The wind was weaker.
Or maybe it just felt that way.
After a while out there, everything started to feel… more normal than it should.
Lyra was sitting on the ground, leaning back on her hands, looking up at the sky like there was absolutely nothing wrong in the world.
— You guys get tired fast.
Elion let out a breath through his nose.
— You joined at the end.
— I joined when it started getting interesting.
Kael didn't respond.
Mike was still sitting in the beach chair he had created, now tilted slightly, balancing it on two legs.
— I liked the part where you stopped without realizing it more.
Lyra turned her head toward him.
— We didn't stop.
— You did.
He pointed with the popcorn.
— Like… for a second. It was weird.
Elion frowned slightly.
— Weird how?
Mike shrugged.
— Like you both remembered something at the same time.
Silence.
Short.
But different.
Lyra looked away first.
— You think too much for someone who doesn't like thinking.
Mike answered instantly:
— I don't think. I see.
— That's worse.
— I know.
He smiled.
Kael pushed himself off the wall he had been leaning on and started walking.
Without saying anything.
— Is he leaving?
Mike asked.
— He always does that. — Elion replied.
— Where to?
Elion stood up.
— Wherever something doesn't make sense.
Lyra got up too.
— Then today we're going with him.
Kael didn't turn.
But he didn't tell them not to follow either.
Mike jumped off the chair.
The chair disappeared before it hit the ground.
— I'm coming too.
— Of course you are. — Lyra said.
They started walking.
No formation.
No plan.
But together.
After a few minutes, Mike moved up beside Kael.
— You felt it too, right?
Kael answered without looking:
— Yeah.
— Doesn't feel normal.
— It isn't.
— But it's not like… dangerous.
A small pause.
— Not yet.
Kael glanced at him slightly.
— How do you even notice that?
Mike thought for a moment.
— It's like when you make something… and it ends up a little wrong, but you can't explain why.
— Like what?
— Like drawing a house… and the door is in the right place, but it still looks off.
Kael went quiet.
Lyra stepped in between them.
— I hate when he gets those things right.
Mike smiled.
— I get a lot right.
— Unfortunately.
Elion walked a bit behind, observing the path.
But it wasn't really the path he was looking at.
— This has been used before.
He said.
Kael replied:
— Yeah.
— Not by normal people.
— No.
Lyra turned her head.
— Can you two say a full sentence without sounding like you're hiding something?
— Yes. — Elion answered.
— No. — Kael answered.
Mike laughed.
— I like when you don't match.
They kept walking.
Until the terrain changed.
It wasn't a clear transition.
But the ground… felt heavier.
More solid.
Like it had been "decided" that way.
Mike stopped.
— Here.
Kael stopped too.
Elion looked around.
— This isn't natural.
— Nothing is. — Lyra replied.
— This is worse.
Mike took a step forward.
Then another.
Slower.
— It feels like… — he started, thinking — like someone tried to make something right… but didn't know how.
Silence.
Kael spoke quietly:
— Go back.
— Why?
— Because you don't understand this yet.
Mike turned to him.
— And you do?
A small pause.
— No.
— Then what's the difference?
Kael didn't answer.
Lyra crossed her arms.
— He doesn't like it when you step into something he can't control.
Mike looked at her.
— He doesn't control anything.
— Exactly.
She gave a small smile.
Elion took a few more steps forward.
Lowered slightly, touching the ground.
— This was made.
— Everything is made. — Lyra said.
— Not like this.
Mike stood there, watching.
Quiet now.
Different from before.
And then…
— Can I try?
Kael answered immediately:
— No.
— I won't mess it up.
— That's not the point.
— Then what is?
Kael turned to him this time.
Looked straight at him.
— It's about you not knowing what happens after.
Silence.
Mike looked at him.
For a few seconds.
And then…
— Okay.
He took a step back.
But his eyes were still there.
Learning.
And, for the first time…
not smiling.
Mike
He looked at the ground again.
Then at Kael.
Then at the others.
