"Hey Exca, are you there? Calm this monster down! The whole kingdom's Shinras are going to panic. Don't forget, you already activated the icon!" Lyon shouted, his voice strained as he struggled to hold his ground against the overwhelming surge of aura bursting from the dungeon.
"Relax, Lyon. I'm on it. Just hold tight for a few more seconds. That aura's been sealed for fifteen years—it's not something even Sasaki can suppress so easily," Exca responded through the telepathic link, his tone calm yet focused. "I've already deactivated the icon, so don't worry about the Shinras. They won't sense anything. The only ones that might raise questions later are those nosy pro darkside knights during our next council."
"Tch… I'm already out of there, you lunatic!" Lyon barked, teleporting miles away from the dungeon. "Do what you must, then call me when it's done. I'll be waiting."
"Understood, partner," Exca replied with a small smirk.
—
Meanwhile, on the eastern road of the kingdom, Jackson raced toward the darkest dungeon on horseback, determined to uncover the truth behind his father's strange behavior.
Back on the trail, Lucy, Alfie, and Rebekah continued their journey.
"Hey, Master! Shouldn't we stop by this town? It looks amazing!" Alfie asked with wide eyes.
"Not now," Lucy replied. "We're too close to the kingdom's border. We'll rest in the next kingdom—we can't afford to slow down."
"I'm so tired of bouncing on this horse," Rebekah grumbled. "Can't we just teleport to Ashura?"
"If it were that simple, we'd be there already," Lucy answered, half amused. "I'm still recovering from all the Renshi I used maintaining my male form all these years. A long-range teleportation spell for three people? It would drain me completely. I might fall asleep."
"Fall asleep?" Alfie and Rebekah echoed in alarm.
"Yes. For three months," Lucy said with a grin sharp enough to freeze their excitement.
"Three... months!?" Rebekah blinked in disbelief. "Is that how long it takes to replenish your Renshi?"
"It's not about recovery speed. You see," Lucy began, "I spent thirty years disguised as a man. I aged like a normal human, starting from a young Shinra I claimed to be when I arrived in Mechan. That spell... consumed more Renshi than you can imagine."
"Whoa..." Alfie muttered. "Then maybe... there's a shortcut? Just a little teleportation?"
"You really don't care about Master, do you?" Rebekah snapped, glaring at him. "Did you even listen!?"
"It was just a suggestion—"
"Shut it!" both Lucy and Rebekah shouted in unison.
"Sorry..." Alfie pouted.
Soon, the trio arrived at the last town before the kingdom's border.
"We're here, Master! Let's find a good motel to spend the night," Rebekah said with relief.
"That's not the plan,but..... I know this town—I've visited during my Shinra days," Lucy replied. "There's a nice motel up ahead."
"You must be famous here, Master!" Rebekah added.
"Not anymore. Back then I was Marco, a Shinra. Now I'm Lucy, of the Second Generation of Witches," she said with quiet pride.
"Wait, Lucy's your name?" Rebekah asked curiously.
"Not really. I don't even have a true first name. Lucy is just the name I gave myself when I came of age," she answered with a soft smile(that's not the truth, she's not ready to tell them anything about her yet).
"I see... Do you know anything about your parents?" Rebekah asked gently.
"That's a story for another time. Now let's get some food. Look, that's the motel," Lucy said, changing the subject.
"Yay! Finally, a bath! I'm completely worn out," Rebekah cheered.
"And how long are you going to keep that sulky face, rock head?" Lucy turned to Alfie.
"You both told me to shut up, so I did. Now I'm the villain again?" Alfie said, still sulking.
"Hahaha! That's what you get for calling me a baby honey badger earlier!" Rebekah teased. "Look at you now—the great Alfie, pale and pitiful!"
Alfie rolled his eyes as they dismounted and stepped into the motel.
Lucy led her horse to the back of the building, while Alfie and Rebekah continued to bicker like siblings, their banter filling the evening air with a sense of fleeting peace—one that wouldn't last for long.
—
Back in Guhan, deep inside the forest near the eastern border, a storm was slowly brewing. The seal had been broken. The Ripper had awakened.