Upon opening the door, a grand hall was laid in front of Makar, rows upon rows of table and chair arranged from end to end. People of all manner littered around the hall, speaking, eating, reading, partaking in various delights. Corridors curved around the room, leading deeper into this great underground colony. The walls were polished and smooth, a natural dug out space domesticated to fit the needs of its tenants, but still carrying the rough texture of the original stone. From the walls, and hanging from the ceilings, segments of rock burst out with a warm bright light, ensuring the space always stayed well-lit. Makar couldn't help but notice the unusual appearances of some of the folk in the hall. While many were simple men and women, some possessed unnatural attributes. Some were simple, odd colours eyes, strange teeth. But some were made so peculiar that it was impossible to ignore. Fire blooming from a man's head in place of his hair, wings that outstretched from a woman's back, a man with tentacles rather than legs. Makar could hardly believe it, it was all so much for him. He was stuck in a trance, only broken when Zenji snapped his fingers, making Makar jump a bit. Makar looked at him, and saw Zenji gesture for him to follow. Makar quickly began to follow like a dog. He walked by Zenji's side.

  "What is this place?" Makar asked. His world had been completely turned upside down, and he wanted. No, needed, stability again.

  Zenji chuckled. "This is our society."

  "Society?" Makar spoke as if he had never heard of such a word.

  "Aether Societies is what they're called. Colonies of Aethers and Aether sympathisers who hide from the watchful eye of the Kingdom and its Agents." Zenji explained, full of pride for his people.

  "But that's impossible. Aethers... they're near extinct. They couldn't have whole societies." Makar denied what he was seeing with his own eyes, his teachings had been deeply engrained into him. He took assumption and speculation as fact and absolute.

  "It's true, throughout the Isles, there are probably only a few hundred, maybe a thousand, Aethers left. Although I haven't exactly counted. But we're not extinct. Just silent. In hiding. In societies like this." Zenji gestured to the hall.

  "So this is just how you live? Underground?"

  "Well, some societies choose different areas. Not all are underground. My first one was in an old abandoned temple in the side of a mountain. Quite spacious." They continued walking together down the corridor, passing by the various residents.

  Makar looked to the ground, thinking of his next question. "Why? What's it for?"

  Zenji tilted his head at the question. "What do you mean?"

  "I mean, aren't going to begin a revolution? Is that what this is for? To build up a force against the kingdom?"

  Zenji stifled a laugh, Makar watched with a confused expression. "Sorry... It's just... I hear that so much. It's what all of you expect at first... Some grand rebellion. But here's the truth, Makar. The truth that the Kingdom does not want you to know at all costs." Zenji stopped and turned to Makar, who was looking up with anticipation. "There is no revolution. Nothing is going to happen. The vast majority of Aethers do not care for the Empire. And good luck trying to find any alive from the time of the Empire. It simply isn't true." Zenji kept walking.

  Makar hurried along to follow at his side. "Why wouldn't the Kingdom want that to be known? That's good, right?"

  Zenji shook his head with a smile. "Not for their purposes. No plot means no reason to continue their crusade. They need the people convinced that we are lying in wait, like some great predator, ready to strike. Without that, what do they have against us?"

  Makar thought about it, connecting the dots in his head. "Why don't you try to make peace? Surely, there are some people who would be willing to listen."

  "I don't doubt it. But you'll find that those willing to listen are drowned out by those willing to speak out. And I assure you, if we revealed ourselves, many would call for our heads before we had even said a word." Zenji explain, almost solemn.

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  Makar was reconsidering everything he had been told. While it's true that his father had never held the same contempt for the Aethers as many other parents did, Makar had still been taught by teachers about the horrors of the Ethereal Empire. He looked back up at Zenji. "So what, the Empire was good? Is that what you're saying? I find that hard to believe."

  Zenji vehemently shook his head. "Oh no, that was evil. Totally and completely. But it was also 1,000 years ago. I consider myself old even among my people, and even I was not alive to witness it. Let alone partake in its crimes. And yet, you'll find that I am demonised still."

