Thylaris — Outside the Auralith Factory
"So," Kaidon said, his confident grin remaining in place. "Who are you?"
"Lazard. This is Jin Sakai. We came here looking for Auralith."
Kaidon glanced at the material they carried.
"And you took it from our home."
"We didn't know anyone lived here," Lazard explained. "We only need enough to make a sword."
Lyra studied them cautiously. Crimson wisps moved faintly around her fingers before fading.
"We don't want trouble," she said. "But this factory is where we live. We can't have strangers taking things without knowing why."
"Understandable," Lazard replied. "We won't take anything else."
Kaidon considered him before shrugging.
"Fine. You seem reasonable enough. Come on, we can talk somewhere more comfortable than a pile of ruins."
Jin kept his hand near his sword as they followed.
The route wound along the factory's outer wall, past corroded supports and broken metal walkways. Beyond the ruins, enormous fragments of ancient buildings floated beneath Thylaris's dark-blue clouds. Silver lights moved behind the clouds, illuminating patches of blue vegetation growing between the rocks.
Kaidon navigated confidently, while Lyra warned the others about unstable sections of the path.
"You know this place well," Lazard observed.
"We've had plenty of time to learn," Lyra answered.
Eventually, they reached a narrow doorway in the factory's upper level. Kaidon tried the old control panel, but nothing happened. Lyra simply pushed the door open.
"I was testing it," Kaidon said.
"Of course."
Their Home
The maintenance room beyond had been turned into a modest living space. Two sleeping areas sat against opposite walls, covered with old blankets and salvaged fabric. A metal panel supported by mismatched legs served as a table, while water containers, preserved food, and a makeshift cooking unit occupied one corner.
Tools and dismantled machinery covered the shelves. On one wall, Lyra had drawn maps of the surrounding ruins, marking water sources, dangerous passages, and routes they had already explored.
Everything was worn, but carefully organized.
"Make yourselves comfortable," Kaidon said, settling into an old industrial chair.
"Does it hold?" Jin asked.
"Usually."
"Usually?"
"It only collapsed twice this month."
"Three times," Lyra corrected.
Jin decided to remain standing for a moment longer.
As they ate a small portion of the food Lyra offered, Lazard asked how they managed to survive.
"We gather edible plants, hunt smaller creatures, and collect water wherever we find a reliable source," Lyra explained. "We repair what we can and make our supplies last."
Lazard noticed how little food remained.
"You've been doing this for a long time."
"Our entire lives," Kaidon replied.
Jin looked at them.
"You were born in Thylaris?"
"Both of us," Lyra answered.
"And you've never left?"
Kaidon's grin faded slightly.
"We've tried. More times than we can count."
He leaned back in his chair.
"We know the ruins, the dangerous routes, and the creatures that inhabit this place. We've explored for years, looking for a way out."
"But every attempt has failed," Lyra continued. "We still haven't found a reliable way to leave this dimension."
For a moment, nobody spoke.
The old ventilation system rattled behind the walls. Beyond the small window, the same dark clouds and floating ruins remained in view.
Jin glanced at the maps.
"Knowing a place doesn't mean knowing how to escape it."
"No," Lyra said quietly. "It doesn't."
Kaidon looked toward the window, his usual theatrical confidence giving way to a tired expression.
"We keep trying anyway."
Lazard understood more than he had before. They weren't helpless, and they weren't unfamiliar with their surroundings. They had simply spent years searching for a way forward without finding one.
"If you discover a functioning transport system," he offered, "I may be able to help examine it. I have experience repairing unfamiliar technology."
Lyra studied him.
"You can't promise you'll find a solution."
"No. But I can try."
"That's enough for now," she replied.
Kaidon nodded.
"An honest answer. I like that."
Jin glanced at him.
"You seem to like people rather quickly."
"Only the interesting ones."
"Questionable judgment."
Kaidon laughed, and Lyra shook her head.
It was a small exchange, but the tension between them had eased. They still didn't know whether they could trust their visitors completely, yet they had found a reason to cooperate.
A Safer Route
After finishing their meal, Lazard secured the Auralith.
"We should return to our craft."
"We'll guide you," Lyra offered. "There are safer routes than the one you took to reach the factory."
The four left the maintenance room and crossed the ruins. Kaidon led them between broken walls, pointing out unstable ground, while Lyra watched for hazards along the way.
Their familiarity with Thylaris was obvious. They knew where to step and which structures to avoid, though they never treated the journey casually.
Eventually, they reached the ancient platform where Lazard and Jin had left their craft.
"Thank you for guiding us back," Lazard said.
"Don't mention it," Kaidon replied, adjusting his orange-tinted sunglasses. "And if you learn anything that might help us leave this place, you know where to find us."
"I'll keep that in mind."
Lyra nodded to them before turning back toward the ruins with Kaidon.
The four had met as strangers, but they parted with a practical agreement: Lazard and Jin would continue their journey, while Kaidon and Lyra would remain open to cooperating with them.
As the two locals disappeared among the ancient structures, Jin watched them for a moment.
"They know this dimension better than anyone we've met."
"And still haven't found a way out," Lazard replied.
Jin looked up at the silver lights moving behind the clouds.
"Knowing a prison doesn't make it less of a prison."
Lazard said nothing. He secured the Auralith aboard the craft, and soon they were preparing to return to Downstream.
For Kaidon and Lyra, the ruins would still be waiting when they returned home. Their supplies would need replenishing, their repairs would remain unfinished, and Thylaris would offer no promise of escape.
But now they had met two people who might eventually help them change that.
For the moment, that possibility was enough
To be continue.