A book that talked on its own. The more he learned about Aeonia, the more he felt amazed by its world. Back on Planet 5, something like this would have been considered far-fetched.

Despite his curiosity, he held it back; she didn't look ready to divulge the secret of the Book of Eons.

"What exactly is magic?" he asked, trying to diffuse the tension that had set in.

Shella's delicate face softened. "Energy, I guess, a form of energy that allows people to wield immense power," she said, playing with the green thunder around her fingers. It jumped from one finger to another, showing absolute mastery of its power.

"It functions a little like a river. It is flowing and moving, all over the place."

He observed silently as she demonstrated; it was indeed impressive. She had been frightening with her green thunder. He didn't think any technology of Planet 5 could have handled it. Hence, he was curious. "Why can't we use it then?" he asked. If it was all over the place, then they should be able to use it, right?

"It is not that simple. Magic flows in a constrained space. I mean, like the rifts that separate different areas of Aeonia, there are barriers that separate us from using magic called the domains. To tap into this potent power, we have to find holes in the domains. You get what I mean?" she asked with a smile.

His face flashed with realization. No wonder. "The signs," he said.

"Exactly. To circumvent the domains, we use different methods. We, the guardians, use signs; others use different methods. It could be anything."

"Anything, you say, even tattoos?" His mind darted back to his first encounter with Thranak. His strength had been so absurd it felt surreal. He had a tattoo around his chest rising to his neck that lightly flickered when he fought. Could that be the barbarian way of circumventing the domain to use magic?

"No... no... no... not now," a loud sound interrupted them. The duo glanced at each other and returned to the open chamber.

Dr. Aiden had fallen to the ground, hands on his head. The relays flashed with a series of red notifications.

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"What have you done, doc?" Elian asked, afraid to hear the answer.

Dr. Aiden sighed, "The relays are not working," he said.

"What do you mean by 'the relays are not working'? Are you kidding me?" His voice rose.

"We are stuck here with no way of communicating with Planet 5. We are doomed. It's all my fault. I... I should have listened to Mark. It's all my fault."

Elian felt his heart contract. Stuck here? Did that mean he wouldn't be able to see his family? His legs suddenly felt soft. The feeling of hope he had borne all his way here shattered like glass, turning into myriad shards that pierced through his heart.

"I..." Shella tried to speak, but he simply walked away. his mind was clouded with different thought.

Leaning on the balcony, his grip on the bar tightened, his veins popping out. Their only hope had disappeared. Why? Why was life playing with him? Climbing a mountain only to see it was the wrong one. He slid down, his fist smashing on the sturdy ground. After all the pain they had gone through?

His heart burned in his chest; he wanted to scream, he wanted to cry, he wanted to laugh. A mixture of feelings creating an explosive cocktail of emotions.

He sat there, on the cold ground, the area silent as a cemetery. What now? What was there left to do? His body so empty, he didn't have any will to move.

"Maybe if you try somewhere higher, it would work," Shella tried to calm him down.

"Higher ground? Are you stupid or something? Where will you see something higher than this?"

Shella balled her fist and walked away. Wounded by his harsh words

He sighed and stood up, letting the winds blow on his face. He closed his eyes. It was exactly like the last time, that fateful day when his life went astray. He couldn't change what had happened, but he could do something about it.

The relays weren't working here; what else could they do? The solution was unclear, but he was clear about one thing: staying here and lamenting would not solve their problem. He had promised Lilly he would be back, and he was determined to fulfill his promise.

Elian dragged his body back into the building. He walked up to Dr. Aiden, crouched, and wiped the ground with his palm. Then he sat by his side. "You said you were feeling guilty," he said. Dr. Aiden fell silent, sipping from the little gray bottle he had brought along. "Does that change anything?" Dr. Aiden's voice was hoarse and rugged.

"You want to save Planet 5. I want to save my family. We have the same goal. There is no way we will be giving up this easily. Alone, there is not much I can do. We need you, Doc," he said.

Dr. Aiden sighed, stretching his hand with the little bottle. Elian didn't hesitate and took a sip. He felt his throat turn hot, burned like it was set in fire. he had never drank something this intense. almost spitting it out.

"Easy with that. It is the strongest liquor that exists out there," Dr. Aiden laughed. "Do you know why I decided to come on this trip personally?"

Elian leaned backward, falling on the cold ground. His gaze on the ceiling, "Because you understand the quantum nexus better than anyone?" he said, a little skeptical.

"Yeah, that's also true," Dr. Aiden took another sip. "I had a wife," he said.

"You?" Elian jolted back, spitting out