Over the next few days, the atmosphere around the group shifted. Excitement for their upcoming journey was mixed with a quiet sense of finality. Everyone had tasks to do, things to finish before they could leave Llyn behind.
Bral and Idin spent their mornings and afternoons in the dusty corners of Llyn's libraries and records halls, searching through tomes, old guild registries, and ancient manuscripts. Their focus was solely on one thing — Amukelo's sword.
They sat at heavy oak tables stacked with books, flipping through pages that smelled of parchment and dust.
Bral scratched his head in frustration as he closed another thick, leather-bound book. "Ugh... Do you really think that a simple sword would even be recorded somewhere?"
Idin leaned back in his chair, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "A simple sword? No. But if it helped him stand against something from a golden rank quest and win, then it's clearly not a simple blade. It's hard to even think that something like this exists, and if it does, then it should have some kind of history. Or at least some theory behind their forging."
Bral sighed and slumped over the table. "Maybe it's just some freak accident? Like, maybe the sword's special, but no one ever bothered to document it?"
Idin shook his head. "You don't leave miracles undocumented if people know about them. If this sword's real... someone, somewhere, must have seen something like it before. Maybe it's connected to the ancient relics? Maybe it's part of some forgotten craftsmanship."
Bral groaned and pushed another book aside. "I don't know. Let's just hope we find something. Otherwise, we'll be running around chasing myths."
Despite their efforts, they found nothing concrete. A few vague references to "swords of living will" and "weapons blessed by ancient heroes" appeared, but nothing matched the exact pattern of Amukelo's blade. No dark gold glow. No sudden surge of overwhelming strength tied specifically to despair.
Meanwhile, Amukelo and Pao were busy with another kind of preparation. They needed new gear.
Their first stop was the armory. The clang of metal and the strong scent of oil and leather filled the air as they browsed through racks of armor. Amukelo tried on a few different sets, all varying degrees of weight and protection, before settling on a light armor set.
It was a sleek design, built from light steel plates that allowed easy movement but still offered real protection. When the shopkeeper noticed Amukelo inspecting it carefully, he pointed at some faint markings etched along the inner seams.
"They're low-grade runes," the shopkeeper explained, "nothing too fancy. They won't absorb heavy magic or anything, but they'll resist most basic elemental attacks and give you a bit of extra durability. It's about as good as you'll get in a town like Llyn without commissioning a master craftsman."
Amukelo nodded, running his hand over the cool steel. "It'll do," he said simply, and bought it without hesitation.
Next was Pao's turn.
They wandered into a quieter shop filled with elegant robes hung from iron racks and polished wooden mannequins. The air here was lighter, filled with the scent of fresh cloth and clean wood polish.
Amukelo looked at the rows of soft fabric skeptically. "Ughh... what can a simple robe do to save you?" he asked, genuinely confused. "From what I remember, your last robe had runes etched into it. Shouldn't we get something like that again?"
Pao giggled, covering her mouth with the sleeve of one of the robes. "No, no, no," she said cheerfully. "Buying robes isn't the same as buying armor. With armor, you hope it's reinforced already. But with robes, it's better to pick the robe first, the one that fits and moves well, and then go to a rune shop to get whatever enchantments you want added later."
With that, she disappeared into the changing room, and Amukelo waited awkwardly by a rack of robes, glancing occasionally at the door.
When she finally emerged, Amukelo straightened a little without even realizing it.
Pao wore a simple, practical green robe that clung lightly to her figure. It wasn't flashy like her old one — no elaborate embroidery, no shining threads — but somehow, it suited her even more. It matched her vivid green eyes perfectly and gave her a vibrant, lively air.
She spun once, letting the fabric move around her, and then stopped, a shy smile playing at her lips. "How do I look?" she asked, tilting her head.
Amukelo studied her for a long moment before answering, a small, genuine smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You look good in either of them."
Pao's cheeks flushed a delicate pink. She crossed her arms and huffed. "That's not what I wanted to hear!"
Amukelo blinked in confusion. "What? It's true."
