Inside a dense stretch of forest near the town of Raventhorn, the trees stood tall and tightly packed, their branches filtering the early morning light into fractured beams across the ground.
Aldric stood with his arms crossed, irritation clear on his face.
Beside him, the cultist had dropped to all fours.
He breathed heavily—each inhale ragged, each exhale loud enough to echo between the trees.
He looked as if he might collapse again at any moment.
Aldric clicked his tongue.
"Shut your damn mouth."
The cultist tried to steady himself, but another harsh breath escaped him.
Aldric's expression darkened.
"And stop breathing like a dying animal."
The cultist coughed weakly and forced himself upright onto his knees.
"I… am regulating my mana…"
"Then do it quietly," Aldric snapped.
He glanced toward the direction of the town.
They were close.
Close enough to regroup.
Close enough that unnecessary noise only irritated him.
Aldric looked back down at the exhausted man.
"If you pass out again, I'm leaving you in a tree."
The cultist swallowed and forced himself to stand, legs shaking.
"I will not… be a burden…"
Aldric rolled his eyes.
"You already are."
The forest remained still around them.
Waiting.
Aldric paced a few steps, clearly restless.
"And why the hell did those two decide to enter the town by themselves?" he muttered.
The cultist remained silent, still struggling to steady his breathing.
Aldric didn't expect a reply.
"No signal. No regroup. Just—'let's walk into a populated area.' Brilliant."
He ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
"We just crossed borders, triggered alarms, and nearly got intercepted by who-knows-what. Now they think a town is the best hiding spot?"
He scoffed.
"Crowds mean witnesses. Witnesses mean rumors. Rumors mean attention."
He gestured vaguely toward Raventhorn.
"And attention is the last thing we need right now."
The cultist carefully pushed himself fully upright, leaning against a tree for support.
"They likely entered to blend in…" he offered weakly.
The forest remained quiet.
Aldric exhaled slowly.
"Whatever."
He glanced toward the town once more.
Aldric glared at the cultist.
"And if you make one more annoy—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
His head turned slightly toward the trees.
Footsteps.
Light.
Controlled.
He exhaled through his nose.
"Look who decided to come back."
From between the trees, Lyriana stepped into view, her pace steady and her expression composed.
No signs of strain.
No wasted motion.
Aldric folded his arms.
"Well?"
He tilted his head slightly.
"Miss me?"
Lyriana didn't react.
He continued anyway.
"Or did you suddenly feel bad for abandoning your big brother back there?"
The cultist straightened awkwardly, sensing the shift in tone.
Aldric smirked faintly.
"Thought maybe you'd get lonely flying ahead like that."
Lyriana stopped a few paces away.
Calm.
Unbothered.
Aldric watched her for a reaction.
"Or was it guilt?" he added lightly. "Conscience finally kicking in?"
Lyriana simply stared at him, expression flat.
"Are you done with your nonsense?"
Her tone carried no heat—only dismissal.
Aldric held her gaze for a beat and then shrugged.
"No fun at all," he muttered.
His smirk returned faintly.
"Lucky you showed up. Another moment with this bastard—" he jerked a thumb toward the cultist—"and I might actually have killed him."
The cultist flinched slightly but said nothing.
Lyriana's eyes shifted to Aldric, then briefly to the exhausted man leaning against the tree.
"You would waste time on something that meaningless?"
Aldric scoffed.
"Meaningless? He's slower than a broken cart and breathes like he's dying. I've got limits."
He stretched his shoulders, rolling the tension out.
"If I have to babysit dead weight, someone's getting thrown off the sky."
Lyriana didn't rise to the bait.
"We are not here to argue."
Aldric blinked.
"Then stop provoking it."
She turned slightly, scanning the surrounding forest.
"His Highness will arrive soon."
Aldric's expression shifted.
"Yeah."
His gaze flicked toward the path Draven would likely take.
"Better hope your friend isn't in a mood."
The cultist swallowed.
"I will be ready, master Aldric."
Aldric shot him a look.
"Don't call me that."
The cultist hesitated.
"Understood."
Lyriana ignored the exchange.
"We wait."
Aldric exhaled sharply.
"Fine."
He leaned against a nearby tree, arms crossed.
"But if that bastard collapses again, I'm leaving him."
The cultist straightened weakly.
"I will not collapse."
Aldric raised an eyebrow.
"We'll see."
They waited.
Minutes stretched on.
The forest remained quiet except for the rustle of leaves and the cultist's uneven breathing.
Aldric shifted his weight against the tree, impatience clear in his posture.
"So we just stand here," he muttered, "like idiots."
Lyriana didn't respond.
She continued scanning the surroundings, always alert.
The cultist sank back down to one knee, exhaustion winning the argument.
Aldric shot him a glare.
"Don't you dare pass out again."
The cultist forced a nod.
"I… will remain conscious."
Aldric snorted.
"Sure you will."
He glanced toward the path.
"How long are we waiting? If he takes any longer—"
His words cut off.
A faint disturbance in the air.
Not a gust of wind.
Something sharper.
The subtle shift of mana.
Aldric straightened slightly.
Then smirked.
"Speak of the devil."
Draven dropped from above.
No dramatic entrance.
No explosion of force.
Just a controlled descent.
His feet touched the ground silently—no sound of impact.
The cat remained tucked against him.
The slime clung to his hand.
Blood and dirt still marked his clothes, but his movements were steady and controlled.
Lyriana nodded once.
"My lord."
Draven looked at her.
"Report."
She straightened.
"We reached the town. The young master and miss are safe. No pursuit detected."
Draven absorbed the information.
Good.
Aldric pushed off the tree.
"Finally."
He smirked.
"Took you long enough."
Draven glanced at him.
Aldric raised his hands slightly.
"Relax. No lecture."
His expression shifted.
"So? Town went well?"
Draven didn't answer immediately.
He assessed their condition.
Lyriana—stable.
Vaelith—secure.
Aldric—irritated but functional.
The cultist—barely holding together.
Draven's gaze lingered on him for a second.
Then he spoke.
"Move."
Aldric blinked.
"Excuse me?"
Draven turned.
"We continue."
No discussion.
No pause.
Just forward.
Aldric exhaled sharply.
"Of course we do."
He shot the cultist a look.
"Try not to die this time."
The cultist swallowed.
"I will not fail, my lord."
Aldric groaned under his breath.
"Great."
He followed Draven.
Lyriana fell in beside them.
The forest waited.
But they did not.