The journey eastward passed in a blur of grassy hills and winding rivers, but nothing prepared them for the sight that awaited.
As the sun dipped low, the white towers of Seranth rose into view. They gleamed as if carved from moonlight itself, their spires piercing the golden sky. Strong walls embraced the city like the arms of a guardian, and banners of silver and deep blue fluttered in the wind, each bearing the sigil of a crescent moon cradling a star.
Mira gasped, tugging at Kael's sleeve. "It's like the towers are glowing! Look, Lori, look!"
Lori clutched her flower crown and pressed closer to Masha, her wide eyes reflecting the shining walls. "It's… beautiful. I never thought places like this were real."
Kael allowed himself a faint smile at their awe. "This is a city built to be remembered," he murmured, studying its structure like a map etched into stone. "No wonder travelers speak of it like a legend."
The drawbridge lowered across the river, and as they entered, life surged all around them. Cobblestone streets bustled with merchants calling out wares, spices sharp and sweet, bolts of cloth in colors brighter than jewels, instruments singing soft melodies. Lanterns were being lit, casting a golden haze across the market square.
Children darted past, carrying pastries dusted with sugar; armored knights walked in measured strides; and from an open hall, the sound of bells rang, deep and harmonious.
Masha's face softened in wonder. "It feels… warm here. Not just the air, the people, the sound of it all. It's like the city itself is alive."
Sir Aelric walked a step ahead of them, silent but proud, his presence commanding respect even from the gate guards.
Mira twirled in place, her voice bright. "We should stay forever!"
Kael chuckled lightly, shaking his head. "Don't get too comfortable. Remember, we rest, we gather strength… then we move on." Yet even he found it hard not to be moved by the city's embrace.
Lori tugged shyly at Masha's hand. "Do you think… they'll let someone like me stay? Even if I'm dangerous sometimes?"
Masha knelt, brushing a strand of hair from Lori's glowing face. "Dont worry much about such things, people her don't mind special people like you."
And so, the group stepped deeper into Seranth, their footsteps mingling with the heartbeat of a kingdom where new beginnings seemed to wait at every corner.
The moon had just risen over Seranth, painting the rooftops and silver spires with pale light. The city below glittered like a thousand stars had fallen to earth, lanterns glowing in winding streets, laughter spilling from taverns, and bells tolling gently in the distance.
Kael sat on the cold stone of a high tower, his map spread across his lap. His charcoal scratched steadily against the parchment, capturing every curve of wall, every bridge over the river, every tower that reached toward the heavens. His eyes narrowed, measuring distances, as though by mapping the kingdom he could somehow hold it, preserve it, keep it from ever fading.
The soft sound of footsteps reached him. A moment later, Masha's voice carried in the night air.
"Always working, even when the whole world is at peace?"
Kael didn't look up immediately, though his lips tugged into a faint smile. "Peace is the best time to draw. The lines are clearer when the world isn't shaking."
Masha came to sit beside him, pulling her knees close to her chest. The wind caught strands of her light brown hair, lifting them into the moonlight. She closed her eyes, breathing deeply.
"The air smells different up here. Clean. Like the sky itself is touching you."
Kael finally set down his charcoal and looked out with her. From above, Seranth was breathtaking, rivers catching the moonlight like ribbons of silver, gardens blooming even in the night, streets alive with music and warmth.
"You're right," he admitted softly. "It feels… lighter. Almost like the guilt doesn't follow me here."
Masha tilted her head, her kind eyes searching his face. "Maybe because up here, you see everything at once. The whole city breathing together. It reminds you that one person's pain is small compared to the world's beauty."
Kael was quiet for a long moment, his gaze tracing the glowing streets. Then, almost reluctantly, he said, "I used to think the world was cruel. That it only ever took. But… lately, with Mira, with you all… I've started to see that it also gives back."
Masha smiled gently, folding her hands over her knees. "That's because you've started giving to it. Maps, guidance, even just listening when someone needs it. The world reflects what you put in, Kael."
A faint warmth stirred in his chest, something he hadn't felt in years. He nodded slowly, then reached for his charcoal again. "Then I'll keep giving. As long as I can."
Together they sat in silence, Kael's hand sketching the towers and Masha's eyes drinking in the kingdom below. Two souls high above the city, sharing its breath, its quiet, it's endless promises.
Down in the wide stone square, Mira and Lori were surrounded by laughter. The kingdom's children had spotted them at once and pulled them into their games, skipping ropes and chasing hoops that rattled across the cobblestones.
At first, Lori stood frozen, her pale face tense, her small hands trembling. She expected the children to look at her the way others always did, with fear, with distance, as though she were something dangerous. The light that sometimes flared from her body had made her a stranger everywhere she went.
But here… nobody flinched.
One of the boys tugged her wrist with a grin. "Come on! You're fast, right? Race me!"
And before Lori could protest, Mira grabbed her other hand and laughed, pulling her into the circle of running feet. Her heart pounded, panic sparking… but nothing happened. No blinding flash, no cries of pain. Just warmth, grass stains on knees, and the sound of children cheering.
For the first time in her memory, Lori wasn't a burden. She wasn't feared. She was just another child, tumbling in the dust, her cheeks red from laughter.
She stumbled to a stop, gasping for breath, eyes wide with disbelief.
"They… they don't care."
Mira smiled, holding out a flower crown she had woven quickly while Lori wasn't looking. She placed it gently on Lori's white hair.
"Of course they don't. You're one of us now. That's all that matters."
Lori touched the crown, her lip trembling. For so long, she had braced herself for rejection—but here, under the lanterns of Seranth, surrounded by joy and kindness, she realized something she'd never dared to hope for.
She was no longer alone.