Rebirth in Aetheria: The Rise Of The Underdogs
Meet a mysterious person

When I opened my eyes, my whole body felt like it was breaking into pieces. The pain hit me so hard, and I couldn't stand up. I could only lie down limply, my breath gasping, and my vision was a little blurry. Even so, I grabbed my bag that had fallen beside me with great difficulty, looking for food or drink that could restore a bit of my energy.

A few hours passed, my pain began to subside little by little, and I began to be able to control my body better. I tried to get up and walk though with trembling steps. As I looked around, I was surprised because the forest I was in looked different from the forest when I was attacked by bandits. And the light that shone bright before, still left a big question mark on my mind.

All the questions slowly piled up in my head. "Ahh.. It seems I have to find a way to get out of this forest."

Suddenly, a voice appeared around me. "It looks like you've come to your senses, Arthur?"

I turned my head, looking for the source of the sound, took out my wooden sword. "Who are you? Why do you know my name?"

"Is that the attitude of the person who has just been saved from death?" ask the voice in a slightly condescending tone.

I felt ashamed of my suspicious attitude, then put back my wooden sword. "Oh, you saved me, thank you. But where is this?"

“Maybe it would be better if you come directly to me, I will give you my location.” Say that voice and suddenly a magic circle formed in front of me and took out a bird. “You just follow the bird and it is better that you arrive before night, because I cannot guarantee your safety.”

“Good.” Although somewhat doubtful, I decided to follow the voice's instructions. Maybe he can answer the questions that hit my mind.

The journey to the mysterious voice was exhausting. I have to walk a long way through the forest. The wounds from the bandit attack were still painful. Although I tried to control the Aether in my body to heal myself, my energy was limited and the healing process took time.

The long journey made me even more tired, and I felt that my body was unable to keep going. I found a river whose water looked fresh and clear. Without hesitation, I bent down and splashed water on my face and body. The coolness of the river water made a bit of freshness flow back within me, although the wounds from the bandit attack were still painful.

“Sounds like you're still excited?” The mysterious voice appeared again.

"You again? Don't you have a name?" ask me a little annoyed.

“You can call me Helios. Are you exhausted?”

I let out a breath. "Perhaps because I've never walked this far, I feel very exhausted and also because of the wounds I received when attacked by the bandits earlier."

“Well try you, take a fruit that is on top of the tree in front of you.”

“For what I am, I am not hungry.” I tried to reject the voice.

“I have channeled my Aether into the fruit, and also I give some of my life energy as well.” Speak that voice and suddenly disappear.

“Energy life? What does it mean, I don't understand.” at all I chimed in the words of the voice, but he did not answer my question at all.

I followed the voice, I stuck the Aether to my feet, tried to focus and ran towards the tree, but because there was a stone blocking my path I immediately fell and rolled up to hit the tree.

“Aduh... Why is my fate so unlucky.” I tried to stand up and I decided to climb the tree.

I climbed the tree with great difficulty. When I made it to the top, I immediately plucked the fruit directed by the mysterious voice and ate it. As the fruit entered my mouth, I felt a strange sensation, like warm energy flowing through my body.

My body began to change, and my entire body gave off an extremely strong purple-colored aura. I felt my wounds heal quickly, and I felt fresher and stronger than before. However, my core core suddenly felt hot, and I felt tightness in my chest. My breath was puffing, and I almost lost consciousness.

"What happened to me?" I scream with great difficulty.

"Not to be afraid, this is a natural process. Your body responds to the Aether and the life energy you receive, and that is a sign that your power is growing" replied the mysterious voice.

When I tried to hold on, suddenly a huge explosion occurred from inside my body. The pain that I had previously felt disappeared, and somehow, I felt the Aether flowing so profusely all over my body. It seems like my Aether is overflowing and I feel stronger than ever.

Time seemed to be changing the night as I quickly followed the bird that the mysterious person had given me. Thanks to my Aether having recovered, my body feels stronger, and I can move faster than before. Although I tried to follow the bird, but it was so far away, and I kept trying to run to not lose track of it.

"Not to be afraid, just go inside" said the mysterious voice coming from inside the cave.

I walked in cautiously, the tension mounting as the darkness of the cave grew increasingly gripping. I tried to move my legs again, but this time I fell hard. "Brugh," I groaned, feeling pain from the impact.

“Sounds like you've arrived?” Say that voice.

I looked forward, but fear enveloped me, my gaze focused on a man sitting on a Beast. “A... what is it?”

“Not to be afraid, he won't bite you.” The man came down from the Beast he was sitting on, and it turned out that the Beast was a dragon, but the dragon was pierced by a sword.

And the man turned out to be a middle-aged man who was in his 70s with long hair and also with an appearance that he never tidied. And either way he doesn't look evil.

“I can take you home, but it will take a little time for me to send you back to your parents.” The old man helped me stand up and invited me to go somewhere more comfortable. “Oh yes, you can eat the fruits that are around here if you are hungry.”

I walked after the old man, and also I did not forget to thank him for helping me. When I took the fruit in the cave, I saw the reflection of my face from the fruit, feeling lost because I was separated from my parents, and even I remember back when my family and I ate the same fruit together. Ahh I must not think of anything strange, I must believe that my parents must have survived the bandits.

“Uncle!” I said that I was eating the fruit with the old man.

“Iya why?”

“Can I ask you some questions?” My toot.

“Ya may be, but I can't guarantee that I can answer all her questions.”

The uneasiness I felt when I saw the dragon made me slightly wary of this uncle. “Actually where is this? Why is uncle here alone? Where did uncle come from? How is there a dragon here? And also what reason uncle saved me.”

That uncle explained all my anxiety. “For the first question the answer is very easy, this narrow place is located between the border of Eraliant forest and Gloomwood forest. It was the forest of the Elves and also the forest where the beasts were. No one will ever know this place, because I have made protection magic in this area. And also Arthur you were the first to enter the area here.”

I'm laughing a little. “It turns out I'm the only person who came safely to this dangerous area.”

“For the second question, I was here alone because I was hiding because there were many enemies who were after me. And the dragon you saw earlier was the Element dragon that protected me from those who chased after me.”

“Dragon Element? Isn't that just a legend, how is such a legendary creature here?” Shocked words.

That uncle looks ordinary. “The dragon is named Aurelius, he is my partner, and also I sealed his power with a sword stuck in his body.”

I seem to be more confused by what the uncle said. But the uncle gave no clear answer.

“If the reason I saved you, is because I am very interested in you.” The uncle smiled. “Now it's night, we better sleep now.”

“Alright, good night uncle.”

When I saw that uncle who was alone, I could feel how lonely this uncle was, in his old age.

“Oh yes, I almost forgot. Although I can't see where they're going, but your family and your friends are all safe.”

“They survived.” My feelings were mixed, but I was so grateful that everything was safe, no tears fell in my eyes. “Thank you, uncle.”

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