A few quiet days passed at Solmere.
The once-tense energy that had gripped the towers began to ease, replaced by the usual rhythm of
divine operations. Morning light spilled gently through stained-glass windows, painting the ivory
halls in soft hues of gold and blue.
Indra awoke with the sun. He felt lighter—sharper—after his intense training with Yuri.
No nightmares. No weight dragging behind his thoughts. Just clarity.
He dressed quickly and wandered the pristine corridors of the castle-like citadel. The silence of
early morning was peaceful, the hum of divine energy in the walls subtle but constant. The
hallways shimmered faintly, polished marble underfoot reflecting the warmth of dawn.
As he reached the grand staircase, two unfamiliar figures caught his eye.
They stood near the railing—both clearly warriors.
One had long golden hair tied in a high braid, her armor lined with soft blue and silver accents.
Her warm, easy smile carried a disarming grace, the kind that put others at ease without trying.
The other had darker features, her jet-black hair pulled into a tight bun. Her stance was firm,
precise—like a coiled blade—and a sharp glint in her eyes made it clear she missed nothing.
Intrigued, Indra approached them with a polite nod.
"Good morning," he said.
The woman with the friendly smile turned to him without hesitation.
"Good morning. You must be Indra," she said.
"That's right," Indra replied. "I don't think we've met yet."
"We were away when you first arrived," the woman explained. "My name is Val, and this is
Parka."
"Hello," Parka said with a simple nod.
Indra smiled warmly. "It's nice to meet you both."
Before the conversation could go further, footsteps echoed up the stairs."Indra, there you are!" Gabriella called, jogging up with a light bounce in her step, her golden
hair catching the light as it trailed behind her.
"Well, hello Gabriella," Val said, her smile widening.
"Good morning, Val. Good morning, Parka. I see you've met our new Velari," Gabriella said as
she joined Indra's side.
Indra glanced between the three women. Something about Val and Parka felt oddly familiar.
"I knew it," he said, snapping his fingers. "Your outfits… they look a lot like Crista's."
Val chuckled lightly. "So you've met Crista already?"
"She was a great help to us," Indra said.
"I hope she treated you well," Parka added, her voice softer now—just a flicker of warmth
behind her usually stoic tone.
"She really did," Indra confirmed. "I'll have to thank her when I see her again."
"I know she'll appreciate it," Val said with a grin.
Just then, Parka gently touched Val's arm. "Val, it's time."
"Right," Val said, turning back to Indra and Gabriella. "Excuse us. It was nice meeting you, new
kid."
With synchronized grace, Val and Parka turned and walked briskly down the hall, their footsteps
light but confident.
Indra watched them go, raising an eyebrow. "Everyone's always running off," he said.
Gabriella laughed. "Being a Velari is a busy job."
She tapped his shoulder lightly. "Speaking of which… we've got work to do."
Indra's curiosity perked. "Whatcha got for me?"
Gabriella's tone shifted, turning more serious. "There's been sightings of spell-like markings in
Wyrdeer. We need to check it out. It's not far from Varis."
Indra frowned slightly. "Shouldn't we go back to Varis first? The village was pretty destroyed
when we left.""It's already been fixed," Gabriella said simply, her steps leading them both down the long, white
marble staircase.
Indra blinked in disbelief. "Already? How? It wasn't that long ago."
"That's Mrs. Taliyah for you," Gabriella said proudly. "She even trained two women to help fix
villages when she's not around. Makes the process a lot faster."
Indra shook his head, a small smile forming. "That's amazing. I bet the people were happy about
that."
Gabriella's smile faded slightly as they reached the ground floor. The light from the tall windows
cast long beams across the polished stone.
"Not exactly," she said.
Indra looked at her, confused. "What do you mean?"
Gabriella folded her arms, her expression thoughtful. "Just because we fix their homes… doesn't
mean they're happy they were destroyed in the first place. Some people are starting to lose faith
in us. They're tired of seeing us come to clean up after the disasters. They wonder why we can't
stop the disasters before they happen."
Indra's smile faded. His shoulders lowered slightly, and his gaze dropped. "I get it," he said
quietly.
"But still… what else can we do? All we can do is help them. That's what matters to me."
Gabriella looked at him for a moment. Her stern expression softened into a warm smile. "My
thoughts exactly," she said.
They stepped through the large entrance doors into the outer courtyard. The sky above stretched
wide and open, brushed with the colors of mid-morning gold.
"All right," Gabriella said, her voice lighter now. "Off to Wyrdeer?"
Indra nodded, twin swords slung across his back. "Lead the way."
With a sudden rush of wind, the two Velari launched into the sky—gold and silver streaks cutting
through the air as they vanished toward the horizon.
A new mission awaited.
And with it, unknown dangers just beginning to take shape