A week had passed since the war ended, behind the walls of Elarion which had been rebuilt by all its inhabitants. The scent of ash and blood began to fade, replaced by the smell of wood used to rebuild what had been destroyed and the flowers brought by grieving hands to the graves of the war's martyrs. Namien, who was about to reopen his shop, kept looking at the tombstone engraved with Solhen Merach's name in the simple cemetery there; Solhen had been buried a few days after the war ended. Namien placed a stalk of lily and aster as a form of his condolences for his mentor before leaving the cemetery area, taking one last look at his mentor's gravestone. The city of Elarion still stood and seemed alive in the aftermath of the war, as did those who had fought to protect their homes and the group who had only wanted to protect the homes of others.

  Although some of his wounds had already dried with the help of healing magic from the healers assigned by the king, Sora still looked tired but had regained some of his strength. His bandages had been gradually removed, showing the speed of his recovery, though the scar on his chest remained. Feeling he could move his body, Sora began to walk calmly out of his room and along the streets of Elarion to witness the children running, the merchants reopening their shops and shouting their wares, and the laughter of the people returning to normal. The walls that were previously destroyed by the attacks of giants and undead dragons were still in the process of being rebuilt. However, the price of that destruction would never be forgotten.

  That afternoon, as Sora was walking through the city market, he saw Namien's shop and went to visit him. The shop, once dusty, had now become a place for trading magical tools from the chaos Sora knew and the chaos controlled by Namien himself. Sora's arrival at the shop, with a slow gesture, surprised Namien. Namien watched Sora's body language closely, narrowed his eyes, and then said, "Where are you going? Sorry, I still don't understand what your body language is trying to say." Sora repeated his gesture until Namien guessed what he meant and asked him, "You want to go to... Solhen's place? Again?" Sora nodded slowly at Namien, and with that, he added another gesture, this time slower and more careful. At the end of his movement, Sora pointed to himself, then to Namien, and finally mimicked a gesture of... giving. Namien's eyes narrowed at the strangeness of it. "You... are bringing me there for something you want to show me? But what—" Sora just gave him a look full of understanding, which made Namien sigh wearily, and he crossed his arms, then slowly said, "Alright, one more time for him." They both agreed and began their journey the next morning.

  The next morning, two saddled horses stood ready at the front gate of Elarion. The guards nodded respectfully to both Sora and Namien as they were about to leave without giving any message or saying goodbye. But a nod to the gate guards was their sign of thanks, and that they would return after their journey to Solhen Merach's cottage. Kaelith and Vael remained in Elarion, having been informed by Sora and Namien, and both understood without needing words. The two of them journeyed quickly until they arrived at the forest where Solhen's cottage was located. As dusk approached, they rode into the green forest where Solhen Merach had once lived. However, there was something different about the forest; where birds usually still chirped, there was now no sound, and no rustling in the trees from the wind. The forest that once felt so alive now felt as if it had lost a part of its soul.

  Then, in the middle of their journey, they saw a fox emerge from the bushes, standing on their path, calmly watching them with its yellow eyes shining in the evening sun. Namien, instinctively confused, felt something was wrong, but Sora gave him a quick glance and a slight shake of his head, as if to say, do not do anything to the fox. The fox turned and walked towards the thicket in front of them. The fox stopped once to look back at the two of them on their horses. Namien, seeing the fox's behavior, began to understand. "We follow that fox?" Namien asked with certainty. Sora nodded once, and so they did, following a fox that was guiding their way.

  The two of them, following the fox, began to walk through the quiet bushes, winding through roots and towering trees, until Solhen's familiar cottage came into view. The fox approached the door, which was ajar from the wind, and entered without hesitation. The two of them dismounted their horses. Namien stepped forward, but Sora raised his hand and gestured for Namien to go first to follow the fox, while he himself stayed where he was. Namien began to see Sora's strange reaction and asked him, "What's wrong with you lately? You don't want to go inside and you choose to enjoy the fresh air outside while i’m getting inside?" However, Namien found that Sora gave no answer to his question, and Namien could only sigh, obeying Sora's wishes, his curiosity and unease growing as he stepped into Solhen's cottage.

