The Only Son Amongst The Daughters Of Eros
Chapter 41 Welcome To Elysium... But Briefly

Aeric squinted his eyes in surprise and some confusion. From what he could see, he was certain that he wasn't in the Institution grounds or in Starlight Region.

The sight before him was completely new to him. The daylight was soft and the colors that continuously assaulted his eyes were brilliant white and lush, verdant green.

Aeric saw citizens — other Players, some Awakened and others Dormant — moving about in garments of flowing silks and fine linens.

They all wore the same similar colors — shades of pure white, emerald green, and hints of silver.

Some of them had long, elegant elven ears, others had normal human ones. Some were dressed in daily customary garments, others were dressed like hunters and warriors.

And some of them also had small fairies with glimmering wings fluttering beside them like tiny lanterns or pets.

Seeing all of that, Aeric realized, undeniably, that he was in the Elysium Plains.

'The Elysium Plains shares the Realm Core with the Royal Institution, so it would make sense that this was the closest place Celestia could bring me to.'

He gazed into the whitish sky above. 'This place is so... magical. I can practically feel the Divinity in the air, like a hum that is resonating in my bones.'

The streets before him were bustling with the activities of the Elysium regioners. The buildings that were lined seemed to grow from the earth itself — most of them were family friendly bungalows, but there were some peculiar towers, twisting like ancient trees.

The power of nature and its magic was very clear in this Region. Every house was designed with flowering vines and had windows crafted from crystal-clear glass that caught and refracted the light into rainbows. Flowering arches wove over the walkways, and bridges crossed brooks, making everything feel so alive.

Aeric marveled.

So far, his only experience of the Erothyria had been the stark halls of the Institution and the cold beauty of the Starlight Region, yet he was already planning on ways to claim it all.

Seeing the magnificent Elysium Plains, Aeric realized that he had an adventure arc to complete. He had to see and gather as much information as possible from all the Regions before he started making plans on how to take it.

That set aside, the Elysium Plains had a warmth to it, an inviting wonder that made his skin tingle.

Aeric then noticed a few townsfolk whispering, especially the ones wearing armored gears, glancing his way. Some pointed and murmured, "Is that him?" "Is that the Son of Eros?"

He looked around, worried that a crowd would arrive and rumors of his presence here would spread.

'Mother wouldn't be pleased if she found out I was out in other Regions. Whatever the reason might be.' He scratched the back of his neck. 'I'm sure she would rather I was treated at the castle than anywhere else.'

Seeing that a crowd was indeed forming, Aeric turned sharply, his cape snapping behind him with purpose as he strode to his left.

There, just as Celestia had said, Sylver was crouched nearby, patiently waiting. Aeric's eyes narrowed as he noticed the small group of children who admired the Four Star Legendary Beast from a respectful distance.

Sighting Aeric, Sylver stood on all fours and greeted him with a bark. Aeric placed his hand on the Beast's forehead and then hugged him around his massive neck. Sylver let out a soft, deep howl, an echoing reassurance that Aeric found comforting.

"You doing good, Sly," Aeric whispered, giving his wolf a pat on the broad head. He let his fingers sink into the beast's thick fur, the familiar warmth a balm to his still-aching chest. "A unicorn's horn isn't enough to keep me down," he joked softly, scratching Sylver's ears.

Sylver whimpered some more.

Aeric chuckled. "Don't worry. I'm not angry at you the Maze, we just have to keep working on our synergy. And hey, now that I can understand you a little more, I think our synergy is increasing."

Sylver barker excitedly.

To be certain, Aeric checked their synergy in Sylver's stats and indeed it has increased by a 1.6, and they now had a 4.6/10 synergy.

'Getting there,' Aeric thought with a reaffirming nod.

Sylver tilted his head in acknowledgment, pressing closer as Aeric swung onto his back. Settling into the wolf's saddle, he took one last look at the Elysium Plains and the children who were gazing at him.

It would have been nice to stay longer, to explore the rich magic of the place, and maybe he could do that with Linnette since she was more friendly with him.

However, for now, there was something more urgent calling him.

He only had a few hours left before the first cultivation exercise of his daily routine began, and he'd already lost enough time as it was. Aeric needed to get back to his own Region, and quickly.

There were Skills and Classes for him to select from and he couldn't afford to waste any opportunity. Aeric needed to quickly identify potential candidates in the Starlight Region whose Main Skill he could [Claim].

And with the Deceit sub-skill, he would then use this [Claimed] Skill and mirage it and the Class that comes with it to appear as his own natural abilities.

He couldn't just use the Main Skill and Class of any Player although he could see someone — perhaps Dagwood Ackley — making such a rookie mistake.

The Class and Skill must be from the same Region as him. A Starlight Regioner could not have a Druid Class or a [Duplicate] Main Skill as their overall powers dealt with the elements.

So if Aeric was to perhaps use his [Insight] Skill which came with an Infiltrator Class, a Class exclusively for Moonlight Regioners, he would only bring more suspicion and troubles to himself.

Therefore, the goal was; replace a Player in Starlight who had a good enough Main Skill that he could [Claim] then use his [Deceit] sub skill to make it appear as his Main Skill and the Class that came with it as his own Class.

It seemed very straightforward, but Aeric knew one mistake could cause more issues for him. He had to be extremely cautious.

"Let's go, Sylver," he said with quiet determination. "Starlight Region."

Sylver's muscles coiled beneath him, and with a powerful leap, he took off down the street while the onlookers watched. As his paws connected with the ground, a trail of shimmering silver materialized beneath them.

In moments, the Silver Road was activated and stretched out into the air, lifting them up, up, until they soared above the region. The Silver Road curved and sparkled, holding them aloft as they sped toward the horizon, leaving behind the whispers and stares of Elysium's citizens.

As the glistening plains receded behind him, Aeric kept his gaze forward, his mind set. He wasn't going to the Castle of Starlight right away. He was looking for Awakened Players with Starlight Region Classes and Skills, and he knew the exact place where he would replace a lot of them.

A Dungeon Entrance.