The forest had finally grown quiet once more.
Only the distant calls of nocturnal beasts echoed beneath the moonlit canopy.
Draven gazed ahead.
"...Yeah."
"...Maybe I should."
Silence settled between them.
Aldric stared at him.
Then one eyebrow slowly rose.
"...Huh."
"I thought you were going to ask me."
A grin spread across his face.
"...Though I would've said no."
Draven didn't even glance in his direction.
"...Why would I do that?"
Aldric clicked his tongue.
"...Yeah."
"Mouthy piece of shit."
Draven ignored him completely.
He was already moving.
His hand rose to the black communication earring resting against his ear.
A thin strand of mana flowed into the enchantment.
The artifact activated.
A faint pulse echoed through his mind.
Moments later—
a familiar voice answered.
"My Lord."
It was Vaelith.
Draven spoke calmly.
"We've crossed into Eirundor."
A brief pause followed.
"Where are you?"
Silence lingered for only a moment.
Then Vaelith replied,
"...We're somewhere in the southern forests."
"But I don't know our exact location."
She paused again.
"I'll check with Pythia."
"I'll reconnect with you immediately."
Draven gave a single nod.
"Alright."
The connection faded.
The forest fell quiet once again.
Draven lowered his hand.
"...Pythia."
The name lingered in his thoughts.
*So that's her name...*
*The dark mage.*
Nearby—
Aldric folded his arms.
"...Huh."
"So?"
"Where are they?"
Draven answered simply.
"...Wait."
Aldric stared at him for several long seconds.
Then he let out a dramatic sigh.
"...That's your answer?"
"'Wait?'"
Draven nodded once.
"She doesn't know their exact location."
"She's checking."
Aldric rubbed his forehead.
"...Right."
"I forgot."
"They've been sitting on an airship in the middle of nowhere."
He looked around at the endless forest stretching in every direction.
"...Actually..."
"...that's pretty funny."
Draven remained expressionless.
Aldric barked out a laugh.
"We've spent days running across half the continent."
"They've spent those same days sitting in a flying house."
He pointed accusingly at Draven.
"And somehow..."
"...we're the ones asking *them* where they are."
Silence.
Even Draven had nothing to say to that.
Aldric chuckled to himself.
"...See?"
"Even you know that's ridiculous."
Draven simply leaned against the trunk of a nearby tree.
His crimson eyes drifted toward the sky above.
High overhead—
the moon continued its slow climb through the night.
Neither of them spoke again.
They simply waited—
for Vaelith's next call.
---
The forest rushed past beneath them.
Branches blurred together.
Leaves scattered in their wake.
Only the roar of rushing wind accompanied the two figures as they crossed the wilderness at incredible speed.
Then—
a familiar voice echoed inside Draven's mind.
*"My Lord."*
Vaelith.
Draven answered immediately.
*"Where?"*
There was a brief pause.
Then her calm voice returned.
*"We're southeast of your current position."*
*"Pythia has confirmed your location."*
*"Continue in your present direction."*
Another brief pause followed.
*"You should reach visual range in approximately three minutes."*
Draven gave a slight nod.
*"Understood."*
The connection faded.
Silence returned.
Without slowing—
he spoke.
"...Let's go."
He accelerated, disappearing deeper into the forest.
Aldric shot after him through the air.
"...So?"
"Where are they?"
Silence.
After several moments—
Draven finally answered.
"...Up."
The instant the word left his mouth—
he leaped.
**BOOM!!**
The tree beneath him exploded apart as he blasted through the canopy.
Leaves burst outward in every direction.
Moonlight flooded his vision.
Aldric followed immediately.
"What the hell kind of direction is—"
He soared above the treetops—
still complaining—
when Draven suddenly reached out and grabbed his arm.
Aldric frowned.
"...Would it kill you to explain things properly?"
He looked at Draven.
"I mean, seriously..."
"'Up?'"
"...Like hell that's an explanation."
"I don't know why you're acting like it's some big secret fro—"
His voice stopped.
Both of them stared ahead.
Far in the distance—
rising above the endless sea of green—
a massive silhouette slowly emerged beyond the forest canopy.
An airship.
Its immense dark hull gradually revealed itself against the night sky.
The enchanted engines glowed with a faint bluish light.
Thin streams of steam drifted lazily from the exhaust vents.
Even from this distance—
it resembled a floating fortress concealed above the wilderness.
Aldric blinked.
"...Oh."
Draven glanced at him.
"There doesn't seem to be much of a secret now, does there?"
Aldric immediately clicked his tongue.
"...Shut up."
His black wings spread even wider.
**BOOM!!**
He surged forward.
