The Blue Bird began to descend slowly, its great wings moving heavily; it had exhausted all its energy on that suicidal journey. Beneath them lay a green paradise unlike any they had ever seen; giant trees draped with colorful fruits, thick grass swaying with the wind, and a winding river gleaming with a clear, sky-blue light.
The bird landed softly on the riverbank, and as soon as the comrades' feet touched the ground, they all collapsed in awe, feeling the real grass with their hands.
Picos (Throwing himself face-down on the grass): "Land! Real land! No Heart Stones, no metal, and no fear of falling! I'm going to build a house here and call it 'The Wooden Spoon Fortress'!"
Meron (Heading to the river and washing his face): "The water... it's cold and refreshing! It doesn't have that sulfur taste from the channels of Atheria. Look at the bird; it's drinking thirstily."
The Blue Bird approached the riverbank, dipped its beak into the clear water, and began to drink peacefully, as if washing years of captivity and torture from its soul.
While the bird rested, the comrades set out to explore the nearby trees. The branches were heavy with fruits that resembled apples but glowed with a golden hue.
Romulius (Examining a fruit): "It's completely natural. Taste this!"
Nirar (Chewing a piece of the fruit): "Wow! The taste is a mix of honey and mint. Ortinus, try this!"
Ortinus (Sitting propped against a massive tree trunk): "What an incredible taste! Thank you, Nirar. I feel refreshed."
Nikos (Looking at Darius with a rare smile): "Look at you, Darius; your face is stained with fruit juice. I haven't seen you smile like this since you started your hunting training at ten."
Darius: "Because we aren't hunters anymore, Father... we're just humans now. Hungry, happy humans!"
Once everyone was full and had caught their breath, energy began to surge through their bodies again. Picos sat atop a rock and said defiantly:
Picos: "Since we all claim to be strong and heroic, which of you can race me to that distant tree?"
Nirar: "You, Picos? You'll die of exhaustion after the first ten steps!"
Romulius (Laughing as he ties his shoelaces): "Since we're in a safe place, how about an official footrace? Let's see who's the fastest among us when we aren't running from explosions."
Ortinus: "Great idea! I'll be the judge. The first match will be between experience and agility... Nikos vs. Romulius!"
Nikos, the seasoned warrior with a solid build, stood before Romulius, the fighter and mentor who relies on his lightness of movement and quick reflexes.
Nikos (Doing some warm-up moves): "Don't think my grey hair means I'm slow, Romulius. I was chasing sharks in the Acadian Sea before you were born."
Romulius (With a confident smile): "That's why this doesn't seem like a fair fight—there's a difference between a shark hunter and someone who brought down kingdoms with his strength."
The two lined up at a mark Darius drew in the dirt. The remaining comrades (Meron, Picos, Nirar, and Darius) stood on both sides, cheering and shouting with excitement.
Ortinus: "The path is to that big tree and back to touch this rock. Are you both ready?"
Nikos: "Always ready."
Romulius: "Let's go!"
Ortinus: "One... two... GOOOOO!"
The two shot forward like arrows. Nikos ran with steady, powerful strides that made a rhythmic thud on the ground, while Romulius seemed to fly over the grass, his steps quick and light.
Picos (Shouting): "Go, Uncle Nikos! Show them the power of the old-timers!"
Darius: "Father! Don't let him beat you! You'll lose your prestige!"
Meron: "Romulius! Use your surgical speed!"
Romulius reached the tree first by a small margin, but on the way back, Nikos showed incredible endurance and began to close the gap. Their breathing was audible, and laughter rose from the comrades as they watched these two great warriors racing like children in green meadows.
In the final meters, they were neck and neck. Romulius tripped slightly on a tree branch, and Nikos seized the opportunity, lunging with the last of his strength to touch the rock a fraction of a second before Romulius.
Ortinus: "And the winner is... the Old Lion, Nikos!"
The two fell onto the grass, panting and laughing hard.
Romulius (Between gasps): "You... you cheated, Nikos! You used your experience to jostle me!"
Nikos (Laughing while wiping away sweat): "Experience isn't called cheating... it's called field wisdom!"
Laughter echoed throughout the area, and the Blue Bird watched them from a distance, tilting its head as if sharing in that simple joy that had been stolen from them for so many long years.