Kyren walked into the inn, greeted by the older twins as he entered.
"Hello, Kyren," they said in unison.
"Nice to see you," Kyren replied, nodding as he made his way upstairs.
He peered into Lydel's room, spotting Liora perched anxiously on a pillow beside him. The tiny light sprite's wings drooped slightly as she watched over her unconscious companion.
"Liora, come with me. I want to show you something," Kyren said.
Liora jolted, fluttering up in alarm. "Please don't scare me like that! I'm already worried about Lydel," she huffed, reluctantly flying toward the door.
Kyren gave a small chuckle, waiting as she slipped through the crack and landed on his shoulder. He stepped across the hall, pushing open his own door.
"I'm going to send you somewhere," Kyren said, his voice calm but firm. "When I summon you back, I want you to tell me what it's like."
Liora shifted uneasily. "Wait, what do you mean, send me somewhere—?"
Before she could finish, Kyren gently lifted her in his palm, opened the Wayfinder's Realm tab, and selected:
Send Liora to Realm?
Yes
Golden mana shimmered around Liora's tiny form. Her eyes widened in panic. "Kyren, wai—!"
She disappeared.
Kyren exhaled, then navigated to Wayfinder's Kin, scrolling down to examine Veldthar's stats.
Veldthar (Stormcrest Eland)
Mythical Plains Beast
The Stormcrest Eland roamed the plains looking for more, but he was the only one of his kind—lost until a brave hero saved him.
Stats:
Physical Constitution: A
Strength: A+
Speed: S+
Stamina: S-
Ability:
Static Hoard: Builds static charge in the horns for projectile attacks or enhanced strikes.
Upgrade Veldthar? (100 Stat Points)
Kyren frowned. 100 stat points? If Veldthar, a mythical beast, only required that much to upgrade, then what was Liora? Something even rarer?
He pushed the thought aside, flipping to his own Stats tab.
500 / 600 EXP
Almost at level 7. He needed more stat points outside of the big reward waiting for him in the current mission. If he could push just a little further…
Kyren glanced at Lydel's Sidekick Improvement Plan timer. Only 10 minutes left.
With a small nod, he returned to Wayfinder's Realm and summoned Liora back.
Golden mana shimmered again, and Liora reappeared in Kyren's palm, wings twitching as she caught her breath.
"Okay," Kyren said, watching her closely. "What was it like in there?"
Liora shook herself off before responding. "It was… different. A big open plain with a tiny little house next to this massive stable for Veldthar." She glanced at Kyren. "The grass looked just like outside Longfoot, and there was a river stretching as far as I could see."
"Sounds peaceful," Kyren mused. "I hope Veldthar likes it there."
Liora huffed. "Oh, don't worry. He was thrilled. Running around, eating grass, trying to see how fast he could go—it was ridiculous."
Kyren smirked. "Good. Also, Lydel should be waking up soon if you want to check on him."
Liora's face immediately lit up. "Really? Let's go—please!"
Kyren shook his head with a small chuckle, standing up and heading across the hall.
The System Timer now displayed 10 minutes remaining. Kyren sat on the bed, waiting.
A small, unwelcome thought crept into his mind: Lydel was about to receive another massive boost. Meanwhile, Kyren had been stuck, his growth stalled since their last journey.
He clenched his fists, pushing the jealousy down. No—he'd be happy for Lydel. The stronger his friend became, the better their chances of completing their mission.
A ding rang out.
Lydel stirred. Though his body hadn't changed much, Kyren could feel the shift—a new strength radiating from him.
"Damn," Lydel groaned, stretching. "I feel so much better."
"I'm just glad you're alive!" Liora cried, circling his head before perching on his shoulder.
Kyren crossed his arms. "Good. But the sun's still up, and I have something I need to do. I'm heading to the coal mines—I want to see how the cult is treating the people there."
Lydel nodded, understanding immediately. "I think I know which route leads there, but there's a lot more cult activity in that area. Could be heavily guarded."
"That's fine. I want to cause some chaos today," Kyren muttered, a sharp edge in his voice.
The boys left the inn, heading toward the road on the far right of the plaza. As they reached the edge of the houses, Kyren smirked.
"Veldthar, come out, buddy."
The Stormcrest Eland materialized in front of them.
Lydel jolted back. "What the hell is that, Kyren?!"
"He's Veldthar," Kyren said smoothly, patting the eland's neck. "And he's graciously offering you a ride, so be nice."
Lydel stared, still processing. "But—where did he even come from?! I've never seen an animal like this before."
Kyren mounted Veldthar, reaching a hand down to Lydel. "Helped him out in the plains the other night. Now, get on."
Still stunned, Lydel hesitated before grabbing Kyren's hand. "Wait—you mean this isn't the first time I've ridden him?"
Kyren grinned. "Nope. You were completely out cold the first time."
Liora fluttered onto Lydel's shoulder, clearly not interested in trying to keep up.
"Alright, buddy," Kyren said. "Let's move."
Veldthar bolted forward, his speed incredible even with the extra weight. Lydel yelped, gripping Kyren for dear life while Liora shrieked.
Within minutes, they arrived at the massive gates of the coal mining village. Four guards stood at the entrance.
One stepped forward, sneering. "What's your business here?"
Kyren swung off Veldthar, eyes scanning the guards. One was cocky, another cautious, and the last two were already gripping their weapons.
"Just riding my eland," Kyren said casually. "Didn't mean to bother anyone."
The cocky guard smirked. "No visitors allowed. If you go in, you don't come out."
The first guard laughed. "But if you really want in, we can throw you inside ourselves."
Kyren tilted his head. "Oh? You think you could?"
The cocky guard stepped forward, drawing his short sword. "I'll give you a chance—draw your blade."
Kyren's smirk widened. "Why would I? You don't pose a threat to me."
The guard's face twisted in rage. He lunged—
Kyren disappeared. Soundless Step.
Before the guard could react, Kyren's fist crashed into his jaw, sending him flying into another guard.
Lydel finally jumped down as all hell broke loose.
The last two guards hesitated—one activating his power.
The ground trembled. Massive rock formations erupted, sealing the gate.
Kyren stepped back, his grin widening.
"Guess we'll just have to find another way in."