The air beneath him erupted as his speed exploded.
Draven followed alongside him without another word.
Together—
the two of them shot across the night sky toward the waiting airship.
With every passing second—
the distance between them and their companions grew shorter.
The long-awaited reunion was finally within reach.
The rear hatch remained lowered.
A sturdy ramp extended from the airship into the clearing below.
Cool night air drifted through the open entrance.
Lyriana stood waiting at the edge of the ramp.
Her silver hair swayed gently in the breeze.
As the two figures landed—
she bowed respectfully.
"Your Highness."
Draven gave a small nod.
Nothing more.
Aldric stepped forward with his usual grin.
"Hey, Lyria."
He spread his arms dramatically.
"How've you been?"
A mischievous smile stretched across his face.
"Miss me?"
The rear hatch finished closing with a heavy metallic sound.
**THUNK.**
Runes engraved along its edges flared briefly.
The locking mechanism clicked firmly into place.
The sounds of the forest outside faded almost completely.
Only the quiet hum of the airship's enchantments remained.
Lyriana calmly returned the lever to its original position.
Without even glancing at Aldric—
she answered,
"...Not really."
Aldric clutched his chest dramatically.
"...How cruel."
"What do you mean, 'not really'?"
"You don't miss your own big brother?"
"Don't be like that."
Lyriana finally looked at him.
Her expression remained as calm and composed as ever.
"...You've only been gone for a few days."
Aldric immediately pointed at her.
"See?"
"That's exactly the problem."
"No appreciation."
"I risked my life."
"I nearly died."
"I suffered greatly."
Lyriana blinked once.
"...Did you?"
Draven walked past them without slowing.
"...No."
Aldric immediately pointed at him instead.
"...Whose side are you on?"
Draven didn't even bother turning around.
"...Reality."
Lyriana gave a small nod.
"I agree."
Aldric looked back and forth between the two of them.
"...You know..."
"...both of you are terrible people."
Neither of them responded.
A brief silence followed.
Then—
Kaelira rounded the corner of the corridor.
She stopped the moment she caught sight of Draven.
Her wolf ears perked up instinctively.
"...You're back."
Her eyes immediately swept over him.
Dark circles lingered beneath his eyes.
She studied him for another moment before speaking again.
"...You look the same."
The corridor echoed softly with the steady hum of the airship's engines.
Draven continued walking without slowing.
His footsteps were quiet.
Measured.
Lyriana fell into step a short distance behind him.
She neither interrupted nor looked back.
Behind them—
Aldric glanced sideways at Kaelira.
"What exactly were you expecting?"
He spread one hand.
"Should he have come back missing his head?"
A brief pause.
"Or maybe with a complete makeover?"
He snorted.
"I don't even know why I bother talking to you."
Kaelira shrugged lazily.
"...Yeah."
"Neither do I."
A grin tugged at the corner of her lips.
"I'd actually be pretty happy if you didn't."
A vein twitched across Aldric's forehead.
He slowly turned toward her.
"I thought I already told you..."
"...to watch the way you talk to me."
His crimson eyes narrowed.
"Unless you want to die."
Kaelira blinked innocently.
"...Yeah."
"But you're the one who started talking."
She pointed at herself.
"I wasn't even speaking to you."
"I was talking to him."
She gestured toward Draven's retreating back.
"So if anyone interrupted someone..."
"...it was you."
Aldric's eye twitched even harder.
"...You little—"
By then—
Lyriana had already disappeared farther down the corridor after Draven.
Neither of them showed the slightest interest in the argument unfolding behind them.
Aldric clicked his tongue.
"...Just shut up whenever I'm around."
Kaelira smiled sweetly.
"I'm really sorry..."
She paused just long enough to sound completely sincere.
"...but that's not possible."
Silence.
Aldric muttered under his breath.
"...Annoying brat."
Kaelira folded her arms as she continued walking.
"...Yeah."
"So are you."
She lowered her voice even further.
"If I could..."
"...I'd shut you up first."
Aldric's ears twitched.
His head slowly turned.
"...Hmm?"
Kaelira instantly straightened.
Her smile became perfectly innocent.
She looked up at the ceiling as though it were suddenly the most fascinating thing in the world.
"...What?"
"I didn't say anything."
Aldric stared at her for several long seconds.
Kaelira gasped dramatically.
"You wound me."
"I would never lie."
"...You're doing it right now."
"I have no idea what you're talking about."
Aldric let out a long sigh.
"...One day."
"I'm definitely throwing you off this ship."
Kaelira smiled without missing a beat.
"Good luck with that."
She folded her arms behind her head.
"I have no intention of ever leaving my master's side."