  Inside, the cottage was filled with the scent of old ink and long-burnt wood smoke from the fireplace. The room was untouched but felt different from Namien's last visit, as if something had changed without anything being moved at all. In front of the observation room door, the fox watched Namien, and when it saw him, it entered and sat quietly, having jumped onto a table near the window, its tail wrapped around its small body. The fox looked at Namien as he entered the room, then it slowly got down from the table, moved to a corner of the observation room, and began to scratch at a spot on the wooden floor. Namien, seeing the fox's reaction, approached it and knelt down. He pressed his palm to the wooden floor the fox indicated, and there, hidden beneath the floor and the faint wood grain, was a hidden carving. Namien tried to get the contents from under the wooden floor until he found a handle and pulled it open. A simple, old wooden box appeared, its wood almost rotted by termites, and on top of it was a letter with his name.

  Namien's heart, for some reason, began to beat fast when he saw the letter with his name on the envelope. He decided to open it slowly, and as his eyes began to read the first line, his throat tightened at the familiar handwriting of his own mentor, Solhen Merach, who had left a message for his beloved student after he was gone forever.

  ‘Oh my mischievous and disobedient apprentice,

  If you are reading this letter... I am gone, as you can see.

  I have left you a precious item of mine in this box, as a parting gift from me to you, which you have found it. Perhaps with this gift I am giving you, for the only person more stubborn than yourself. However, I have only one request. Just one, not ten, and not twenty like before. Just one.

  Accompany the Silent One, you have been following on his journey. He carries more than just strength; he holds the thread that weaves this world. He is the key you have been searching for many years, and the answer you asked to me before and never found it, now that you have found him.

  So, stay by the Silent One's side as his journey has begun, and even when he says nothing... listen to him as I taught you when you were stubborn and arrogant before then, and be patient with all the trials as long you travel with him.

  That is all I ask for you, Snake in the torn robe.

  Peace upon be with you, and may the fire always guide you wherever you are,

  —Solhen Merach.’

  Namien stared at and read the letter for a very long time until his lips parted but no words came out. Then, he laughed for a moment at the bitterness of the letter, his laughter trembling. “...That old man. Still ordering me around even now.” Tears began to flow slowly from his eyes, and Namien began to wipe them with his sleeve, only to remember what he had told himself when he began to ramble on even more from the contents of the letter. “You always knew, didn't you?” The fox beside him yawned as Namien asked it, then it stretched on the wooden floor, slowly got up from its seat, and began to walk to the threshold of the observation room, disappearing from Namien's sight, its task now complete.

  Namien remained sitting on the floor for a long time, not as a student mourning his teacher, but as a man accepting the final lesson from his mentor. And somewhere outside the window, Sora waited for Namien, the wind blowing gently, making his cloak float, his eyes closed as if he could somehow feel everything Namien had just felt inside Solhen's cottage. In his silence, Namien promised to carry on with what his teacher had mandated to him.

  The next day, the morning sun shone more gently than before, entering through the window and its curtains, forming golden stripes on the wooden floor. Sora, asleep in the cottage given to him by the king, began to move under his blanket and squinted as the morning light reached his face. For a moment, he just breathed calmly in the gentle silence around him; there was no fire, no swords, and no blood-soaked ground. There was only the peace that was the result of what he had done. Then, when he was fully awake, his stomach began to groan like an awakened beast, rumbling like a war drum beating from within his body. Sora, surprised by this, sighed. Some battles never end, he thought, pressing a hand to his empty, rumbling stomach. Sora stood up slowly and carefully stretched his sore body, his wounds having just dried. Sora began to put on his simple, clean clothes that were hanging neatly on a hook beside his bed. After he finished dressing and tightening the last tie of his tunic, he began to walk out of his room and down the stairs to the kitchen below.

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  The aroma of spices from the kitchen and freshly cooked eggs in a pan greeted Sora's nose first, inviting him into the kitchen. Sora walked with slow steps and stopped in the doorway to see Kaelith standing there, cooking and humming softly, her sleeves rolled up and her blonde hair tied in a loose bun. She turned her back as she cooked something in a sizzling pan, feeling someone was behind her watching. Just as Sora stepped into the kitchen, the sound from his stomach began to rumble again.

  Groooowl...

