Nearing the Athenaeum, Punkin shouts out to Cer behind her. “Daddy, our house is gone! Nin ate it!”

Shouting back towards Punkin, Cer reassures her. “It’s okay. It was a price worth paying for our friend. Nin was freed from the demons that haunted her, thanks to you..”

Shouting back to both Cer and Punkin, Eowyn raises her fist to bring them to a halt in front of the Athenaeum doors. “Record time huh? Ports don’t count. What, it took maybe 2-3 hours. Faster than Kala’s husk of a bee bike.”

Rumbling, the earth shifts, compresses, rises, and forms into large rocks from fused dirt and pebbles. Arching over them, a golem like figure hovers like a sentinel guarding the Athenaeum. “Master of darkness and Mistress of Gaia. Welcome home to the heart of Haeven. It has been so long, friends… May I hug you?”

Climbing off their horses, both Cer and Eowyn genuflect down on one knee with their hands touching their hands to their chests and their brows before lifting their hands to the figure.

Touching her hand to the ground, Eowyn whispers. “I know you felt us coming, then you feel what aches lie in my heart. Is Arwyn home?”

Beckoning Cer and Eowyn to rise, the rock figure bows in return and hums in response reverberating through the air like coarse rock grinding but soft and warm. “She left long ago. The ghosts of our pasts still remain in the halls of her housing. I hope you find what you seek. Any word from our furry friends of the tower?”

Jumping off her horse, Punkin darts towards the rock figure and jumps up to cling to its leg like hugging a long lost friend before Cer or Eowyn could respond. “Amataeson! You are so big!!! I can smell you! Is Kala with you again?”

Responding, Amataeson grumbles a smile “No, young master of light. Kala is not here in Haeven. I cannot feel her. I feel all who come and go. I cannot stay here too long, I must move back towards the tree to hide what is left. The land is almost empty now. I am sorry. In my despair, I failed my promise. I will not fail again”

Climbing up Amataeson, Punkin reaches towards a purple glow in Amataeson’s chest. “Pretty! Can I keep that?”

Gently peeling Punkin off, Amataeson offers a rumbling but warm chuckle. “Pupu, young witch, you had my heart the moment we met, but there is another who owns it and holds it even though you see it in my chest. There it must stay, there it will remain to keep you all safe as promised.”

Beginning to turn to walk away, Amataeson hums a low rumble of sadness and guilt as he slumps away.

Feeling the sadness and shame in Amataeson’s aura, Cer touches the ground and offers comfort as Amataeson trudges away. “My dear rock troll. I would not lie to you, we are familiar. The Mehti Gahmeers are safe. Kali and Cherub are safe and okay. We must grieve our failings before we can fulfill old promises.”

Feeling Amataeson’s tension release as he sighs, Cer continues to offer comfort. “Kali informed me of the battle with a Legion. She did not get a chance to say goodbye, but she saved Haeven from the first recent attack and is proud of you for all you’ve held for so long. She should be in the Mecca now. So she is safe. Even you cannot feel her.”

Turning back with relief, Amataeson smiles at Cer as he clasps the purple glow in his chest. “I can always feel her presence, even when I cannot feel her presently. Thank you for assuring me she is safe. I will go and hold my post and await her return. I can only hide Haeven’s presence. Without her bubble, we can’t keep danger out. Go do what you must quickly, so we can rebuild what has been destroyed.”

Standing up to enter the Athenaeum, Cer and Eowyn kiss their hands and touch the ground to offer their loving parting. “We will be in good company again. This next time, we will not wait so long to visit.”

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Copying Cer and Eowyn, Punkin kisses both her hands and places them on Amataeson’s legs then headbutts Amaetason’s legs. “Me too. We will play hide and seek later. Bye!”

Watching as Punkin runs towards the Athenaeum door, Amataeson chuckles and says to Cer, “Pupu is much like her mother indeed. Do not hide her light, master. I will see you all soon, friend.”

Waving off Amateson’s words with light hearted dismissiveness, Cer follows Punkin towards the doors and calls out to the doors. “Remain closed to those who seek to take anything for their gain. I seek nothing, for I am fulfilled. Open up so I may witness the rememberings you hold.”

Rumbling, the doors of the Akashic Athenaeum open up slowly, with creaking and rumbling that almost sound like a response whispering back. “Enter friend, come sit in the truths of what we know.”

Gawking with surprise, Punkin lets out a gasp. “Wow. Baba just knocked and it opened. You need magic. You can’t knock?”

