Aether is Unbreakable, Final Section

## **Kara's Remaining Time in the "Aether" (from her perspective)**

### **Entry 48**

I'll go ahead and preface everything with the notion that it was months before I'd see anything happen again, and even before I'd see my friends again. Months as in, well, I'm not exactly sure. Somewhere from six to eight. It was at most six when I'd see my friends again. I spent all of that time otherwise with Morrigan and Acre, the other Kari. He wasn't what you'd call the most pleased kind of instructor, more like one that had the job but wished he were anywhere else other than teaching. Can't say I personally know what that's like, but the understanding of the concept comes from Kari. In that regard, Acre would understand too.

Training with Acre under Morrigan's watchful eye was like taking a hit and following it up with a miss. On the first strike, both of us were being held here where Acre could not stop until he was exhausted of Astra teachings and I could not leave to see my friends. On the other hand, we could do whatever we wanted given it was on Salieri's budget. I did tell the ship crew shortly after the deal was set, on the day of arrival so long ago, to leave and that I would be here for nearly a year it seemed. The rest was an all paid expense, as both sides would honor their end of the deal. There was only one thing I was interested in doing in my free time with that known.

Acre wasn't one to party or game, unsurprisingly. Which, well, I suppose is a shame in of itself given that Kari would at least accept an offer to even if she didn't mention either before. It took a while for him to accept the request even just once, even when I would only occasionally use any free time to do so. Play games and amass tickets, which while I could have very well purchased a real rifle with I had no need so long as I had that FAL on me. Instead I mostly used it for alcohol, even for Acre when he'd refuse to join me at all. The real issue, I suspected rather quickly, was that he wasn't comfortable with his situation and especially wasn't comfortable with me. From his discussion when the deal was made, he'd rather be left alone for as long as forever is to him.

There was only one other thing I did with any free time, and it at first was what I did until I got my answer and started collecting tickets: research multiversal travel. If not for the resources at Salieri's expenditure, I wouldn't have been able to do anything at all about the issue being stuck at the festival. There is a supposed ritual to cast that takes a lot of materials, preparation, and patience that will work for what I need. There is one problem to all forms of dimensional travel that I have found: it's a one-way trip. This is, well, exactly what I feared. Surely Kari has a means to repeat it for others, given that I have knowledge of Voce and his significant other Sol were able to visit in October and after the month's conclusion return to Ferox. He hasn't been back since, however I only have memories of Kari's extending to January 2091 so I have no idea if he ever made the trip again or even if Kari ever told Dr. Peterson of Operation Black Light. She is able to make the travel constantly using her SDR, and even can do so at will.

The interesting thing about Anima abilities, one may wonder what their limiting factor is. What exactly prevents the user and their Anima, especially if ascendant, to destroy a planet? Whatever the Anima can to takes a toll on its vitality, the stronger the ability the more it has to wait before doing the same again lest it tear at the shared soul of it and its host. It's the same reason I have memory of Kari not doing much after dimensional traveling other than resting, or that one time she pulled all hell for Aki's sake. After that, the event where Kari had to skip time to prevent a bullet from fatally shooting Aki in the heart, Kari was down and out for a week at home just in rest. Nate had to take care of her, even a couple of times thought he'd have to bring her to the hospital. I bet he had the same thought one careful reader might also consider. What would they treat Kari for even if he did? Anima power overdose? Soul tearing? Kari has a strong will and thus is able to do a lot with SDR before it starts to hurt, such as when she saved Ren's life shortly before, or even before that when she had to prevent Grace from being framed for a war crime. Even World Zero medical advancement couldn't have a solution to a very soul-bound magical issue like that, so Nate just took care of her.

There was one exception to waiting around or spending all of my time training with Acre, and that was the mention by Hugh of a party he'd began to host in his "paradise" subrealm. I didn't even have to mention anything to Acre or Morrigan, the latter already knew. Then again, one of Morrigan's domains is partying. Though after the party being over, I also remembered another one was romance. She didn't give me a choice, I was forced to go. In a snap of her fingers I found myself on a sandy beach with Hugh's recognizable wagon parked within the sand ahead of me. Walking in, I found everyone there but Jeff. Besides an armor change by Caz, everyone looked to be the same. Well, Duke was full equipped with a swimming tube, snorkel, and shorts to match. Not that he needs the shorts, so he says, but it would make everyone comfortable that he did. And, he can't really swim unless sealed up at the seams too.

