Reina's POV
Velhara had once been called the City of Blossoms. But now, Reina only knew it as the city of shadows.
She crouched low on the tiled rooftop, her keen cat ears twitching at every clink of metal and echo of boots below. Smoke from a distant forge spiraled up into the sky, mixing with the faint scent of jasmine. But nothing about this city was sweet anymore.
Not when every street corner might hide a Council agent. Not when every passing stranger might whisper your name to the wrong ears.
Her fingers tightened on the hilt of her dagger. She'd been a warrior long before the war against the Demon Lord—had clawed her way through bandits, mercenaries, beasts and monsters—but this? This was worse. This was waiting. Watching. Not striking until it was far, far too late.
And worst of all… this was fear. Not for herself.
For him.
She looked across the rooftop to where Raphtael sat against a chimney stack, his hood drawn low over his face. His eyes were closed, his breathing steady, but Reina knew he hadn't truly rested in days. Healing others was second nature to him, but healing himself? That was different. That took time—and right now, time was a luxury they didn't have.
They had been in Velhara for three weeks. The Council's net had drawn tighter with every passing day. It started with whispers. Then came the posters. Then came the bounties.
"Former Hero's Companions. Wanted for unauthorized magical practice. Approach with caution."
It was a lie. They hadn't broken any laws.
But they knew something the Council feared.
They had fought beside Ryuuji.
---
Raphtael's POV
The warmth of the chimney stone behind him did little to ease the pain in his chest.
Not a physical pain. Those were easy to fix. A touch of healing magic, a whisper of incantation, and wounds would close like petals at dusk.
No, this was deeper.
It was the ache of helplessness.
Reina hadn't said it aloud, but he knew. She blamed herself. Every day she didn't smile. Every hour she checked their surroundings without a word. Every time she gave up her portion of food so he could stay strong enough to heal others, even strangers along the way.
She was scared for him. But even more than that—she was scared she'd lose another friend.
"I sent it," Raphtael whispered suddenly.
Reina turned. "The feather?"
He nodded, opening his eyes slowly. "Phoenix feather. Took a whole day to find one strong enough to bind the message. I sent it on the wind three days ago."
Reina's breath caught. "To Ryuuji?"
"If he's alive. If he's out there… he'll hear it."
Reina was silent for a moment. Her tail flicked anxiously, a habit she didn't bother hiding anymore.
"He'll come," she said softly, almost like a prayer.
---
That night, they didn't sleep.
They couldn't.
In the alleys below, cloaked figures moved like vipers in the dark. Council Enforcers. Their voices were muffled, but Reina's ears twitched. She could hear them.
"…the beastkin and the healer were spotted two blocks east…"
"…orders from Councilor Varnis—alive if possible, dead if necessary…"
She and Raphtael locked eyes. No words were needed. They had maybe seconds.
They leapt from the rooftop just as a flare of light erupted behind them—an enforcer's spell. Raphtael conjured a shield of golden radiance, deflecting the blast mid-air, while Reina landed silently and rolled, coming up in a sprint.
The chase began.
Through narrow alleys slick with rain.
Over stone bridges draped in ivy.
Down winding stairwells that led beneath the city.
They had memorized every escape route Velhara had to offer. But the Council was learning, adapting. They were closing off exits now. Laying traps.
In the labyrinth of sewers below, they finally paused. Reina leaned against a moss-covered wall, panting. Raphtael leaned his forehead against hers, eyes shut, lips trembling with fatigue.
"We can't keep this up," he whispered.
"I know," she breathed. "But if Ryuuji got the message…"
Raphtael suddenly straightened, his eyes wide.
"What?" she asked, alarmed.
"I felt it. Just now. A breeze—but there's no wind down here." He looked toward the arched ceiling. "He's coming."
Reina blinked.
Then she smiled.
Not the fierce grin of battle, but a real one. Small. Quiet. Like dawn breaking after a too-long night.
"Then we hold on," she said. "A little longer."
---
Back above, far across the sea…
On Ryuuji's island, the dragons stirred.
One lifted its head.
A scent on the wind. Familiar. Fear. Desperation. But also hope.
And Ryuuji, standing at the dock with Duncan, Sierra, and Elysia, opened his eyes slowly.
"They're alive," he said.
The old team, the old bond—it was calling him again.
And this time, they weren't just fighting a Demon Lord.
They were fighting the heart of a kingdom corrupted by fear.