Throk walked in silence, but his expression carried a new energy. He turned to Midoki, his voice filled with gratitude and resolve:
- Throk: "Midoki, I have no words to express how much you've helped me. I felt as if my spirit was lost again... but you brought me back to life. Thank you."
Midoki simply smiled, nodding silently. His eyes gleamed with a mixture of pride and compassion, but he quickly averted his gaze, focusing on the next challenge.
The group pressed on in their journey until they entered the shadowy Whispering Forest. The scene before them was devastating; charred trees and the acrid scent of burnt wood filled the air. The once vibrant and lush environment was now consumed by a desolate aura of death.
Belphegor was the first to break the oppressive silence:
- Belphegor: "This destruction is the work of the Infernal Generals..." — His voice carried a grave tone, and he clenched his fist tightly, sparks from his infernal flames flickering around his fingers.
Animals that were once peaceful crossed the Templars' path, now twisted into demonic creatures. Rabbits with flaming eyes and razor-sharp claws, and birds whose wings exhaled black smoke, surrounded the group, ready to attack.
Belphegor took the lead, conjuring his Infernal Flames. He raised his hands, and the flames danced like serpents in the air, incinerating the creatures before they could threaten the group.
- Belphegor: "Keep moving! I'll handle this."
Midoki watched in silence, admiring Belphegor's precision and determination, yet also feeling the heavy weight of the devastation around them. They crossed the Dead Forest, reaching an arch made of obelisks, covered in glowing runes that pulsed with ancient energy. As they passed through, the landscape changed.
Suddenly, they were surrounded by a more hopeful vision: a portion of the old Whispering Forest still thrived. The trees glowed with a silvery light, and the breeze carried a sweet fragrance. Ahead, a lush plain stretched toward the Great Village of the Sylvans.
Tiny guards approached them, their spears pointed with suspicion:
- Guards: "No outsiders may enter here. Leave at once."
Before the group could respond, a familiar figure emerged. Aelion walked toward them with firm steps, his presence filling the space with a mixture of relief and tension.
- Aelion: "'Two years' have passed since you left for the Celestial Realm," — said Aelion, his eyes fixed on Midoki. — "For you, it may have felt like a short time, but for us here on Gaia (Earth), it was an eternity."
Midoki stopped, his expression hardening:
- Midoki: "'Two years'? For us, it felt like just 'two weeks.' How is that possible?"
Belphegor replied in a near-instructional tone:
- Belphegor: "It's the consequence of the Armageddon. Didn't you feel your bodies not aging? Time worked differently there, where Orpheus activated... and because you took longer than I did to leave the activation zone, the effect was stronger."
Aelion took a deep breath, his hands trembling slightly as he revealed the next truth:
- Aelion: "During that time, my village was destroyed by demons. My home, my family... they're all gone."
A heavy silence fell over the group. Midoki closed his eyes, a single tear sliding down his face before he composed himself. He faced Aelion with a determined expression:
- Midoki: "You still want to rejoin us, Aelion. You can pretend to hate me, but your heart says otherwise."
Aelion narrowed his eyes, anger boiling over:
- Aelion: "You know nothing! For 'two years,' I defended the world. While you were... wherever you were, I was here, fighting! What did you do?"
Midoki stood firm:
- Midoki: "I had something to protect as well, and you know it... If you truly didn't want us to enter, we wouldn't have passed through the Protective Shell. That ability is yours, and you allowed us in."
Enraged, Aelion activated his perk, Gandhāra. Golden chains wrapped around his body, and he launched one toward Midoki, binding him. The triangular chains slowed his movements, while the circular ones drained his spiritual energy.
Midoki, however, did not back down. He materialized his katana, dispersing the chains with a single strike. With his energy resonating, he roared:
- Midoki: "Wolf Slash!"
A powerful burst of energy was unleashed toward Aelion, but he reacted with his evolved ability, activating the Gandhāra Shield technique. The golden shield successfully blocked the attack.
Both paused, panting. Midoki smiled, recognizing Aelion's growth:
- Midoki: "You're even stronger than before. Welcome back to the Templars, Aelion."
Silence fell again, but then both of them laughed. The tension eased, and together, they entered the village to celebrate their reunion.