----Page 26----
Night pressed down over the ancient forest like a vast and heavy shroud.
The air was cool enough to sting the lungs, yet the fire before us flickered with a steady warmth, glowing orange and gold as though trying to hold back the darkness surrounding our small encampment.
Every crackle sent sparks drifting upward, vanishing into the black canopy above. The soldiers of Seldene, still shaken from earlier battles, kept to their tents or huddled in small circles, whispering quietly so as not to disturb the solemn stillness of the night.
But quiet or not, nothing could hush my mind.
It refused to slow. It refused to rest. It refused to forget.
Everything that happened in the past few days rushed through me like a storm that refused to pass.
The chaos of the Khel Mines, the agony of Mog as his corrupted form twisted and screamed, the glimmer of hope when Merith healed Princess Viela.
The Averians descending like legends of old. The trolls driven mad. The burned villages. The eerie miasma spreading through abandoned fields.
And always, always, always, the looming echo of the Tyrant's Hand.
So many fires. So many wounds. So many whispers of doom.
And somehow I had found myself in the center of it all.
I drew a long, deep breath, watching the smoke drift upward in a curling trail.
"Master. You are thinking too loudly again."
Tauren, the small flame spirit hovering beside me, his horns glow as the firecamp flame pulsed with a soft glowing light.
"How can I not think?" I whispered.
"Every time things calm down, something else rises. The Codex keeps stirring. It is like the whole world refuses to sleep."
Tauren tilted his floating red flame like head along with the small ember on the tip of it's tail.
"Then maybe you should stop thinking. That is what I do."
Lysera approached at that exact moment, her light silver hair reflecting the fire's glow.
Then she sat beside me on a wooden log without a word, simply observing me with her calm, sharp eyes.
"Master," she said gently.
"You are unusually quiet tonight."
I gave her a soft laugh, though it had no joy in it.
"Maybe because everything feels… so unreal"
Lysera looked at me more closely.
"Something else burdens you. I can see it in your eyes."
The fire popped, sending small sparks into the air.
I hesitated, then asked quietly.
"Lysera… do you remember the slaves who were with me when I accidentally summoned you for the first time?
The two human siblings… and the elven girl?"
Lysera blinked slowly.
"Yes. I remember them. You mentioned their names before. They were, Klen… Siris… and Lira. Why?"
"I don't know…"
My voice softened, almost shrinking.
"I'm just wondering… where they are now? How are they? And what are they doing?" I whispered aloud, though I didn't really expect an answer.
Lysera's eyes softened as she looked at me.
"Well… if they managed to get away from the forest and reached a village nearby… they should be fine," she said.
Her words offered little comfort, yet enough to cling to. I imagined them surviving, just barely, in some quiet village tucked away from the chaos.
Klen puffing out his chest, as always, trying to act brave. Siris grumbling at him, unable to hide a small smile.
And Lira… Lira probably reading some tattered book, completely absorbed as if the world outside didn't exist.
Back in the slave camp, if I had not met them, if they had not helped me, I do not think I would still be alive. I do not think I would have survived long enough to summon the Pages.
And.. I owe them for that.
Tauren scratched one of his horns.
"So you were sort of a little weakling back then, Master?"
Lysera's expression instantly sharpened. She grabbed both of Tauren's horns.
"Oy," she said dangerously.
"What exactly are you implying about Master Kinon?"
Tauren flailed, wings fluttering.
"I was not insulting, Master! I was just… asking! Damn… Lysera, let go of my horns!"
Tauren squeaked, twisting frantically.
"Then… apologize to Master this instant!"
Lysera commanded, her voice sharp and unwavering. Her grip on Tauren's horns was firm, unyielding, as if she could pin him with sheer will alone.
I pinched the bridge of my nose, exhaling softly.
Why do I always end up in the middle of this chaos? I thought. My cheeks burned slightly, not from anger, but from the absurdity of it all.
Tauren wriggled again, letting out a small squeak.
"I… I didn't mean to… I wasn't insulting…"
Lysera's eyes narrowed.
"Words have weight, Tauren. Even when you think you're 'just asking,' they can hurt."
I cleared my throat, trying to mediate before this escalated into some ridiculous duel over my honor.
"Both of you… it's fine. Really. No need to fight over me."
Tauren froze mid-struggle, eyes wide, and let out a squeaky sigh of relief. Lysera released him, though she kept a sharp glare aimed his way.