Chuckling Eowyn chimes in. “These doors can feel threats and will attack anyone who threatens it. Your father may not threaten it, but he is a threat and a threatening presence for most. This is probably a secret spell or code Arywn gave him to not risk him getting killed by the Athenaeum. I also don’t think anyone is home to open the doors.”

Running up to hold Cer’s hand, Punkin announces. “My flashlight eyes don’t work. It’s scary and dark, daddy.”

Chuckling, Cer raises a hand to snap two fingers together. “I forget you can’t see what I see.”

At that moment, the panels covering the Athenaem’s dome slowly move to let light in from the sun.

Covering her eyes, Punkin squints “I can see in the dark, daddy. It’s just scary and nobody is here. It is lonely. Now it’s too light, it hurts my eyes.”

Chiming in, Eowyn catches up to walk next to Cer and Punkin. “Well I can’t see in the dark. So I appreciate the light. Thanks.”

Punching Cer’s arm, Eowyn offers a light laugh. “It’s been so long since I’ve been here. Last time I was here, Nethmaya brought us as kids, remember? Arwyn really kept this place in tact, dingy like I remember it. Preserving a memory of depression in my opinion. This place is so gloomy and sad.”

Chuckling, Cer then let’s out a single loud laugh. “Ha! Arwyn doesn’t upkeep this place. The ghosts do. They are still here. We are not alone. Not here. Not ever.”

Looking around, Punkin claps her hand and then tries to snap while they continue walking deeper into the Athenaeum. “Croaks Pwease!”

Looking in confusion, Eoywn inquiries “What are you trying to do?”

Furrowing her eyebrows in disappointment, Punkin responds, “Arwyn did it and they listened to her. We played hide and seek. They are my friends too!”

Cocking an eyebrow, Cer looks down to Punkin before snapping Cer’s fingers. “Can you even see them? Can you hear them?

Bearing down, Punkin concentrates and listens to the echo of Cer’s words “I can hear them now.”

As floating cloaks approach, Cer let’s another laugh. “Pupu, that was my echo you heard. Anyhow, now you can see where they are- they put their cloaks on.”

Nearing the center if the Athenaeum, Cer calls out “Arywn must’ve left records of someone smarter than Nethmaya. Eowyn says she has heard of such a person wiser than the Mother of the Grand Isle. Can you let us know who?”

Suddenly hundreds of cloaks fly through the isles of the Athenaeum, fetching books and placing them in piles in front of Cer, Punkin, and Eowyn.

Giggling, Eoywn smacks Cer’s back. “Well this might take some time. Something we don’t have. Even with my alignment I can’t stop time for us to read this all.”

Jumping up and down, Punkin raises her hand and shouts. “Oooh oooh me me me, My turn! Arwyn showed me. Get a bowl and get light and tears!!”

Crouching down to Punkin’s height, Cer places a hand on Punkin’s shoulder and smiles. “That will still take too long. When we seek answers, sometimes we just have to either change what we seek or we change what we ask for.”

Looking up to the air filled with hovering auras, Cer makes another request. “Can you show us who can get us to the Mecca?”

Suddenly streams of light are pulled from several books and tossed in several bowls surround the Athenaum central chamber.

Looking around, Punkin notices several familiar figures showing out of the bowls. “Oooh La Gateau, Neko, Akiraion, Kala, Cherub, Yama, Styx, and Hades... Oooh it’s you daddy.. Who are the others?”

Eowyn responds “Huh, I only see animals. I didn’t know some of them are feral now. The witches you mentioned used to be people. Some of the others are friends, and some that Pupu does not recognize are not so friendly. Either way, none of them are nearby and your dad is unreliable.”

Sighing, Cer reframes another question. *Ahem* “Can you show us who has the wisdom and knowledge greater than Nethmaya OR whoever can give us answers and understanding to the souls and demons roaming the land?”

Suddenly mist, magic dust, and streams of mana swirl in the central bowl of the Athenaeum.

Punkin and Eowyn turn their attention to look at the central bowl to see three figures forming in the bowl back to back.

Gasping Punkin claps her hands in excitement and surprise. “Who are they? Are those Arywn’s brothers?!”

Grabbing Eowyn’s shoulder with earnestness, Cer inquires. “I can’t see what it is showing. Who is it?”

Turning back to whisper in Cer’s ear, Eowyn responds. “It’s our very own beloved Arwyn who we know is in the Mecca, another is Adair of The Weal, whom we cannot track, and the last person is strange even for me to grasp…”

Placing both hands on Cer’s shoulders, Eoywn looks deeply into Cer’s eyes so Cer can sense her aura. “It is Aaric…The Banished…”