Aetheric Chronicles: Reborn As An Extra

The forest's eerie silence was broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves, as if the trees themselves leaned in to listen to the conversation unfolding beneath their towering canopies. A few minutes had passed since Adrian's dramatic arrival, and the group had settled into a makeshift circle, each lost in their own thoughts or tasks.

Adrian stood with his arms loosely crossed, leaning casually against the trunk of a tree. His deep brown eyes, though seemingly relaxed, missed nothing as he silently listened to Aurelius and Ren, who were talking in a hushed but intense voice.

Not far from them, Eltheris stood stiffly with the other three hooded figures of the group, his emerald gaze occasionally drifting toward the unconscious girl being tended to by Aurelia and Lyra.

Aurelia's healing magic still faintly glowed as she carefully examined Aria, while Lyra knelt beside her, her pink hair shimmering in the faint sunlight that managed to pierce through the dense canopy. The two worked in tandem, ensuring their friend was stable.

Adrian's calm voice broke through the muted tension. "So, they agreed, right?" he asked, his tone casual yet laced with a subtle edge. His gaze flicked momentarily toward Eltheris, but only briefly, as if the glance had been unintentional.

Aurelius turned his face back to Adrian and nodded. "Right," he confirmed. "And they'll act once they've confirmed our words—within three days. I just hope things don't drag on until the dimensional crack point."

Adrian inclined his head slightly in agreement. "You're right. It's also good that you were able to gain their trust."

Even as he spoke, Adrian's eyes subtly shifted, taking a quick, secret glance far behind Aurelius, where the dense forest deepened into shadow. He made the motion appear natural, as though he were simply surveying the surroundings. Inwardly, his thoughts were sharp and focused.

'But not fully. A group of elvins is tailing you—a strong one.'

He kept his expression neutral, betraying nothing of his realization. "So, what were you going to do in the meantime?" he asked, steering the conversation back on track.

Ren, who had been leaning slightly against his sword, straightened and answered before Aurelius could. "We were planning to find you, her"—he gestured toward the unconscious Aria—"Emeric, and all the others. That's been our real mission all along. Helping the elvins was a secondary goal, though an important one."

Adrian gave a small nod, his gaze thoughtful. "I see. Then I know where they are. In fact, we have been together since we were teleported. I found them in a bit more inner areas of the forest. I even found some of the other academy examinees, like the twin princesses, the dwarf prince, the barbarian king's son, and a few others."

Aurelius's eyes lit up with relief and anticipation. "That's good. It means they are safe. Ah, right, we can use 'that' to restore their memories."

Ren nodded as well, a smile breaking across his face. His eyes shone with respect and a hint of expectation as he looked at Adrian.

Adrian, however, remained silent, though inwardly he was curious. 'What exactly is 'that'?' he wondered. But he kept his questions to himself, deciding it was better to wait for more information. Not to mention the fact they weren't that much surprised meeting him.

'Did the organization tell them about me?' He wondered. 'Aurelia would have showed much more reaction from how I remember, or is it because situation is a bit odd with Aria's fainting?'

"Umm..." Their focus shifted as a sudden voice came from behind, soft but filled with hope. "What about E-Emeric?"

All eyes turned toward Lyra, who had paused her work on Aria to ask the question. Her yellow eyes shone with worry, her hands trembling slightly as she clasped them in front of her chest. The pink-haired girl's usual cheerful demeanor was subdued, replaced by an almost childlike vulnerability.

'She still hasn't gotten over him yet, huh...' Adrian muttered inwardly before shaking his head.

"No, I haven't met Meris yet." He said before changing his words seeing their confusion. "Ah, I mean Emeric. But don't worry, he should be safe, he was with us before we entered the portal."

"I-I see." Lyra meekly nodded and returned to the girls' side.

"If so, why don't we go and join them?" Ren asked.

Adrian took a moment to process Ren's suggestion, his brow furrowing slightly as he gazed off into the distance. Finally, he shook his head, breaking the tense silence.

"They don't know about you," he said evenly, his voice calm but firm. "And more importantly, we're being watched."

His gaze flickered subtly toward the deeper woods again, though he masked the motion as a casual glance. "It's best if you wait for the right moment to act."

Ren's enthusiasm dimmed slightly, but his respect for Adrian's judgment remained evident. He nodded thoughtfully, exchanging a glance with Aurelius. The latter's lips pressed into a thin line, a mix of frustration and understanding in his expression.

"Then we'll stick to our current task," Ren finally said, his tone resolute. "While you… do your hunt."

Adrian's sharp gaze turned to Ren, narrowing slightly at the choice of words. Ren, however, smiled faintly, a hint of knowing mischief in his expression. "You're always a step ahead, aren't you?"

Without waiting for a response, Ren reached into a pouch at his side and pulled out a small object, holding it out to Adrian. It was a communication tool, cleverly disguised as a smooth tree branch, its bark faintly etched with runes that glowed dimly in the filtered sunlight.

"You should take this," Ren said. "We need to keep in touch, just inject your aether into it and we can speak."

Adrian studied the object for a moment with a hint of nostalgia, then accepted it with a nod, slipping it into the inner pocket of his coat. "Understood," he said simply, his voice devoid of any unnecessary emotion.

"Good," Aurelius said, folding his arms and shifting his weight slightly. "If something changes, we'll find a way to signal you. Just don't keep us waiting too long."

Adrian's lips twitched into the barest hint of a smile, a fleeting expression that was gone as quickly as it had appeared. "I'll be quick," he said, stepping back toward the shadows of the trees. "Stay safe, and keep an eye on Aria."

As he melted into the forest's depths, his figure blending effortlessly with the shadows, Ren watched him go, his brow furrowed slightly. "He's always like this," he muttered, half to himself.

Aurelius chuckled softly, his eyes never leaving the spot where Adrian had disappeared.

"That's why he's Adrian," he said simply, turning back toward their group.

_____ Explore more adventures at empire

(A/N: Sorry guys, I haven't been updating for almost 5 days now. I couldn't find to write as the semester of my studies was coming to an end (midterm exams and so on). Anyway, I will be releasing chapters daily from today onward.

And in 21st December Mass Release for TSMITAA.

31st December 10 chapters Mass Release for this story.

So, see you soon.)