“Physical conditions had already reached standard level. Human Child, it is time to wake up.”

Aaron stirred. The cold sensation of stone on his cheek told him he was lying face down on the floor.

“Good, you came around. Do not waste my time. Get to your feet.”

Aaron's sight blurred as he slowly opened his eyes to a bright room. Shifting onto his elbows he took a moment to process what just happened. He felt like a fool. His behavior was no different than when he was a little kid. Ever since he entered the ruin, his senses had been struggling to perceive their surroundings. His mind was groggy. At times it felt as if his body was moving on its own accord against his better judgment. The worst of it all, his insecurities were stronger than normal. They became so bad that even a stranger was able to take notice of it. He grabbed hold of his pendant and lowered his forehead on the nice cold floor.

“Enough of that. You already had plenty of rest. Get off the floor.”

He lifted his head to the vague noises he was hearing. There a translucent woman was lying in the air. The woman's face held no emotion as if she was a stone statue. She noticed his stare and flashed an apathetic grin.

“Greetings.”

Aaron's arm slipped sending his face crashing back onto the ground. Did he hear that correctly? A holographic image just talked. How could light talk? More than that. Holograms do not exist. To even attempt to produce one, light must first be forcibly stopped at a point in space. Then be able to shine to produce one part of a greater three-dimensional image. Modern technology was nowhere close to programming light mana to behave as such. Yet a 3-D image was hovering right there.

“How Annoying. Human children are such clumsy creatures. Xenolane, hold still. ” Aaron suddenly felt a tug on his arm as she lifted him up to his feet. “There that’s better. Now reckless naughty child, we need to talk.”

Aaron stared blankly at where the woman touched his arm.

“First of all how foolish of you to ignore the warnings and not leave the palace. Don't you know how dangerous it is for a young Xenolane to enter one of the Drakon's Sovereign’s palaces. For all my power, I can't overturn the safety protocol. Don’t do it again. Do you understand?”

Still dazed, he nodded without paying attention to her words.

“Good. Next, I assume you must have a lot of questions, small one. Ask whatever you want?”

“Wait a moment, what did you do earlier? How did you lift me up?"

Her apathetic face stared at him like he just asked a dumb question.

“I grab your arm and lift you up. What with the ridiculous face?”

“But light cannot simply lift things up.”

The woman stared back deadpan. “Of course light cannot. I’m not light.”

A realization drawn on Aaron. “That’s right. I don’t know what I’m thinking. You must be a Fae. Sorry, I don’t interact with Fae a lot.”

The woman sighed out loud.

“Don't interact with Fae? Humans are just as arrogant as dragons. Fae are any species who are creatures of mana. Unless you are a mountain hermit, I assume you interact with other humans. Who themselves are a creature of mana. I don’t understand why humans and dragons act like they are separate.”

He blushed. “Yes, you're right. Sorry.”

“But, no. I’m not a Fae. I’m LILI. Life Imitation Lucid Interface. The result of combined programming of mana and ether.”

Aaron slowly took in the information.

“Wait. You’re Lili the great sage. The one Joshua and Alaina talked about."

"Yes."

"Also Life. Imitation. Lucid. Interface. You are a hologram. And the combination of mana and ether. Impossible. Doesn’t that defy the law of magic?”

“Do you even have the right to say that, young creature of mana? Not with the way you handle your mana, I dare say.”

Aaron was about to refute back but became speechless. He stood there awkwardly not knowing what to do anymore. The woman was still expressionless, but she almost seemed amused at his predicament.

“Right, Any other questions?”

Aaron became dizzy. Too much happened today at such a rapid pace he could no longer physically keep up. Much less mentally. His legs were about to give out when Lili grabbed his arm again holding him up.

“Are you alright?” her voice tone finally changed since she started talking.

“Yes, just a headache.” He leaned off Lili’s hold.

“Must have been the Illusion spell from before.” She offered.

“Illusion spell? As in false images? Was that what I saw before I passed out?”

“Yes, they were part of the security system to scare people out. Like the golem and the suggestive voices.”

“Really? But how can something like it be created?”

“By magic, what else?” she shrugged.

“No, not what I meant. The golem was nothing special. A basic machine powered by mana. I also know you can program a spell to create a mirage using heat and water. But that illusion, those sounds, were something else entirely.”

“You are right, mana cannot create non-physical illusions. It cannot make you see, hear, or feel what is not there. Yet, Ether can. Ether can affect the psyche.”