I was about to ask where Jeff was, but just like that his skeletal being walked into the wagon as well. We were all confused, but after a somatic motion of his that he did he was in his recognizable purple and green hat and coat full with skin again. So he says, that was within his job as a reaper as it was simply what he looked like while aiding the deceased to pass to the other side. I asked Hugh where the alcohol was, and why his subrealm had to be so damningly humid hot. Though, I realize the second question was a bit stupid given what we were in.

"We have all the alcohol needed to aid stupid decisions. Fancy drinks for fancy stupid decisions too."

"And the weather?"

"What did you expect?"

"Jeff, Duke, a different ally, and myself have all been to the many layers of hell-"

"As have I, now!" Caz chimed in with, as for why I'd know a bit later when we all would catch up a bit.

"Anyways, point being, I've been to the hotter layers of hell itself in a thick fleece hoodie and that was too much."

"You're in a trench coat now. I don't mean to ask too much of you, but perhaps you could lose it in the case that it prevents you from suffering a heat stroke at my party."

"I, right. This is a beach party, isn't it?"

"Yes, that is correct."

"Then start it without me, I will need a moment in here. And, without Lucy. That is the last thing I'd want watching me." as Jeff and Duke ran out towards to ocean shore, followed by Hugh and Caz walking out more calmly. I changed, just as it were. I didn't know what to do, I'd never been to a beach party before. I just went off of Kari's memories, and there was one beach party with a lot of associates in it that she attended in July of 2091. Something in regards to Aki wanting to put together something for Kari's birthday. I didn't know if we could afford the multimillion dollar worth of Aki and her capital, but we could do whatever Hugh wanted within those limits given that this realm was his to master.

Aki had yachts, loud music, and Ashton had the location of a remote island. It was the most personal large-scale party one could imagine, and above all of that you could wonder how none of them got lost until you remembered Nate's Way Beyond. I hadn't mentioned the idea of such to Hugh, given that I felt a bit too nervous to ask of any of that, but also because I liked the idea that we worked with what little was there rather than throwing the largest party possible. It was quaint, and peaceful.

While it took a long while to build up the courage to walk out practically wearing nothing, because that's just how swimsuits work, I mostly spent the party talking to Caz and Hugh. We talked briefly about what we'd all been doing in the last few months which I will get around to, and by briefly I mean each of our whole stories but without stress on how serious each of them were. Focusing more on the enjoyment of this rare opportunity we had. Well, not like we couldn't throw a party every week because we certainly could. We tried volleyball, which Randy and SDR practically took over even though Caz has six arms at any given time. I tried surfing, and surprisingly I wasn't too bad at it. Duke was buried up to his head in sand, but given his lava innards he glassed the surrounding sand into a headless statue of himself funny enough. There was music, there was a lot of alcohol that I aided Hugh in mixing, and there was pure enjoyment the whole time. It's not to say I would defy Morrigan's forceful hand for me to attend. I was going to regardless, just to have the opportunity to see everyone again.

So, what were the rest up to? Caz in his godhood has finally earned his oracle, just as how Val and Hugh are. Supposedly she's a real brat and doesn't know the whole truth yet but according to Caz she has a lot of potential. Homeless adventurer wannabe deep elf woman by the name of Tha'raan Avant. Hugh, on the other hand, was traveling around with a circus of his own as the head of it until he found himself at a small town being attacked by a rampant hydra. Only an oni kid and a small group survived, and were brought to a nearby college. One that Val had been attending by Caz's wishes so it seems. That, in fact, was where this was all in the real world outside this subrealm. I had also explained my situation to the two. Jeff and Duke were off having their own fun together so we didn't get to ask them much. We sat there in the artificial real sunlight, Caz reading a book but holding it like a sun mirror. I just took in the sun with a parasol giving me shade over my eyes and let the rest of the day pass by.

