Three months had passed in a blink.
It was morning.
Eiden had finally finished his stay at the Whitecrest Clan's village.
"Eiden! Be safe!"
"Eiden! Visit again soon!"
"Eiden! Be careful!"
"Eiden!"
"Eiden!"
"Eiden!"
Voices overlapped as villagers shouted their farewells, crowding near the open stone wall. Behind Eiden, the path stretched out into bright white trees and white grass.
Eiden raised a hand, smiling softly.
"Everyone, please calm down. I will return soon. Maybe a few decades from now, who knows? Just know I will return. My friends and I have an objective to complete, so we will be going now."
More farewells erupted.
Sienna approached with Yami behind her.
She cupped Eiden's face and kissed his cheek before stepping back.
"Be careful… and do not get yourself killed out there," she said, her voice soft and worried.
Eiden's eyes softened. A small smile tugged at his lips.
"Do not worry. I will not let myself get killed… again."
"Eiden, come on. We need to go," Selyndra called as she, Iris, and Vaelus stepped through the open gate into the field of white grass.
Eiden turned back toward Sienna and Yami.
"I will be going now. Bye, Mother. Father."
He hurried after the group.
"Just make sure to be careful!" Yami shouted, raising a palm glowing with aura as he closed the stone wall shut.
Villagers murmured as they drifted back to their daily routines.
"It still feels like his presence is here," a woman said, hand over her chest.
"Yeah, it is like he is everywhere," another giggled as they walked on.
Outside the village, Iris, Vaelus, Eiden, and Selyndra walked forward through the grass. The wind rustled the white trees and grass around them, footsteps crunching softly beneath their boots.
"So, the walk to his mansion will take almost a month," Selyndra said.
"A month?!" Iris gasped.
Vaelus snickered. "Gonna be a hell of a walk."
"Well, that is the walking time. If we had a carriage or horses, it would be a few days. But we do not…" Selyndra continued. "We can walk for a few hours. We might reach a village or kingdom soon. If not, we will find a cave and stay the night"
"Yeah, no," Iris cut in, annoyed.
Selyndra smirked. Vaelus grinned wide.
"So, Eiden," Selyndra said, glancing back toward the village. "It is strange… I can still feel your presence there. Like another version of you is standing in the village."
"Honestly, I was thinking the same thing," Vaelus added with a snicker.
"I feel it too," Eiden said. "But I am not sure how that is possible."
Selyndra gave him a knowing look before turning forward.
As they walked, the air shifted, and with their next step, the world changed.
White trees and white grass vanished, replaced by bright green fields, green trees, and small animals darting around. None of them reacted. They simply kept walking.
Hours later, far from the village, the road was quiet. Only footsteps and the occasional chirp of birds filled the air.
"It is so hot!" Vaelus groaned dramatically.
"It is… I hope we find a village soon," Iris said, fanning her face.
A man in a brown cloth outfit, messy brown hair falling over his eyes, rode up beside them on a small wagon pulled by an old horse. He tugged the reins and slowed to a stop.
"Hey there, fellas," he called out. "Ya need a ride? There is a small village nearby if ya want me to take ya."
Selyndra stepped forward. "Yeah, that would be great," she said, already moving toward the back of the wagon. She climbed on and sat down, and the others followed after her.
The man flicked the reins, and the wagon began to roll.
A cool breeze brushed past them, a welcome relief after the long walk.
The ride settled into a quiet rhythm, the soft clatter of wooden wheels on dirt, the creak of the wagon, the steady breathing of the horse.
No one spoke.
The world drifted by in gentle silence.
As sunset approached, the wagon rolled into a small village tucked between fields and lantern lit paths.
"Well, here we are!" the man said, pulling the reins back. "If ya need a room, go to the woman at the bar over there." He pointed toward a wooden building with warm light spilling from its windows.
The four climbed off the wagon.
"Thank you, and thank you for the ride," Iris said with a polite nod.
