likewise, even her stockings were full of runs and holes at the feet, so many that she might as well be barefoot since even her shoes were missing.

“You’re in your human form,” Licht pondered aloud. “Hika, what happened?” The roar of rushing water threatened to drown him out.

She looked away. “I… was expelled from Peradaice. I failed to protect Lacia from Ahzef, and my assistance with the hihoyou was also greatly frowned upon.” She stood up, wincing as a small rock squeezed itself between the ground and her left foot. She smiled at him but, deep down, he knew she was still a fractured mess. “It was my fault. I underestimated the situation. Now, I atone for what I have done.”

“Who expelled you, though? And I’m assuming ‘Peradaice’ is your home?”

“The elders. Specifically, my own family.” Her smile began to falter. “At birth, an Aurei is assigned to every human. We are what you humans call ‘guardian angels’. I guess, in a way, you could say we are playing God—or were, though that was never our intent.”

“What about your magic and the other Aurei you m—”

“I only came to Lacia’s side because she was in present danger. Unless you are in mortal danger, the Aurei do not intervene in human affairs. That applies to your own assigned Aurei, as well. I have even met them—Arlo—but that is beside the point.”

“Let me talk to the elders, then. I’m sure we can figure something—”

Hika crossed her pointer fingers, forming a makeshift X; the message was clear. He knew the Aurei were strong-willed, but expulsion from her own home coupled with the pain that hid beneath the surface of her smile… It frustrated him. How could a ‘family’ ever throw one of their own out, and in such a time as the coming attempted Rezertia and revival of Nertiia?

“Licht, it’s not me that’s important right now. The memories should be your priority.” She hopped around on one leg, trying to pull the rock from her foot. “I cannot help you, so please do not ask me to come with you. I was stripped of my status as an Aurei, my magic was revoked, and now I’m just an ordinary girl in a world I do not understand as much of as I would like.” Her voice rose an octave. “Just g—”

Licht ran over, grabbing her hands as he pulled her into a tight hug. “Hika, just because you’re human now… Just because you’ve lost your magic… None of that makes you any less of a friend to any of us. Don’t be afraid to ask for our help. You don’t have to walk this path alone.”

She pushed herself away. “No, Licht. I cannot help you, and please do not do that again. I would prefer not to fall over.”

“Sorry, but, like,” he sighed. “You’ve been part of our family from the start, even if we didn’t know it yet, but none of what’s happened means you’ve failed in any way. I realize this may be selfish of me, but please. I know your heart hurts. What you’re feeling is guilt and sadness. Trust me when I tell you this: those emotions aren’t worth it.”

He grabbed her hand without hesitation, leading her through the maze of tattered tents and lonely amusement rides that faded back into focus as the border gate disappeared—she didn’t contest. In fact, she secretly hoped he would take her with him, away from the torment she’d had to endure.

“I… No… The elders berated me first before I was sent home. When an Aurei disobeys the rules of Peradaice, they are usually cast out. But because I was as involved as I was, I was subject to myriads of unkind words. They told me I was stupid, did not deserve the esteemed title of Aurei, and that they no longer considered me family.”

“That’s not how family should work. They should love you no matter what—unconditional love. As humans, we tend to dwell on the past,” he said, looking back at her as he pulled her along. “Don’t let it bother you. It’s not worth the pain and heartache you go through.”

She looked down, watching as her feet trampled the weeds beneath them but, before she could tell him how much she appreciated his kindness, the glint of the halifer caught her eye. It was almost as if it had winked at her, trying to catch her attention. For a moment, she thought maybe things really would be okay. Even though the halifer’s golden dazzle offered a sense of calm, it still represented the evil that stole her from her ‘family’ and forced her involvement in an interdimensional conflict.

“Pardon the suddenness, but do you realize that you are holding the second halifer?”

“And that’s why we just took the W.”

“…What does that mean?”

Licht smiled as they trudged on, the white room fading back into view. “I’ll teach you everything about the human world when this is all said and done. Promise.”

***

“So, this is what it was like after the hihoyou,” Lacia said, facing the crater. “I guess you could say the water is eerily symbolic of the fluidity of our lives these days.” The scene faded away into millions of tiny orbs of light, signaling the transition into what she assumed was another piece to Mana’s memories. “I wonder if Licht is seeing the same things as me right now.”

For a moment, the scene went dark before a canvas of stars twinkled above her head in a twilit sky. Blips of orange and yellow faded in and out around her, the tell-tale signs of a late-summer evening combined with the familiar chorus of cicadas. She still felt a little woozy and her whole body ached, but she’d been through worse.

She knelt down, legs brushing the dewy grass as she reached out to touch the water-cooled blades. Startled, she quickly pulled her hand back before realizing her body was back to normal again—she hadn’t expected to see her own flesh again so soon.

“The amount of counseling it’s going to take to figure out how to cope with all of this… I’m already crashing out.”

