Dylan and Lena sat side by side in the waiting lounge of Leal's international airport, the glass ceiling above them filtering in the pale winter light. The air outside was harsh, biting cold winds that swept across the city, but inside the lounge, it was warm, almost cocooned, and they looked every bit like two souls wrapped into each other's world. Dylan, in his usual black,thick winter layers that made him look both stern and protective, sat with his phone loosely in hand, his head lowered as though lost in thought.
Lena leaned gently against him, her pastel-colored turtleneck and skirt peeking out beneath a soft cream coat. A woolen cap framed her hair, and a muffler hung loosely, its ends brushing against Dylan's arm.
She slipped her hand into his, fingers curling around his with quiet assurance. Her gaze was not on the bustling hall around them but on him, as though he was the only anchor she needed in this cold, foreign city. The city which felt like home not long ago was an unknown city now. He tilted his head just slightly toward her, and though he said nothing, the silence between them was filled with warmth. In the midst of rushing passengers and echoing announcements, they were still,two hearts finding comfort in each other.
"it's time for you to say good bye to this city of faith and pure. "
"A time has come Dylan, where you will face most cruel thing present in this world. "
a voice speaks to him.
And Dylan who was waiting for their flight, lost in thoughts has gone stilled. The rawness of voice pulled him back to world. He looked ahead for a moment before pulling his arm around her.
***
February the 1st, Stellar Year 2924
Night time
12:30 am
Leal, Kingdom of Arizone
"Aeonian? " the prince asked as someone enters his room.
"why are you here? " he asked the transparent shape of girl, looking at the night forest, that was visible to himeven if it was far away from him.
"Your girl went there." Aeonian blasted the news.
"what?" the prince was shocked.
" Eva.... Eva "
"You should not have gone there. "
He mumbled, taking his coat.
"And she is back. " the prince watched the girl fading now.
"Safe"
But he has decided to go there. Who can stop him now? But he has decided to go there. Who can stop him now?
***
The flight back home had been smooth, carrying with it a quiet comfort. For the first time, Lena allowed herself to open up to Dylan, stepping out of her safe shell and letting him glimpse the softer, hidden parts of her heart. And when the sharp, familiar chill of Capaldi's air brushed against their faces as they stepped out of the airport, it felt like a homecoming.
They were back, back where it all began, back where the air itself seemed to recognize them.
"Ahh… Capaldi."
A mellow voice called out, warm and familiar, as though greeting its dearest friend after ages of longing. The friend, long gone, stepped back into its embrace, and the city exhaled.
"Ahh… Capaldi. Look who has returned to the city,"
whispered the voice of the air, swirling restlessly through the snow-dusted streets, carrying with it the chill of ages past.
The air, who had traveled far, crossing seas and mountains, rushed to be the first to greet him.
It had waited impatiently, and now, seeing the favored one, it brimmed with joy. It tugged at the stray strands of hair peeking from beneath his woolen cap, gasping as though it had stumbled upon a secret.
"It's Dylan Al'Xander,"
the air announced, unable to keep the news to itself.
Its voice echoed against the walls, slipping through alleys, brushing past windows, whispering to every corner of Capaldi.
Capaldi,
And Capaldi, who had been languishing in monotony, stirred at once. The city shivered, not with cold but with sudden life, eternal joy spreading through its veins like fire.
Its streets, its stones, its very soul awakened, thriving once again as it waited eagerly to see what destiny had chosen to unfold.
"And…"
The air swirled faster, twirling in delight across snowy squares, circling lamp posts, tugging at coats and scarves as it hesitated, teasing.
"And what?"
Capaldi demanded, eager, its voice rising like a low hum beneath the snow.
"His… his hair,"
the air finally confessed, breathless with glee.
"His hair has changed."
"What?"
Capaldi's voice cracked with disbelief, yet hope lit its heart.
"I have waited an eternity to see him again," the air admitted.
"And now, he is here."
Capaldi held its breath, waiting. It had missed him,the way he walked, the way he belonged to this land as if carved from its very stone and snow.
But what truly happened was this:
As Dylan lifted the luggage from the carousel and stepped out of the airport building, the land of Capaldi stretched before him, familiar yet overwhelming.
The air that rushed to greet him was not just the winter wind but a voice, an old force of this place that had once known him intimately.
The moment his boots touched the ground, something stirred within him. A surge of energy, like a hidden spark long buried, ignited. It moved through his veins, up his spine, and into his face, lighting his eyes with an untold brilliance.
He gasped, pausing mid-step. A warmth unlike any fire and a chill unlike any winter struck him at once. His heart raced, and then he heard it,clear as breath, as if whispered directly into his soul.
"You have unlocked the Core of Energy within you."
The voice was deep, ancient, carrying both weight and tenderness.
[ The Core of Energy is a hidden force, not born but awakened within chosen souls. It is the convergence of spirit, will, and destiny, an eternal flame that binds the body to unseen realms. Few ever unlock it, For centuries, the Lorphs are working to get this energy but not many were able to get a hold of it. for it requires both suffering and purity of intent. Once awakened, it reshapes the bearer, sharpening instincts, heightening strength, and bending the flow of nature around them. Yet, it is both gift and burden. The Core does not merely grant power; it demands balance, testing its keeper with trials that could either forge greatness, or consume them entirely.]
Dylan remember what Great Master Atlan has told him.
[This is not given lightly. It has been granted only once since the beginning of the world, and now it is yours. With it comes power, but also trial. Hurdles will rise unannounced, shadows will seek you, storms will test you. And I do hope… you will stand, Dylan.]
Dylan's breath caught. The words lingered, echoing in his chest. He clenched his fist, steadying himself.
"Have you foreseen it?" he asked under his breath, his eyes scanning the snowy road ahead.
The voice did not answer. It waited.
Through the blur of snowflakes, he saw a familiar car pull up. Gibbs's car. Relief flickered in his chest, grounding him from the strangeness of what had just passed. He lifted a hand and waved.
"Welcome back, Dylan," Gibbs called, stepping out with his usual easy grin. Dylan moved forward, but before he could fully process, Gibbs brushed past him, wrapping Lena in a warm embrace.
"I'm glad you're back, Lena," Gibbs said, his voice soft but tinged with something more, something Dylan caught instantly.
"I've missed you."
The ancient voice stirred again, unimpressed, almost amused.
[What in the world has happened here? This Gibbs of yours… he is not what he seems.]
Dylan stood still, his luggage at his side, his gaze flickering between Lena's flushed cheeks and Gibbs's arms around her. A thousand questions roared within him, but he said nothing. Instead, a small, knowing smile curved his lips. He bent, lifted his luggage, and placed it into the back of the car.
Inside him, however, the spark continued to burn. That surge of energy had not left; it pulsed steadily, like a second heartbeat. Something had changed the moment he set foot in Capaldi, something irreversible.
The city knew it.
The air knew it.
Even Lena, leaning lightly against Gibbs in greeting, turned to look at Dylan with a subtle frown, as if sensing a difference in him already.
Capaldi hummed with anticipation, its snowy streets whispering,
He has returned. Dylan Al'Xander has returned. And nothing will ever be the same again.