The guild hall buzzed like always.
Voices overlapped. Boots scraped against stone. Steel brushed leather in passing. Aether hummed faintly beneath it all.
Normal.
Aetherwyn stepped in beside Filo, adjusting his cloak slightly as he walked.
_Still getting used to this…_
It didn't feel foreign anymore.
It felt right.
"…You're fidgeting," Filo said without looking at him.
"…I'm not."
"…You are."
"…Okay, maybe a little."
Filo smirked faintly.
"…Try not to look like it's your first week."
Aetherwyn exhaled. "…I'll work on that."
Before he could say more—
"Hey—there you two are."
The receptionist leaned over the counter, relief clear in her expression.
"…Good timing," she added. "…I was actually looking for you."
Filo raised a brow. "…What's up? Got another quest?"
"…Yeah," she said. "…But this one's not from the guild."
A small pause.
"…It's from Her Royal Highness."
Aetherwyn blinked. "…Elowyn?"
"…The same."
Filo clicked her tongue softly. "…That's annoying."
"…You mean unexpected?" Aetherwyn asked.
"…No. I mean annoying."
The receptionist slid a report forward.
"…We've had an influx of elemental creatures near the eastern ridge. Fire-aligned."
Aetherwyn leaned slightly.
"…That doesn't sound too bad."
"…Not by itself," she said.
A pause.
"…But a scout reported something bigger."
She tapped the report.
"…A **Flarewing Drake**."
Aetherwyn's grip tightened slightly.
"…And that means…"
Filo finished it.
"…A Greater Drake isn't far behind."
The receptionist nodded.
"…Exactly."
Silence held for a moment.
Then Filo turned.
"…We're on it."
"…Wait—" the receptionist started—
Too late.
They were already gone.
She sighed.
"…Yeah. That tracks."
---
The terrain shifted as they left Nolvaris.
Stone replaced soil. Heat lingered faintly in the air, subtle but growing.
Aetherwyn noticed it immediately.
"…You feel that?"
Filo nodded.
"…Fire alignment."
The air wasn't just warm.
It was active.
Aetherwyn adjusted his grip on his wand.
_This is different…_
_Not unstable like Elderglen…_
_Controlled… but building._
"…Stay sharp," Filo said. "…Drakes aren't dumb."
A sharp screech tore through the sky.
"…Incoming!"
A shadow dropped fast—
Wings burning with ember-like light—
A **Flarewing Drake**.
It dove.
"Aetherwyn—move!"
He didn't step back.
He stepped in.
"…Aether Focus."
The world narrowed instantly.
The drake's movement slowed—
Not physically—
But in his perception.
_Too fast to outrun—_
_Then don't._
"…Aether Pulse."
_THMP._
The shot hit mid-dive, slightly off-center—
But intentional.
It knocked the drake off trajectory just enough—
It slammed into the ground—
Sliding—
Recovering instantly.
"…Good correction," Filo said, already moving.
She closed distance—
Blade flashing—
_SHRAK._
A clean strike.
The drake hissed, twisting sharply—
Tail whipping toward her—
Aetherwyn moved.
Not rushed.
Not panicked.
"…Aether Break."
The sphere formed faster than before—
Denser.
More stable.
He angled it—
"…Now."
_BOOM._
The blast hit mid-motion—
Breaking its balance—
Sending it crashing back again.
"…Yeah, okay—that works," Aetherwyn muttered.
The drake tried to rise—
Filo ended it.
One precise strike.
Silence returned.
---
"…That was quicker than expected," she said.
"…I'll take that."
"…Don't."
Aetherwyn exhaled slowly.
But then—
The air shifted.
Heavier.
Hotter.
Wrong.
Filo stopped.
"…Yeah…"
Aetherwyn felt it too.
This wasn't a presence.
It was pressure.
"…That's not normal."
"…No."
Her voice lowered slightly.
"…That's the real problem."
---
The ground trembled.
Then split.
A massive shape emerged.
Larger. Heavier. Burning from within.
A **Greater Flarewing Drake**.
Its eyes locked onto them instantly.
And it moved.
Fast.
Too fast for something that size.
"…Guard!" Filo snapped.
Aetherwyn reacted.
Aether surged around him—
Locked—
_BOOM._
The impact hit hard.
His body held—
But he couldn't move.
_Too strong—_
"Drop it—move!"
He released instantly—
Rolled—
The follow-up slam shattered the ground where he had been.
"…It's faster than it should be!"
"…Then don't match it—control it!" Filo shouted.
She moved wide—
Drawing its attention.
Creating space.
_That's it…_
_Control the fight._
"…Aether Focus."
The world tightened again.
This time—
He didn't look at the whole body.
He searched.
_Where's the break point—_
There.
Center mass.