Her hands brushed the dewy grass, drops running down the blades like tears down her cheek, a comparison she didn’t realize she’d made. With a little effort, she lifted herself off the ground, peering over the low tree canopy into the sky. It reminded her of a glitter-filled art project—she’d never seen such a display of stars before: milky whites traversed the sky’s expanse, illuminating random patches of grass and trees. As her eyes continued to adjust, hues of purple and red, juxtaposed against the now black background, greeted her. Nestled within a cosmic web of stellar beaty, a blazing trail cut across the starry canvas, the ice-blue dust trail of a comet offering her a fleeting chance at a wish.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, taking in the sounds of the world around her; everything felt alive: from the rustling of leaves in the trees to the sound of her own breathing, the world felt like it was at peace. She was afraid to open her eyes—doing so would mean a return to the hellish realty she’d spent the last two years trying to escape. For once, she just wanted something to be about her, for someone to tell her she’s doing great and that progress isn’t linear—that she’s grown and finally understands more of the world.

Opening her eyes again, she noticed she was standing in the center of a large clearing, the surrounding forest more like a prison as she embellished her freedom under the open sky. The susurration of the leaves was both eerily calming and frighteningly omnipresent—she could only describe it as lonely, the way the leaves shook together, one part of a larger whole. Meanwhile, all she could do was stand there and listen as they taunted her, whispering in her ears, telling her she was all alone— She refused to entertain such thoughts; she knew she wasn’t alone—that she had people waiting for her, people that she cared about and that cared about her.

As the final fringes of sunlight faded into the horizon, the twinkling starlight illuminated the clearing, the dew-laced grass reflecting the cosmic scenery back like the surface of an undisturbed lake. The murmur of the night breeze was surreal, gently caressing her skin; she felt like she was soaring through the cosmos themselves.

A twig snapped from somewhere within the forest, startling her as it echoed through the clearing. The silhouette of a human figure emerged from the darkness, irradiated by starlight. At first, she didn’t recognize who it was until they crept closer, hand pressed against their abdomen. Their form was definitely human, likely female, but she had no idea who would be wandering through the forest at night, much less in the dark.

“Mana?” she whispered to herself. She urged her legs to move, but they wouldn’t budge. “What would she be doing here? Better yet,” she thought, “what is this bloodlust I feel?”

Lacia’s feet abruptly left the ground before she was forced to her knees in waves of stabbing pain as if she had been run through with a knife over and over. She pressed her palms against the damp greenery, gritting her teeth, facing the ground. With a little effort she managed to turn her head upright as she looked up from the numbing view of the ground… and stared directly into Mana’s eyes. A mixture of elation that Mana was there to guide her through the strange memory quickly turned to dread as she tried to run, only managing a few feet before she slipped, falling onto her tailbone.

“Mana— What?”

“I didn’t want to do it, Lacia. You have to understand!”

“Wha— What are you talking about?”

Mana held her hands out, stained red. “Please understand.”

Lacia blinked, but Mana had already disappeared just as fast. Likewise, so had the aches and pains. Her mind raced, heartrate still elevated. Where did Mana come from? Why were her hands all red, and with what? The way she asked her to ‘please understand’ was troubling, considering how she’d been doubled over in pain moments before the words were uttered.

“Well, it seems you are not as easily stirred as you once were. You have grown, Lacia, but this is the end of the line.”

“That voice… Omnis? No, it couldn’t be…”

The wind stopped; the trees fell silent. The sky flickered like a bad lightbulb, plunging the clearing in and out of temporary darkness. Footsteps approached from somewhere behind her, but she didn’t see anyone—there was still enough starlight to make out her surroundings, but she was alone.

“What is it you’re trying to tell me? I didn’t recognize your mana at all… Who are you?” she asked but there was no reply.

If this was Mana’s idea of storytelling, she wasn’t a fan. Her stained hands and cryptic words made Lacia shiver. She understood some things were better left unsaid, but she did not appreciate being crept up on. Likewise, she was beginning to doubt that what she was experiencing was a memory at all—it was more akin to some twisted, unconscious nightmare.

“Tell me what she meant by limited ti—”

A chilling whisper cut her off. “I warned you about trusting them.”

A deep shiver struck her like lightning. This wasn’t real life; she was inside a memory bubble. Even if the voice was referring to Aria, she’d already proven her allyship. The more she thought about it though, the more unnerved she became. She remembered being warned about trusting people, but a fog of mired uncertainty clouded her mind. Was it Aria, or was she being warned about someone else? Was it Mana? Was this what she was being warned about?

The wind blew through her hair, a blast of unseasonal cold whipping it into a flurry as her cheeks flushed, but the leaves on the trees remained calm. More twig snaps broke the proliferating silence as the disparaging voice played on repeat in her head:

“I warned you about trusting them.”

The sound of tearing flesh and fabric ripped away the final moments of tranquility she still clung to. She wrapped her arms around her body, hoping to contain whatever sense of sanity she could salvage, convinced she had fallen into some inescapable realm of her unconscious mind. Her breath became visible in the starlight before she was abruptly plunged back into total darkness; it was as if the darkness itself was waging a war against the stellar luminescence of the night. But, just like its attempt to snuff out the starlight, she felt like the overbearing darkness was also trying to snuff out the light of her life.

