Alexa knelt down, placing both knees on the ground. Then, she leaned her arms back.
Ethios realized what she wanted—she meant for him to climb onto her back.
He stepped toward her hesitantly, his pace unsteady. When her back was before him, he leapt onto it, wrapping his arms tightly around her neck.
Alexa rose, lifting her body off the ground, and darted toward the window. She planted her foot on the inner ledge and seized the golden ornament above with her hand.
Her left hand clutched the top of the ornament, while her right pressed firmly against its middle.
Ethios had no idea what his mother intended. Why would she scale the window like this? How could this possibly help him, as she had promised?
With one swift, forceful motion, Alexa shoved outward with her right hand.
The ornament ripped free and plummeted violently toward the earth.
Ethios could see it falling, shrinking in size with every passing second. By the time it hit the ground, it was barely visible at all.
The crash sent up a dome of sand and a strong shockwave, enough to terrify the children Ethios had noticed playing nearby. They scattered in panic.
Now, the window was nothing more than an opening to the abyss. Ethios clung desperately to his mother, his grip so tight he feared he was choking her. Yet she showed no sign of discomfort.
Burying his face in her back, he whimpered in a frightened tone:
"Mother!... What are you doing? We'll fall just like that ornament!"
She smiled softly and replied with tender warmth:
"Ethios… do you trust me?"
He was silent for a few moments, then whispered:
"Yes."
Alexa took a step forward. Her feet now balanced on the outer ledge of the window.
"Then do as I told you. Hold on tight… and you'll enjoy this."
Obeying, Ethios tightened his arms around her. He still didn't know what she had planned, but deep down he could not believe she would ever harm him. She was his mother, after all.
With that, Alexa leapt with her son out the window.
Ethios could hardly comprehend what she had done. All he could do was trust her and hold on as tightly as she demanded.
Yet it seemed useless—he was certain they were plummeting to their deaths.
The speed of their descent was maddening. The gentle breeze he had enjoyed only moments earlier had turned into merciless currents slamming against his mother's body as they plunged.
His insides churned violently, as though tossed within him.
And then—miraculously—their fall began to slow. Ethios had kept his eyes shut tight, too terrified to look. But as soon as he heard the voices of servants in the palace gardens, he dared to open them.
His mother had conjured a magical cloud before they struck the ground.
It was one of the most common means of travel among the Akimo people: a cloud summoned beneath the fighter, their feet sinking slightly into its mist to hold them in place.
Its color varied from clan to clan. For the Syrens, the cloud gleamed in a deep azure.
After gliding forward some distance, Alexa halted the cloud and turned to her son.
"Ethios… which do you prefer? The earth… or the sky?"
He didn't know what she meant, or if there was even a "right" answer. After a pause, he muttered:
"The sky."
Alexa slid him off her back and placed him before her on the cloud. Wrapping him tightly against her chest, she whispered:
"Very well. Then you must endure the consequences of your choice."
The cloud tilted upward, and Alexa surged forward at full speed.
Ethios felt them rise higher and higher, the ground beneath shrinking into nothing. Within moments, the height was so staggering he could no longer bear to look down.
Terror seeped into every corner of his being. Already, he regretted choosing the sky.
The winds lashed against his face so fiercely he couldn't open his eyes. Some currents were icy, others sharp. When at last their pace began to slow, he managed to open them again.
He was stunned—he and his mother were soaring among the clouds themselves.
He pushed her hands away and took a cautious step forward. The cloud was vast enough for him to walk upon.
Crawling on his belly to the edge, he peered down.
His eyes widened in awe.
Below them drifted a flock of colossal birds, rising almost to their height. The earth seemed impossibly far away, reduced to a smear of green forests.
For the first time, fear melted from him, replaced by sheer wonder. He had never once stepped beyond the walls of his palace wing. Now, the whole world passed beneath his feet. Something strange stirred within him—a feeling he could not name.
