My Last Hope (Truth Series 4)

17: The Aether

Third Person POV

The group disappears from Herobrine's evil lair. They reappear outside of a house that most of the group recognizes as Chimney Swift's.

"Where to now?" Ryan asks.

"The Aether." Clash answers. "We'll be safer there."

"There's a slight problem with that plan." Sly speaks up. "Not all of us have access to the Aether."

"Every Aetherian born has the ability to grant three people access to the Aether. They have to 'invite' them in a way." Clash states calmly.

"Well you've already used up two of them," Seamus points out.

"No." Clash disagrees. "Double and Chim were invited by someone else."

"Okay. So you can invite three of us. Your sister can invite three more of us. But that leaves two of us left." Ant concludes.

"It doesn't matter," Star's male friend interrupts. "I shouldn't go with you guys. I'm not technically allowed there as it is."

"No!" Star exclaims. "I'm not leaving you behind, Sparkly."

"I'm sorry, Star. I'm not going."

'You're coming with me!" Star demands. She's not going anywhere without her friend. He's one of the only people she's gotten to know and really trust within the last ten years and she refuses to leave him behind.

"I can't!" He deadpans with a shout. "I can't go there Star," he repeats quieter than before. "I just can't."

Star's mysterious female friend approaches the one Star affectionately calls Sparkly. She calmly places her hand on his shoulder and simple says, "Son of Hero, I invite you to the Aether."

"You're Aetherian born!?" Star questions her friend.

"All will be explained in due time," her friend replies ominously.

"Can we go now?" Seamus asks impatiently.

"Yes," Clash answers.

"Great. How do we get there?"

Clash looks to Chim. Chim understands his friend's silent question. "I have enough stuff her to make a portal or we can just go to the one we already made. It's not far from here."

"I vote we go to ours," Double declares. "I'd rather end up at our house than some random place in the Aether."

"I guess it's decided then." Clash walks off in the direction of the portal that he, Double, and Chim just exited a few days ago. Everyone else follows closely behind not wanting to get lost along the way. The group reaches the portal within half an hour. They walk through the portal two at a time. Once through the portal they appear within the proximity of Chim, Double, and Clash's shared house in the Aether. The house is built into the side of a small mountain with a cliff that expands above it. It is built using regular holy stone. There are several holy stone brick accents. There is a row of flowers that appear to be part of the roof of the top floor.The beautiful plants stand out nicely against the wall of the second floor. On the front side of the house are two doors. One is placed closer to the right side of the house and the other is placed closer to the left side. In between the doors is a large sort of window. It starts from the ground and is two blocks high.The bottom row is made out of fence while the top is row is empty space. There's just a hole the wall. It's not entirely safe but the three friends that live there don't seem to care.

Standing near one of the doors and leaning against the house is a were-lion none of the group seems to recognize.

"Nice place," Seamus comments ignoring the person outside.

"Thanks," Chim replies. After all he is the one who built.

The last of the group appears from the Aether portal. Of course the last four people that arrive at the house have to be the only ones that recognize the otherwise unknown were-lion.

"Dad!" Star runs forward and hugs the were-lion. The were-lion returns the hug with a smile. Clash slowly follows after his sister grinning at the happy reunion. The rest of the group stays near the portal. Star's two previously imprisoned friends stand separate from the others. The female of the two smiles as she gazes around what can be seen of the Aether. She must be reminiscing old memories. However, the male is exactly the opposite. He shifts his weight nervously from foot to foot and chews his bottom lip as he stares at the ground. He is clearly not happy to be here. Especially in the presence of the unknown were-lion.

"Jennifer Star, my beautiful daughter, I am glad to see you are well." The were-lion releases Star from the hug. "I missed you greatly."

"I missed you too, father." Star smiles. "I made some friends. I'd like you to meet them." She grabs his paw and pulls him in the direction of her two friends that act almost like outcasts from the rest of the group. Although her father doesn't seemed too pleased about meeting them. His eyes narrow when he spots the male.

"You should not be here," he growls.

"I brought him here," Star's female friend states.

Star's father's eyes widen as he recognizes the female as well. "Sierra."