The fall wasn't long.
But it was enough.
They hit the ground.
This time—
It was solid.
Real.
Aeryon drew a deep breath, then slowly lifted his head.
He looked up.
A real sky.
"We're… back," he said quietly.
No one answered.
Because no one…
felt relieved.
Zalrik was the first to stand.
His eyes moved sharply, scanning everything.
The ground around them was fractured.
But not like before.
It was as if something…
had leaked through.
"It didn't stay there," he said under his breath.
Morvan raised his head.
He looked at the ground.
Then at the horizon.
"…It reached here."
A heavy silence fell.
Then—
They turned.
Toward Arkath.
He was standing.
But not as he was before.
His sword lowered.
Then—
slipped from his hand.
A dull metallic sound.
He dropped to one knee.
Slowly.
As if his body…
could no longer hold.
"…It was alive," he whispered.
They exchanged glances.
Morvan spoke.
"Who?"
Arkath lifted his head.
His eyes were unfocused.
Then he said—
"…my father."
Everything froze.
"What?" Aeryon said.
Zalrik, however…
said nothing.
But he didn't deny it.
Because he saw him.
"He's the one who got us out," Morvan said slowly.
Then he looked at Arkath.
"Whatever he is… he wasn't an enemy."
Zalrik spoke.
"He knows more than we do."
Then added—
"And he was waiting for us."
Silence.
Then—
Arkath moved.
Slowly.
He lifted the core.
He stared at it.
It was pulsing.
Beat.
Stillness.
Then—
It glowed.
A faint flicker of light.
A brief moment.
A vision.
A pillar.
Far away.
Then—
it vanished.
Arkath stepped back.
"What did you see?" Zalrik asked.
Arkath breathed slowly.
"A place."
He raised his head.
"…another one."
Morvan stepped closer.
"Another core?"
Arkath didn't answer.
Instead, he said—
"It's connected."
Silence fell again.
"So it's not just responding to you…" Zalrik said, staring at the core.
"…it's guiding you."
Arkath lifted his gaze.
Looked at them all.
"We return to the clans."
He paused.
"…but not before we understand this."
He looked at the core.
Then at the horizon.
"We can't stay together."
Silence.
No one objected.
Because they understood.
"We split," Aeryon said.
He stepped forward.
"Two return…"
He glanced at Morvan.
"…and two follow the trail."
"I'll return," Morvan said immediately.
He looked at Arkath.
"What we saw… needs to be understood."
Aeryon nodded.
"I'm with you."
Then he looked at Arkath.
"My speed will get us there before it's too late."
Zalrik turned.
Looked at Arkath.
"You're not going alone."
It wasn't a question.
It was a decision.
Arkath nodded.
"Then it's settled."
They stood there.
Four figures.
At a single point—
before the paths diverged.
Aeryon stepped closer.
Placed a hand on Arkath's shoulder.
"Don't be late."
Arkath replied calmly:
"Don't die before we return."
A faint smile crossed Aeryon's face.
Morvan, however…
looked at the core.
Then said—
"Be careful with it…"
He paused.
"…it might matter more than all of us."
Arkath said nothing.
But his grip tightened.
Then—
They moved.
Two directions.
Arkath… and Zalrik.
Toward the unknown.
Aeryon… and Morvan.
Toward the clans.
No one looked back.
But all of them…
felt it.
This moment—
would not leave them the same.
The core pulsed.
Beat.
And then—
everything…
began to divide.
🔥 End of Chapter XI