Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

Ria slipped into the town quietly, after spotting a group of this place's inhabitants entering through the invisible gate between two trees.

Now, she wandered through the bustling streets, her eyes darting left and right, taking in the surroundings. The town was alive with activity.

The Elvins, as the Hunter amulet translated, moved with a grace and rhythm that felt almost choreographed. Their movements were fluid and a bit different than hers, their voices soft yet purposeful, and their clothing seemed to shimmer subtly in the emerald light that bathed the town.

Ria adjusted her stance and tried to mimic their fluidity, gliding her steps as though she had been born in this place. But despite her efforts, she felt clumsy, awkward even. Her movements lacked the natural elegance of the Elvins. She felt their gazes linger on her for a moment longer than comfortable.

'Not doing a great job here, am I?' she muttered inwardly mocking herself, her hand instinctively brushing the golden ring on her finger. She frowned, wishing Kael or Sia were here to guide her.

Kael would've known exactly how to infiltrate this place without a single misstep given his intelligence, and Sia… well, Sia had a way of making everyone overlook her entirely which she got to learn during their intense training sessions.

As if summoned by her thoughts, a faint tingling sensation coursed through her golden ring. It was fleeting, gone almost as quickly as it came, but it left a strange, unsettling feeling in her chest.

Ria stopped mid-step, her brows furrowing. She glanced around frantically, her heart quickening. It was as if something—someone—was calling to her. But there was no one there, only the bustling crowd and the faint murmur of conversations.

'Must be an imagination.'

Shaking her head, she took another step forward, only to slam into something—or rather, someone.

The impact sent her sprawling backward, her body hitting the ground with a dull thud.

"Ah!" she yelped, rubbing her forehead as a dull ache spread across it.

Blinking back the momentary daze, her vision adjusted, and she looked up—only to find herself staring at a towering figure. A massive Elvin man stood before her, nearly three meters tall. His broad shoulders cast a shadow over her, and his solemn expression made him appear both regal and terrifying.

His scary eyes were staring at her, a frown etching across his face.

Ria gulped inwardly. 'Oh no, they found me! I'm busted!'

The towering man frowned even more, his sharp features intimidating, at least in Ria's eyes. His eyes, glowing faintly green, seemed to pierce right through her. Slowly, he extended a hand toward her.

Her heart stopped. 'This is it. I'm done for.'

'I failed the exam.'

But just as she was about to scramble back in panic, another hand appeared—smaller in comparison but confident.

"Hello, friend," a calm voice said, halting the big man's movement.

The towering Elvin blinked and turned to the newcomer, his expression shifting from stern to confused. "Oh," he rumbled, his tone softening. "Hello. How are you doing friend?"

"I'm good, friend" the smaller figure replied with a big smile, his tone friendly. "And how about you, friend?"

The big man smiled faintly, the tension melting from his shoulders. "I'm good, too, friend."

The newcomer nodded, his short, neatly cropped hair gleaming faintly under the emerald light. "That's good to hear. Sorry about this," he continued, gesturing toward Ria. "My friend here has… communication problems."

He turned to Ria, his eyes warm but sharp as they met hers. "You alright, Miya?"

Ria blinked, caught off guard by the sudden turn of events. 'Miya?' she thought, confused. 'And why are they using 'friend' so much? Isn't one enough?'

But the realization hit her quickly: he was covering for her. Playing along, she nodded hastily.

"Y-yeah," she stammered. "I'm fine."

The towering man nodded, his gaze softening as he looked at her. "My apologies for not seeing you earlier," he said in a deep, rumbling voice. "Be careful next time."

"See you around, friend." He then high-fived the smaller elvin guy.

With that, he turned and walked away, his towering figure disappearing into the crowd.

Ria released a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. The smaller figure offered her a hand, helping her back to her feet. She glanced at him, her curiosity mounting.

Somehow, she felt like she knew this guy, but given he was one of these inhabitants, there was no way it was true.

"Thank you," she said softly, still unsure of his intentions but grateful for his intervention.

He smiled faintly, a hint of something unreadable in his expression. "Let's not linger here too long," he said, his voice low. "Follow me."

