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Tornado flew Aero back to the palace. On the ground he could see darkness swirling indicating all of the dark ethereal were returning just as the beast had said. Tornado flew though one of the windows and landed allowing himself to sink down against the wall. He sat there holding Aero close. “Damn it.” He could feel his emotions building up inside of him. Anger, fear, sadness all combined in hatred for the dark realm and its lord. “This wasn’t supposed to happen.”

Aero woke up in his arms and looked up at his face. He noticed and looked away trying to hide his pain.

“What happened?” Aero asked with fear. He didn’t answer. “Please, tell me what happened.” He stayed silent. Tears fell from Aero’s eyes and she buried her face in his chest. “I’m so sorry. Something happened because of me, didn’t it? I tried to obey you but the dark ethereal got into the palace. I tried to hide, really, I did!”
“Aero.” He stopped her turning to face her. “You didn’t do anything wrong. They were using you as bait. The dark ethereal wanted to get me to go with them to the dark realm. I was the reason they attacked.”

“Bait . . . then that means!” Aero exclaimed sadly. “You aren’t going, are you?”

“I am.” He answered.

“But you hate the dark realm.” Aero cried.

“He was going to kill you.” Tornado told her. “I wasn’t going to let him do that. You remember what I told you when I first met you don’t you?” She nodded. Tornado added. “If I don’t go they will keep coming after you. I’m not going to let them hurt you.”

“When will I ever see you again?” Aero asked sadly.

“Probably not for a long time.” He answered looking at the ceiling.

Aero rested her head against his chest. “How long until you leave?”

“Two days.” He told her. “Will you come see me off?”

“Yes.” She answered feeling tears roll down her cheeks.

“Aero! Tornado!” They heard Rook calling for them as he flew over the forest.
“They’re looking for us.” Tornado pointed out rather disappointedly as Aero got off his lap. “Rook!” Tornado shouted to him as he stood. “Over here!”

Flora ran towards Tornado’s voice. “You’re okay.” She said thankfully seeing them. “Aero, what’s wrong. It looks like you’ve been crying.”

Rook landed inside. “What happened?”

Tornado sighed. “I’ll tell you but let’s not talk here.”

They sat in the parlor as Tornado finished explaining. “I only have two days left here.”

“Are you really going?” Rook asked seriously.

“Yes. After all if I don’t the dark ethereal will go after Aero again.” Tornado answered. “Where will you all go?”

“I’ll take Flora and Aero to the capitol.” Rook told him.

“Will they let Aero stay there?” Tornado questioned protectively.

“I don’t see why not.” Rook told him. “She’s like an ally.”

“But she’s the princess of the light realm.” Tornado informed them.

“They don’t have to know that.” Aero offered smiling to herself. “I can pretend I’m just a normal light ethereal.”

“That would work.” Rook agreed.

“You’ll have to be careful.” Tornado told Aero worriedly.

“I’ll try.” She answered reassuringly.

Tornado wandered through the halls trying to gather his thoughts. He felt like something didn’t add up. His mind kept wandering back to his memories of the light realm. He saw the younger version of himself falling through the dark sky of the dark realm. Then the younger Aero fell as the sky changed to blue. She then spread her white wings.

“Wait.” Tornado stopped walking, “Aero has brown wings.”

Rook was sitting on a ledge reading. He looked up from his book and noticed Tornado down the hall staring off into space with a puzzled look on his face.
“What’s wrong?” Rook called to him.

Tornado came back into focus and considered not answering. He was annoyed with always having to ask Rook for answers. Curiosity overtook him so he asked. “Rook, do you know anything about the light realm?”

“I’ve read up on it.” Rook answered marking the place in his book.

“Aero is a light ethereal. In my memories her wings were white but now they’re brown.” Tornado told Rook.

“Are you questioning if they’re the same person?” Rook asked.

“No.” Tornado answered defiantly. “I know they are both Aero it’s just, well, I feel like it’s my fault.”