And said, more quietly:
— I think the problem isn't when something goes wrong…
it's when it feels right… and no one notices.
Silence.
The mood didn't turn heavy.
But it didn't go back to light either.
They kept walking.
Slower now.
More aware.
It was Mike who broke the silence.
As always.
— Are we going through the capital?
Kael answered directly:
— Yeah.
— Seriously?
Now he was genuinely excited.
— Like… actually going through it? Going in?
— Yeah.
— Like… seeing everything?
Lyra laughed softly.
— You're not going to see "everything." But you'll see a lot.
Mike looked at her, something different in his eyes.
— She'll be there.
Short silence.
But this time… not strange.
Elion answered first:
— She will.
Mike broke into a smile he didn't even try to hold back.
— It's been a while.
Lyra glanced at him.
— How long?
Mike thought.
— I don't really count those things right.
— So a long time then.
— Yeah.
Kael kept walking.
But answered, quietly:
— You'll see her.
Mike kicked a small rock along the path, a bit distracted now.
— She said I needed to choose on my own before coming back.
Lyra crossed her arms.
— She always says those weird things.
— She doesn't think they're weird.
— Of course not, she's Merlin.
Elion looked at Mike.
— And you… did you choose yet?
Mike took his time answering.
Really thinking.
— No.
Silence.
He shrugged after a moment.
— But I don't think it has to be now.
Kael answered:
— It doesn't.
They kept walking.
Lyra started talking this time.
— And you?
She looked at Elion.
— What are you even doing in the capital besides looking busy all the time?
Elion let out a small laugh.
— Working.
— Wow, amazing answer.
— You want details?
— I do.
He thought for a moment.
— They're increasing the number of active hunters.
Kael glanced slightly.
— I saw that.
— It doesn't make sense.
— It does.
— It doesn't.
Lyra jumped in:
— Then explain it, genius.
Elion ran a hand over his face, thinking as he spoke.
— There's not enough increase in threats to justify it. But still… they're training more people, speeding up the process, pulling people in too early.
— Forcing evolution. — Kael said.
— Exactly.
Mike listened to everything.
Quiet.
Absorbing.
— And the strong ones?
He asked.
— Like… the really strong ones.
Elion answered:
— They're all there.
Lyra added:
— Or being pulled there.
— Why?
Silence.
No one answered immediately.
— Because something's coming. — Lyra said at last.
But her tone wasn't heavy.
It was… real.
Mike nodded slowly.
Like it made sense to him.
— I want to see them.
— Who? — Elion asked.
— The strong ones.
Lyra laughed.
— You want to see them or copy them?
Mike smiled.
— Both.
Kael glanced sideways.
— You don't copy.
— I learn.
— That's worse.
Mike laughed.
— And you?
Elion looked at Kael.
— Not doing anything right now?
Kael answered:
— I do enough.
— That doesn't answer anything.
— It doesn't need to.
Lyra gave him a light shove on the shoulder as she passed.
— You were better when you talked more.
— No.
— Yes, you were.
— I wasn't.
Mike stepped in between them.
— He still fights better.
Kael replied:
— No.
— He does.
— No.
— I saw it.
Elion gave a small smile.
— Was he always like this?
Lyra answered:
— No.
— He was worse.
Kael didn't react.
But his silence said enough.
They kept walking.
And little by little…
the landscape began to change.
It wasn't just dirt and emptiness anymore.
A real road started to appear.
More marks.
Movement.
Mike looked at everything.
Carefully.
But he didn't create anything this time.
Just… observing.
— Are there a lot of people there?
He asked.
Lyra answered:
— There are.
— Like… a lot a lot?
— A lot a lot.
He went quiet.
Thinking.
— And nobody messes with me there, right?
Elion answered before anyone else:
— No.
Lyra added:
— If they do… they disappear.
Mike made a face.
— I don't like when people disappear.
Kael replied:
— Then don't let it happen.
Short silence.
Mike nodded.
— Okay.
They kept walking.
And this time…
it wasn't just a path.
It was direction.