I smiled faintly, rubbing my temple.
Maybe someday I'll get used to having these two around… or maybe not.
"It is true," I admitted quietly.
"I really was weak then."
Lysera's eyes softened. Tauren's flame dimmed slightly. And suddenly, without warning, the corners of my eyes stung.
A tear slid down my cheek. Then another.
Lysera's eyes widened. Tauren gasped so loudly even the soldiers from the nearby tents peeked out.
"MASTER. YOUR CRYING, WHAT HAPPENED?"
Lysera asked, her voice worriedly shakes.
I blinked rapidly.
"Am… am I crying?"
The tears kept falling, warm and uncontrollable, slipping down my face like a dam had cracked inside me. My breath hitched sharply.
Then, like a door swinging open inside my mind, the memories flooded in.
°°°°
Not my own.
Klen's proud grin as he boasted about becoming a knight someday. Siris snickering and elbowing him, saying he would not last a day in armor.
Lira sitting cross-legged in the dirt, telling stories of the grand Elven libraries she dreamed of seeing.
Their voices. Their laughter. Their hope.
And then… the fear in their eyes as we faced the guards. The way they shielded me.
The way we clung to each other for warmth, comfort, and survival.
Why now? Why did these memories return so suddenly?
Perhaps the Codex had stirred them. Perhaps being surrounded by friends, by warmth, by hope reminded my heart of a time when I had none.
Or perhaps the world was finally quiet enough for these memories to reach me again.
Lysera knelt in front of me, her fierce, warrior-like expression melting into pure concern.
"Master…" she whispered.
"If you needed someone to talk with, you can always talk to us?"
Tauren flew small circles around me.
"If something stabbed you, I am burning everything in this forest!"
I shook my head and wiped my face, but the tears kept coming.
"I… I do not know why I am crying." I whispered, the words unsteady.
"I just remembered them… the slaves I met. The first people who treated me like I was human. The first people who helped me even when they had nothing."
Lysera's lips trembled very slightly. Tauren stopped moving. Even Princess Verline, who had been quietly observing from a distance, lowered her head with sympathy.
"I left them on their own" I choked out.
Lysera placed her hand over mine gently.
"Master… surviving is not a sin. The most important thing was all of you lives. Yes you've parted ways with part them but the memories of you inside them will lives along with them."
Tauren sighed.
"Yeah. Lysera was right Master. Also I am sorry for earlier. I talk stupid sometimes."
Despite myself, a small tearful laugh escaped my throat.
°°°°
And then...
Princess Verline stepped closer.
"You know what, Kinon… sometimes memories return because we are finally strong enough to face them."
The fire crackled softly.
My tears slowed.
My breathing steadied.
For the first time since arriving in this world… I let myself grieve.
For what was lost.
For what remained.
For what my heart refused to forget.
°°°°
Then the wind shifted.
Not just any breeze.
A strong, deliberate wind that carried a strange, metallic tang.
The fire flickered sharply.
Leaves rustled.
Branches trembled.
The soldiers stood up in alarm.
A single golden feather drifted down.
Then another.
Then a third.
Princess Verline stiffened, her voice trembling.
"This… this can only mean…"
The shadows above parted.
Three figures descended gracefully from the sky, their wings shining in the fire's glow like massive lanterns of gold.
Prince Raga.
And two Averian elites.
°°°°
The soldiers gasped in unison.
"Featherfolk…"
"Is this real…?"
Lysera instinctively moved closer to me, hand resting on her blade. Tauren hovered near my shoulder.
Prince Raga touched down lightly, his golden wings folding behind him. His blonde hair shone like sunlight even in the darkness.
His golden armor gleamed with runic patterns. His spear radiated a faint glow. His red hawk-like eyes scanned the camp, missing nothing.
"We saw your fire," Raga said calmly.
"We came to ensure your safety before returning to our kingdom. Consider this a courtesy from the Averian royal line."
Princess Verline bowed so low her forehead nearly touched the ground.
The soldiers quickly bowed behind her.
Raga nodded politely but kept his gaze on me.
"You carry heavy thoughts tonight, Kinon.
Also, If I may ask who are these people?"
"Ah.. right this is Lady Verline of Seldene Empire." I explained.
It's been an honor to that we actually witnessed A featherfolk in the flesh.
