Pyra 15 – Pyra 19, Imperial Year 1645
The Port City of Luminara – Newhope – The Eastern Continent
The letter arrived on a grey morning, carried by a merchant ship from the south. Kithri brought it to the bar, where Corvin was wiping mugs.
"For Vlad," she said. "Sealed with wax. No crest."
Corvin took it upstairs.
Vlad was in his room, sharpening a blade. He took the letter, broke the seal, and read.
We are in Newhope. All of us. Patch, Mira, and I. The town is safe. The people are kind. You should come. Rest. Recover. You have earned it.
— Aldric
Vlad read it twice. Then he set it down.
"What is it?" Corvin asked.
"Aldric. He's in Newhope. He wants us to visit."
"Visit?"
"Rest. Recover. He says we've earned it."
Corvin leaned against the doorframe. "He's not wrong."
Vlad was silent for a long moment. Then he nodded.
"Tell the others. We leave tomorrow."
Pyra 16 – Morning
The Broken Anchor – Departure
The tavern would stay open. Echo volunteered to manage it. Rook would keep the books. The rest would go.
Sera packed a small bag. Gunnar adjusted his hook. Kithri's tail was practically vibrating.
"I've never been on a vacation," Kithri said.
"Neither have I," Corvin replied.
"First time for everything."
Vlad stood at the door, a leather satchel over his shoulder. He wore simple clothes – a dark tunic, black trousers, worn boots. His hair was tied back. His sword was hidden under a long coat.
"Ready?" he asked.
"Ready," they said.
They walked to the docks.
Pyra 18 – Afternoon
Newhope – The Harbor
The ship sailed into Newhope's harbor on the third day. The town was smaller than Luminara, but it was alive – children playing on the docks, women hanging laundry, men repairing nets.
Aldric stood on the pier, waiting. Beside him were Patch and Mira.
Vlad stepped off the gangplank. Aldric embraced him – a rare gesture.
"You came."
"You asked."
Mira stepped forward. Her face broke into a wide smile. She was shorter than Vlad remembered, her round face beaming. She was Hilda's cousin – and a Black Knight, one of the non‑combatants evacuated early.
"Vlad!" she said, pulling him into a hug before he could react. "Look at you. Still pale as a ghost. Don't you ever see the sun?"
Vlad stiffened, then relaxed. "Mira."
She pulled back, holding him at arm's length. "You're too thin. Are you eating? Hilda would have my head if she knew I let you starve."
His jaw tightened at the name. "Mira…"
She shook her head, her eyes soft. "I know. I know." She patted his cheek. "She was stubborn. More stubborn than a mule. Not even Auntie could have stopped her once she set her mind to something." Her voice caught, but she blinked the tears away. "She chose to hold that gate. She chose to protect us. You gave her that chance. So don't you dare blame yourself, you hear me?"
Vlad said nothing. But his shoulders sagged.
Mira pulled him into another quick hug. "Good. Now come on. I've made stew. You're going to eat every bowl."
Corvin stepped forward. "We brought supplies. Tools, fabric, medicine."
Patch nodded. "We'll put them to good use."
"And we brought ourselves," Kithri added. "For the vacation."
Mira laughed. "Then let's get you settled."
The Guest House – Evening
The guest house was a small wooden building near the square. Simple beds, clean sheets, a view of the sea.
Gunnar sat on his bed, staring at his hook. Aldric entered.
"May I?" Aldric asked.
Gunnar looked up. "You know you don't have to ask."
Aldric sat beside him. He unwrapped the harness and studied the scarred flesh.
"The bones are healed. The nerves are intact." He glanced at the door, then lowered his voice. "I can restore it. But it will take time. And no one outside our circle can know."
Gunnar nodded. He had seen Aldric heal before. "Are you sure? Will you be okay?"
Aldric's eyes softened. "It will drain me. But I will recover. The question is whether you can endure the process."
"I've endured worse."
"Then lie still."
Aldric placed his hand on the stump. A soft golden glow emanated from his palm. Gunnar felt warmth, then tingling, then a strange pulling sensation. New tissue began to form – slowly, painfully.
"That's enough for today," Aldric said after several minutes, stepping back. He was pale, sweating. "We will continue tomorrow."
Gunnar looked at the small bud of new flesh. It was not an arm. Not yet. But it was a start.
"Rest," Aldric said. "You'll need your strength."
"You too."
Aldric nodded and left.
Pyra 19 – Morning
The Square – The Class Girls
The class girls – Elara, Celia, Miku, Hikari, Rosalind, Talia – sat on a bench near the well. They had heard about the visitors from Luminara. They had seen a tall man with silver hair walking toward the guest house.
"That's him," Miku whispered. "The blacksmith."
"The one from the rumors?" Rosalind asked.
"The same."
They watched as Vlad stood on the guest house porch, pouring himself a cup of tea. He did not look their way. He simply stood at the railing, staring at the sea.
Celia tilted her head. "The rumors didn't exaggerate."
"They understated," Hikari said quietly.
Talia fanned herself with her hand. "That hair. It's like moonlight."
"And the jaw," Miku added. "How is that even possible?"
"He's not even trying," Rosalind said. "That's the worst part. He just exists, and the world rearranges itself around him."
Elara watched. She did not speak.
"You're quiet," Celia said.
"I'm observing."
"You're staring."
"Same thing."
The girls laughed, keeping their voices low. Vlad did not turn. He finished his tea and walked back inside.
"He didn't even look at us," Talia said.
"Why would he?" Hikari replied. "He's a blacksmith on vacation. We're just locals."
"Unfair."
"That's life."
Elara finally spoke. "He fixed Voss's locket. That's what matters."
"That's not all that matters," Miku said.
"It's enough."
The girls sat in the morning sun, watching the guest house door.
Inside, Vlad sat on his bed, staring at the ceiling. Corvin sat across from him.
"The locals are staring," Corvin said.
"Let them."
"They're not wrong, you know."
"About what?"
"You're easy to look at."
Vlad closed his eyes. "I am tired."
"Then rest. That's why we're here."
The guest house was quiet. The sea sparkled.
Newhope hummed.
End of Chapter Ninety