The office grew quiet.
The black-haired man remained standing behind his desk.
His gaze lingered on the closed doors for several long moments.
Then he let out a quiet sigh.
"...It seems she won't speak clearly."
He rubbed the bridge of his nose.
"Oh well."
If Xiomara had chosen not to elaborate—
then pressing her further would accomplish nothing.
He returned to his chair.
Picking up the documents he had been reading.
Yet—
his thoughts no longer lingered on the reports before him.
Instead—
they drifted toward a single title.
*The Dark One.*
A child...
He slowly leaned back in his chair.
"...Just what kind of monster is he?"
---
Time passed.
Far to the northeast—
high above the mountain ranges separating Kharvos from the Kingdom of Eirundor—
an airship sailed steadily through the clouds.
Its enchanted engines hummed rhythmically as the golden afternoon sunlight reflected across its reinforced hull.
Inside the control deck—
the pilot sat calmly at the helm.
One hand rested upon the enchanted controls while the other adjusted the vessel's heading.
He glanced toward the glowing navigation array before speaking.
"We've crossed the border."
A small smile appeared on his face.
"We're now entering the Kingdom of Eirundor."
A few chairs away—
Kaelira lay sprawled lazily across her seat.
One wolf ear twitched.
Then the other.
Without even opening her eyes—
she smiled.
"...Finally."
She stretched lazily.
"Took you long enough."
Ryke didn't even glance at her.
"...Don't talk to me."
"You're annoying."
Kaelira cracked one eye open.
"And you think you're any better?"
She yawned.
"I could say the same."
She pointed vaguely toward the front window.
"You've been flying this ship like we're on a sightseeing tour."
Ryke's expression remained perfectly blank.
"I was avoiding storms."
"I was avoiding military patrols."
"And I was avoiding mountains."
A brief pause.
"Unlike someone here..."
"...I actually want us to arrive alive."
Kaelira clicked her tongue.
"...Details."
Ryke ignored her.
Near the rear of the control deck—
the cultist finally looked up from the artifact resting in her lap.
She spoke calmly.
"As My Lord instructed..."
"Now that we're inside Eirundor..."
"...find somewhere isolated enough to dock."
Ryke nodded.
"Yeah."
"I remember."
He studied the navigation array once more.
"There are plenty of forests throughout this kingdom."
"We'll find somewhere no one ever frequents."
The cultist gave a small nod.
"Good."
Her fingers resumed turning one of the artifact's rotating rings.
Click.
Click.
Click.
Outside—
the airship continued deeper into Eirundor.
Moments later—
it began descending slowly through the clouds.
Its enchanted engines gradually quieted.
Below—
a vast forest stretched as far as the eye could see.
No villages.
No roads.
No smoke rising from distant chimneys.
Only an endless sea of trees.
Exactly the kind of place Draven had ordered them to find.
The airship continued its slow descent.
Branches swayed beneath the pressure of the descending vessel.
Leaves scattered into the air.
Finally—
**THUD.**
The airship settled gently within a wide clearing hidden deep inside the forest.
Its engines slowly powered down.
Silence returned.
---
Inside one of the cabins—
Nia sat upon the bed.
Lucifer rested comfortably in her arms, quietly drinking from a bottle.
Beside her—
Elenya lay peacefully in Vaelith's arms, equally content.
The room was calm.
Peaceful.
Vaelith glanced toward the window.
"...It seems we've arrived."
Nia smiled softly.
Her eyes never left Lucifer.
"We made it..."
Lucifer continued drinking without the slightest concern.
His tiny hand instinctively wrapped around one of Nia's fingers.
She couldn't help but smile.
A gentle knock interrupted the silence.
Knock.
Knock.
"Lady Vaelith."
The cabin door slid open.
Standing outside—
the cultist bowed respectfully.
"My Lady."
"We've arrived within the Kingdom of Eirundor."
Vaelith gave a small nod.
"I've already spoken with My Lord."
"I informed him of our arrival."
The cultist blinked once.
"...I see."
She nodded respectfully.
"Then I'll take my leave."
Vaelith inclined her head.
The cultist stepped away.
The door slid shut once more.
The peaceful silence returned.
---
Far away—
across the rugged wilderness of Kharvos—
a rocky plain lay littered with corpses.
Hell goblins.
Dozens of them.
Broken weapons and shattered bodies covered the ground.
At the center—
Draven stood quietly.
Several crimson magic crystals rested in his bloodstained hand.
His communication with Vaelith had already ended.
Without hesitation—
he raised the crystals to his mouth.
**CRUNCH.**
They shattered between his teeth.
Then he swallowed them whole.
Violent mana erupted throughout his body.
Veins bulged beneath his skin.
Blood immediately trickled from the corners of his mouth.
His muscles trembled violently.
The folding mass deep within him spun at a terrifying speed.
The raw mana was seized.
Compressed.
Folded.
Layer upon layer.
Pain tore through every part of his body.
His expression never changed.
The blue slime immediately flowed across his face.
Quickly wiping away the fresh blood before it could stain his clothes.
Above him—
Aldric hovered lazily in the air.
He watched the familiar scene unfold before letting out a chuckle.
"...That thing's getting pretty good at its job."
The slime wobbled proudly before climbing back onto the top of Draven's head.
Draven simply stood there.
Dark circles rested beneath his eyes.
Weeks without proper rest had left their mark.
Even so—
his crimson gaze remained unwavering.
Aldric folded his arms.
"So."
"They've already reached Eirundor."
Draven nodded once.
"Yeah."
Aldric glanced toward the distant eastern horizon.
"Now we just need to meet up with them."
A brief pause.
He looked back at Draven.
"...Though that isn't happening anytime soon."
A grin spread across his face.
"Because thanks to someone..."
"...we're nowhere near them."
Draven ignored the remark.
He slowly closed his eyes.
Thin strands of mana spread throughout his body.
Every muscle.
Every tendon.
Every bone.
The enhancement settled evenly across his entire frame.
Inside—
he measured the reserves within the folding mass.
*Twenty-one percent.*
After consuming countless magic crystals—
it was finally enough.
For now.
His eyes slowly opened.
"We won't be stopping anymore."
"We need to get there as quickly as possible."
Aldric's grin widened.
"Good."
He cracked his neck.
"You'd better not slow down."
He pointed accusingly at Draven.
"Or even stop for more magic crystals."
Draven looked ahead.
"I'm not planning to."
The next instant—
he vanished.
The rocky ground exploded beneath his feet.
A silent blur shot across the landscape.
So fast that not even the surrounding grass had time to bend.
Aldric blinked.
Then laughed.
"That's more like it."
His black wings spread wide.
**BOOOOM!!**
Crimson mana erupted around him.
He shot into the sky—
a streak of crimson racing after the lone figure speeding across the earth below.
One through the heavens.
One across the land.
Both heading toward the same destination.
Toward the hidden airship.
Toward the deep forests of Eirundor.
And toward whatever awaited them next.