The Game Before the Fall

Chapter 73: Together again.

Chapter 73: Together again.

**

Aria Friend:

I couldn't believe it when I heard the news from Vanter. Just the previous night, Endi had instructed me to break the seal on Ardy's arm and send it flying through the Rift. None of us knew what the outcome of that was and I wasn't hoping for much. But then, as we ate lunch, Vanter rushed into the room, a smile bigger than I had ever seen before on his face. Ardent is back. I wasn't the only one who found it hard to process, but soon, a fire had been lit in all of us. The problem remained however, while he was back, he wasn't here, he was in Areithia.

Zen, Erin, Vanter and I logged into Areithia Online, the one place we could meet him. We were invited into the Fortress of Haize and led to a private room, told by the guarding NPC to wait. I could barely contain myself as we sat at a clear table and Erin placed a hand on mine.

"I'm here for you," she smiled, and I did the same nervously.

"He wasn't even gone for that long, but it feels like so much more," I laughed.

Vanter nodded in agreement, "Yep. I wonder if it was the same for him. With how time works around the Rift and Void, I hope he doesn't come back like Arvel."

Zen smiled, "I wonder how much stronger he's become. I'd like to test him."

I nodded, "I get the feeling he's become quite a bit stronger." While I couldn't know for sure, something told me I was right. We had witnessed Arvel's strength already. If that was what Ardent could become, I believed my brother would reach those heights and surpass them. After all, he was my brother.

"But what about his arm?" Zen asked. "To a martial artist their body is their greatest weapon, if Ardent truly lost his arm...."

Vanter smirked, "Nah, he'd be fine. Ardent adapts quick and like Arvel, I bet you he found a workaround."

"Oh," I clapped. "Want to make a bet?"

"On what?"

"What type of solution he came up with."

"Okay, you're on." Vanter thought for a moment, "$100 says he's grown another one exactly the same as before."

Zen tapped her chin, "Then I'll bet that he made one from mana. Like a ghost arm."

"Hmmm," I paused. "I think he'd go with a metal one."

Vanter eyed me, "Oh come on, be more creative."

"Says the one who said he'd just regrow it."

"Fine, I'll add a hundred more that he has a tattoo!"

"Then I'll add that not only is it made of metal, but Shin made it!"

"Ha!" Vanter cackled. "Like that would ever happen. Shin's work isn't that delicate. He's way off being that good. Erin what do you think?"

Erin panicked as suddenly the attention went to her, "I- I um, I think Aria is right."

"See," I puffed my chest proudly.

Vanter rolled his eyes, "Just because she agrees with you doesn't mean she's right. Besides Erin should make her own-."

Before he could finish the door opened and suddenly without warning Ardy appeared. He looked fine, as if nothing had changed since he left. No, that wasn't quite right. On the outside he seemed the same, but looking closer, beyond the physical, he had changed a lot. There was a mar in his gaze that I had only seen after he had first come back from the future. The months since then had erased it, but now it was back.