The stars flared back to life once more, temporarily blinding her as an elongated silhouette lacerated her body from behind—a perfect synchronous attack. With a grueling twist, the object was pried from her body the same way it went in. The grass was painted red with blood as her attacker drove the silhouette-masked object back through. All she could focus on was the sound of her tearing flesh and splatter of blood repeatedly expelled from her body.

“Stop…” she cried weakly, hands wrapped around the object lodged inside her chest, but it was no use. It slipped through her bloodied hands, preparing for another round. Her eyes began to roll. The ground seemed to grow closer with each passing moment. “I don’t want to die… here.”

Her knees dug into the grass; chlorophyll stained her skin the same color of green. It was only for a moment, but a moment was all it took; a pair of beady red eyes seemed to encode themselves into the very fiber of her being as she stared into their hateful glare. Her assailant was just as obscure as their weapon of choice, masked by the falling night. She gasped as the reiteration of tearing flesh echoed through the clearing once again. Everything was a blur of red and green. Truthfully, by this point, her body had grown numb from shock and adrenaline as she was impaled again. Her shoulder rammed the ground as her breathing slowed, and heartbeat weakened. She crawled through an expanding pool of her own blood, the distinct taste of iron filling her mouth, blood subsequently dripping from the corners.

“All I wanted in life was just a little… peace…” She stretched her hand past the expanding crimson pool—dripping, red. She closed her eyes as she felt her body begin to shut down. “But I guess,” she paused, taking a shaky breath, “this is my peace…”

Somewhere beyond the tree line, someone was shouting, but who? The wind seemed to pay the trees no regard as they restarted their nighttime symphony; the chorus of the leaves’ susurration was only just beginning its overture. Why couldn’t she just have these dwindling moments to herself? She wanted to scream and tell the world to shut up.

“Nothing quite like asking for the impossible…”

“Crafty devils,” a familiar voice complained. Cradling Lacia’s dying body in their arms, Omnis gently stroked her hair. “You will be coming with me. This is not the conclusion to your story.”

“And where, might I ask, will you be taking my catch?” a voice growled.

“Oh, so you finally dethawed, did you, Kuria? You stayed frozen for much longer than I had anticipated.” Omnis turned to address another unseen presence. “You children are wonderful, wouldn’t you agree, Millee?”

Kuria snarled from somewhere within the shadows of the forest. “I know you don’t mean—”

“Unfortunately for you, they do.” Millee’s voice rang out. She swung her legs from a nearby tree branch before landing with dainty grace. “I’ll finish what Mana and Aria started, but I really must thank you,” she said pleasantly, “for finding Lacia for me. This makes things so much easier.”

“Millee, if you will handle the fourth ranked over there, I’ll take this one with me and get her back on her feet,” Omnis said, still cradling Lacia. “There’s much she still has to learn.”

“We need her more than anything else,” Millee said, striking a battle-ready stance. “I’ve got this, but I definitely have some questions for later.”

“Thank you, Princess. We’ll have a chat soon, I promise,” Omnis said, vanishing with Lacia in tow. All that remained were streaks of smeared, bloody grass.

Millee’s voice grew impassioned. “Now then. Let’s play a game, Kuria.”

The devil dropped from a nearby tree, a blob of shadows, before reforming. “I don’t believe we’ve met before, but I recognize that face.”

“Oh. No, we definitely haven’t come face to face like this before, but I’m sure Ahzef has informed you of my identity regardless. Has he not?”

“Perhaps he has, but it’s of no concern either way.”

Kuria dissipated back into a blob of shadows, seeping into the ground, out of sight. Millee remained unmoved, eyes darting back and forth. She was aware of Kuria’s speed and abilities. Tracking her in the dead of night would be more difficult—but not impossible.

“If this is all you have to offer, then I’m wasting my time. You’re supposed to be the craftiest of the Reverse Royalty.” She manifested an elegant bow, nocking an arrow between her fingers and the bow string. “I need to get going, so do please, uh… die.”

Kuria emerged from behind her, fingers sharper than knives, longer than needles. She lunged forward, aiming for the center of Millee’s spine. To the devil’s surprise, the shadowy claws shattered like glass upon contact with her body as she jumped back, visibly confused.

“I suppose this is a good time to tell you: You’re dealing with Chiipha’s princess, and she knows how to use her powers. I awakened mine long before Lacia, despite being of the same bloodline and age.” She smiled slyly, whispering. “Surprise.”

Astonished, Kuria retreated towards the tree line, wary of Millee’s nocked arrow. “The same bloodline? You mean the Amana family? The one that was used to turn her entire life into a lie? That’s a good one!” the devil laughed.

Millee stared blankly for a few seconds. “Wow. You really don’t know,” she said, bursting into her own fit of laughter. “We are of the Iliern. Though my family, the Ekair, is more of a branch family. Regardless, we are still the first princesses to be of the same family but not, if that makes sense.” She swung her bow around to her back as she placed a hand over her chest. “I am Millee Ekair, and it will be my pleasure to avenge my sister by obliterating you here and now.”