"Course," the man replied, flicking the reins as he rode off down the road.
"Alright, let us get us those rooms," Iris said, taking the lead.
They entered the bar.
Soft chatter filled the room, until the door shut behind them.
Every head turned.
Every conversation died.
Dozens of eyes locked onto them.
They froze for a moment.
Eiden stepped forward.
He approached the woman behind the bar, brown apron, brown hair tied into a ponytail, brown eyes scanning him like a crow spotting something shiny.
"Well hello, handsome," she purred. "What can I get ya?"
"A room for four," Eiden said, cutting her off.
Her eyebrow shot up.
Eugh. Rude.
"I only have two rooms open," she said, crossing her arms and leaning forward slightly, her tone shifting from flirtatious to businesslike. "They are upstairs. Each one has two beds, clean sheets, and a lock that actually works. If that is fine with ya, I can hand over the keys. But I will need some gold, three copper coins should do."
She slid two keys onto the counter, then leaned in closer, her voice dropping into a teasing purr.
"But if ya do not have that… you and I could figure something out."
Selyndra stepped forward before Eiden could respond.
She reached into her chest wrap, pulled out three copper coins, and tossed them onto the counter with a sharp clink.
Then she grabbed the keys and took Eiden's hand, placing one firmly into his palm.
"Me and Iris will take a room to ourselves," she said, her tone calm but unmistakably territorial. She signaled Iris, then headed up the stairs without looking back.
The woman behind the bar clenched her fists under the counter.
"That fucking bitch," she muttered.
Eiden stared at the key in his hand, still processing the sudden shift.
Vaelus slung an arm around his neck.
"Come on, dude. My legs hurt and I wanna sleep."
He plucked the key from Eiden's hand and trudged toward the stairs.
Eiden followed quietly.
At the door, Vaelus unlocked it and pushed it open, expecting two beds, maybe a large one.
Instead, the room held one small bed barely big enough for a single person, a tiny window with no curtains, and a wooden table shoved into the corner.
Vaelus blinked.
"Uhhhh… I could sleep on the floor"
"It is fine. We can share the bed," Eiden said, cutting him off gently. He placed a hand on Vaelus's shoulder and walked past him into the room.
He set his blades on the table and placed his grimoire beside them.
Vaelus stepped inside, staring at the tiny bed like it was a puzzle he was not prepared for.
"Alright… not sure how that is gonna work…" he muttered as he shut the door behind them.
He took his curved blade off his waist and set it on the table beside the others, then walked to the bed and sat on the edge. His elbows rested on his knees, hands clasped together, eyes lowered to his black boots.
Eiden moved quietly, circling around the bed.
A moment later, he laid a folded green sleeping robe in front of Vaelus, while he himself now stood barefoot on the wooden floor, dressed in a black sleeping robe.
"Here," Eiden said calmly.
Vaelus blinked. "When did you change"
Eiden tossed the robe onto Vaelus's head before he could finish, then walked around and sat on the opposite edge of the bed, his back facing him.
Vaelus growled under his breath, pulling the robe off his face as he began undressing.
Eiden stared at the floor, lost in thought.
Once Vaelus finished changing, he placed his boots and clothes neatly by the table. He turned toward Eiden.
"Eiden."
Eiden lifted his head, meeting Vaelus's eyes. "Yes? What is it?"
"If you can create anything with that new grimoire… why can you not just create a portal to the mansion?"
It was a question he had been holding back.
"Simple," Eiden replied. "I do not like taking the easy way."
Vaelus narrowed his eyes. He wanted to argue badly, but swallowed it.
"I see," he muttered, walking around the bed and slipping under the covers. He pulled them up to his neck, turning his back to Eiden.
The room dimmed as the moon rose, its pale light spilling through the curtainless window.
Eiden sat for a moment, drifting in thought, before finally sliding his feet under the covers and trying to fit into the cramped space.
