A few weeks had passed since the destruction of the town, yet the weight of everything still clung to Liora like a mark burned into her chest. Nights passed, days moved forward, but her mind refused to let go of the truth that had been revealed to her.
Her parents' truth.
Her own fate.
Her identity.
Even before she arrived in this new land, her mother and father had tried—truly tried—to convince her to stay with them. They had lied to her almost her entire life, yes, but the lie wasn't one born from selfishness. It was born from fear… fear of the world, fear of the dangers, fear of what she was destined to become.
But Liora knew reality better than they did.
She was a beacon.
A light so bright that every powerful race, beast, and ancient being could sense her existence in the world. Staying at home would not protect her parents—it would doom them. If something came for her, something strong enough to bypass her parents' power, she didn't want to imagine the outcome.
Leaving wasn't cowardice.
It was her way of keeping them alive.
And besides… Kaelith's subtle fear of her mother, though he never said it aloud, did not go unnoticed. The way he tensed when her mother spoke. The way he avoided eye contact. The way he always, always took her warnings seriously.
Deep down, it almost made her laugh.
Almost.
The road to Crowden was rough—dense forests, broken paths, abandoned farmlands, and lingering traces of magical residue from the past attacks. But when the tall stone archway came into view, carved with ancient runes and glowing faintly under sunlight, Liora felt a strange sensation of stepping into history.
CROWDEN — HOME OF ALDRIC CROWDEN, THE WORLD'S FIRST GREAT MAGE.
The air seemed thicker here.
Heavier.
Filled with the weight of old legends.
Crowden had been rebuilt many times over the centuries. The architecture was a mix of old magic-infused stones and newer wooden structures, patched and repatched by townsfolk after every generation's disasters. The streets bustled with merchants, guards, and citizens whispering about recent monster activity.
And somewhere at the center of it all resided Mayor Collins Crowden—descendant of the legendary Aldric.
Liora didn't linger long. She needed a place to stay before gathering information.
Inside the inn, warm lantern light illuminated wooden tables, travelers murmuring quietly over their meals. A soft melody played from a corner where a bard practiced for the evening crowd.
The young man at the counter stared at Liora a bit too long before snapping back into reality.
"H-hello, miss. How may I help you?"
Liora offered a small, polite smile. "A room for the night, please."
"O-of course!" He scrambled under the counter and handed her a silver key. "Second floor. Third door on the left."
She turned to leave but—
"W-wait!" the boy blurted. "Since you're new here… would it be alright if I showed you around later? If you need it!"
Liora blinked. She was new. And she didn't know the area. He seemed harmless enough.
"Alright," she said.
The boy brightened instantly but tried to hide it with an awkward cough and an equally awkward wave.
As she went up the stairs, Kaelith murmured in her mind:
'You attract fans without even trying.'
Liora sighed internally. 'I'm simply asking for a room.'
'He looked like his soul left his body for a moment.'
She rolled her eyes physically this time.
Inside the room, she let herself collapse onto the bed. Kaelith materialized beside her, arms crossed.
"So. What now?" she asked tiredly.
"What do you mean, what now?" Kaelith replied. "You attract monsters everywhere you go. Staying here won't be possible for long."
"After we gather information," she mumbled, eyelids already heavy, "we'll head to the capital… they'll know what to do with—"
She didn't finish.
She simply fell asleep mid-sentence.
Kaelith stared at her for a moment. Humans were truly strange—so fragile yet so stubborn. She had been pushing herself hard these past weeks, far harder than her body should allow.
She deserved to rest.
Unfortunately, the world didn't care.
Kaelith's eyes narrowed as he sensed movement—hundreds of footsteps pounding against the earth outside Crowden. Monsters. At least two hundred, maybe more.
He sighed quietly, glancing at Liora.
"Sleep. I'll handle it."
His body dissolved into shadows and swept out the window.
---
Mia — Elsewhere
Mia awoke to a pounding headache and the irritating reminder that she had slept through the entire confrontation between her father and that man.
Before she could stand fully, one of her father's protectors knelt in front of her.
"Well?" she asked coldly.
He bowed lower. "It failed, miss. He wasn't subdued."
Mia clenched her jaw. The potion she had placed in the drink was harmless to humans… but to non-humans, it was deadly. And yet he resisted it.
"He's stronger than I thought," she muttered.
"Miss… your father—"
"I know. I know." Her expression hardened. "Track them. But don't get close. If that creature senses you, you'll die before you blink."
"Yes, ma'am."
She stepped out of her room, entering a waiting carriage.
The protector wiped sweat from his forehead before disappearing into shadows. He feared Mia, yes—but he feared her father more.
---
Kaelith — In the Forest
The battle was over within minutes.
Two hundred beasts lay defeated, their bodies dissolving into dust. They were weak—mere distractions to someone like Kaelith—but their numbers were irritating.
"Her mother is terrifying…" he muttered at the memory of her warning from weeks ago. "Why do I always get caught in these situations?"
He vanished from the battlefield, reappearing inside Liora's room.
She was still asleep, a peaceful expression softening her features.
He sat on the floor near her bed, leaning against the wall. He didn't need sleep, but exhaustion wasn't always physical. Sometimes, silence was enough.
Before he realized it… his eyes drifted shut.
Minutes passed.
Hours slipped by.
Liora shifted in her sleep, rolling closer, her arm slipping down and wrapping around him unconsciously.
Kaelith froze instantly.
Her forehead brushed lightly against his shoulder. She breathed softly, unaware. He inhaled sharply, unsure how to move without waking her.
Very slowly, he attempted to shift—
Liora's eyes fluttered open.
Their faces were dangerously close.
Kaelith froze like a statue.
Liora stared at him.
Silent. Confused. Embarrassed. Then—
Her fist shot out.
The impact sent him tumbling across the floor.
"ARE YOU INSANE?!" she yelled, cheeks bright red. "Why were you sleeping next to me? On my bed?!"
Kaelith scrambled backward, shifting into a shadow to avoid her next strike.
"I WASN'T—YOU MOVED IN YOUR SLEEP!"
"Oh, sure!" she snapped, chasing the shadow. "So now it's my fault?!"
"You hugged ME!" his voice echoed from the walls.
"That doesn't mean you get to stay there!"
"You would've fallen off if I moved!"
"That's a horrible excuse!"
And so the chase began.
Shadows darted across the room. Liora lunged after them. Lamps nearly fell over. The noise was enough to make anyone in the inn question their life decisions.
"GET BACK HERE!"
"NO!"
"You're dead when I catch you!"
"WHY AM I ALWAYS THE VICTIM?!"
It lasted an hour.
Eventually, Liora collapsed face-down on the bed, out of breath and too tired to continue.
Kaelith reformed cautiously in the far corner.
They glared at each other in silence.
At last, Liora muttered, "…We're leaving for the capital tomorrow."
Kaelith nodded stiffly. "Agreed."
She turned away.
He exhaled quietly.
Neither mentioned the hug.
Neither mentioned how fast their hearts had raced.
Neither mentioned the silence that had felt strangely warm for a brief moment.
But both felt the shift.
A new weight in the air.
A new thread tying their paths together.
Weak at first… but real.
And beyond the walls of Crowden, something old stirred—something that had sensed Liora the moment she arrived.
Their journey was just beginning.