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Quintessence is a powerful thing. So powerful, in fact, that it is difficult to describe in a simple sentence. While it could be boiled down to a small explanation of it allowing a deeper connection to any living thing, such a short statement didn’t do the wonders of Quintessence any justice. Yes, it did indeed allow a deeper connection to living beings, into their bodies, their minds, their very souls, but it also involved the telekinetic ability to interact any tangible thing. And not to mention that allowed for passage into the odd dimension where Quintessence ebbed and flowed and ruled. Many Quintessence Ghouls came up with their own name for this Limbo, but Aether called it the Purple Haze.
It was a fitting name, he thought. When his unconscious mind wandered into the place, it presented to him with a swirling lavender fog on the ground, covering the dark plum soil which glowed under the vibrant purple sky, if it even was a sky. Quintessence made up just about everything in the real world, it was indeed the Quintessential Element that life needed to work, but in the Haze, Quintessence was the only thing here. No Earth it had to help grow, no Air it had to help flow, no life or other Element it had to help sustain. Even Aether himself lost his body in the Haze, he simply existed here as a ball of energy that protected his soul. Not that it needed protecting, no Quint would be stupid enough to try anything in the Haze, lest they want to risk their own souls.
Aether, being nearly 200 years old, had spent a lot of time in the Haze. Hell’s landscape was never too kind to him, and so he found a secluded edge of the ring he called home, and built his nest there. It was a grand thing, and far away from anyone who could hurt him while he unconsciously explored his dimension, but close enough to others that he wouldn’t risk his health for the long stretches of time he spent in there, Ghouls were pack beasts after all. The lavender Fog would hug his soul and welcome him home whenever he stumbled in.
The longer he spent in the Haze, the stronger he became. That was yet another unique thing about Quintessence, spending time with it not only helped recharge the powers and Element itself within the Ghoul or Ghoulette, but also made them stronger. And Aether had spent a lot of time here. He thinks the only person to rival his time in the Haze was the slightly younger Quint he often met in the Haze called Omega. Through literal Hell and high water, Aether gave Omega directions, so that the younger could find the elder in the real Hell. It was like the Fog lead the way and Omega found Aether in no time, souls bound by the purple strings they could use to interact with just about any object in a Ghoul’s vicinity. Despite them never having seen each other’s faces, the energy that pulsed from one another was impossible to mistake for another. While the two never had any interest in officially Mating, they shared Aether’s nest, much to the confusion of the neighbouring Quints that Aether had settled next to. Their dynamic wasn’t dissimilar from a Mated pair, however it lack the obvious detail of bestowing one another with Mate Marks.
It was a unique relationship that the two Quints shared, and they wouldn’t have it any other way. They had both been raised with intent of them being sent up to the surface to help aide His dark work amongst the humans, allowing them to communicate in the strange language they were told was called English. It was a far cry from their native, Hellish tongue, but they helped each other learn. They also helped each other learn about their Element more, it was very complicated at times after all. It seemed oddly fated that they would meet as Omega’s specialties laid more in the physical, and Aether’s in the mental. Body and Mind. Those words would become odd nicknames that made sense to only them, especially when spoken in the weird human English. While one slept and grew stronger in the Haze, the other stood guard. If anyone was ripped from the Haze, it could be detrimental. It could very easily kill a Ghoul, which itself was no easy feat. Aether had cringed too many times at Ghouls of other Elements, or even Kits that didn’t know better, trying to wake a Quint that was in the Haze, evident from the way the skin cracks would softly glow and pulse during their rest. Luckily, Aether had only witnessed the worst outcome a small number of times, but it was still too many. He could only imagine the pain of it, and hoped he would never experience it.
Aether returned to the Nest one day to find it empty, no Omega in sight. The nearby Quints had told Aether how two Demons, the infernal guards of Hell, had marched him off, telling him he had been summoned immediately. Aether felt his body leave him - in more ways than one - that day. He immediately collapsed into the few hides and pelts they had found for the nest and forced his mind into the Purple Haze. The Haze was supposed to be calm, so it did not like Aether’s sudden intrusion. He fought his way in, and stayed for days. He only entertained the idea of coming back after seeing the familiar ball of energy he knew to be Omega. He was not only relieved to know that his friend had survived the ascension, but also that they could still talk while being in separate realms. The Purple Haze was a Limbo in and of itself, existing outside of not only Earth, but Hell also, allowing for inter-realm communication, in a way. The two friends often met in the Haze, knowing it would likely be decades until they saw one another in person again.
It was a night like that when it happened. Omega was yet again regaling Aether with stories of humans, his over-dramatic yet sincere Master that painted his face like a skull, and the Church he not only worked for, but performed for. Aether didn’t think he knew of something more ingenious than using music to help bring more people to His unholy light, but he loved the songs that Omega would sing for him in the Haze. Well, ‘sing’ is used lightly, as no voices are heard in the Haze. Merely a pulse of energy that flared, and the Quint it flared to would instinctively know what it meant. It was a pulse of enthusiasm from Omega, which translated to “You’ll never guess what I heard Terzo and some Cardinal talking about before!”, that was the last thing that Aether remembered before the pain started. First, his soul was ripped violently from the Haze and forced back to his body where his chest seared from the violation, it felt as if the infernal fires found a new home in Aether’s heart. But it soon radiated to his extremities and his cracks and eyes flashed blindingly as his Element tried its best to readjust. His mind went into haywire as his soul felt like it was about to erupt from his body.