  His steps stopped instantly, which made Kaelith chuckle softly, as she already knew this habit, the sound being very familiar. “There it is again…” Kaelith murmured, turning to Sora. The sound of his stomach made Sora unable to hold back a look of embarrassment on his face. Kaelith saw it with an amused smile. “What do you want for breakfast this time?” Sora just pointed to the eggs and bread beside Kaelith. Kaelith saw his request and raised an eyebrow. “Just that?” Sora nodded slowly, and right on time, his stomach rumbled again, this time louder. Kaelith, hearing his stomach again, could only chuckle softly again, as if finding it entertaining, and shook her head. “Alright, alright. Sit down before your stomach starts to rebel again.” Sora moved to the dining table and sat in a chair like a hungry cat wanting its food, sitting with a soft sigh of relief. Kaelith turned back to her stove, her mouth humming a distinctive tune as she cooked.

  A few moments later, Vael entered the kitchen, which seemed bustling as usual, his shirt partially open and his hair still wet with sweat from his morning training routine. Vael stopped in the doorway and saw Sora and Kaelith already in the kitchen, a wide smile on his face as he said, “Good morning, lovebirds.” Kaelith, who was stirring her cooking, froze instantly, then her voice rose in annoyance at being teased by Vael, “V-VAEL!!”. Her face turned red as she spun around quickly to see Vael, the wooden spoon still in her hand. Sora just smiled gently at their morning reaction and glanced to the side to avoid the storm that was about to rage in the quiet kitchen. Vael burst out laughing at Kaelith’s reaction and continued, “Ah, a classic reaction. I’ll never get tired of teasing this pair of lovers.”

  Kaelith looked like she was about to throw the spoon across the room. Then, just as she was about to throw it at Vael, the cottage door creaked open and Namien, with his always-perfect timing, walked in while tossing an apple he had bought at the fruit stand on his way to the cottage, a grin on his face like a fox that had just found a chicken coop as he headed to the kitchen and saw the reaction that made him so happy to tease just like Vael. “Hope you’re all doing well— Oh, never mind. I didn’t mean to interrupt your honeymoon breakfast, of course.” Vael, hearing Namien's words, bent over as his laughter became uncontrollable. “Stars above, according to the astronomy in his words—!” Kaelith's jaw dropped as she heard Namien add fuel to the fire of her annoyance, the spoon still raised as a sign of protest and her weapon if it was time for it to fly at its target. “You too, Namien?!” Namien began to bite the apple and then leaned casually against the doorframe, waving his hand with exaggerated innocence. “Oh no, we were just passing by and wouldn't dare to disturb what couples wedding do on their first day. And we'll be out in a moment. Vael, let them finish this ongoing romantic domestic drama, while we find something to do in outside so as not to disturb their solemnity of these two with their couple weddings activities.”

  Sora just smiled upon hearing Namien's words, while Kaelith looked ready to explode into the storm Sora had imagined. Namien turned to Sora and gave him a sly wink. “Glad to see you as usual, Sora. You’ve clearly found the best healing method ever for your wounds.” Sora blinked, confused by his meaning, then Namien winked slyly again until Kaelith, realizing his meaning, instantly threw the spoon in her hand at Namien. Namien dodged with difficulty, and meanwhile, Vael could only laugh harder than before at the scene. At least for that moment, there was no war, no losses, and no fear shadowing them. There was only the clinking of plates, teasing laughter, and the quiet comfort of those who were still standing. They may have suffered physically and mentally on their journey, but they had not lost each other. So, even in the simple warmth of a kitchen, it could become a moment of togetherness for their journey ahead, waiting a little longer with the moment they were currently enjoying.

  After a breakfast filled with jokes, laughter, and teasing, the mood slowly changed, and the time had come for them. The plates were cleared as they finished breakfast, the sunlight grew brighter, and a faint hum of departure began to be heard in the air. One by one, they prepared their backpacks, starting with Vael, who, after preparing his things, tightened the straps of his armor. Namien was busy thinking of the perfect way to roll up a map he would find on his journey later. Kaelith checked her quiver and cleaned her bow for the third time. And Sora, as usual, was silent in his room, tying the final knot of his bag in his quietude. After he finished, he came out of his room and met them below.

