The morning air was crisp, carrying the lingering scent of morning dew and the faint aroma of baking bread from the town's many stalls. The sky stretched vast and endless above Sundermere, painted with gentle hues of blue and gold. Despite the seemingly peaceful atmosphere, there was a distinct tension in the air among our group.
Alaria had barely spoken a word all morning, her usual confident smirk replaced with a tight scowl, her arms crossed over her chest. She threw occasional glares toward me and Elaris, her emerald eyes dark with something between jealousy and frustration. It wasn't like her usual playful teasing or smug remarks-this time, there was a weight behind it. A bitterness she didn't bother to hide.
The rest of the group wasn't much better. Lucian, always the easygoing one, gave me sidelong glances, his expression unreadable. Gareth kept his mouth shut, unusually reserved, while Rowan and Callen exchanged looks before shaking their heads, as if silently acknowledging something between themselves.
It was because of last night.
Even though none of them had witnessed it firsthand, the sheer fact that I had spent the night with Elaris was enough to shift the dynamic.
Whether it was tension, awkwardness, or something more complicated, It was
there.
I exhaled quietly and decided to push forward.
Elaris, ever composed, stayed close to my side, her hand brushing against mine as we exited the inn. She was trying to be subtle, but I could tell —it was deliberate. A quiet show of reassurance.
As we stepped outside, we were immediately swarmed by a small crowd of children.
They came running from every direction, their excited voices overlapping as they rushed toward us.
"Voidbane Seraph!" one of the boys yelled, his wide brown eyes shining with admiration.
I barely had time to react before a smaller girl tugged on my sleeve, her cheeks flushed with excitement. "Is it really you?! The real Voidbane Seraph?!"
Another boy pushed forward, bouncing on his feet. "Did you really kill a Vampire King?! Did he have fangs?! Was there blood everywhere?!"
I chuckled, caught off guard by their enthusiasm. "Uh... yeah, that was me."
A wave of excited gasps and chatter erupted between them.
"I TOLD you it was him!" one of the girls shouted at her friend.
The boy folded his arms. "No way, prove it!"
Elaris let out a soft laugh beside me.
"And how exactly is he supposed to prove that?"
The children paused, thinking, before another girl piped up. "Show us your magic!"
I felt my chest tighten at that.
Magic.
For the longest time, it had been second nature to me. My light magic, a power that once defined me, had been stripped away-ripped from me by the Hunter, leaving only the abyssal force of the Rift in its place.
I swallowed, forcing a smile. "l... can't do that anymore."
The children looked visibly disappointed.
"Huh?! But you're a hero!"
"Did your magic break?"
"Wait! Maybe you're saving it for something big!"
I didn't answer.
Alaria, who had been quiet until now, scoffed. "Not all magic needs to be flashy, brats. He's strong without it."
One of the kids pointed at Elaris, eyes wide. "Hey, who's that?"
Before I could answer, another girl giggled and clapped her hands together. "That's his lover! I heard the people at the inn talking!"
I felt my face heat up slightly.
Elaris, however, only smiled, her lavender eyes glinting with amusement.
"That's right. I'm Elaris."
One of the girls pouted, crossing her arms. "That's unfair! I wanted to marry the Voidbane Seraph when I grew up!"
The other children giggled, and Elaris gave me a knowing look. "Looks like you have admirers, Noctis."
I groaned inwardly but laughed nonetheless. "Guess I should start preparing for duels, huh?"
The kids giggled again, their excitement bubbling over.
Eventually, we managed to pull away from the crowd, making our way toward the waiting wagon.
The moment we stepped in, Alaria dropped into her seat and folded her arms, her mood still sour.
"Finally." she muttered, stretching her legs out.
Elaris slid into the seat beside me, while Lucian, Gareth, Rowan, and Callen settled in opposite us. The wagon was fancier than necessary, its interior lined with plush seats and carved wooden panels, a gift from the royal family.
As the wagon began moving, I could feel the weight of everyone's gazes.
It was Lucian who broke the silence first.
"So. That was quite the scene back there." His voice was casual, but there was an undertone of something else.
Gareth nodded. "You really are famous."
I sighed. "Not sure l'd call it that."
Rowan, who was usually quiet, spoke next. "You should get used to it. Titles like 'Voidbane Seraph' stick." His dark eyes flicked toward me, calculating.
"People don't just forget something like that."
I nodded slowly, knowing he was right.
Callen, ever the blunt one, snorted. "I still think it's dumb. You're just a guy.
You bleed like the rest of us."
Alaria, who had been quiet until now, scoffed. "Yeah, well, he's MY guy, so watch your mouth."
That got an immediate reaction.
Lucian choked on his drink.
Gareth raised an eyebrow.
Rowan looked between us with mild curiosity.
And Callen? He sighed. "Gods, here we go..."
Elaris, calm as ever, simply reached for my hand. "Noctis is mine."
The moment she said it, Alaria snapped her head toward her, scowling. "Oh, don't start."
Elaris, smug as ever, simply leaned against me. "I already won. You're just jealous."
Alaria gritted her teeth. "I'm going to strangle you."
Before they could start again, I sighed heavily.
"Can we not do this right now?" | groaned, rubbing my temple.
Lucian chuckled. "I'm enjoying the entertainment, honestly."
Alaria kicked his shin. "Shut up."
Despite the bickering, I felt the tension in the air ease slightly.
The journey ahead was long, but for now, this was enough.