Aston awoke, shifting slightly to feel the firm mattress beneath him. When he opened his eyes, he was surprised to find himself in bed, covered by a linen blanket. The room was small, brown wood walls with a few pictures and plants decorating them. A chair rested beside the bed, as well as a small table. This wasn't his inn room, so where was he?

As if to answer his question, the door opened, revealing a middle-aged lady with a deep cool brown complexion. Her hair was pulled back away from her face, and she wore an apron. "I see you're awake. Are you in any pain?"

"U-Uh, no, I don't think so," Aston fumbled with his words. What happened? Right, he had tried to pull the sword which resulted in excruciating pain. After that, he blacked out. He didn't know how he ended up here, or if the sword was brought with him. Surprisingly, he felt completely fine.

"Your breathing was irregular when you arrived, but you appear to be stable. For now, at least. Why don't you eat something? I'll bring you some breakfast."

Breakfast? How long had he been out? He nodded his head feeling his stomach rumble. Once the lady had left, he decided to walk around his small room. Standing up he didn't feel shaky or weak; it was like nothing had ever happened to him. Then again, he wasn't all that surprised. His magic had likely healed him during the time he spent asleep.

Walking to the window, he peered outside. He wondered if he would be able to spot the others from here, but all he saw were villagers milling about, tending to their daily chores. Look, there's the woman tending her garden- Huh, he didn't remember seeing vibrant flowers in bloom. Had he been out for several days?

Aston was pulled away from the window by the sound of the door opening. The lady had returned, setting the tray on the bedside table. "I see you have no problems moving around. From the way your friends made it sound, you're lucky to be alive. To think that legend about the sword was true... It's a shame it didn't work out the way you had expected." She sat on the edge of the bed. "Eat." She motioned to the tray. Eggs and ham. Not the most appetizing of meals, especially if you're Aston. His eyes couldn't help but trail to the cup with green liquid.

"What's that?" he asked, pointing to the strange drink before him.

"An old herbal family recipe. It's supposed to help with strength and circulation," she said proudly.

"Family recipe..." Aston trailed off. "You're an... Aquariot, right?" He noticed the gils traveling along the sides of her neck. Gwyneth had spent an awful long time explaining the difference between Cathruli and Aquariots after his earlier faux pas.

"Yes. Kara, nice to meet you." She extended her hand.

"Nice to meet you..." Aston tentatively shook it, not expecting such a firm shake. "What brings you to Aeceria?"

"My husband and I moved here years ago. We were fascinated by the waterfall in the village. Did you know that's what keeps this village alive?"

"Uh, no." Aston scratched the back of his neck. He didn't know much about the Aquariots considering he had no interest in learning about the other kingdoms. He assumed it was some strange myth Aquariots believed in. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Just a day. Why? Did you think it was longer?"

"I saw the flowers and thought- Never mind." Trying to explain it made him sound ridiculous.

"Oh, right, you wouldn't know..." Her voice knowing, as if she just realized something. "After the earthquake yesterday —" There was an earthquake? "— all of our plants started growing like crazy! In a matter of hours, seeds would be full-grown plants! Even the trees are a little taller! Nobody seems to know why."

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Aston's mind flashed back to the evening he and Gwyneth were by the lake. So, the tree really had grown...

"Now drink up!" Kara held the disgusting liquid in front of his face.

"I'm fine-"

"Boy, you listen here! By the flow of life, you're still here! And if you want to keep breathing, I highly suggest you drink that herbal tea."

"I really don't think-"

"Drink the tea!" Her voice boomed, reverberating throughout the room, even causing some passersby outside to turn their attention to the house.

Aston feared her wrath far more than the drink itself, so down it went.

And immediately back up it came.

"It was kind of Kara to watch over you while you were out, wasn't it?" Isla smiled at a grumpy Aston, still a bit queasy from his breakfast.

"Who is she anyway?" He mumbled.

