Twilight of Realities: Worlds Collide

Chapter 10:The hidden history of Aetheria

As Maya stumbled and fell to the floor, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, she muttered to herself, "Oh, me, the idiot." But before she could pick herself up, she felt Lyra and Aria's eyes on her, their expressions a mix of surprise and concern.

Lyra knelt down beside Maya, offering her a hand. "Are you alright, Maya?" she asked, her voice laced with worry.

Maya pushed herself up onto her elbows, her cheeks still burning with embarrassment. "I'm fine," she mumbled, brushing off Lyra's concern. "Just a little clumsy, that's all."

Aria couldn't help but chuckle at Maya's predicament, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips. "You're amazing, Maya," she teased, her voice tinged with amusement.

Maya shot Aria a puzzled look, her brows furrowing in confusion. "What?" she asked, her voice muffled as she tried to hide her embarrassment.

Lyra joined in Aria's laughter, her own smile a mixture of amusement and relief. "We're just glad you're okay," she reassured Maya, her voice warm with affection.

As the tension of their earlier encounter with the troublemakers began to fade, Lyra turned to Aria with a thoughtful expression. "What about that artifact?" she asked, her curiosity piqued once more.

Aria's eyes sparkled with excitement as she settled herself more comfortably on the floor, preparing to share her tale. "Ah, yes, the artifact," she began, her voice taking on a storyteller's cadence as she launched into her story.

"Before I tell you about the artifact, I think there's a story you need to hear," Aria began, her voice soft but filled with a sense of urgency. "It's the tale of Aetheria, a land of magic and mystery, where legends were born and destinies were forged."

As Aria spoke, her words painted vivid images in the minds of her listeners, conjuring scenes of towering trees and winding paths that seemed to stretch on for eternity. The air was alive with the sound of rustling leaves and the distant cries of unseen creatures, creating an atmosphere of mystery and wonder.

"In those days," Aria continued, her voice low and melodious,

Maya and Lyra sat in stunned silence as Aria's tale unfolded before them, each word painting a vivid picture of Aetheria's past. Aria recounted the tale of Master Everette, a revered ruler whose love for a human woman had brought both love and tragedy to the realm.

"Long ago, about 40 years ago in the realm of Aetheria, it was not separated as Eldorians and Zyrenians. It was a great united place, filled with love, magic, and harmony," Aria began, her voice carrying the weight of centuries-old secrets.

"Those days, Aetheria didn't have two separate schools for Eldorians and Zyrenians. It was just the two names for the tribes, simply because Eldorians used wands, as they don't have inner powers from birth, but Zyrenians had inner powers from birth, so they had no need of wands."

"But peace was just for a short time," Aria continued, her tone growing solemn. "Master Everette met his love, a woman named Silas. He's told she was a pretty awesome woman, but she was not just an ordinary magical being."

Lyra's curiosity peaked as she asked, "Then who was she?"

Aria took a deep breath, her expression grave as she replied, "An extraordinary human."

Lyra's surprise was evident as she exclaimed, "A human? But how? Didn't anyone know?"

"Well, no one suspected it because she had powers within her," Aria explained, her voice tinged with sadness. "But this love made everything ruined. Master Everette never told about Silas' true identity until just before even two years passed."