Chapter Twenty- Four: The Ether

What is happening? Where am I? Everything is dark... But yet warm... Calming... I have never felt anything like this... I don't even feel like I'm alive... I'm not breathing, I can't feel anything...

It was in that moment undistinguishable but familiar voices can be heard. Laughter, crying, screaming, roaring dragons, birds chirping. What is this place?

"You did what you had to do..."A young man's voice can be heard. A voice that Aaron never expected to hear again.

"I'm so proud of you my darling..."

"Mum?"

"The world is a scary and dangerous place. My dearest son never give up..." As she spoke her voice began to diminish.

Sounding like a young boy Aaron screams out for his mother. "MUM! DON'T LEAVE ME! PLEASE! I NEED YOU, MUMMY!" Aaron thinks back as that was the last conversation his mother and he had. Sounding like he wanted to cry he felt like he was a young child again.

"Aaron... Aaron can you hear me?" A soft voice echoes through the darkness.

Iolene is that you?

"Yes..."

In the black void, a gold glowing bauble floats towards him. As the bauble reaches him Iolene's soul transforms into her recognizable self.

"Iolene! Are you okay?!" Aaron shouts. His voice echoes in the darkness.

"Not really..." As she reaches her hand towards him. Her hand goes straight through his. Realizing that his form has returned.

"Where are we?" Aaron asks as he looks around. The voices remain... But he could only see Iolene.

"The Ether... Stein called it a void. But it is not... Our souls are in the blood of the world. We are in-between life and death. Our hearts are still beating on the mainland..."

"How do we get out of here!?" Aaron asks. Trying his hardest not to panic. If he could feel his heart, he knew it would be beating fast.

"We need to find Beau..." Iolene waves at Aaron to follow her. Aaron follows even though he wasn't sure how he was moving.

Iolene looks around as Aaron had no idea what she was looking at. Everything was dark to him.

Beau floats in the darkness. Hearing the roars of his younger sister Amasa. But she felt so far away... Why can I hear my sister? I can also hear birds and trees rustling. So warm and peaceful...

"Where am I?" Beau thinks to himself. But he felt the best feeling of painless relief. He has never felt better in his life. The curse took a toll on his body and now he can't feel anything.

"Beau!" Iolene shouts out.

Aaron couldn't see anything... And then with Iolene using a small bit of magic makes Beau's soul visible.

It was the three of them floating in the void.

"How do we get out of here?" Aaron asks.

"We need to find Epithymia and defeat her... She has cursed us..." Iolene says as she uses draconium magic that surrounds her body.

"What happened to us?" Beau asks.

"Wait what?" Aaron quickly turns to him in shock. "Can I understand you?!"

"Wait you can?" Beau looks at him in return.

"When Aaron held my body to the mirror. Epithymia fought as I tried to get my soul into my body. Epithymias soul got sucked out because of me..." Iolene then floats away with Aaron and Beau.

Floating in a never-ending abyss. A large burst of gold energy appears almost hitting Iolene. Aaron floats upwards as he had no idea what to do.

"You are on my battlefield now! I will have your body Iolene! I will have my freedom!" Epithymia soul manifests into being.

Iolene raises her hands trying to look threatening. Epithymia laughs and imitates her.

Beau mags an energy push stream to Epithymia. She dodges with ease.

Iolene trying her hardest, but manages to release a push stream as Beau does. Iolene smiles with joy.

"I DID IT!" She shouts as she claps her hands.

"IOLENE CONCENTRATE!" Aaron shouts as a stream aims at Iolene.

She quickly changes her mood and dodges the stream.

Beau nonstop aims streams of mag energy to Epithymia. She dodges every time.

Aaron floats in the air wondering what to do. They are floating in a black ether. Nothing to use for an environmental advantage.

Aaron then charges forward to Epithymia as fast as he could. She then aims straight for him.

"Aaron! What are you doing!?" Iolene shouts.

Aaron had no choice but to dodge.

Iolene closes her eyes as she concentrates. The memories of my ancestors flow through me... I can do this! With a wave, of her hand, another two forms appear.

"EPITHYMIA! What you are doing is wrong!" Erastus shouts.

"Epithymia you belong with us! Your family awaits!" Myra says.

"Family!? What family!? I was left to rot and live in a void forever!" Epithymia yells as she shoots draconium bolts at them.