Pao puffed her cheeks slightly in mock irritation but couldn't keep the smile from breaking through. She shook her head fondly and said, "You're impossible sometimes, Amu."
He scratched the back of his neck, embarrassed, but feeling strangely warm inside.
Their next destination was the rune shop. It didn't take Pao a long time to choose the enhancement.
"It's not as strong as my last one," she said with a sigh, her voice a mixture of disappointment and resignation. "But... it'll have to do for now."
She then handed the robe and the enhancement to the man behind the counter. As he took both of the items and said. "The runes should be applied by tomorrow."
Pao nodded, and with that the two of them stepped out into the streets of Llyn.
As they walked, Pao turned to him, her voice brightening. "We'll be leaving in a few days... do you plan on doing anything special before that?"
Amukelo thought for a moment, looking up at the familiar sky. "I think I'll go say farewell to a few people. People who helped me when I first got here."
He glanced at her, his eyes soft. "Wanna join?"
Pao's face lit up immediately. She jumped closer to his side, bumping his arm playfully. "Yup."
The first place they headed was the training facility.
The smell of sweat, steel, and sawdust filled the air the moment they walked through the large wooden doors.
Amukelo looked around until he spotted Ewan. As they approached, Ewan noticed them and grinned.
"Hey, look who it is!" Ewan called out. "Didn't think you would still be hanging around."
Amukelo chuckled. "We're actually leaving soon. Just came to say goodbye."
Ewan's grin faltered slightly, but he clapped Amukelo on the shoulder. "You've grown a lot. Stronger. Sharper. Smarter, too, I hope."
Amukelo smiled genuinely. "I owe a lot of that to this place."
Soon Dainor stepperd out of the corridor and spotted them. "You're leaving," Dainor said more as a statement than a question as he walked up to them.
Amukelo nodded. "Yes, Master Dainor."
The older man studied him for a long moment, his sharp eyes seeming to see straight through Amukelo. Then he smiled — a rare sight that made Amukelo stand a little straighter.
"You have grown well," Dainor said. "But growth never stops, not for those who seek greatness. If you continue to walk forward with the strength you have now, and the will you showed here... there is no telling what heights you might reach."
Amukelo bowed his head respectfully. "Thank you. For everything."
Dainor simply nodded. "Go. And make sure you live well enough that the next time we meet, you can challenge me without hesitation."
Amukelo chuckled nervously at that thought. "I'll try."
They said their final goodbyes and left the facility, stepping back out into the sunlight.
Pao hummed beside him, a soft tune as they walked. After a moment, she said brightly, "Hey, Amu, can we actually go to one place?"
He turned to her, curious. "Sure. Where?"
She smiled mischievously. "The magic shop."
Amukelo laughed outright, shaking his head. "Of course you want to go there."
Pao stuck out her tongue playfully, and they made their way through the winding streets to the familiar shop tucked between two larger buildings.
Behind the counter stood the old shopkeeper. When he saw them, he smiled brightly. "Oh, it's you again, young lady. And young man! What is it you come for today?"
Pao stepped forward, and for a rare moment, her voice was softer, more serious. "Well... today is unusual. I'm not here to buy anything."
The old man raised a brow, curious.
Pao smiled warmly. "I just wanted to tell you goodbye. We're leaving Llyn soon. And... I just wanted to say thank you. For all the times you helped me."
The old man's smile faltered slightly. He placed his hands on the counter, leaning forward. "Well... in that case, I wish you nothing but luck on your journey. You were always one of my favorite customers, you know. Always full of energy and curiosity."
Pao's cheeks tinted pink. She nodded deeply. "Thank you. If we ever come back to Llyn... I'll definitely visit."
The old man chuckled. "I'll hold you to that."
They stepped outside again, the door jingling shut behind them.
Amukelo gave her a side glance, a little amused. "I didn't know you had any relationship with him."
Pao grinned sheepishly. "Well... after all, I spent quite a bit of time there."
Amukelo laughed. "Of course. Anywhere there are grimoires and spells to be found, you'd be there."