By the time I finally left the capital, the sun had already begun dipping toward the horizon.
The conversation with Arkas, Edgar, Lucien, and Damien had stretched far longer than any of us expected. What started as a simple reunion had turned into hours of catching up. They asked about the wars, the races I had encountered, the strange worlds beyond our galaxy, and the threats that might one day reach Vaythos.
In return, they told me about the changes that had taken place here and how the people of Surka and Peanu were slowly becoming part of the empire.
It had felt strangely normal.
For a brief moment, it almost felt like I had never left.
Eventually, though, I excused myself and returned to the sky.
The capital slowly shrank behind me as I rose above the towering cliff that bordered the city. The massive forest plateau spread out ahead once again, quiet and untouched by the activity below.
Vivi's garden.