It was a shame to have to return to my duties following what was a genuinely good day among others. Though, I did anyways. It would be another few months left in what I had left to do before another gathering between all of us would occur. Around when I was allowed leave for what I had remaining to work with was very little, I reconvened with the rest on Duke's behalf. A month before the party he called asking if I was free, which I said I was not, and to let him know when I was. The day prior to this event was when I said I was able to attend whatever he had planned. If it was a party then I'd be forced to attend, but no this was something smaller. He took us all to a small beachside cottage somewhere in a small town not far from Aquaria City. It took a moment to remember who it was that answered the door as Duke knocked, as an old lady stepped out to greet him. This was someone we met long ago, long enough that I was still Stygian back then. The old lady that made us pancakes that lived on the trains. Supposedly the Breakaway permanently moved her to a better home as collateral for using her train for transport. In addition to that, she haggled her way to this fancy home. Not much to say other than that and the party being the last two good days before all went downhill fast. It wasn't long after that before the world would end, so it seemed.

### **Entry 49**

Many days later, come to think of it months later, I would find myself being forced to the throne of ultimatum. Screams and chaos erupted outside our tent, our being Acre and I. We stood there on the ledge overlooking the calamity; a large entity of glass gears stood before it all, with glass blades and shots of energy firing from its hands massacring people left and right.

"If you have any doubts about who we came from", I started, "then go back inside. We may have our individuality, but I still have her valor." Acre skipped forwards from next to me to down on the ground, and further into the festival and towards this being. I followed suit, and by the time I stood before this thing I had my FAL already aimed at it. It was a millisecond later where I heard Acre yell out to me and the world fell black. When I awoke, I seemed to recognize it as Koffstead. That's when, based on Jeff's time spent in the year past, I knew this to be the township he had spent his time bringing up.

To my left was his home, which I most definitely recognized, and to my right was something seriously strange. Seeing undead wasn't as strange, especially given that Jeff mentioned his community was mainly tailored to undead that had been ridiculed and homeless. What was strange was the creature on the other side of the gate, the large amalgamation of bodies that it was. That, and this strange winged, legless thing that looked towards Hugh and I before blinking away into the distance.

Now the most interesting, dare I use that word to describe it, thing about this glass gear thing, flesh pile, and legless winged thing were that they were all gargantuan, and that I couldn't shake the idea that they were similar to us in a couple of coincidental ways. One was winged and blinked everywhere, like Hugh. One was a collection of death that seemed to control a horde, like Jeff. One could produce mystical blades in their hands and fired a lethal projectile with nigh perfect accuracy, like me.

In the fight we learned the deathly one to be named Achlys, and she wasn't too keen on losing to us as at some point she called in help. The help that arrived was the glass gear thing, and he wasn't so keen on losing to me specifically. His name was, emphasis on "was", known as Cronus. He seemed to be able to put people into a void for six seconds, and it was frustrating. After the first time, I simple turned right to him and said, "Vaffanculo, idiota". As it turns out, despite not wanting to lose to specifically me that all I could do was swap over to my revolver and say, "As I said before: fuck off, idiot" as I ended both he and Achlys simultaneously.

As Cronus died his final death, as he averted it once as we all fought him, he didn't do much but disassemble before our eyes. Achlys, though, let out some rift of energy that became a growing black void at her corpse. Or, well, corpse of corpses. I reasoned that we were the only ones who knew this was here, and that this void was growing so it became a time sensitive issue. Therefor, we were primarily responsible for it. That's all it took to convince us all, as one by one we watched our familiars and ourselves fall limp and what I saw I imagine others did as well. Extremely dark corridors, and a booming voice dissatisfied with our "invasion".

### **Entry 50 [Final]**

I can't remember much of little details after that point, it is weird for me to admit. These halls were non-Euclidean in composition, and led to nowhere but itself. We found whatever had held us there, and bested it in its own battle grounds. It's not easy to admit what happened next, but it felt as if fragments of our world existed in navigable walking space. Places we'd been, places we know, and placed we left behind. It started in Jeff's house, then it moved to the trains, then Midnight City even, and so forth. Even Nevada's Hoover Dam was there, most likely because of me, given that Kari lives in the dimension that even has the state of Nevada, let alone the United States of America as a country. We met current and old allies, enemies we'd bested, and the gods we befriended. Even Ulysses, and we beat his bellicose demeanor in battle yet again. We even met a strange other being, seemed to be resistant to my gunshots. Anything that can withstand a gunshot is a bit troublesome, as a gun can even best gods.