Aether used what he could of his strength to influence his own mind into calm. It worked slightly, and the nearby Quints offered their efforts as well. They knew best how much this could damage a Ghoul. Aether finally managed to regain his eye-sight and hearing, unfortunately he was met with two very impatient Demons waiting to take him to the Surface. They would not tell him where he was being summoned to as he was marched to a new ring of Hell he had never been to before. He passed many faces on the walk. An Earth Ghoul was walking from where the Water husks were kept, his face pale and eyes streaming. A Water Ghoul and Ghoulette were accompanied by another small Water Ghoul, all huddled together like Kits, the larger Ghoul and the Ghoulette forcing what little Water they received in Hell onto the smaller, weaker Ghoul. A trio consisting of two Air Ghoulettes and what looked to Aether like a Multi Ghoulette were having what looked to be simultaneously a serious yet enthralling conversation. Another Multi Ghoul was wandering around lost, as Multi’s usually did. Aether always found that ironic, the Multi could easily claim any of their Elements as family, but were usually the loneliest of them all. He wondered if that Multi may stumble into the Multi Ghoulette he saw about a mile back. Aether saw many other Ghouls and Ghoulettes on the agonising walk over to the Summoning portal, but a very small Quintessence Ghoul took his interest most. Aether’s eyes glowed quickly as the two Demons halted their march. Demons were easy to influence, all brawn and very little brain.
Aether ran over to the small Quint and it was obvious to anyone that he would have barely been out of his Kithood, if he wasn’t still in it. He was all alone, far from anyone, with barely any colour in not only his skin but his cracks. He looked like he wasn’t too far away from becoming a Husk. Aether was relived to at least find a pulse, but the small Ghoul was shaking despite being asleep.
“Hey, little one.” Aether gently cooed, pushing some energy into the Kit to wake him.
Aether let out a sigh of relief as the little Ghoul stirred, some colour returning to his cracks.
“It’s okay, you’re okay.” The elder soothed.
“W- who are y- you?” The small Ghoul asked.
“I’m Aether. What’s your name?”
“Ph- Phantom.” He said, still shaking a bit.
“What are you doing out here by yourself, little Phantom?”
“I w-was running aw-away.”
“Running away?”
Phantom only nodded.
“Why?” Aether was confused as to how such a young Ghoul could have anything to run away from.
“T- too weak and sm- small for m- my Kit p- pack.” He managed to respond. Aether did his best to hold back his tears for the small Quint. While Aether never spoke to anyone from the Kitpack he was raised in, he had left of his own accord. The little Phantom was likely kicked out, and left for dead. “H- Hurts.” He said, curling back into himself so smally that he could have rivalled an insect for size.
“What does? What’s hurting?” Aether pressed.
Phantom weakly pointed a broken claw to his ribs, and Aether’s eyes widened at seeing the large welts across the little Ghoul’s side. The elder Ghoul passed enough energy through Phantom that he would have enough pain relief to get by, but not too much that he would sacrifice his own strength. Aether silently cursed the universe that Omega wasn’t here to use his masterful healing skills, but he got the little Ghoul up still.
“Listen, little Phantom. You need to walk that way.” He pointed in the direction that he had come from, “Towards the edge of the next ring, you will find a lot of Quintessence Ghouls and Ghoulettes that can help you. My nest is empty now, it is yours. As soon as you get there and get help, go to sleep and stay in the Haze until you feel strong enough to come back. The Ghouls there will protect you.” Aether pressed a thumb to Phantom’s head, letting a few purple strings connect to his brain and use it like them wires to give Phantom as much information as he could for directions to Aether’s now vacant nest.
“W- why are you do- doing this?” The little Ghoul sniffled.
“We’re Quints, we should look after each other.” Aether omitted how much his heart ached for the young Ghoul who had already seen too much cruelty to think that decency was some grand gesture.
“Thank you.” Phantom got out, and wrapped his scrawny arms around Aether in a desperate need of comfort. Aether faltered for a moment at the surprise, but returned it in earnest, careful of the injuries on his side.
“I hope our paths cross again one day.” Aether said, bowing slightly to the young Ghoul. He started to his place back between the Demon escorts, “Take care, little Bug.”
Aether snapped the Demons from their trance and they snapped a hand to Aether’s shoulder to get him to to move again. Phantom and Aether didn’t break eye-contact until they were nothing but specks in the distance to each other.
