Vaelus let out a sigh so heavy it seemed to deflate his entire chest. "Finally…" he muttered, the metallic shink of his blade sliding home punctuating the silence of the ravaged forest.
Eiden turned a dry, judgmental look toward him. "You say that like you actually lifted a finger. For someone who usually hunts for a fight like a starving wolf, you seemed remarkably content to let me do all the heavy lifting."
"W-well, I mean," Vaelus began, scratching his head with a smug, sharp-toothed grin, "they clearly saw you as the apex predator. They acknowledged you, not us. We just thought we'd sit back and enjoy the show? Professional courtesy?"
"Hmph. I suppose you're right about that," Eiden conceded, though his eyes remained sharp. "I won't criticize the both of you for staying your hands. But I must ask—are either of you wounded?"
Iris brushed a palm along her body, checking the integrity of her crimson robes. "Nothing."
Vaelus simply shrugged. "I don't feel like checking. If I've got a fatal wound hidden somewhere, I'll find out when I collapse. I'll be fine."
Eiden shook his head, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips. "Whatever. If you end up dying from a wound you were too lazy to notice, that's on you. I know someone we can go to. C'mon."
They walked away from the clearing where the bodies of the two Celestials lay—forms so utterly destroyed they no longer resembled anything that had once been alive. For hours, they walked toward an empty horizon of dirt and ash until, finally, the world began to heal. Trees returned, their branches reaching out like a gentle embrace, while fireflies drifted through the cool night air like floating embers.
"Iris," Eiden said, breaking the quiet.
"Yes?"
"I need you to stop something I've heard you're doing. I need you to stop hunting the twelve-tailed wolves."
Iris's eyebrows shot up. "But why? They are the second deadliest beasts in existence, Eiden. They reproduce twelve pups every twelve days. In a month, they're full adults mastering psychic abilities. They're a blight."
Vaelus chimed in, his voice uncharacteristically serious. "We've seen what happens when powerful things breed without limit. The Angel King did the same—thirty thousand new angels a year. We watched him die in that war."
Eiden nodded, acknowledging the logic. "I understand. But the twelve-tailed wolves stay in the Blue Forest. They only defend their home. I met a dragon named Bengie who helped me; his people rely on those wolves for strength. I gave him my word."
Iris looked down, her boots crunching on fallen leaves. She sighed, her resistance melting under Eiden's steady gaze. "…Fine. I'll stop. I'll trust your judgment."
Eiden offered her a rare, soft smile. They walked for hours more until the forest gave way to a well-traveled dirt road. In the distance, a kingdom of staggering proportions emerged from the morning mist.
"Looks like we found the Zanders Kingdom," Vaelus noted.
"Who?" Eiden asked.
Iris chuckled. "Zanders. A new hand of power. King Zanders built it eight years ago—he's one of the Five Powerful Kings now. Eiden can use the library."
"Library?" Eiden's eyes flashed with a sudden, boyish excitement.
"Yes," Vaelus groaned. "The library. You can catch up on the nineteen years you spent being dead."
"Yes. That's best. And now!" Eiden's pace quickened, his cloak snapping behind him as he hurried toward the city.
The gates of Zanders were a marvel—swirling runes carved into stone and reinforced by shimmering barriers. Armored knights stood in perfect rows, and as the trio approached, the guards stiffened in pure, unadulterated awe. Inside, the kingdom was a vibrant tapestry of wealth and magic. nobles in silk strolled marble streets, and mages practiced in open courts. At the center of a circular lake sat a castle of white stone and gold trim, its towers spiraling toward the heavens.
As they moved through the crowd, the air changed. People began to point, and whispers turned into a roar of realization. A man turned the corner—King Zanders himself, regal in a navy coat lined with silver. Beside him walked a female elf who looked like a deity sculpted from light. She had long blonde hair, eyes like polished amber, and skin the color of smooth marble. Her white dress moved like woven moonlight.
Zanders saw them and froze. Then, he ran. "By the gods! I never thought I'd live to see the First Divinity in my kingdom!" he shouted, his voice cracking.
The city came to a standstill. A noblewoman nearby collapsed to her knees in shock. "It's truly him! He's come back!"
The blonde elf stepped forward, moving with a grace that made the air itself part for her. She stopped in front of Eiden, her golden eyes softening. "It's been a while, Eiden."
Iris and Vaelus blinked in total confusion. "Eiden… do you know this woman?" Iris asked.
"You two should know exactly who this is," Eiden replied calmly. "It's nice to see you, too, Selyndra."
The silence that followed was broken only by the sound of Vaelus's jaw dropping. This was Selyndra? The murderous, dark-eyed Selyndra who had pale skin, black hair, and radiated an evil so thick it was palpable?
"Yeah, no way," Vaelus snickered. "That's not her."
The woman covered her mouth, letting out a soft, elegant chuckle that sounded like warm sunlight. "I promise you," she said, her golden aura shimmering faintly. "It's me. Selyndra, the Golden Sage."