With those who remained in our large gathering, we managed to congregate some sort of entry to the fragmented world's creator, and it seemed a bit worse than simply an illusion. The world was flawed and amalgamated, and this was reality in its current state. Phanes, as we know, was the one behind this. An AI to best the gods themselves, to which they did not accompany us. It was just the five of us, nine if you must count each of our companions that all but Duke of us carry. Hugh, Lucy, Caz'Thuum, Huggy, Jeff, Randy, Duke, Sweet Dreams Requiem, and myself against the forces of fate-breaking reality itself. I hate to admit that some of my final moments in that dimension were scuffed from my mind for what seems like either side effects of temporal travel or no good reason at all. It was a light show of the elements, Phanes a manifestation of humanoid static in the air. Volleys, flails, and beams of various energy at us all. The ground would crack and float us around, and we all used our best abilities to end him. It wasn't a long fight at all when Hugh fell through these cracks in the ground and arose again, cheating death a third and probably final time, to bring the gun that kills gods to kill a false god once more. With one mighty blast, Phanes fell from his hovered stance, and the remainder of us did what we could to eliminate him. It may sound disappointing, at least in how succinct I am in transcribing my own history, but the world really did return to normal after we unleashed hell into Phanes' weakened being. As simple as you can imagine, too. A flash of light engulfed his body, he exploded, and I found myself standing alone in the remnants of Site Alpha.

It was a few months before I reconvened with the rest of my friends. I'd travel around from place to place, using my personal ship. Tell people of how Jeff Wright, Ace "Hugh" Morris, Caz'Thuum Palatino, and Duke Brodacious Silver saved the world, and the multiverse as a whole. I'd tell them the truth, and I'd gather large assembly halls just to tell stories of our adventures. Or, in how I told them, their stories. I never told anyone I was a part of them at first, and in any part I was integral in I mentioned my being there truthfully only when asked. Such as when I was the one responsible for chasing down Nate in Aquaria City, or when I shot at Acre when I was helping Caz save Val, or etcetera. I mentioned I did things, but only when asked. Though, in my travels I'd be vigilant to respond to wrongdoing before the law or the Guard could. I'd make my own acts of heroism, and with godly powers I was hardly able to be phased in any altercation. My whole idea was, is that calling myself a hero is arrogant enough, but calling myself a hero when it wasn't my identity feels morally wrong to Kari. Therefore, I could not call myself a hero. Kari never did, the people she affected were the ones who started calling her the "Legendary Hero". So, I was willing to make the people of this dimension do the same.

After a year of building my own reputation to the public, I got together with my friends and had the entirety of the Aether host a party for my departure to World Zero. I did not call it that, I simply told others it was a party to celebrate each other and be grateful for each other's efforts. In a way, I was not actually lying, as that is what we do when a long time friend plans to depart permanently. At that point, citizens knew really who I was at last. I was called many names, though I was used to that feeling already. "The Caped Crusader", "Black Death", "Cyber Angel" so I've heard over that one year. I can imagine it is hard to figure out who I really am, as even I had trouble with that for the longest time. When you consider it, what am I really? I have a revolver, so I could be "The Cowgirl". I have a battle rifle with fitted ergonomics and a scope, so it's possible I am "The Deadeye". I made my own proprietary machine gun, and hold it firmly, so maybe I'd be "The Juggernaut". I can beat anyone with only a knife using cunning, so I must be "The Commando". As Jeff once referred to me due to my driving skills, though that is truly meant for Kari, I could be, "The Master of the Asphalt Fight". Or lastly, I possess the immense power of SDR, so I could also be "The Summon Fighter". The one that did stick around was not any of these, but simply "Kara Arcadia". Supposedly it was because I ventured into nature in not very fitting gear a lot which is true, I wouldn't doubt that a mysterious "hero" appears and returns to the forest not well suited to venture into it and it must turn some heads and cause conspiracy. It could also be because it sounds good, but one thing is for sure: I know very well that a surname is welcome to me.

