Chapter 3.5-11

## Elenai

(rewrite/condensing needed)

Jake hazily awoke in Elenai's presence after she rescued him from the crumbling cavern. With no one else to turn to, Elenai called on Elwood for help. He took the two of them to the Dojo and healed Jake's shattered cheekbone. Elwood attempted to chat with Elenai but she stormed out of the house.

Elwood left Jake after healing him to try and talk with Elenai. Dark, shadowy clouds in the sky stunned him before he could reach Elenai. The sound of thunder caused Jake to rush outside, too. Somnium descended from the darkness and revealed he used Belial stowing away in Jake to be able to teleport to the island. Belial emerged from Jake and shows how he knew so much: he inhabits bodies to learn their memories and emotions. But, most importantly, his presence in Jake allowed Somnium to teleport to the island.

Somnium coaxed Elenai and promised to reveal the truths the Aera kept from her. She nearly gave in to the feelings of loneliness, but ultimately attacked him and siphoned his soul with her blade. Belial swiftly stepped in to stop her and Somnium's soul shot back into his body. In immediate retaliation, Somnium destroys Elenai's weapon.

With his mana depleted, Somnium left Elenai to writhe in excruciating pain. Elwood rushed to put her asleep with a tap of her forehead to put her body at ease. He claimed it's unlikely they can save her because a part of her has literally been destroyed. Jake, Kenlow, and Elwood return inside the Dojo to figure out what to do. Kenlow emerges from the library an hour later with a book that sheds light on the situation and gives them hope for Elenai's health.

> "Imagine an Aera as a blade of grass and their Wings as a magnifying glass. We're always surrounded by sunlight, harnessing its power. But, it is not until you hold up the lens - our Wings - that we may use the light to combust in flame. Elenai is unique because she has no magnifying glass. So, she created a fake one; not even physically real. Yet somehow it succeeds in igniting her - the grass - on fire." - Elwood
>
>

Although they know that Elenai is indeed fine, her subconscious will continue to put her in pain as it believes a part of her is missing. Jake unknowingly offers up a solution to enter her mind and fix it from within. Belial powers were able to let him in others minds but now that he's controlled by Solmenos they can't use him. Instead, Kenlow plans a mission into the Underworld to find another demon like him.

The Demon Prison, Pandemonium, has magic that prevents Aera and Daera from entering or exiting. Thus, Jake is the only one able to do the mission. They plan to find a Spirit Guide summoned by an Onmyoji to help Jake on his journey.

### Characters

* Elenai Cherra
* Jake Flynn
* Elwood
* Somnium
* Belial
* Kenlow

## Trivia

* Solmenos couldn't return to the island because his sons banished him from it. He used Belial - who had infiltrated it - as an anchor for his magic to bring him there. Thus, in some ways it was Jake's fault.
* Elenai's blade was a manifestation and not a real physical object. Its destruction was the first time someone other than her interacted with it, let alone destroyed it.
* The sword was created by her subconscious to help her hone her magic.