VHOOMM
A black portal tore open in the ruins of Oakthorn Keep long after the battle had ended. The flames were gone now, leaving behind nothing but rubble, debris, and the twisted remains of iron chains and shattered bars. The once-feared prison was no more. Rena and Tharic were gone as well—vanished to places unknown.
FOOTSTEP. FOOTSTEP.
From within the swirling darkness stepped Hunter, the cunning wanderer himself. His boots crunched against the scorched ground as he surveyed the ruins—his eyes sharp, searching for the source of the powerful disturbance he had felt from miles away.
"I was on my way to visit Kouya," Hunter muttered, his voice low and calm, "but it's hard to ignore such a powerful aetheric surge… especially in a land that should have none. Unfortunately, it seems I'm a little late."
He paced slowly, his gaze sweeping the wreckage. Amid the rubble, something caught his attention—an old, battered axe lodged in the dirt, surrounded by shattered steel. With a sharp kick, he sent the debris scattering and approached the weapon.
"So he was involved in this…"
Hunter crouched down, recognizing the weapon immediately—the same axe he had given to Kyro. It matched Soryn's description perfectly.
He slung the axe over his shoulder, shaking his head with a faint smirk.
"Kyro… and the other boy, Tharic. Along with that strange woman—those must be the three Soryn is after. Never would I have guessed those two would find trouble so quickly."
He chuckled softly. "Then again… I suppose you could say that it's my fault."
Hunter's steps echoed faintly as he wandered through the ruins, the silence heavy around him. He lifted his gaze to the brilliant full moon glowing above the night sky and exhaled deeply.
"How long has it been," he whispered, "since I've felt so alive… so free at long last…"
He drove the axe's blade into the ground beside him. A stillness swept the area—only the cold wind dared to move.
Hunter raised his hand before his face and closed his eyes.
KSHHHH
Suddenly, his blue eyes flared to a bright yellow. A glowing sigil formed before his face—the kanji for Heaven (天). The air tightened, the breeze hissed colder, and the ruins seemed to hold their breath beneath the moonlight.
The Next Morning, Somewhere Else
"Where is he?!"
Tharic jolted awake, his voice breaking the morning quiet of the cave. "Shhh, keep it down," Rena said calmly from across the small camp, resting with her back against the stone wall.
Tharic blinked, taking in their surroundings. Between them, a dying campfire smoldered weakly, its last embers pulsing like fading heartbeats beneath a thin curl of gray smoke. Their weapons lay close at hand—Tharic's well-worn spear propped against a rock, and Rena's katana resting carefully across her lap, its polished blade faintly catching the dim morning light. Beyond the cave's mouth, the world opened into a vast expanse of emerald forest, dew-drenched leaves shimmering beneath the dawn. Far below the jagged cliffs, a silver river snaked through the valley, its surface glittering as it caught the first rays of the rising sun.
But there was no sign of Kyro. No traces. Not even his axe.
"Where is Kyro?" Tharic asked, worry creasing his voice.
Rena lowered her gaze, her tone heavy, "I wasn't able to protect him…"
Tharic's expression darkened, "No. It can't be…"
"I'm sorry, Tharic," she whispered.
Silence fell. The weight of failure pressed on them both. Tharic clenched his fist against the dirt. "Damn it!" he growled.
He turned back to her, his eyes hard. "Please… tell me everything."
Rena nodded, "After Tavin blew open the keep, I was the only one still conscious. You and Kyro were both knocked out. Before I could react, he grabbed Kyro and vanished through the smoke. I fought him—hurt him badly, even—but then…"
She hesitated, shame flickering in her eyes, "He unleashed a power I'd never seen before. I'd never felt so powerless. And because of that… I couldn't save Kyro."
Tharic absorbed her words in silence, "Where did they go?" he asked softly.
Rena lifted her head, locking eyes with him, "The capital. As far as I know, Kyro's still alive—but how long before they take his Aether, I can't say."
Relief flickered across Tharic's face.
He let out a long breath, eyes turning toward the sunrise outside the cave, "Thank goodness… It's not over yet."
"Mother… you hear that? It's not over yet."
Rena's eyes widened slightly, "Tharic… you…"
He looked back at her, determination burning in his voice, "Once, I might've run. But not anymore. I swore to fight beside Kyro—to see Sylmora freed from this curse. If he's still alive, then I'll keep fighting… and I'll get stronger. Strong enough to bring him back."
He clenched his left fist tightly, "I won't lose to anyone again."
Rena's lips curved into a faint smile, "Then I'll grow stronger too."
Tharic grinned, "You're already strong!"
"Not strong enough," she replied, smiling wider. "There's still room to grow."
"Then we'll both get stronger," Tharic said firmly.
"And rescue Kyro together," she added.
Tharic nodded, then hesitated, "I'm sorry if this takes you away from your mission."
