Before long, the whole place had been completely taken over by darkness; not even the stars and the moon were in the sky… if he didn't know any better, he would say that someone cast a spell to make that possible.
As Aion ventured further into the abandoned city, his ears caught a haunting sound carried by the wind. This low, ominous howl sent shivers down his spine. It was a sound that spoke of danger and primal hunger. His senses heightened, and he strained to listen, hoping it was just a figment of his imagination. But then, the unmistakable sound of heavy footsteps resonated through the silent streets, growing closer with each passing second.
With a mixture of shock and curiosity, Aion turned his gaze toward the source of the approaching noise. His heart sank as his eyes met the chilling sight before him. Emerging from the shadows, a pack of monstrous beasts emerged, their forms both awe-inspiring and terrifying. They were three-headed wolves, their maws dripping with saliva and their eyes gleaming with an insatiable hunger.
"I don't know these species… It seems that Vangel let the dogs out while I was away," Aion thought and then changed his class to Earth Bender and made earth spears emerge from the ground and pierce.
Despite that, the monsters kept howling in annoyance while they bit the earth spears to free themselves; Aion only shut them up when he smashed their heads. In the end, he used the same class to make an earth platform, and then he arrived at his old home faster.
Aion's heart sank as he reached what had once been his home, a place filled with cherished memories and moments of joy. But now, all that remained was a scene of devastation. The once proud and sturdy structure lay in ruins, reduced to a mere pile of debris and rubble. It was as if a colossal beast had mercilessly trampled upon his past, obliterating every trace of the life he had known.
A surge of anger coursed through Aion's veins, fueling a fierce fire within him. His eyes narrowed, his brows furrowed in a mix of grief and rage. The sight before him awakened a deep-seated fury, a feeling of helplessness and injustice. How could his old home be reduced to this? His brothers and sisters weren't living there, but his father was… most likely, Vangel did something to get rid of him.
His fists clenched, his jaw set with determination. With each step he took through the broken remnants, his anger grew, propelling him forward. He vowed to make Vangel pay for that… in the most painful way possible.
Aion decided to check the remains before the monsters arrived, but then he stopped when he heard some heavy footsteps. They were pretty regular and calm, so they probably belonged to humans…
"Aion, is that you?" Henri's voice suddenly echoed in the area.
Aion turned around when he recognized the voice of his older brother. Henri was there… Weariness etched deep lines on Henri's face, a reflection of the burdens he had carried and the battles he had fought. But there was something in his brother's eyes, a glimmer of resilience that spoke volumes.
Henri stood at the forefront of a group of survivors, his presence commanding respect and trust. His voice, though weary, carried an air of determination as he addressed the group, offering words of solace and encouragement. Aion watched, his emotions swirling within him as he witnessed his brother's resilience in the face of unimaginable adversity.
Aion studied him for a second, and he could tell that he wasn't being controlled or was working for the enemy; he had some severe wounds on his body, so Aion approached to heal him.
"It seems you endured some hell while I was away… I was attacked by Vangel and some suspicious people when I came to investigate things here, and I only found a dark dome," Aion said. "When I entered, I couldn't leave, and the interior of the city was empty… it seems that Vangel had been waiting for this for quite a while."
"I know… I am aware of it," Henri said while clenching his teeth. "He called all of us all of a sudden for an emergency meeting and said some things about you. We didn't believe it, so he decided to blame us for some false charges. He also called your mother and your friends since he thought that they were hiding you, but soon he ran out of patience and revealed his true face… he kidnapped Selene, who is pregnant."0
"To kidnap his own little sister…" Aion said while emitting an earth-shattering bloodlust. "Thanks to his memories, he doesn't see anyone in this era as a true ally."
"Your mother, Seris, and Arlana told us what you have been doing and that no one expected that Vangel was someone who came from the past using magic…." Henri said and then lowered his head. "I am sorry, Aion."
"There is no need to be sorry; I am the one to be blamed for this…" Aion said and then let out a sigh. "Your wife and child… we will rescue them."
"It is not just that… your mother, Seris, and Arlana tried to help us, and they ended up captured," Henri said while expecting to receive Aion's fury head-on.
As Aion heard the news of his mother and friends being held captive by Vangel, a surge of anger and frustration coursed through his veins. His eyes narrowed, and his normally calm demeanor crackled with an intense energy. Sparks of electricity danced around him, casting an ominous glow.
The air around Aion grew charged with his growing fury. His fists clenched tightly, the crackling energy pulsating through his body. The ground beneath him seemed to tremble in response as if nature itself could sense the intensity of his emotions. The onlookers, recognizing the impending storm within Aion, took cautious steps back, a mixture of awe and trepidation in their eyes.