Shurry took a few steps closer to the crystal, placing his hand out in front of him to touch it, something else filled the palm of his hand. It was Luna's head, she pushed into his palm with a worried and pouty look plastered on her face. However, no matter how she tried to hide it, she was clearly exhausted, giving Shurry just enough information to see that the prison was quite elaborate.
"You're late." Luna stated, struggling to put an annoyed pout on her face. To which Shurry just smiled. "Are you alright now? Albert said you passed out… I was worried…"
"I'm fine, there's no need to worry about me now. I'm feeling much better now." Shurry answered, moving his other hand up to reach the crystal. His palm touched the outer sheen, his eyes went wide. "Damn, that dragon really didn't want her to escape. I should commend her for managing to keep up the barrier as long as she did."
"I know, it's been a nightmare getting through this maze. She's seemingly responding to me, but I don't know what she's saying back. All I can feel is that she's in pain. It hurts a lot." Luna said all watery eyed.
Shurry waited for a moment, standing there trying to wade through Aria's pain, shared to him through Luna as the mediary. A small smile appeared on his lips.
"Luna, return to me for now. I can handle this. But I need to isolate you from it first."
"Okay, I trust you." Luna nodded, and returned to Shurry's body, watching the events occur through his eyes. I just love seeing the world through your eyes. It's so interesting. If she had popcorn, she'd be eating it right now.
Shurry removed his hands from the crystal, and stretched a little bit. Cracking his knuckles, back, and knees. Then, he began, an aura, one belonging only to those who reach a minimum power requirement, surrounded his body, the aura of a hero.
He reached forward, placing his hands on the crystal in two very specific places… "Lady Aria…" He spoke in a soft, and easily perceivable tone, one which carried empathy borne of loss and pain. "It's all over…" He paused, letting those words get a response. "The dragon is dead…" He continued… "The surface world is free from the threat of the dragon, its thunder, and all broods of monsters upon the land, and the ocean's depths." He said with a more pleasant and uplifting tone. "The world is free, and so, you should be too. Be with your family again. Albert and Ais are waiting for you… Do not refuse my assistance, and you'll be out, huh?"
There was a response, but it only sparked a long conversation between the two of them, the cliff notes version… Aria was wondering about Albert, and worried about how Ais saw her. And then, Shurry performed yet another feat worthy of complete bewilderment, he freed the wind from her prison… Once free, the world seemed to take a breath as if it had been brought back to life.
The crystal had disappeared and in its place stood a beautiful woman, with long golden hair and piercing golden eyes, wearing the same white dress she wore the last day she'd been free.
"Thank you for freeing me, sir." Aria spoke, gracing the world with the voice of the wind once again. She looked over to see Albert was truly back, and quite a bit different than he was before, then her gaze turned to Ais. "She's grown up a little. I don't think she can fit on my lap again." She giggled with a hint of pain.
"Go to them, I'm sure Ais would love to wake up with her mother looking down at her." Shurry smiled, with a bead of sweat rolling the length of his cheek.
Aria and Albert took a moment to switch places, not saying a word to each other. Instead they just sat there waiting as Ais slept… A cute little smile appeared on Ais' lips as if she knew her head now laid in her mother's lap.
Shurry looked at them for a few moments, and just as he was about to leave, he sensed it, Ais was starting to wake up.
Her eyes slowly opened, she turned to see the crystal was gone, and the feeling of comfort under her head was something she remembered, but it had been so long to her she couldn't recall it fully. Then she turned her head up ready to ask her father what happened.
However, what greeted her gaze was the face of a tearfully smiling woman of incredible beauty. She paused, her eyes, and her heart acted before her mind could comprehend what was happening. And then…
"M-m-m-mother…?" Ais questioned, in a hopeful confusion.
"Y-yes… You've grown a bit since I last saw you, my dear, Ais." Aria spoke, breaking up as she spoke.
"MOTHER!" Ais cried out, wrapping her arms around Aria.
"My precious, adorable daughter. Mommy missed you so much." Aria cried, hugging her daughter back.
Albert smiled, and joined in wrapping his arms around the both of them. "I'm so glad we're all back together again. My girls are together again…" He too smiled, once again showing that true masculinity isn't abstaining from emotion, but being strong enough to embrace it.
"When you're all done, remember there will be a place you can stay in my Mother's familia." Shurry said before leaving, making sure there was no time for any of them to stop the feeling they had from being reunited.
"He's something else…" Albert chuckled knowing exactly what Shurry was thinking. "He kept his promise to me. Even though I broke mine…"
""You broke your promise?"" Aria and Ais asked in unison with a blink.
"Yeah, I promised him that I would come back as a god before he went to fight the dragon. But… I was a little bit late on that. But he did manage to save you for me, Ais, save you from those who failed, and gave you the training needed to survive the battle, a battle that ultimately would free your mother, and one you, with that strength, played a part in."
"Pfft, my daughter, my little hero. I suppose I have to reward you somehow."
"Can we stay together, forever this time?" Ais asked, hugging a little bit tighter.
"Sure, I'll take over teaching you too, in the future you'll be a full spirit like me."
…