The underground of the Labyrinth City trembled as if it had a heart of its own. After the last key was used to complete the Seal of the Five Routes, the walls pulsed with a pale light, and the deep sound coming from the city's depths finally began to fade. Part of the giant beneath the earth still seemed to move, but the main source of energy that sustained it was now stabilized.
Liriel, pale and out of breath, held the grimoire with both hands. The light she produced barely illuminated the surroundings, but it was enough to guide us back to the surface. Elara walked slowly beside her, trying to control her breathing as her mana dissipated faster than she could restore it. Vespera, despite the exhaustion, tried to smile, even covered in dust and with her hands trembling from having fired more arrows than she should have.
Rai'kanna walked ahead, her wings partially open by instinct, as if she were still ready to protect any of us if something emerged from the ground. Lyannis stayed close to me, silent, gripping her spear tightly while watching every corner of the living walls.
The flame inside me was restless, as if it sensed that something in that city was still watching, waiting, analyzing. Even sealed, the city's living structure seemed to have eyes in every shadow.
When we reached the great platform that would take us back to the surface, the final light of the seal faded behind us. A strange silence settled in, as if the city were holding its breath. Rai'kanna lifted her gaze.
"The city is calm."
Liriel agreed, but she didn't look relieved. "Calm… doesn't mean safe. It's just waiting."
Vespera gave herself a light slap on the forehead. "We just stopped a subterranean giant from waking up. I just want, like, two days without walking buildings, living shadows, and cultists trying to turn us inside out. Just that."
"I believe no one here disagrees," Elara said, tired.
The living elevator rose with a slow movement, almost heavy with mourning. When we finally emerged on the surface, the Labyrinth City seemed… asleep. Motionless streets. Closed windows. No magical murmurs or distortions in the air. As if everything were in a deep rest after the struggle.
Rai'kanna took a deep breath. "We're done here. Whatever was trying to awaken… will remain dormant for a long time."
I looked around. "And the collector?"
He had vanished before the Seal was completed. No trail, no clue. Only silence.
"He's gone," Liriel said, flipping through pages without finding answers. "But he took too much information with him. He knows what the city is. And that worries me."
"If he tries to use that for something, we'll deal with it," Vespera replied, as if it were simple. For the first time, her constant bravado sounded comforting. A silly certainty amid the chaos.
We headed toward the eastern exit. The great living gate that had swallowed us at the beginning of the arc opened slowly, letting in a fresh breeze. The normal sky, at last, without inversions, distortions, or floating creatures.
The long road toward the Demi-Dragon Kingdom stretched to the right. The road to Vaillor followed to the left.
Rai'kanna stopped, looking at us with a firm expression, though there was sadness there. Lyannis stepped closer to her. The two looked at each other like companions sharing something deep and silent.
"So this is the moment," Rai'kanna said.
She looked directly at me.
"Takumi… I'm going back to the demi-dragon kingdom with Lyannis. Our king wants a complete report on everything we found, and I need to make sure their city is safe. But…"
She took two steps forward. Her wings slowly folded.
"I liked this adventure. I liked… fighting at your side. Traveling with you. And…" She looked away for a moment, as if even for her it was hard to admit. "I want to see you again. So… I'll find a way. I'll come to Vaillor when I can. I promise."
The flame inside me warmed as a spontaneous response to her words. I gave a small smile.
"We'll see each other again. I liked it too."
The air grew heavy.
Vespera, Elara, and Liriel all looked at me at the same time.
The mood changed instantly.
Vespera narrowed her eyes. "Oh, sure, sure… you liked it too, huh? Interesting."
Elara crossed her arms, despite the exhaustion. "Very interesting."
Liriel just murmured, "Hmph."
Rai'kanna finally seemed to notice that the atmosphere had become… volatile. Lyannis, who was also looking at me with a faint blush, quickly stepped back two paces.
"Well… then we'll be going," said the demi-dragon princess, a bit shy.
Rai'kanna nodded to us like a warrior bidding farewell to precious allies.
"Thank you for everything. We'll meet again."
She and Lyannis began walking down the road to the right, until they disappeared beyond the horizon.
The silence lingered for about five seconds.
And then Vespera finally broke it.
"I didn't like that."
Elara added, "Not at all."
Liriel sighed. "I knew this was going to happen."
I raised my hands. "Hey, calm down. She just"
"Oh, so now you're defending her," Vespera complained.
"I'm not defending anyone, I—"
"You are," Elara said, with an accusing look.
Liriel concluded, hands on her hips, "Definitely are."
I sighed deeply. "Can we please just go to Vaillor? I just want to rest."
Elara finally let out a light laugh. Vespera shook her head, but smiled too. Liriel closed the grimoire, whispering almost inaudibly:
"I'll still find out how that little dragon dared to talk like that…"
And so we followed the road to the left, leaving the sleeping Labyrinth City behind us.
The flame inside me pulsed softly. It remembered the giant beneath the earth. It remembered the living library. And it remembered whatever lay behind everything.
But the silence that remained… was not one of peace.
It was one of alert.
Something in the sky, far above the clouds, shifted slowly, as if watching our path.