"Uh, oh, okay," Ria replied silently following behind the guy while keeping a slight distance - Kael had given a big piece of advice to her before the exam - never trust someone easily, even if they help you or seem like a good person.
Explore stories at empire

And she was gonna follow that advice.

They walked through the town together, the mysterious Elvin man leading the way. Ria kept her steps measured and quiet, trying not to draw attention. The crowd around them gradually thinned as they moved deeper into the town, past stalls selling strange, glowing fruits and fabrics that shimmered like moonlight.

At one point, he stopped by a small stand manned by an elderly Elvin woman. After a brief exchange of soft words, he handed over a few shiny, leaf-shaped coins.

"Here," he said, handing Ria a small wooden cup filled with a glowing, greenish liquid. "Drink. It'll help you blend in better."

Ria hesitated, eyeing the drink suspiciously. The liquid swirled gently, giving off a faint, minty aroma.

"Relax," he said, tilting his head slightly. "It's just an herbal blend. It'll make your presence feel less… foreign to them."

Still wary, Ria took the cup. 'What's the worst that could happen? I'm already neck-deep in enemy territory.' She sipped cautiously, and to her surprise, the drink was light and refreshing, its coolness spreading through her body.

The elvin man smiled faintly, sipping from his own cup. Without another word, he turned and continued walking, leaving her no choice but to follow.

After what felt like an eternity of weaving through narrow streets and winding paths, they reached the outskirts of the town. The vibrant emerald glow of the town faded into the softer, more muted hues of the surrounding forest.

The man led her to a secluded area, a small clearing surrounded by towering trees whose leaves shimmered faintly, like stars trapped in their branches.

Ria's unease grew. The way he glanced around, as if ensuring they weren't followed, only heightened her suspicion. She discreetly positioned her hand behind her waist, readying herself to unleash her strongest spell at the first sign of trouble.

As the man stopped in the middle of the clearing and turned to face her, she tensed. His expression was calm, almost too calm.

Then, before her eyes, his body began to change.

The greenish hue of his skin faded, replaced by a natural, human tone. His hair, previously short and green, darkened to a familiar brown shade. The angular Elvin ears shrank, rounding into human ones.

Ria's eyes widened as recognition hit her like a bolt of lightning.

"Kael!" she blurted out, her voice a mixture of excitement, surprise, and relief.

The man—no, Kael—grinned, his usual calm, composed demeanor shining through. "It's good to see you this soon, Aria," he said warmly.

"Right, thank goodness I ran into you," Ria replied back relieved. 'Although it hasn't been that long since we were divided. I'm still happy!'

"And, why are you calling my name wrong again? It's Ria, you know." Ria added, recalling how sometimes he would misspell her name, calling her Aria.

"Huh?" Kael was a bit stunned and then an understanding glint passed through his eyes. "R-Right, sorry about that, Ria."

Ria's lips curled into a soft smile. "Don't apologize," she said, her tone lighter now. "After all, you saved me back there in the town. For a moment, I really thought I'd been found out by the natives. That big guy also looked terrifying."

Kael chuckled, his deep laugh breaking the tension of the moment. "With that level of imitation, you would have been busted sooner or later, even if that hadn't happened," he teased, a glint of amusement dancing in his eyes. "You were walking like a distressed doll, you know. It was painfully obvious you didn't belong."

"Hmph!" Ria huffed, crossing her arms in mock indignation. "Oh, come on, I was trying to blend in! It's not like I've had a lot of practice pretending to be... whatever these people are."

"Elvins," Kael corrected, still smiling. "And yes, I could tell you were trying. That's what made it even funnier." He mimicked her earlier stiff posture, his movements exaggeratedly rigid, earning him an eye roll from Ria.

"Ha-ha, very funny," she said, but despite herself, she smiled inwardly. It was a relief to see Kael again, to hear his calm but playful voice cutting through the anxiety of being in unfamiliar territory.

His presence felt grounding, like an anchor in a storm.

'Thank you...'

'For finding me...'

Ria said inwardly, too embarrassed to say it out loud.