Core instability.
"…Aether Pulse."
_THMP._
The hit landed.
Not strong—
But precise.
The drake flinched.
"…Good! Again!"
Aetherwyn stepped forward.
No hesitation.
"…Aether Break."
This time—
He adjusted mid-cast.
Compressed—
Then angled—
The sphere curved slightly as it launched—
Striking beneath its guard—
_BOOM._
The drake staggered.
Filo moved instantly.
Closing distance.
"…Now!"
Aetherwyn didn't think.
He acted.
"…Aether Focus—Aether Pulse."
_THMP._
Direct core impact.
A crack formed.
Filo's blade followed—
Clean.
Decisive.
The Greater Drake collapsed.
---
Silence returned.
The heat began to fade.
Aetherwyn exhaled hard.
"…Okay…"
"…That was not easy."
Filo glanced at him.
Then gave a small nod.
"…You've gotten stronger."
Aetherwyn blinked.
"…Wait—you actually said that."
"…Don't make me repeat it."
A small grin slipped through.
"…I'll take it."
But Filo didn't relax.
"…That was too easy."
Aetherwyn frowned.
"…Too easy?"
"…For a royal request."
A pause.
"…Why did Elowyn want us specifically?"
Before he could think further—
The shard pulsed.
"…Filo."
Athos.
Her expression shifted instantly.
"…Yeah."
"…Return to the guild."
A pause.
"…Immediately."
The connection cut.
Aetherwyn looked at her.
"…That didn't sound optional."
"…It wasn't."
---
They didn't rush blindly.
But they didn't slow either.
"…Scenic route?" Aetherwyn asked.
"…We're already out here," Filo replied. "…Might as well clear what's in the way."
The terrain shifted again.
Cooler.
Damp.
Water pooled between stone.
Then—
Ripples.
"…Contact."
Water spirits rose—fluid, shifting, unstable.
Aetherwyn stepped forward first.
No hesitation.
"…Aether Focus."
Clarity snapped in.
He didn't overthink.
Pulse—
Break—
Clean.
Efficient.
Filo cut through the rest.
Low-tier beasts followed.
Handled quickly.
---
Nolvaris came back into view.
Still standing.
Still watching.
Aetherwyn tightened his grip on his wand.
"…What do you think this is about?"
Filo didn't answer immediately.
Her gaze stayed forward.
Focused.
"…If Athos called us back like that…"
A pause.
"…It's not small."
---
The gates of Nolvaris loomed ahead, unchanged.
Untouched.
Like nothing had happened beyond its walls.
Aetherwyn always noticed that now.
The city didn't panic.
It adjusted.
They passed through the gates without slowing. Guards gave brief nods—recognition, not questions.
The guild hall came into view shortly after.
Still active.
Still loud.
Still normal.
"…Feels weird," Aetherwyn muttered.
Filo glanced at him. "…What does?"
"…Everything out there is getting worse."
A pause.
"…And this place just keeps moving like nothing changed."
Filo pushed the doors open.
"…That's because if it stops moving—people start thinking."
"…And that's bad?"
"…In a place like this?" she said.
"…Yeah."
---
Inside, the usual noise continued.
But it shifted slightly when they entered.
Subtle.
People noticed.
Didn't stare—
But they knew.
"…You feel that?" Aetherwyn asked quietly.
"…Reputation," Filo replied.
"…You're starting to have one."
"…That's not comforting."
"…It's not supposed to be."
Before they could move further—
"…Took you long enough."
Athos stood near the far end of the hall.
Still.
Like he had been there the entire time.
Aetherwyn blinked.
_He wasn't there a second ago…_
"…We came straight back," Filo said.
"…You took the long route."
"…We cleared it."
"…Unnecessary."
A pause.
"…Effective," he added.
Aetherwyn relaxed slightly.
_That's… probably a compliment._
Athos turned.
"…Walk."
No explanation.
No hesitation.
They followed.
The noise of the guild faded quickly as they moved deeper inside.
The room Athos led them to was quiet.
Too quiet.
Aetherwyn felt it immediately.
This wasn't a casual conversation.
Athos stopped.
Turned.
"…Report."
Filo didn't waste time.
"…Eastern ridge cleared. Flarewing Drake confirmed."
"…Greater variant present," she continued.
"…Eliminated."
Athos nodded once.
"…And?"
Filo's eyes narrowed slightly.
"…That's the problem."
A pause.
"…It was too easy."
Athos didn't respond immediately.
Then—
"…Correct."
Aetherwyn frowned.
"…You expected that?"
"…Yes."
Silence settled.
He felt it again.
That shift.
_We're missing something…_
"…This wasn't a threat response," Athos continued.
"…It was placement."
Aetherwyn blinked.
"…Placement?"