  Makar thought about it. He was not completely ready to trust these strangers without doubt. But to hear another perspective was strangely satisfying to him. The same narrative repeated all his life. And now, it was finally being challenged. Although coming from a man who had abducted him, it did sour his words. But there was still more Makar needed answers to. And he was ready to ask. "So Zenji... what about that essence you mentioned earlier?"

  Zenji clicked his fingers. "Ah yes! Onto that." Zenji stopped and placed his hand on Makar's shoulder. "This will be some big news to you, but... that essence, it is the very core of Aether magic. It is what gifts us our power and immortality. And when it was passed onto you... you became an Aether yourself..."

  Makar felt the news hit his chest like a boulder. An Aether? Him? Of all people? How? He took a moment to gather his thoughts. "B-but... why? How? What?"

  "Makar. The reasons Aethers are dying out is because we cannot reproduce. Our numbers are finite. When you gain this power, you give up your ability to have children. The way Aethers have had generations is through passing on their essence. Their magic. With this, they lose their own identity as an Aether and return to being human. They lose their immortality and regain their ability to reproduce. And the person they pass their essence onto becomes an Aether. They live forever until killed or they give up their essence. This is why we brought you here. Ethereal Essence is valuable, we could not let it simply pass on to anyone. We have to ensure it is only held by those worthy."

  Makar was still reconciling with this new information, processing it. He tried to calm his pounding heart but could not. He could feel the nerves twitching in his fingers, his hair standing on end, and the acid climb up the back of his throat. "If it can be passed on..." He spoke. "Then I want to pass it on to someone else. Surely, you have better candidates."

  Zenji's mouth twitched slightly, as if disappointed by the news. "Alright then... as you wish. But, there is an issue."

  Makar felt a spark of anxiety pass through him. "What? What is it?"

  "Your body is still accepting the essence. It will take 24 hours for it fully integrate into your body. Therefore, you will have to wait that long before you can pass it on. I imagine you still have a few more hours to go?"

  Makar huffed. He was impatient, desperate to get this out of him as soon as possible.

  Grey spoke up from behind. "There is another issue."

  The two turned to Grey, listening to his own argument.

  Grey continued. "In those 24 hours, Aethers can track down the essence from the previous holder's body. It's how I was able to find you. But that also includes Morven. And if he finds you, you will die. You'll need to stay down here. It's deep enough that he won't be able to track you. You'll be safe."

  "Stay?" Makar was almost insulted by this proposal. "For how long?"

  Grey shrugged. "About 48 hours, perhaps. Enough time to find a new candidate, transfer the essence to them, and then some extra time to ensure the essence fully leaves your body."

  "No!" Makar shouted, at an uncharacteristic volume. Grey and Zenji were almost shocked.

  "No?" Zenji asked, confused.

  "No. I can't be away from my father that long." Makar explained.

  "Then you can leave after tomorrow. Right after the transfer." Zenji tried to reason with Makar.

  "No, you don't understand. I have to be there for him. I can't be gone, not even for a day."

  Grey challenged him. "You don't have a choice. If you go up there, you will be captured and you will die. Simple as that."

  "It's his choice, Grey." Zenji replied.

  Grey was shocked. "What?!" He shouted. "Zenji, if he goes up there, he will be at risk, this society will be at risk."

  Zenji turned to Makar. "Makar, do you swear that if you are captured that you will not tell anything about what you have seen today?"

  Makar nods instantly. "Of course. I just need to be with my father. I don't care about any of this."

  Grey was stunned, speechless for a moment as he saw Zenji put blind faith in this stranger. "Zenji. You know the risk here. What the fuck are you doing?"

  Zenji looked at Grey with a slight smile. "He's making a mistake, Grey. But I don't believe it is our place to force anything upon him. Everyone deserves the right to choose. Even if they are quite stupid."

  Grey could say nothing, he could only turn and walk away, gritting his teeth and grumbling to himself. Zenji looked at Makar.

  "We'll be back for you the next night, son. In the mean time, have a good rest. Sorry I don't have an easier method for this. Goodnight."

  Makar wondered what Zenji was alluding to, but his thoughts were interrupted by Zenji with a WHACK-