Eventually, in the ceaseless darkness, Blue spots a dim light in the distance. With the beacon now illuminating his path, he picks up his pace to a jog and heads towards what he hopes is Esterbridge.

Nearing the light source, Blue realizes that this is not the capital, but a lighthouse. One he remembers to be farther west from his destination. Letting out a sigh, he slows down, considering his next move.

Now, it was far too dark for him to be able to navigate his way to Esterbridge safely. Next time he would remember to bring a lantern.

Silently, the Marauder approaches the lighthouse. Reaching in his pocket, Blue pulls out a pick and swiftly works away at the lock. Only moments later, the door swings open with a soft creak. He lightly steps onto the floorboards and into the lighthouse. Immediately, he is met with a staircase- an endless spiral of steps ascending the tower. He begins to climb the stairs, quietly, but not slowly. This is all second nature to him, after all.

With every step, an indistinct noise grows louder. A soft murmur.

He is not alone.

As he approaches the door, he begins to distinguish the voices. One of a man, and the other of a little girl.

The man's voice is old but kind. It’s telling a story. One that Blue has heard countless times before from his own father's voice.

". . . And after that, the goddess and her faithful love- bring into the world their children with the purest of hearts. Demigods we, ourselves know as the Aethers."

"Wohh..." The little girl gasps and Blue can almost see her then, in his mind eye, her eyes sparkling like the stars above them. He smiles, frozen, not daring to move and be heard.

After a moment she speaks again. "Dadda can I meet the Aethers?"

The gentle voice replies, "Shhh. Let me finish."

Blue continues up the stairs, listening to the fading voices as he departs.

"The Aethers, the twelve of them now all grown up, descend to the earth and bring harmony to our people. They divide the land and to it, bring peace and prosperity. The land we now call Horo's Cope, after the man who brought unity to our realm."

Blue speeds up, now nearly out of range. Reaching the highest point of the lighthouse, he lets out a sigh of relief. An Auxilium crystal shines and illuminates the quarters with full light as it sits on the centrepiece.

“Dad wha' happened to ‘em?”

“This story is of thousands of years ago. Now, the Aethers themselves are gone; guarding us from within Zodia’s soul. But their legacy lives on in the powerful and mysterious angels that now govern our nations, and in books and legends and- memories of little girls, like you.”

Finding his way to a wall, his boot catches onto something, followed by a clinking sound of coins. The Marauder smiles, reaching for what seems to be a small chest in the blinding light. He reaches inside, grabbing as many Syhoses as can fit in one fist, only to realize that nothing remains. He hesitates for a moment, pondering this decision. The Marauder feels a twinge of guilt as bursts of the little girl’s laughter echo in his ear.

The boy frowns, taking half as many coins as before. Then a quarter. Finally satisfied, he drops the few remaining coins into his pouch and wraps his hand around the dimly glowing crystal strung around his neck. Carefully, he traces his hand up, following the string to the clasp at the back, which he then unhooks and removes from around his neck.

Then, as he has done so many times before, the Marauder extends his hand, connecting his crystal - the Auxilia Rod - to the wall. Then, in a slow, steady motion, he traces on the wall a large, round arc. Immediately, the edges of the lines begin to emit a brilliant blue aura. Pieces of the wall around it gradually chip away, letting the mysterious glow spread along the arc. Then abruptly, the large piece of wall in the centre of the circle gives away, swallowed by the hazy blue void formed in the arc. The Marauder stands before the arc, now a passage.

He steps forth, deeper into the cerulean glow of the portal, him too, eventually engulfed.

Then, the light ceases.

And the wall mends.

As if nothing had happened.