"…Something was being positioned."
"…You were sent to remove it."
Filo crossed her arms.
"…So we just cleaned up a piece of something bigger."
"…Yes."
Aetherwyn felt his grip tighten slightly around his wand.
_This again…_
_Elderglen…_
_The capital…_
_This isn't random._
"…So what's next?" he asked.
Athos looked at him directly.
"…Now we move to something that matters."
Athos placed a document on the table.
"…Confirmed sighting."
Aetherwyn leaned in slightly.
A sketch.
Large wings.
Long body.
Sharper frame than a drake.
"…That's not a drake," Aetherwyn said.
"…No," Athos replied.
"…Greater Wyvern."
Aetherwyn felt a slight shift in his chest.
Not fear.
Recognition.
_That's what we fought before…_
_But that one… was different._
"…Location?" Filo asked.
"…Outer ridge beyond the northern cliffs."
"…Recent movement."
"…Unstable pattern."
Filo narrowed her eyes.
"…So it's not just sitting there."
"…No."
A pause.
"…Why us?" she asked.
Athos didn't hesitate.
"…Because you've already encountered one."
Aetherwyn's thoughts flickered.
_That wasn't a normal encounter…_
_That was survival._
"…And him?" Filo added, nodding slightly toward Aetherwyn.
"…He's progressing."
Athos's gaze settled on him.
"…Faster than expected."
Aetherwyn didn't respond.
But something in him steadied.
_Then I just need to keep up._
"…We leave now?" Filo asked.
"…No."
A pause.
"…You leave."
Aetherwyn blinked.
"…You're not coming?"
"…Not initially."
That again.
That same pattern.
_He sends us first…_
_Then decides if we're enough._
"…Why?" Aetherwyn asked.
Athos didn't look away.
"…Because you need to understand scale."
Silence.
"…And if we can't handle it?" Aetherwyn pressed.
A pause.
"…Then you adapt."
Not reassuring.
"…Or you fail."
Filo smirked slightly.
"…Same as always."
---
They didn't leave immediately.
Not this time.
---
The path north stretched further than the last mission.
Rougher terrain.
Less traveled.
More exposed.
Athos walked ahead.
Silent.
Aetherwyn stayed slightly behind him this time.
Watching.
_He doesn't move like other people…_
_Not faster…_
_Not slower…_
_Just… right._
"…You're thinking too much," Athos said without turning.
Aetherwyn blinked.
"…Do you just—"
"…Yes."
"…That's annoying."
"…Fix it."
A pause.
"…What was the world like before all this?" Aetherwyn asked.
Filo glanced at him.
Athos slowed slightly.
"…Different."
"…That's not helpful."
A pause.
"…Before the Great Awakening," Athos continued,
"…power was limited."
"…Magic existed."
"…But it followed rules."
Aetherwyn frowned.
"…And now?"
"…Now the rules bend."
A brief silence.
"…People got stronger," Athos said.
"…But so did everything else."
"…And the Rifts?"
"…They didn't just appear."
A pause.
"…They responded."
That stuck.
_Responded… to what?_
Athos stopped.
Turned slightly.
"…You shouldn't stay in one place too long."
Aetherwyn blinked.
"…What?"
"…When this is over," Athos said,
"…you should travel."
"…With Filo."
Filo raised a brow.
"…That's new."
"…You need exposure," Athos continued.
"…Different environments."
"…Different threats."
His gaze settled briefly on Aetherwyn.
"…Different truths."
Aetherwyn felt that one.
_This isn't just about getting stronger…_
"…We're close," Filo said.
---
The air changed first.
Thinner.
Sharper.
The cliffs rose ahead.
Jagged.
Uneven.
Wind cutting through the terrain.
"…Yeah," Filo muttered.
"…This is it."
Aetherwyn felt it immediately.
Not heat.
Not pressure.
Presence.
Stronger than the drake.
Cleaner.
More defined.
"…It's here."
Athos stepped forward slightly.
Then stopped.
"…From here," he said calmly,
"…you proceed."
Aetherwyn frowned.
"…Alone?"
"…Together."
A pause.
"…Without me."
Filo exhaled.
"…Of course."
Aetherwyn tightened his grip on his wand.
_This is different…_
_This isn't just a mission._
_This is a test._
Athos turned.
"…Don't die."
Aetherwyn sighed.
"…You all say that way too casually."
No response.
Because he was already gone.
Silence settled over the cliffs.
Wind cut through the space between them.
Filo stepped forward.
"…Alright."
She glanced at Aetherwyn.
"…Let's see how much you've actually improved."
Aetherwyn raised his wand.
Aether flowed—
steady.
controlled.
ready.
"…Let's find out."
Far ahead—
Something moved.
Wings.
And this time—
It wasn't holding back.