The sun hung high in the sky, its warm light spilling over the earth. Birds could be seen flying low, darting through the air as they hunted beetles and butterflies. From a distance, their movements looked like a beautiful dance. The males, their feathers bursting with color, flaunted their brilliance in hopes of attracting a mate.
Meanwhile, the most resilient plants had begun to bloom, scattering vibrant patches of color across the landscape in a beautiful mess.
Three weeks had passed since the group reached the mountain peak. As soon as the battle with the mountain troll was over, they had begun their descent. From there, the journey through the Titanwoods had been smooth, or at least, as smooth as any journey through the Titanwoods could be.
As the Titanwoods faded into the distance, a vast open space had stretched before them. The towering trees were replaced by smaller, slender ones, their trunks covered in stunning white birch bark. Delicate, light green leaves hung from their branches, swaying gently in the breeze and filling the air with the soft, rhythmic rustling of leaves.
Scattered across the ground were numerous water-filled holes, ranging from a few meters wide to over ten meters across. Their crystal-clear surfaces reflected the sky, shimmering under the sunlight. The water within was pure and untouched.
The sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting a warm, golden glow that gently brushed against the skin. The air was fresh and rich with the scent of nature, carrying the earthy fragrance of grass and the faint sweetness of blooming flowers.
The Luminaires had been traveling through Stillwater Meadows for a few days now, already growing accustomed to its forgiving terrain and soothing breezes. Unlike the Titanwoods, where danger lurked in every shadow, this place felt welcoming, almost tranquil.
Each one of them sat in the grass, leaning against a tree they had temporarily claimed their own.
Malric rested against the smooth, pale bark of a birch tree, a small wooden piece in his hands. He wasn't carving with any clear purpose, just idly shaving away at it, letting the shape form on its own, as if waiting for it to become something meaningful.
Selene was the most relaxed of the three, nearly lying down, her head resting lazily against the cool surface of the tree trunk. She gazed up at the vast blue sky, her fingers absently rolling through the grass, tracing patterns in the soft blades as the warm breeze drifted around her.
Her golden hair swayed gently with the wind, moving in harmony with the rustling leaves above, as if the two were part of the same quiet, rhythmic dance.
A little further away, Torin stood leaning against a tree, scribbling away in his usual manner. His expression remained as unreadable as ever, his focus entirely on whatever filled the pages of his notebook.
Furthest from the group, a solitary white birch tree stood beside a still, glassy pool. The surface rippled softly as a single leaf drifted down, settling gently before floating without aim.
Beneath the birch, leaning against its pale trunk, sat a young man with his legs stretched out, ankles crossed. His hands rested lightly over his abdomen, his posture relaxed, yet with an almost deliberate stillness.His eyes were closed, not in the vulnerability of sleep, but in a quiet suspension, caught somewhere between rest and thought.
It was Kael.
His posture was relaxed, his expression composed—but beneath the surface, his mind was far from still.
Though he appeared at peace, his thoughts raced, threading through calculations, observations, and silent speculations, never once settling.
The past few weeks had been nothing short of exhausting.
Ever since discovering that Selene followed the information pathway, he had been forced to move with relentless caution. There was no margin for error.
Every word he spoke, every glance, every pause had to be chosen with care. Nothing could be left to chance.
That was the real danger of an information-path Luminaire—they didn't defeat you with strength, but with insight. They didn't break you; they unraveled you. The slightest slip, a hesitant tone, a misplaced word, a reaction too slow, was enough to raise suspicion. And if Selene began to question him, it would only spiral from there.
But the end was in sight.
They were only a few days from their destination. Once they arrived, Kael could finally separate from the group and enter the city alone.
And for the first time in weeks, he would be able to breathe without having to measure every breath.
Bonk!
Kael's thoughts were swiftly thrown out the window as he opened his eyes. In front of him, on the grass, a small wooden piece lay on the ground, clearly carved by a human hand. Malric had thrown it with deadly precision, hitting Kael dead center on his forehead.
Kael's gaze moved up, locking onto Malric. His eyes were as cold as ice, his expression unreadable.
"Don't think you can doze off if I'm not allowed to sleep. And besides, we'll start moving soon."
His voice was stern, but Kael was almost certain he caught the faintest hint of a smirk forming on Malric's lips.
Kael sighed inwardly before closing his eyes again, leaning back against the tree once more.
Over the last three weeks, both Selene and Malric had warmed up to him a little, despite seeing him as nothing more than a mortal, and not even a member of the Eireindaile family.
They had become more talkative, occasionally sharing bits and pieces about themselves. Every now and then, they even asked if he wanted to join them on a hunt.
This was not a development Kael had foreseen.
It could lead to problems. Now that they had grown more familiar with him, the bar for asking questions had lowered significantly. That was far from ideal.
Kael would have preferred to remain distant throughout this mission, but traveling together for months had made that nearly impossible.
Still, he wasn't too concerned. He never let their conversations drift too far, always keeping them within his control. As long as he maintained that balance, there was little to worry about.
As his thoughts began to drift, they were interrupted once again, this time by a soft voice.
"Hey, Kael."
He remained still, leaning against the tree, offering no response.
"Hey, Kael!"
The voice came again, a little louder this time, almost a low shout.
"What?"
Kael finally opened his eyes, his gaze settling on Selene. She lay in the grass, staring up at the sky, seemingly lost in thought.
Then, without looking at him, she asked—
"Have you ever thought about becoming a Luminaire?"
Kael's eyes sharpened slightly at the question. A question about Luminaires. He never liked those.
Mortals were only meant to know the bare minimum about Luminaires, and that was by design.
There were a few reasons for this. First, restricting knowledge prevented random people from awakening as Luminaires, making it easier for noble families to keep track of them. Second, it was a way to secure power. The less the common people knew, the fewer potential threats to the noble families' rule.
Kael himself was a Luminaire, having awakened one random day while studying his books. He knew nothing of the official methods of awakening, nor had he ever been guided through the process, it had simply happened.
But now, answering a question like this was tricky.
He knew too much about Luminaires to pass as an ordinary mortal. It would be too easy to slip up, to let something slip that no normal person should know. That would only draw suspicion.
At the same time, acting completely ignorant was just as dangerous. If his answer felt too forced, too unnatural, it might raise even more questions.
He carefully chose his words before responding, weighing each one in his mind.
Kael let a moment of silence stretch between them before finally speaking, his tone even and thoughtful.
"I don't know. It's not like I'd ever have the chance."
He paused, glancing at Selene before looking away, as if the thought had never really crossed his mind before.
"People like me don't just become Luminaires. You'd have to be born into the right family, or be lucky enough to catch someone's attention. And even then…" He trailed off, letting the words hang in the air, before offering a small shrug.
"Besides, what difference would it make? Power like that just comes with more expectations. More rules. I'm fine as I am."
It was the perfect balance, just enough realism and indifference to avoid drawing suspicion, while also keeping the conversation from going too deep.
Selene turned her head toward him, her gaze softening as she studied his face.
For a moment, she looked at him almost sympathetically, as if she were staring at someone who had endured a life full of hardships, someone who had never even dared to hope for more.
Kael met her gaze, his expression unreadable. Sympathy. That was new.
It was an odd thing to be on the receiving end of, but ultimately meaningless. Sympathy didn't change reality. It didn't uncover truths, nor did it pose a threat, unless it made someone start asking questions.
Before she could say anything, he rose to his feet, exhaling slowly.
"Anyway, I'll take a walk. I've been sitting for too long."
Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked off into the birch forest, his figure soon blending into the pale trunks.
Selene watched him go, her eyes lingering on his back as he disappeared into the trees.