"Please Epithymia! I don't want it to end like this! Come and be with our family! Be at peace." Iolene holds her hands together in prayer.

"I don't care you, foolish girl! Your body will be mine!" Epithymia laughs as she tries to strike Iolene again.

Aaron flies past Epithymia again distracting her. Beau then mags at her succeeding in hitting her.

Beau cheers, but is short-lived when Epithymia mags him. The sensation felt strange to him. As it felt painful and tingly... Aaron floats forward to Epithymia.

"Over here!" As he shifts to his right "OVER HERE!" He haves his hands in front of her face.

Iolene floats forward without the intent of hurting her. This is my only chance! She swoops behind Epithymia and streams gold energy into her head.

"AHHHHH!" She screams.

The black endless ether started to change shape as memories of Epithymias life flashed before everyone's eyes.

A moment appears in smoke when a very young Epithymia runs into a large tent. Where Gaia has given birth to her younger sister Iris. She was disappointed with her new sister. She immediately runs out of the tent screaming. Her father Azarias without a thought walks past her. She turns and faces the tent where no one spoke to her. She holds herself as she tries to keep herself warm in the dark of night.

The vision disappears in another cloud of smoke as she is now a young teenager. Excited she runs to her mother and father. Holding a unique staff in her hand. Gaia and her dragon partner Selene who also helped save the world, are looking at a map of the world on the table. Epithymia runs and happily greets her parents.

"Not now Epi... We are planning our battles." As Gaia gestures her to move away. Azarius quickly follows suit and tells her to leave and not interrupt them. However, as was about to leave her older brother Atreo walks in.

"Father! Mother! The dragons have agreed to help fight against the titans. The griffons and their riders from the far land have joined us."

Gaia and Azarius quickly move to praise their son. As Epithymia walks out of the tent. She watches her younger sister Iris cheering on the soldiers and dragons. People love her...

In many flashbacks, Epithymia was always very lonely. Never had many friends. No matter what she did she was always overshadowed by her siblings. She even looked different compared to them. Atreo pale milky skin with white hair looking like his father. While Iris had Caucasian skin and had golden hair looking like her mother. Epithymia had brown hair and looked like neither...

A Flash changes to the form of a sad young woman. Looking down at the crater caused by the meteor during the battle of the titans. The death of Gaia and Azarias... Epi standing between Atreo and Iris. Together they leave Epi behind as she collapses crying. Idiots all of them... Mother, Selene... Why did you do it?

It was this moment when Epithymia focused all of her energy on building the city of Loan. Until Atreo took all the credit and Epithymia lost all sense of morality and sanity. The moment when Atreo sealed her inside the mirror. As Epithymia tried to blow the palace up with everyone inside.

"You seem very lonely..." Iolene says as she speaks inside Epithymias memory. Epithymia reveals tears of sadness.

Iolene jolts more power into Epithymias mind, as she goes through her memories. "You are not alone... You and your brother were in the wrong. But we are still your family."

"Would family do this? Because that is exactly what happened!" As Epithymia tries to fight Iolene. But her happy memories began appearing in her mind. Reminding that her parents truly did love her... A memory of Epi and her father studying every day and enjoying every moment of it. Epi and her mother training and riding with their new friends. Iris and her dancing easing the tension before the battle. As she relived her memories, she didn't realize how much time she spent with her sister.

Epithymia couldn't hold her emotions anymore and began crying. "What have I done? I tried to kill so many people." She says weakly. Iolene tries her best to console her as Beau, Aaron, Erastus, and Myra look down at Epithymia.

Myra stretches out her hand. "Come with us... You will be at peace. Rest and join your family. Iris is worried about you..."

"Iris is there?" Epithymia whimpered.

Iolene, Erastus, and Myra nod yes in unison.

Iolene tries to grab her hand. "It'll be okay... You will be warm and safe..."

Erastus and Myra grab Epithymia as their souls become baubles and fly off into the ether.

Aaron and Beau lookup. "Wow... Looks like a starry sky..." Aaron says as souls appear.

"How are we going to get out of here?" Beau says smarmily.

"Oh yes... I am no longer possessed... Hopefully, my soul can travel back into my body." As Iolene claps her hands together. "Please let this work..." She whispers to herself. She prays for a moment and then stretches her arms upwards. Her soul glowed more powerful than ever.

Aaron and Beau close their eyes as they are blinded by a gold bright light. They felt immense power and all of a sudden everything turns black.