  When everything was ready, they gathered outside the lodge that had become their gathering place before leaving Elarion. An Elarion guard waited for them alone outside the lodge, his posture tall and calm, his helm held in his arm. “Are you all leaving now?” the guard asked. Namien nodded slowly, and Kaelith responded by waving her hand to the guard. Sora stepped forward to the guard to give him the lodge key from his pocket. The guard accepted the key Sora gave him and solemnly bowed his head to the four of them as a sign of his thanks and respect. “You will always have a place here. Elarion will remember your service forever.” The guard raised his hand to his chest, giving a traditional Elarion salute, and stepped aside from their path.

  They walked in silence through the cobblestone streets, the sound of their boots softened by the morning quiet. The merchants stopped to watch them. Children whispered in small alleys. The city that their hands had saved now watched them leave. In the main square of Elarion, as the four of them walked towards the front gate, a familiar voice called out to them to stop: “Wait.” The voice made them turn, and they saw King Aetheryn standing near the fountain, unguarded, his clothes plain but his demeanor simple, a reflection of a citizen of Elarion. “I did not come to stop you, but to thank you one last time, not as the king you see now, but as one of the people of this kingdom who is still alive because of your struggle.” he said, walking closer to the four of them. The king looked at each of them and continued his words. “The gates of this kingdom will never be closed to you all. Wherever you go, you will always be welcome in this land.” Sora stepped forward. He did not bow; instead, he just raised two fingers to his chest and bowed his head. The king saw the gesture Sora made, then he began to laugh softly when he realized it. “That same gesture again. You never change, it seems, Silent One.”

  But before they could continue their journey, a booming voice echoed through the streets of Elarion, calling for them after the king’s appearance: “OI! Don't you dare leave without saying goodbye to me, you damned long-legged folk!” They looked just in time to see Thramund, his hammer still in his hand, his apron covered in ash and stains from his work still tied on, snorting as he ran towards them. Namien’s jaw dropped when he saw him, Vael blinked in surprise, and Kaelith covered her mouth, trying not to laugh at Thramund’s antics. Thramund stomped his foot as he stopped in front of them and caught his breath. “You forgot me, for the umpteenth time?” he grumbled irritably. Hearing that, they all gave an awkward shrug, and even Sora tilted his head, trying to feign confusion. Thramund saw their reaction, and he began to grumble and curse them.

  When Thramund had finished his tirade, he turned to Vael, reached into a leather pouch in his pocket, and took out a sealed scroll wrapped with a dark blue ribbon that marked two emblems: the kingdom of Borreal and The Profaned Capital. Thramund handed it to Vael and said, "Here, this is not just an ordinary parchment. It is a charter signed centuries ago but renewed by us now who have the remnants of our kingdoms. The Brotherhood of Fire and Steel is still alive, and wherever you go, Vael. Take this bond with you, I beg you!" Thramund said to Vael as he handed him the charter. Vael accepted it with great respect, bowing low with a hand-to-chest style that was characteristic of the Borreal knights, his knees bent and his head bowed. Thramund responded to Vael's salute with the gesture of a master smith from The Profaned Capital, placing a fist on his chest, then tapping his hammer once on the ground. A moment passed between them, old and new oaths made by the living remnants of non-existent kingdoms were honored in their salutes. Then, without further ado, they passed through the great gate of Elarion, their steps echoing on the open road. Behind them, endless green fields, unseen dangers awaited, and a story still unwritten. The war was over, but their journey had just begun.

  Sora looked back one last time to see the city standing tall behind him, with its repaired walls, its towers, and its roofs dazzling as they reflected the sunlight. But before them, the road leading to winding hills and dense forests made their steps carry an unspoken weight, despite their relaxed appearance. Vael walked calmly beside Sora, Kaelith was behind Sora with her bow on her back, and Namien, who had been muttering to himself about the dusty road and the unforgettable war, walked behind Sora and beside Kaelith. Although some of them didn't speak of themselves, the calm breeze began to gently sway the grass and make the surrounding trees whisper like their friends. Perhaps the world they lived in would write and remember their story, and perhaps the sky was watching what they were doing below. But for now, the road belonged to them, and so their story continued, walking forward towards the impossible in their world.