The death of Aatos, the leader of the Ashborn, and a great friend for Hexa and Remy, was hard for everyone. Especially Remy, who now carried added weight on their back — the weight of the fact Aatos had saved them when he died. It all added up to their loss of two of their mothers. And so was the aftermath of the failed retaliation they lost him in. Since that day, the Ashborn was despised for attacking the crown. People blame the Ashborn for the fire that burned down the village in Etherium.
On the day Aatos died, they finally realized their efforts to be heroes were too weak. They took the boat back to Etherium. Even though they weren't taken well in there, the residents of the village didn't dare to enter the "wicked" forest. After all, they still lived in the forest, and mourned the losses of Aatos and Althea together in the place they all spent the most time together. They built a small monument for both of the people they had lost in the short time to remember then for long. In a cave located at the back of the forest, they settled down.
Maya, on the other hand, had several witnesses that she was the one responsible for transportation of Hexa, and couldn't go back with her after the other Nullbounders had taken the headcount of prisoners in Darkeast island. It didn't take a fool to realize that even in the heavy fog, the eagle eyed Nullbounders could for sure count one missing, and Maya knew that.
If the two returned to Etherium in the Ashborn did, the queen could arrest them both— or worse. The queen could be so unpredictable Maya could never know what she had in mind, but when it was unloyalty, she never took it lightly. Because of that, she had to take Hexa with her and sail to a distant island and try their luck. Since it was located outside the maps people in Etherium used, Maya didn't know the name of the island. It was a good thing, though. Nullbounders wouldn't find them. It could be safer to stay there. For some time, at least.
The lush island was covered in overgrown plants. It was almost magical how untouched it was. No manmade changes in the landscape. Just peace. The nature made Maya remember the green-haired woman who helped her when she was low. The one who could mend her tired form. The one who did it with the same people who saved her later. It made her wonder how she was doing now.
Walking further, Maya noticed something covered in moss. It was far away, so it was hard to see clearly what it was. It was definitely something that wasn't naturally there, though.
"Hexa, look," she said, pointing at the structure that looked like it had never been cleaned of moss.
Hexa, the one with slightly better eyesight, turned to the direction Maya was pointing at. It took her a moment to process what was in the distance. "That's a house for sure. An abandoned one it seems," Hexa said, before walking towards the mossy building, having Maya follow her.
As they walked forward, the building started to get clearer and clearer each step they took together. The mossy construction was soon present infront of them. There was in fact more than just one moss-covered building. There was a whole village of them, bursting with life. A village with enough living space for a whole civilization to adapt and modify as they please.
Hexa looked around, noticing there was people sitting in trees and walking around the village. This village looked looked much more lively compared to the small, wooden village in Etherium with barely anyone outside.
Then, someone tapped on Hexa's shoulder, making her tense up. She turned around, and so did Maya when she noticed Hexa doing so. The tall woman infront of them had long straws of wheat for hair, and eyes as blue as the ocean, her smile bright enough it could light up a room.
"Hello! I'm Jennifer. Welcome to the Lushfalls! Looking to stay?" The woman asked, holding out a hand to shake theirs.
Maya grabbed Jennifer's hand and and shook it hands. "Yes, we're looking for a long-term place to stay," she replied.
"That's amazing! We can find you an empty house," Jennifer said, leading the two into the village to explore various houses. One small house turning out a perfect fit for them.
After they settled down, years seemed to pass quickly.