(very old) the Seals of Elements (discontinued for now)

[Chapter 41]

---Hunter---

I sat in my room.
It had been two days since I got the offer.
My arms were healing fine, but they still hurt.
I heard a knock on my door.
"Come in." I said.
The door opened and Jade stepped in, Aphelion right behind her.
she was wearing a high-low, dark green dress and had her hair loose.
"Hey." She said.
I stood up and kissed her on the cheek.
"What was that for?" She asked.
I smiled. "Nothing."
She smiled back.
But then her face saddened.
"What's wrong?"
She sighed and said, "Father is not going to let me go."
"Sit down. " I said, pointing to my bed. "What do you mean?"
She sat down and I sat down next to her, and put my arm around her shoulders.
"I mean that if you decide to go to Atlantis, I won't be allowed to go with you. Father won't allow it."
"We'll see about that. After all, I have a higher authority than him."
She smiled. "He won't like that."
I shrugged and said, "So? it's not like he likes me that much now."
"But have you decided yet?" She said, looking me in the eyes.
I shook my head. "No. But I have more dire things to think about. Alexander is still trying to figure out what kind of spell was placed on me so that we can break it."
Then Aphelion flew a little closer.
"I could take a look. Together with Alexander, I'm sure we can find something."
I shrugged. "Shure"
Aphelion flew closer and with a flash of light, everything disappeared.

================================

I opened my eyes and saw that I was back in the Void.
In front of me was Alexander with Aphelion next to him.
"Hello there." Alexander said.
"Long time no see." I replied.
He laughed. "Before you ask, I think I found 'something' but I don't quite know what it is."
"Can you show me?" I asked.
"Of course." He said as the Void started to fade away.
I was standing in my room.
Confused I looked around me and saw myself laying on the bed with Jade sitting next to me.
I looked down at my hands and saw that they were translucent.
"H-how?" I stuttered.
Alexander laughed.
"We are now in the Astral dimension. It is a place between the Void and both worlds. Inside the Astral dimension, you can see spells as if they are physical objects."
He pointed at my unconscious body.
"See that around your head? I think that that is the spell that prevents you to have contact with Magnus."

I walked a little closer to myself.
Around my head, there were strands of black and red runes like a web, all pulsating like a heart.
I looked back at Alexander and Aphelion.
"So now what?"
Alexander shrugged. "I don't know. I am just a memory, so I can't influence the magic around us. But maybe you can."
By a means of experimentation, I reached out to one of the red runes.
The moment I touched them a shock of pain went through me.
Both I as the unconscious me let out a shriek.
Jade jumped up in fright, but then sat down again and placed her hand on my forehead.
"Come on Hunter. You can do this." She whispered.

I tried again, but this time I reached out to one of the black ones.
That worked.
I grabbed it and tugged.
A strand of black runes came loose from the web and dissolved.
Then a strand of red runes turned black.
I pulled it out.
And then another one.
I went at it this way for a couple of minutes until the entire web was gone.
I looked down upon myself.
My forehead was glistening with sweat and I was panting hard.
I looked back at Alexander.
"Did it work?" I asked.
He shrugged. "I don't know. We'll see in time."
Then Aphelion flew forward. "Ready to get out of here?"
"Lead the way." I replied.

Seconds later my eyes shot open and I sat up.
"Are you okay?" Jade immediately asked.
I nodded. "I'm exhausted but fine."
"Did you get rid of the spell?"
"I'm not sure, but I think I did."
I tried to get out of bed, but Jade pushed me back.
"Rest. I will make sure that nobody disturbs you."
She was about to walk away, but I grabbed her wrist.
"Can you get Miranda? I have made my decision. Oh and Ayra and Kenji as well. I need to tell them something."
She nodded and left.

================================
---Kenji---

I was at the archery grounds with Ayra.
She had asked me to teach her, and I just couldn't say no to her.
The guards had given me back my bow but it had been damaged, so I had spent the last two repairing it.
Now it was in the hands of Ayra as she pulled back the bowstring and took aim.
I stood behind her, ready to help and correct her.
"A little higher." I said. "And try to pull back the string a little more."
She did as I said and asked, "Like this?"
I walked over to her and raised her arm a little bit. "More like this."
She smiled and let go.
With a thud, the arrow embedded itself in the target, just a little away from the middle.
Ayra jumped up in excitement.
"I did it! I hit the target!" She cheered.
I laughed and said, "You're getting better. Within a couple of weeks, you will be a fine archer."
She looked at me. "You really think so?"
I placed my hand on her shoulder as I said, "I'm sure of it."
Then I saw Jade coming towards us.
I waved at her.
When she came closer she said, "Hey guys."
"Hey." I said.
"Can you guys come with me? Hunter wanted to speak with you."
Ayra and I looked at each other and shrugged. "Sure"
Sometime later we arrived at Hunter's room.
The door opened and Councilwoman Altum stepped out, almost bumping into me.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't see you. My apologies."
"Doesn't matter." I said, letting her past me.
We entered the room and saw Hunter laying on the bed.
Ayra rushed to his side. "Are you okay?"
Hunter chuckled. "I'm fine, but I need  you to do something for me."
"What is it?" She asked.
"Go home, to your village. And take Kenji with you. He can protect you on the way home."
"W-what? Why?"
Hunter sighed. "I made a promise to your father that I would keep you safe. I am going to Atlantis, meaning a lot more travelling, which means that there will be more dangers ahead. And I'm not able to keep the promise I made in this condition, so I'm sending you home."
Ayra stood up. "I'm not going."
"Yes, you are. I didn't want it to go like this, but as the Champion of Magnus, I order you to go home. No discussion!"
Ayra looked like she was about to explode, but then Hunter addressed me, "Oh and Kenji?"
"Yes?" I asked.
"Keep her safe will you?"
I looked at Ayra, who looked back at me.
"With my life." I said.
"Good. Now go pack your stuff. I will be leaving at the end of the week, and so will you two. YOu will get plenty of gold for the trip and you can take the Beacon to Beacon town."
Then he laid back and closed his eyes.
Jade grabbed our shoulders. "Let's go. He needs his rest."
We both got up and left.