TBATE: Art and Tess's Second Chance

Chapter 20: Eternal Darkness

Tessia Eralith's POV:

Art and I have been searching for these ultimate dungeons for almost a week now without much luck. I resorted to searching for concentrated aether landmasses, but that was a problem for me since I could only feel aether, not actually see it unless I manifested something made of aether. If I could manage to find one, it could be an indication of one of these special dungeons.

Art would have an easier time than me with all this using Realmheart since he could just visually see aether particles bunching up together from the air. Luckily for me, if I concentrate hard enough with this basilisk body, I can feel the aether all around me, though it will never be as good as being able to see it.

Art hadn't contacted me for a while, which worries me more than I want to admit, but we all agreed to radio silence so we'd be as efficient as possible when on our raids. I'm more worried about Sylvie and Regis, though with all the training Art put them through I'm sure they'll be more than just okay.

As I was lost in my thoughts and worries, Art contacted me out of the blue, relieving some of my worries, 'Tess, I found one of the ultimate dungeons, it's got one heavy aether signature.'

'Oh, was my idea to try and use aether to find them quicker than mindlessly searching like you were before?'  I questioned him smugly.

'Yes, yes, you're amazing, now's not the time for gloating. I was thinking that these dungeons might form only after the previous one is completed,'  He theorized.

'I suppose anything is possible when aether is involved, just look at the relictombs.'  I reminded him.

'Well, I bring this up because of this dungeon's location. It was all the way at the edge of my side of the glades and I'm sure Sylv and Regis wouldn't have missed this.'  He explained.

'So you're thinking that the next one will appear on my edge of the glades after you clear it?'  I continued for him.

'Read my mind, babe. I'll let you know when I finish up here and you can find the next one after.'  I blushed when he referred to me like he used to after we got together, but mentally nodded as he cut the connection to focus on clearing the dungeon.

It took Art about three hours to set up the connection again and confirm he cleared the dungeon. He warned me about the similarities it had with the Torrential Winds dungeon, mainly aether-infused attacks and not-so-straightforward methods to dispatch the beast.

I convinced him to let me handle the dungeon by myself even though he said it was an unnecessary risk, but when I pointed out that he could've waited for me to clear that dungeon together he relented realizing it would be hypocritical. Besides, I told him to take time to study the second key that he obtained from the second dungeon's boss.

It felt like a whole day I spent searching had passed by in a flash by the time I found a rock formation that was exuding large amounts of aether from a small gap in the foundation. I was sure that it was the ultimate dungeon I was looking for, but an ominous feeling rose up from the depths of my being as I cleared a path to get inside.

There was no light, but more than that, it was like a perpetual darkness that swallowed the light around me as well as trying to pull me into its dark clutches. After informing Art that I had found the dungeon, I entered through a crevice that served as the entrance, but inside I felt like I would never return to the light if I kept going forward.

Conjuring a fireball in my hand for light, I was met with that same ominous feeling as nothing around me illuminated other than the space directly around my body. It was as if I was floating in the depths of the night sky in the absence of stars.