Vaelus growled softly. "Could you cease with the movement? It is already cramped."
Eiden's eyes softened, though his expression stayed calm. He had not meant to irritate him.
He shifted once more, then slid an arm under Vaelus's neck and gently pulled him closer.
The cramped bed suddenly did not feel cramped at all.
Their shared warmth filled the space.
Vaelus kept his eyes closed, thoughts racing.
He could feel Eiden's chest against his back.
Eiden's arm around his waist.
And the size difference, unmistakable.
Eiden closed his eyes, relaxed and steady.
Neither spoke.
Neither complained.
They simply let the moment be… and drifted off.
The next morning
Vaelus woke sprawled across the bed, arms and legs stretched out, feet nearly hanging off the edge, reddish hair a wild mess across the pillow.
Eiden was gone.
The table was empty.
His clothes, blades, grimoire, all gone.
Only the room key remained.
Vaelus sat up… then froze.
Something pressed uncomfortably against his pants.
He looked down.
Then covered his face with both hands.
"Oh god…"
After a while, he left the room, locked it, and headed downstairs.
The woman behind the bar sat slumped on a stool, chin resting on her crossed arms.
He placed the key on the counter.
"Your friends are outside," she said, pointing lazily toward the door. "Told me to let you know."
"Thanks…" Vaelus muttered, heading out.
He pushed open the doors.
Eiden, Iris, and Selyndra stood beside four horses.
"Took you long enough," Iris said. "Come on, we bought horses from an old man at a nearby stable. If we ride hard, we can reach Morvath's castle by tonight."
Eiden sat atop a black horse.
Iris on a brown one.
Selyndra on a bright white mare.
Vaelus on a reddish furred stallion.
Vaelus climbed up and grabbed the reins.
"Let us go," Selyndra said, flicking hers. Her horse galloped forward, and the others followed.
They rode out of the village, hooves thudding against the dirt road, bright green grass stretching on either side.
The village shrank behind them.
"Heh. Nice riding in this weather," Vaelus said with a grin. "But who picked my horse? Because honestly, it is my favorite breed."
Iris slowed her horse to match his pace.
"It was Eiden. He picked all our favorite breeds. Which is new. He never cared about that kind of thing before."
Vaelus looked ahead at Eiden riding beside Selyndra.
He watched him for a long moment.
"He has changed," Vaelus said quietly.
Iris smirked. "Yeah. After visiting his village, he is different. His attitude. His focus. Everything."
As they rode, many things came into view.
They passed a small village, and as they rode through, people waved eagerly. A few elders took one look at Eiden and the three walking beside him and fainted on the spot.
They continued on.
They rode past a wide field of flowers and bright green grass, where deer grazed, slept, and stretched under the warm sun. The wind rolled across the field like a soft tide, brushing over their cloaks and the horses' manes.
They passed an old stone watchtower, half collapsed, riddled with cracks and holes, moss climbing up its sides like ancient veins.
They rode past a broken wooden bridge, long since replaced by a dirt path carved around it.
A cluster of abandoned merchant carts, their wheels half buried in the earth.
A shrine of stacked stones, offerings of dried flowers and carved wooden charms left at its base.
A field of tall wheat, golden and swaying, with farmers pausing to stare as the group rode by.
A ruined windmill, its blades snapped and leaning, creaking faintly in the breeze.
A small creek, where children splashed and pointed excitedly at the riders.
A line of scarecrows, some intact, some slumped, watching over a lonely farm.
A herd of wild horses, galloping freely across a distant hill.
A stone archway, the remains of an old road marker from a kingdom long gone.
A traveling monk, ringing a small bell as he walked, bowing respectfully as they passed.
A cluster of berry bushes, where birds fluttered and chirped loudly.
A distant castle silhouette, barely visible through the haze of the afternoon sun.
The world felt alive, shifting from quiet to vibrant, from ancient to peaceful, as if the land itself was acknowledging Eiden's return.