Aether’s gut twisted as he switched Realms. In an instant, he was away from the perpetual sulfur and heat, and bombarded with an cold and ancient looking room. It was dark, illuminated only by black and purple candles. He was on something hard. Upon further inspection, it was a pentagram on a wooden platform, painted with an odd symbol that looked like an inverted cross with a “G” painted over it. On the floor below stood a man in black robes, his eyes and upper lip painted black also. There was others but Aether could only focus on the man that he assumed was to be his Master. In a move Aether never would have expected from a superior, the man bowed to the creature still in a helpless heap on the floor, before extending a hand out for him. Aether took it and attempted to stand. Balance failed him for a moment as his legs shook as if he was a Kit learning to walk all over again. The man did his best to support the large Ghoul as he adjusted to the new realm, but was quickly becoming panicked and was looking off to someone behind Aether. The Ghoul was shocked at the voice that followed.
“He needs the Haze!” A familiar voice shouted, and Aether whipped his head around with his remaining strength.
“Body?” He said incredulously, startling all the humans with the infernal tongue.
“Hi, Mind.” Omega said, walking forward to help the man support Aether, “I’ll take him, Cardinal, don’t worry.”
The man Aether now knew to be a Cardinal muttered something that Aether didn’t quite understand as Omega took his entire weight and walked him out of the door, the human still followed in concern. This odd labyrinth of stone and torches and doors was very foreign and very frightening to Aether, and he inwardly lamented for Omega having to go through it alone.
Enough of that, Mind. Omega said, hearing Aether down the Link they could once again use, I was fine enough. Let’s worry about you for now.
Aether felt too weak to contest his friend and barely nodded.
“This one shall be his.” The Cardinal said as they got to a black wood door, taking a key from his belt and unlocking the thing.
“Thank you, Copia.” Omega said as he lugged Aether forward onto the Nest-like beds they were provided.
“Tell me when he wakes, Omega. I need to speak with him.” The Cardinal said quickly before handing the key to Omega and shutting the door behind him as he left.
“Is this real? Are you really there, Body?” Aether asked.
“I’m here, Mind.” Omega affirmed, “And I’ll join you in the Haze, okay? You really need it.”
Aether didn’t have enough strength left in him to fight the tug of sleep, and instantly found himself in the welcoming arms of the Fog.
Aether was no longer able to spend as much time in the Haze as he was used to thanks to his new duties working for a senior Cardinal, but it made the embrace of the dimension even more coveted for him. He often tried to look out for the little Phantom he had helped, but finding Omega was pure luck, getting that lucky twice in the same century was damn near impossible. He prayed many times instead, for his health, that he was okay.
The Quint was faced with a dilemma one day when he was in the middle of a Ritual with Omega, trying to ask the Quintessence to help bring answers forth about this odd woman they had taken in. Eve baffled them all with the way she made their senses go off like she was one of them, and Mountain and Zephyr found a Ritual that could help clear the fog, so to speak. Aether knew something had gone wrong, and yet he couldn’t break the Ritual now. It would most certainly kill him and Omega, and they both knew it. They knew Mountain was coming back and was about to unknowingly rip them from the Haze. It was a race between their powers and time as they did their best to stop the Ritual with as little damage as possible to the human’s mind. They stopped the Ritual, and got out safely. But Eve didn’t.
Eve was in a coma from the trauma her mind went through. The usually timid Rain guarding her lifeless body with no intention of doing anything else but protect her with very strong instinct he had. Aether fell out of love with the Haze after that. He only went back to it for short stints of time, just enough to replenish him until he had to go back.
It wasn’t until months later, in a forest, that he allowed a deeper venture into the once homely Haze. They were on a Hunt for Storm’s revenge and he needed as much strength as he could muster, if not for his sake, then for his pack’s. It was just as he was about to leave that another pulse wandered in, and something in Aether’s bared soul urged him to investigate. If Aether could cock his head in the disembodied form he held in the Haze, that it was he was doing now. Something about this pulse intrigued him.
It noticed Aether, and a flair of energy waved timidly. Aether waved back, still curious. But knew he had to leave now, lest he anger his temperamental Fire Ghoul packmate for the lack of progress that day. The little Bug watched Aether leave, and couldn’t help but inwardly smile. Even if it was a short silent moment, and Aether didn’t even remember him, Phantom would remember the first Ghoul to ever show him kindness that decade ago.
Aether only realised that it was the young Ghoul he had come across a few nights later in the tent. He jumped up at his realisation and angered Swiss from accidentally stamping on his tail. Aether apologised quickly and had to step out of the tent to calm himself before he tried to go back to the Haze, but his excitement wouldn’t allow it. He could only lie with Swiss curled next to him like a little hot water bottle being the only thing to bring him some semblance of relaxation for the night. Whether Aether ever met the Phantom again, he was happy with the knowledge that he was alive and okay.
The Purple Haze welcomed Aether home again when they got back to the Ministry after the Hunt. It’s rolls of lavender Fog knew exactly how to caress his soul into belonging and reinvigorate and strengthen his incredible connection to his Element. When he woke, he looked to the Fire Ghoul curled to his side. It hadn’t been long since Dew opened up about what he went through with his transformation. Dew often looked very small when he was vulnerable, and it reminded Aether so much of the little Bug. Quintessence was a powerful thing, and Aether would throw himself back in the Pit if he ever failed to use his extraordinary ability to protect those he cared for. Big or small. Body or mind.