“Ether? That was Ether? But my mana interrupted it. I thought mana cannot interfere with ether.”

“Normally, yes. Yet, did not I say, I am a mixture of both mana and ether. Under certain circumstances it can be done. For you, like I said, your mana nature is just as weird as you are.”

Aaron nodded slowly ingesting the information.

Then he froze. “Wait, did you just call me weird?”

“Well anyway, let’s go back on topic.”

Aaron mumbled that they never were on topic. Lili either did not hear or chose to ignore it, she carried on.

“Well, let me explain why I brought you here to talk to. Xenolane, return home at once. Stop this foolish quest of yours.”

“A Foolish quest?” Aaron was alarmed. “Do you even know what it is?”

“I know quite well what it is, young child. I can observe the world from here. You must cease at once. It is not the right time for what you are unknowingly trying to achieve.”

“And why should I even listen to you?”

“Because, I am LILI. One of the greatest sages since ancient times. I have been assigned to watch and help those seeking justice in the world. Since the beginning, I have been observing your action and journey, young Xenolane. If there is one person in the world you should listen to, it would be me.”

“So, with your observation and judgment, you had then concluded my investigation was foolish?

“Yes, one of the highest stupidities. Return back to your parents.”

A pointless quest. The echoes of the fake mother surfaced in his mind as his calm composure dissolved into a boiling rage.

“If you have seen it all, then you should know how important this investigation is to the continent. To the kingdoms. To me.”

“You do not have to explain the importance to me. I know it quite well. It is not yet time for you to embark upon this path.”

“Why? Is it because you believe I’m too young?” Aaron could not control his tone of voice.

“No, I do not believe, child of Xenolane, I am simply an Artificial Intelligence. I have no opinion or personality. I only have orders that need to be carried out.”

“If that is so, then why have you been so sassy to me?”

“That is your imagination, young Xenolane.”

“Another point, why do you keep changing how you address me?"

“and what with all these questions?”

“Aren’t you an interface? isn’t it your job to answer?”

Lili clicked her tongue.

“See, isn’t that you being sassy?”

“Fine, I will answer your question. I keep changing it because there is no title registration under your mana nature. Thus I don't know what to use. For the reason why I need you to end your quest early, like I said, it is not time yet. All the factors are not ready. You need patience, young one. Though it may take many years, your time will come.”

“You are asking me to be patient, but you’re not being specific about what I need to be patient for? What are these orders you are speaking of? What is that I am unknowingly trying to achieve?”

“I cannot tell you this yet.”

“And I can’t make a decision on what I don’t know. All I know is I must find my brother or at the very least what he had previously discovered. For that, I cannot wait years.”

“I still cannot tell you. If I told you, your sense of right and wrong will not allow you to sit still?”

“My sense of right and wrong? If it is that serious, you need to tell me. Please, Lili.”

“I am sorry, Aaron. You must trust me. Return home.”

“I cannot.”

Lili shook her head. “Then I cannot allow you to continue your journey without taking action.”

She raised her arm pointing toward Aaron. Aaron sensed no mana but the unpleasant feeling he felt from the dead runes returned.

“Young Xenolane, you, who are so desperately trying to run down a path you should not be on. Will be banned from entering any of the space-time sorceress’s sanctuary.”

Aaron felt a chill as lines raced across his body turning black before fading away.

“With this you will not be able to find the answers you are looking for, I suggest returning home.”

“Wait, Lili? What did you just do?” Aaron's sight blurred as his conscience began fading.

“Goodbye, descendant of Mrs. Xenolane. I hope one day I will be able to meet you again”

“Hold on, I’m not done talking-”

Aaron bolt upright. The moon’s late-night light rained down on him. He had awoken outside in the forest in front of the ruined doorway. Without hesitating he jumped onto his feet and ran straight to the door. He almost tripped on the forest grass as he ran through it to the other side.

“Lili, come on.” He shouted. “I wasn’t done talking. Open the doorway.”

The wind howled through the trees.

“You didn't give me a full explanation. At the very least, tell me what magic you used?”

Only crickets responded back.

“Fine, I will find the answer myself.”

Aaron left the Sozopolis’s ruins with a bitter taste in his mouth. Vincent might have been right. No one with any authority would tell him any important truths. Even the mysterious sage in the mysterious ruins was hiding information from him. At this rate he felt like he was becoming an unknowing puppet. Aaron clenched his fist. He will not let that happen. With a stubborn determination he made this vow.

Chapter 1: The Lost Ruins, End.