We were hundreds of feet in the air, shooting eastward toward the Northeast hemisphere of the planet, when I suddenly received an update from Michael.

  "Alright," I said, glad to have finally heard from him. He didn't share much of what he was up to, but he assured me that we'd been cleared of suspicion and was asked to keep an eye out for anything that could indicate the Klevonian Army being behind the kidnappings. For the time being, I asked him to stay there to continue representing us while I was out.

  Continuing our flight, we made our way to the poleward ravine that stretched down the planet's center.

  "Wow, up close, it's insane how wide it really is," I whistled as we hovered high in the sky. Considering how thick the atmosphere was with astral-e, someone's power extending across the entire planet was unbelievable. "To think a zasshu is capable of this..."

  I gazed further east and wondered what kind of person they were.

  The zasshu who created this ravine is not the one who currently resides there, Viraa reminded me.

  "Think this Aeric guy could have anything to do with Cinder's problems?" Za'Fia asked, catching me looking off.

  "The merchant earlier mentioned he resided in the northeast, along with the battle site we're already heading toward. Perhaps we can learn more by finding him while we're in the area," Avarice suggested.

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  "No reason not to explore a little more while we're there," I shrugged. "Any info would help."

  With our next destination decided, we flew farther into the Northeastern Hemisphere until we came across the continental-sized crater we had seen on the map. Even the live map back in Pneuma City couldn't capture the grandness of the crater. It had to be at least half the size of the USA. And the residual energy from the battle that took place...even after all this time, it was so strong that none of us could approach it. My skin tingled just from the electrified air in the atmosphere above it. The energy it emitted was so intense that the ground remained scorched, preventing any greenery from flourishing around it.

  "I once vied for the power that Viraa possessed...," Avarice exhaled, locked in with the phenomena below us. "But this...this is the power befitting me...a divine emanation to crush anyone here."

  "You only sense the power, and it's already corrupting you. I'd hate to see you actually carrying it," Za'Fia looked at him, disturbed.

  Avarice looked up at her with a steady, intense glare.

  "Power doesn't corrupt. It simply reveals one's true nature...," he turned his attention back to the bursts of energy below. "And I've always been the one best suited to wield it."

  "Hey," I waved my hand in front of his face. "You look like you're thinking about jumping in. Do you really think you can absorb any of that?"

  "Don't be ridiculous," he answered, drawing back. "I'm well aware that I'd die if I tried to absorb power that dense. Then I'd be stuck in there forever, unable to reform."

  "Right," I eyed him skeptically as he motioned for me to continue onward.

  "Well? Don't we have a zasshu to greet?"

  Za'Fia squinted at him dubiously.

  "If you fall in, we aren't helping you out," she declared, slowly hovering forward with me.