He rose and rushed back to his mother, throwing his arms around her as he shouted:
"This is amazing!!"
Alexa's smile stretched from ear to ear. She opened her mouth to say something, but he cut her off with another plea:
"Can I choose the second option too? The earth?"
Her smile deepened.
"Of course."
She turned the cloud downward, and they descended once more.
This time, Ethios did not fear the fall. He stood at the very front, arms spread wide, as though trying to embrace the world with his small body. Their descent through the clouds was a sight of pure beauty.
Only then did Ethios notice—he was smiling. He realized the unnamed feeling within him was what people called happiness.
His mother had been right: bonds could bring joy. Perhaps Alexa was not just his mother, but his friend as well. And now he longed to weave many such bonds with others.
His thoughts broke when they landed upon a vast lake. Alexa guided the cloud gently over the shimmering surface.
Ethios was overwhelmed once more. The air had calmed, the sunlight danced on the water like living fire, and flocks of small birds wheeled above them.
Creatures leapt from the lake, arcing through the air before plunging back in. They looked like dolphins, save for the needle-like tails that trailed behind them.
Alexa tilted the cloud, allowing Ethios to glimpse his own reflection in the water.
Then, she guided them beneath the surface-dwellers, the cloud diving under as if through a tunnel. Cold droplets splashed across Ethios' face, sunlight filtered through the water, and the strange song of the creatures wrapped around them. His mother's arms tightened around him, keeping him safe as they passed beneath the graceful beasts.
---
By the time they reached the far shore, the cloud dissolved onto the ground. Ethios walked for the first time in a long while.
His legs felt heavy, clumsy, as though he had forgotten how to use them.
He staggered toward a tree, sat, and leaned against its trunk. Taking a deep breath, he tried to absorb the wonder of the day—a gift he knew would not come often.
Alexa rested against a neighboring tree, the sun setting before them. She watched it silently, letting her body relax after such a long journey.
Of course, the cloud was no "free" transport. It consumed much of a fighter's energy and was used only for short distances.
She could not help but wonder if she had done the right thing. Was it wise to bring Ethios outside? Would this decision one day invite tragedy? Or would it pass quietly, leaving no scar?
No—Ethios had been drowning in loneliness. He needed this.
Alexa pushed the thoughts aside and closed her eyes, seeking a brief nap.
Her son was already asleep. After such a day, he had earned his rest.
But just before she drifted off, Alexa sensed movement in the lake. Then, a voice called out:
"Lady Alexa of the Tedrosi line! What an honor it is to find you here."
A group of fishermen had stumbled upon them by chance. Five in total, delighted by their fortune.
Alexa smiled faintly, gesturing for them to approach.
But as they drew closer, she slowly extended her long right arm to the side. From within her sleeve, a magnificent sword slid forth. When it fully emerged, she gripped its hilt with deadly strength.
The fishermen froze, bewildered. Why draw a blade against them?
With silent, precise steps, Alexa advanced.
The first man was close—she severed his head in a single stroke.
In an instant, she rushed the others. Her blade sang through the air, striking with such precision that deep wounds tore them open, and within moments, they were dead.
It took no more than two seconds. One of the finest swordmasters of the Syren clan against a handful of hapless fishermen.
The fourth tried to flee, but she dragged him back and slit his throat.
The fifth stumbled, falling helplessly. Alexa seized his legs and flipped him onto his back. He screamed for his life, but his voice was muffled as she pressed her hand against his mouth. His eyes brimmed with tears as he begged incoherently.
Her gaze was sharp, merciless. In a low whisper, she spoke:
"Hush… I'm sorry."
Then her blade flashed across his neck, and silence fell.
Glancing back, she confirmed Ethios was still fast asleep.
The entire slaughter had taken mere seconds. She had been flawless—calm, swift, precise.
Rising from the corpse, Alexa looked down at herself. Her clothes were drenched in blood, her skin splattered crimson.
With an exasperated sigh, she muttered:
"I'll need a bath.