“She’s the princess of the light realm so she is sensitive to the amounts of light around her.” Rook explained. “The darkness around her probably tinted her wings. After a while in the light realm they will likely turn white again.”

Tornado nodded but thought to himself. “So it is my fault after all.” He sighed, going back into his thoughts as he continued wandering. “I wonder if she blames me.”

As Tornado walked back to his room for the night he met Flora.

“Goodnight.” Tornado spoke as they passed.

“Goodnight.” Flora answered but suddenly added. “Wait, Tornado.”

“Hmm?” He asked stopping and turning to face her.

“Do you think the dark lord will let you see Aero again?” She asked facing him.

“I don’t know.” Tornado told her sadly.

Flora informed him. “You mean a lot to her. Probably more than she even realizes.”

He gave Flora a concerned look. “I don’t know what I can do. I’ll try to find a way but I’m not sure if I can ever see her again.”

Flora looked down at the ground sadly.

“I’m sorry.” He told her.

“I just wish you both didn’t have to get separated again.” She told him.

“Thank you.” Tornado said suddenly.

She asked confused. “What for?”

“For feeling that way.” He explained. “It means someone’s on our side.”

“Yeah.” Flora said with a smile. “Aero is happy when she is with you. Why would I want to take that away.”

That night the sound of sobbing filled Aero and Tornado’s room. Tornado walked past the curtain and looked over to see Aero with her head buried in her pillow. Aero noticed him looking at her and quickly dried her face. “I’m s-sorry.” She apologized trying to steady her voice. “I w-woke you u-up.”

“It’s okay.” He told her.

“I-I’ve been trying ha-hard to not cry.” Aero explained.

“I don’t mind if you cry.” Tornado told her as he walked over to her bed. “But it hurts more to cry if you’re alone, doesn’t it.”

Her tears came back as she sobbed. Aero hugged him around the neck as she rested her head against his shoulder.

Tornado held her close and whispered. “You don’t have to hide your tears from me.”

“Thank you.” She said as she sat down. She moved over making room for him to sit beside her.

He sat leaning back against the headboard.

“Tornado.” Aero rested her head against his chest. “Do you feel like crying?”

“Not right now.” He told her. “But I usually hide my feelings from people. Kind of like what you were doing.”

“Do you hide them from me?” Aero questioned.

“It’s hard to hide them from you.” He explained. “It feels like you can see through my false emotions.”

“Is that bad?” Aero asked worriedly.

“No.” Tornado answered. “It’s nice.”

Aero felt relieved. She didn’t want to hurt Tornado in anyway. She felt a sudden ache in her chest.

Tornado felt a tug on his shirt and looked down to see Aero crying.

“What’s wrong?” He asked.

“I don’t want you to leave.” She explained. “I want you to stay with me.”

Tornado felt his face flush. He thought to himself as he hugged her. “I want to stay with you, too, but I can’t. This was the only way to keep you safe.”

“Are you scared?” Aero asked.

“Scared? Of what?”

“Of going there. To the dark realm.” She explained.

He thought for a moment. “Scared, no, not so much. I just wonder what it’s like there. When I think of the dark realm I think of that dark hole we fell through.” From his voice it was possible to tell that the memories were painful to remember. “The darkness that was so thick it felt like a dry fog. Was that the sky?

“Then there’s the dark lord. What is he like? What does he look like? Why does he want me to be in the dark realm? I feel like I’ll be getting a lot of questions answered there.”

“So you’re looking forward to going?” Aero asked trying to sound happy for him.

“Not really.” Tornado answered. “I don’t want to leave this place. It feels like I’m leaving home but I know I have to go.”

“Because of me.” Aero added looking at him sadly.

Tornado pushed Aero’s hair behind her ear. “I don’t blame you for anything. I’m just glad I was able to keep my promise to protect you.”

Tears welled up in Aero’s eyes. “Tell me we’ll see each other again.” She begged as she hugged him.

“Aero.” He sighed. “I don’t know if we will.”