Quote Originally Posted by Yrusama View Post
Lololink, that idea disturbs me...

It could be that we're simply taking the crystals back after Atomos creates them from stolen Aether. That doesn't explain why those camps are free, though.
I think they're free because they have SO much aether at them (the aetherytes are clearly 'over-aspected') that we can be drawn there so easily that it costs none of our own aether.