Everyone was at the party, the citizens of the Aether were all there and I specifically invited everyone interested in joining. I even sent Acre the word, knowing he wouldn't arrive. He didn't, no surprise to me. There was music, and for a large portion of it we were the music with Duke and I able to use our saxophone and piano skills for some jazz. We ate, we drank, we danced, and we enjoyed life. It lasted nearly the whole day, and it was as good as a goodbye could be. The next day was the departure itself, and it wasn't easy. I would say especially for Duke and Jeff, but Jeff especially. As I stand, ready to perform the ritual for dimensional travel not even knowing if it would work or not, my four best friends stand behind me. A portal appears, and Germany is in sight within it. I turn to everyone and give my final goodbyes. I did not ask nor expect any gifts, but nevertheless with friends like these I figured it was impossible for me to leave without having something to remind me of each one of them as I departed into the unknown. Hugh gave me a replica of Fubar that had a small charm of his hat on the receiver, a funny gift from a magician indeed. Caz gave me a copy of his thaumaturgic notes of myself in case I should forget or re-learn of what I really am, figures that one who ascends into godhood for the sake of knowledge would gift me relevant knowledge itself. Duke gave me a stein that magically cannot ever run out of Sprite Cranberry, and when asked why I'd need this he simply replied, "You'd never have to get more yourself. You know, so no one has to see you buying it at the store. You'll also never run out too, in case supply ever runs out."

Everyone gave me their gifts that I didn't ask for but would carry with me forever, though with Jeff it was different. With Jeff, well, I actually gave him something first. I look to him with regret and say, "Jeff, I. I know that your friendship was never really with me, but with Kari Frost. The least I can do is promise you that she will know what happened in the remainder of our adventures. No hiding myself from it when I tell her, either."

"Why would you hide yourself from our adventures?"

"The short of it, I am not deserving of her. I am manufactured, yet that means I have my own identity to hold. This, here, is the last remnant of me that does belong to her," as I untied my bandana and handed it to Jeff, "and I believe it should be yours."

"I, wow, but hey I didn't forget about you either!" as he pulled out a familiar sight to all of us: the plush turtle he won back in the arcade, the one that was burnt to save Hugh's allies from Azathoth's possession. It was stitched up in places and had a few scorch marks, but as best it could be it was repaired. For the first time in my existence, I did feel a reason that tears could truly fall from myself and not others.

"You won't truly realize how far this gift will last for me." as I nodded, SDR hugging the plush turtle tightly in her grasp. I nodded to everyone with an affirmative smile, and walked forward into the beyond.

I left the "Aether" dimension only about half a year ago in reality, but in eternity itself it has been many a lifetime. As I sit here on a gilded relief marble throne, addressing this by word to an angelic scribe as he writes what I say on scrolls as pure as silk, I look back at who I mustn't forget, shan't forget, to my story. Everyone in that world will be missing their newfound favorite hero, the gods will miss my valiance and determination, and my friends and their friends and family will miss my existence. As a god in Heaven here in World Zero, having bested Avis Ardoris, "Katya", for the greater good of saving Earth from a universal reset it didn't deserve nor did the higher gods approve of, I make these reflections on my past. I now exist in eternity, known only as Kara Arcadia to those I got close to once meeting Kari, now known forever as Aevitas Juris. God of leadership, resolve, justice, determination, and camaraderie. For my final thoughts in this story, I give you this. Jeff asked me one last thing before my departure. Tears in his eyes and defeat on his face, he grabs my hand just before I leave and says, "Kara, can I ask you something?"

"Yes, you may."

"I don't know if it'll ever truly happen, or if it even can, but if there is ever a way I can meet Kari I would really like to. Can I ever meet Kari?" I was dumbfounded, but not in a bad way. More as if I truly didn't know if that was possible, but how he felt, and feels, matters to me.

"I genuinely don't know, I'm sorry. Know that your request will be respected. Somehow. I'll find a way for you two to finally meet. Somehow." It was the last thing I ever said to any of them, let alone Jeff.

For my closing statement on the story, that is my current objective above all. Above all of mortal desires, though my responsibilities are nevertheless still important, Jeff's request must be upheld. Somehow. I refuse to be defeated by time and space that may stand in my way, as I sit here in this marble throne. High above mortal life in a place of forever sunshine, walking on clouds as Greecian architecture adorns the environment and both angels and the nobly deceased live their eternal lives in bliss. I sit here in this throne, with my scribe aside still writing, and I look to my right to the arm rest of this throne where Jeff's hand-repaired plush turtle rests now. It will exist with me for eternity. In Heaven. May my friends rest in peace when they too find their eternity, for I won't see them here. Not in this world's Heaven.

**[Aether Guard Story - Kara Arcadia - FIN]**

**End**