Rena shook her head, "It's fine. I've gone too long without progress anyway. If this path leads to answers about the Luminara and the Aether Hunters… then maybe I'll find what I've been looking for."
"Your mission," Tharic said. "Does it have to do with Kiyomuri? Tavin mentioned your village."
Rena rose to her feet, taking up her katana.
"Somewhat, you could say," she said simply.
Reaching into her pocket, she drew out two vials of deep blue potion glimmering in the morning light. She tossed one to Tharic.
"Here. Take this."
"What is it?" he asked, catching it.
"Healing regeneration potion. It'll restore your strength."
Tharic turned the vial in his hand, marveling at it.
"Incredible…"
He then pondered, "Wait, don't you have a technique that can heal like this?"
Rena chuckled softly, "I wish. But no. Healing arts aren't my specialty—they drain you too much. I stick to offense."
"I see," Tharic said, uncorking the vial and taking a sip.
Minutes passed. The wind whispered through the trees outside. Birds took flight.
Tharic slowly stood, astonished by the renewed vigor in his body.
"Wow… I feel like I was never hurt at all!"
"Good," Rena said. "Those potions were from a friend in the capital. I'll need to restock when we arrive."
Tharic slung his spear over his back and looked to her with resolve.
Tharic grabbed his spear on the ground, placed it on his back and looked over to Rena, "What should our next steps be then? We have to rescue Kyro at all costs before its too late!"
Rena nodded in agreement, her eyes narrowing with quiet resolve, "Indeed. Time is most definitely not on our side," she said, her tone firm yet calm. "We must hurry before things get too late."
Tharic glanced toward the mouth of the cave where sunlight spilled across the stone floor, painting gold against the shadows.
"Then what's the fastest way for us to reach the capital?"
Rena hummed thoughtfully, scratching her chin as her gaze drifted toward the horizon.
"We're a bit east of where Oakthorn Keep once stood," she began. "If we follow the main road back to the capital, it would take us about ten days to reach Ironbark."
Tharic's reaction was immediate, his voice sharp, "That's too long. By the time we get there, things could turn for the worst."
Rena gave a small nod, "Agreed."
She turned and knelt beside the remnants of the campfire, tracing a rough map in the ash with the tip of a twig, "The only other route would be to head south through Barkhill Forest," she continued, marking the twisting line with a stroke. "It connects to the capital's southern gate—an old back entrance few still use. It's risky… but it would cut our travel time in half."
Tharic tilted his head.
"Well, that—"
"However," Rena interrupted, lifting her eyes from the ash. "That path is teeming with hybrid beasts—creatures twisted by Aether, drawn to anything that still carries life within it. They hunt endlessly, desperate to feed. If we go that way, we'll be walking straight through their territory."
A moment of silence followed, broken only by the whisper of wind slipping through the cave. Then Tharic smirked, resting a hand on his spear.
"Well, I was looking for a way to get stronger anyway. Sounds like the perfect opportunity to me."
Rena's stern expression softened, a small smile curving her lips as the wind brushed through her untied dark hair, "I thought you would say that."
She looked out across the forest below, sunlight streaming between the trees in golden beams. The world outside felt alive again—birds calling in the distance, leaves glittering with morning dew.
"Then let's head out," she said, standing and tightening the strap on her sheath. "If we're ready, there's no sense in wasting daylight."
Tharic nodded with a determined grin, "Right."
And with that, the two stepped out of the cave, their figures descending into the vast green sea of Barkhill Forest below—each step echoing with purpose and uncertainty.
Meanwhile, deep within Barkhill Forest…
SLASHHH!
A blinding streak of steel cut through the air. A shriek tore from the throat of a monstrous bird-like hybrid as its body split in two before dissolving into thin, shimmering Aether. The forest fell silent again, save for the soft hiss of energy dispersing into the wind.
From the clearing's edge stood a lone man, his breathing steady, his left hand gripping a long gun-sword—its barrel still faintly smoking from the recent strike. A dark cape draped over his right side, concealing the empty space where his arm should have been. His face was a battlefield of scars, and his right eye was sewn shut by a single crude vertical stitch. The left eye, however, burned with a deep orange glow beneath the shadows of his wolf-cut black hair. A faint beard traced his jaw, rugged yet deliberate.
He exhaled slowly, lowering the weapon and slinging it onto the leather strap across his back. For a moment, he simply stood there, letting the forest breathe around him—the rustle of leaves, the distant rush of a river, and the sharp scent of iron and sap mingling in the air.
Tilting his head back, he looked up through the canopy where rays of sunlight pierced through the branches, scattering across his scarred face.
"Another beautiful day," he said to no one in particular, his voice calm yet edged with weary amusement. "Wouldn't you agree?"
His words vanished into the forest's silence—swallowed by the trees, as if the world itself was holding its breath in reply.