I looked up at him.
"And you crossed the sky because of them?"
Raga gave a faint, almost amused smile.
"We do not ignore the ones who healed our princess."
He produced a golden feather, glowing softly, and placed it in my hand.
"Burn this. No matter where you are or how far you travel, we will come. That is a promise."
The entire camp inhaled collectively.
A feather from an Averian prince.
A vow of protection.
Empires would wage wars for such a gift.
Before I could speak, Raga handed me a tightly rolled parchment.
"A report," he said. "From Nivara."
I unrolled it and began reading.
The guild in Thalorein had revived, now bustling with adventurers.
Tales of our victory over Tauranus spread quickly.
The miner disappearances were confirmed to be caused by the Tyrant's Hand.
An urgent quest appeared at the Eastern Plains of Demerus.
Nivara requested permission to investigate.
She could not contact me due to telepathic range limits. And lastly… Seraphine had vanished.
Leaving only a note…
"Thank you for everything. I will look for Kael myself."
My hands tightened around the parchment.
Raga watched quietly.
"Shall I carry a reply?"
I nodded.
"Tell Nivara she has my full permission. And… thank you."
Raga touched his chest.
"It will be done."
°°°°
Nearby, Kraust groaned awake, rubbing his neck. "Damn… I feel like I got hit by ten trolls."
Rubal sat up too, coughing. "More like twenty. What did we miss?"
I walked toward them. "How do you feel?"
"A bit dead," Kraust said.
"But alive. That counts."
I nodded.
"I never asked… who are you really? What will you do now?"
Rubal exchanged a look with Kraust, then cleared his throat.
"We are mercenary adventurers from Nemeria," he said.
"Officially we are called Guild Cleaners."
Kraust explained further.
"If a party fails a quest, we complete it. All legal. No stealing quests. No trouble. It is honest work."
Rubal's expression darkened slightly.
"And we do it not just for money. My village was destroyed by monsters years ago. And all I did was stand there while all of it happened in front of my eyes.. I.. I'm so powerless. And then I met Kraust. He teaches me how to fight then I registered myself as an adventurer.. just the two of us."
Kraust nodded.
Princess Verline stepped closer.
"How about you Sir, Kraust what's your story?" The princes of Seldene Empire asks.
"Same reason as what Rubal said before. Im adventurer for a very long time. I had a daughter and wife. A family I held dear but sadly they were both being killed by one of the monster's stampede back on my village. So I decided to hunt monsters down."
"Very well, I understand everyone has their own goals and motivations to fight."
Princess Verline said.
"Then what about the things that happened with Agrath… was a grave injustice." She added.
Rubal winced.
"We did not burn the village. We were trying to investigate. Agrath accused us without proof. We could not fight back. Raising a weapon against a soldier is tantamount to suicide."
Verline bowed deeply.
"Then I apologize on behalf of my kingdom."
Both men froze.
"M-Milady, please…" Rubal stuttered.
"You must come with us to the capital," Verline insisted.
"My father will hear this. You deserve justice."
Rubal opened his mouth to refuse, but Kraust gripped his shoulder.
"She is insisting," he whispered.
Rubal sighed.
"Very well. We will come."
Verline smiled with relief.
°°°°
Raga prepared to depart.
"Until our paths cross again, Kinon." he said.
"And they will." He added
He spread his wings. The two warriors behind him did the same. The campfire reflected off their feathers like liquid gold.
Then, with a powerful sweep of their wings, they ascended into the sky and vanished among the clouds.
The soldiers exhaled as if waking from a dream.
Princess Verline looked at me with new resolve.
"Lord Kinon… you continue to astonish me."
"No.. Lady Verline please don't call me that.. I-Im just an ordinary kid. I'm not special or anything."
I said. As I, stared into the fire, feeling the warmth soak into my skin.
Tomorrow, we would march toward the Seldene Empire. Toward the capital. Toward secrets yet uncovered. Toward dangers waiting on the horizon.
But tonight…
Tonight the fire was warm.
Tonight the wind was gentle.
Tonight the world was quiet enough for the past to breathe.
The Codex at my side throbbed faintly, as if sensing the shifting fate around us.
Somewhere in the distance, the Tyrant's Hand moved unseen.
And I knew…
This calm would not last.
But for now
I allowed myself to rest.
For tomorrow
the real journey would begin.