"A friend of the elder, from what I gather," Gwyneth answered for him. "Speaking of, we're supposed to meet with her before we set out again.

"Hold on, what happened after I grabbed the sword?" Aston frantically stepped in front of the group, halting their progress.

"Elric pulled you away and you became unconscious." Gwyneth looked away, biting her lip. "He carried you back here and there was an earthquake. Nature has been growing far faster than usual, and some of the trees have even begun growing past their initial height. Nobody seems to know why. Though, Aeceria has always had a strong connection to the earth element..."

"So, you think the element's been acting up? What would even cause that?"

"I don't know..." she spoke quietly.

"A bad omen, perhaps?" Elric offered,

"All the more reason to hurry," Aston muttered as he stormed ahead.

The elder had arranged for them to meet at the north entrance of the village, overlooking the path to the forest. It was a small affair with the elder, Aston's parents, and Lucas.

"I see you're awake. Praise the Almighty." The elder bowed her head in respect.

"It was my magic that healed me, not the Almighty," Aston mumbled, earning a sharp pain in his back from Elric's elbow.

"And where do you think your power comes from if not from the Almighty himself?" Mathilda's harsh voice snapped Aston's attention back. He had the sneaking suspicion that if he had asked Kara this same question she would have responded with water. Which was ridiculous considering he had just used fire magic. Still, the idea that his power came from something other than himself made him silently rage. Nobody knew for sure where his powers came from, and each kingdom had its own version of it, typically involving its deity (or deities, in one case). Perhaps it was fate itself that blessed him. A scary thought.

"Forgive his rudeness, he hasn't been instructed much in the ways of deities," Gwyneth apologized on his behalf, mostly to ease the woman's anger.

"Yet, I'm sure he had access to some of the best instructors in the kingdom..." Lucas trailed off, earning a pointed look from Mathilda.

Mathilda sighed at the drama around her. "Listen, I wanted to meet with you one last time to give you some advice about the journey ahead. You would be fools for cutting through the forest, even if you're avoiding the city within. Going around is much safer. However, if you absolutely insist..." Her gaze veered towards Aston. "Beware of the isabells. As I'm sure most of you are aware, they bloom closer to the city."

"Thank you. We'll remember that." Gwyneth placed a hand over her heart, smiling at the elderly lady.

"Your path will lead you through the marsh, and your horses may find it difficult to travel across the narrow paths. If the swamp doesn't spook them, the ghosts sure will!" The elder let out a hearty laugh.

"G-Ghosts?" Elric's face paled as he trembled ever so slightly.

"Everyone knows ghosts don't exist." Aston rolled his eyes.

"No, they're real." Mathilda's eyes narrowed at the boy. "I saw one myself years ago. If you have any concerns, you could always try the path closer to Aquariot-"

"We're fine. Even if ghosts are real like you claim, they can't hurt us." Aston crossed his arms. They're just spirits of the dead lacking a corporeal form, right? It's not like they could do anything other than scare them.

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Aston could have sworn Mathilda's expression darkened when she spoke, but she was back to herself not even a second later. Had he imagined it? "Take these lanterns. I've heard from Lucas that... magic can be undependable." She smiled, pausing midsentence to think about how best to phrase it.

"Thank you, Mathilda." Gwyneth retrieved the lanterns from her. There were only two, but even one would suffice.

"Take care out there, princess, hero. May you succeed in your quest." The elder bowed, Lucas and Aston's parents following suit.

"Please be careful, Aston." Sabina pulled him into a long hug, embarrassing him yet again.

"Watch your manners out there, you here?" Gregory gave Aston a firm slap on the back once Sabina had pulled back.

Aston simply nodded at the middle-aged man, wincing slightly at the pain.

They set out again, Elric less sure of himself than before. Isla couldn't help but notice but didn't want to embarrass him any more than he already had been.

Besides, ghosts weren't real.

Right?